We pray that he will shield us from temptations and trials that we are too weak to resist. By praying this powerful prayer, we place our entire hope for salvation into our Father’s hands.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.—Matthew 6:13 (ESV)

God placed Adam and Eve in Eden, a garden filled with delightful plants and trees, with as much food as they pleased. God gave them just one command:

You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. (Gen. 2:16-17)

The crafty serpent came and tempted Adam and Eve. First, he questioned the command: “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (Gen. 3:1).

Notice how the serpent twisted God’s command to make it sound harsher than it was: “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden.” This is how temptation begins—by questioning the fairness of God’s commands.

Temptation grows from doubting the consequences of sin.

The woman (over) corrects the serpent and repeats the warning that they would die if they ate of that tree (Gen. 3:2). Now the serpent outright refutes God: “You will not surely die” (Gen. 3:4). This is how temptation grows—doubting the consequences for sin. Surely nothing too bad will happen!

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