Quiet Time Requires Protection
by Rick Warren
“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.” Matthew 6:7-9 (NCV)
"The key to sticking with any plan for improvement in your life is fitting a prayer of protection in to your quiet time."
A lot of people start well with resolutions and changes in their life, but don’t finish well. The key to sticking with any plan for improvement in your life is fitting a prayer of protection in to your quiet time.
What this means is asking God for help in the areas of your life that you struggle with. For example, if you’re in debt and you’ve set a goal to get out of debt, ask yourself, “Why did I get into debt?” It could be you bought things you didn’t need with money you didn’t have. That’s temptation.
Once you set a goal in life, Satan will start tempting you to do anything but reach that goal. Count on it. So you need to say, “Lord, I need your help. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” That’s the prayer of protection.
Ask God for the strength to reach your goals. Ask him on a daily basis. Keep a list of the goals you want to achieve, then pull out that list every day and say something like this, “Lord, there’s no way I’m going to reach this goal unless you help me. I’m going to be tempted to give in, give up, take the easy way out. I need you to help me overcome the temptation.”
Here are two verses to keep in mind:
“I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NIV). When Christ is inside you, you will have the power to do anything.
“Remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT).
So if you say, “I’m a Christian, but I couldn’t help myself,” you’re lying because God says, “I will make a way out.” You have no excuse. You weren’t looking for a solution; you just didn’t want a way out.
But God promises that he will always make a way out for you. Ask him for that protection every day.
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