A Christian desires to perform all that he prays for; that is, if it pertains to matters where his activity is appropriate. To pray without a desire to be active is mocking with God. To be active without prayer does not yield good results, since we are not capable of doing anything spiritual in and of ourselves.
In the first three petitions the Lord Jesus teaches us to pray for three great matters: that God’s Name be hallowed, His kingdom come, and His will be done. As supplicants ourselves, we are involved in the execution of these matters. Therefore we cannot pray for them unless we are willing to effect them in our station in life. In order to be a means in effecting these matters, however, we must be in a condition in which we are fit according to soul and body to effect them. Since we ourselves are neither fit for this nor are able to acquire these qualifications in and of ourselves—God alone being able and willing to grant them—the Lord Jesus teaches us in the last three petitions, having presented in the first three petitions the matters which are to effected, to pray for the qualifications which are needed for the execution of these matters. To that end it is requisite that our bodies function and be in good condition—food and raiment being needful for that purpose. This we request in the fourth petition: “Give us this day our daily bread.” Furthermore, in order that the first three matters be effected it is also requisite that we be in a reconciled state with God and be at peace with Him, for God does not deem His enemies worthy of effecting such great matters. Moreover, man can neither approach unto God in an unreconciled state, have fellowship with Him, nor do anything for the Lord. His consciousness of sin would cause him to be fearful of God and prompt him to flee from Him. Therefore, the Lord Jesus taught in the fifth petition to pray to be in a state of reconciliation and peace with God: “Forgive us our debts.” Since spiritual life is feeble, faith is weak, and the soul has but little strength; since it has pleased the Lord, to a greater or lesser degree, to give his enemies free reign against him; and since those enemies are shrewd, evil, tireless, and powerful, a believer is in fear that the enemies would hinder him in the execution of those matters which he so greatly delights in, and render his heart incapable of doing anything spiritual—yes, lead him into sin. Therefore the supplicant flees to the Lord for help in order that he might be preserved in a state of holiness and thus be fit to effect these three great matters. The Lord Jesus teaches us to pray for this in the sixth petition: “Lead us not into temptation,” etc.
The Twofold Nature of This Petition
In these words we do not find two petitions, but only one. There is but one subject with which we are exercised here and about which we utter a twofold petition. First of all, there is a petition for the preservation from evil, and secondly, a petition to be delivered from evil.
The petition to be kept from evil is expressed in these words: “And lead us not into temptation.” First of all we have the subject, temptation, and secondly the invocation, lead us not into it.
The last three petitions are all connected with the conjunction “and,” for a Christian is in need of all three dispositions in order both to pray the first three petitions as well as to effect them. If one of these dispositions is lacking, he will not be fit to do so. All three must always coalesce.
The Subject of This Petition: Temptation
The subject is temptation. The Greek word πειράζειν (peirazein) signifies trial. “And this He said to prove him” (John 6:6); “Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles” (Rev 2:2). It also signifies “to examine”: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (2 Cor 13:5). Most often it signifies “to tempt”: “For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted” (Heb 2:18). From this word the word πειρασμός (peirasmos = temptation) is derived, which is used here. Temptation can originate with 1) God, 2) man, 3) the world, and 4) the devil.
God Tempts
God is said to tempt or prove man. God tempted Abraham when He commanded him to sacrifice his son (Gen 22:1); He proved Israel with the manna (Exod 16:4); and He tried David (2 Sam 24:1) and Hezekiah (2 Chron 32:31). It is not as if God would thus become acquainted with certain matters or outcomes, for all things are naked and opened before Him and He knows man’s thoughts from afar. Rather, He does so to make matters known to either the person himself or to others—thus conveying what good or evil is to be found in man. It was thus that Job’s patience, Abraham’s obedience, David’s weakness, and Hezekiah’s pride became manifest, to their humiliation, the comfort of others, and to prompt others to caution. God proves His own by either temporal prosperity or adversity in order to ascertain whether He is all-sufficient to them and their only confidence; whether they believe the providence of God in each individual matter; whether they love His will; or whether they have the courage to put their trust in His promises. The Lord also tries His own with spiritual temptations by the withdrawal of His Spirit, light, comfort, and opportunities, in order to cause them to live by faith alone—in reliance upon His Word—and continually receive Him as their strength.