Christ Community Church - C3

In this message, Coleton concludes the Lord's Prayer series by focusing on one of the most overlooked phrases Jesus ever taught us to pray:"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:13)
Many Christians are comfortable praying for daily needs, forgiveness, or God's will, but often neglect this final request. Yet Jesus intentionally ends His model prayer by teaching His followers to pray against spiritual evil. Coleton explains that this isn't reserved for unusually spiritual Christians or for a specific period of history—it is meant to become a normal part of every believer's prayer life.
Using Scripture, historical examples, and practical application, Coleton reminds us that while Christians should never seek out spiritual warfare, we are also never called to ignore it. Instead, Jesus gives us a weapon: prayer. Through prayer, we ask God to fight for us, protect us, and advance His kingdom against the kingdom of darkness.

Jesus Teaches Us that Prayer is Spiritual Warfare
Coleton opens with a story from his father, who taught him never to start a fight—but if one became unavoidable, fight hard enough that the enemy would never forget it.He uses that illustration to explain Jesus' teaching.Jesus isn't telling Christians to obsess over demons or look for spiritual battles everywhere. Instead, He is preparing His followers for the reality that they already live in a spiritual war. Prayer is how believers fight.
The Lord's Prayer gradually teaches us how to approach God:Our Father — Remember who you are talking to.Hallowed be Your Name — Worship Him and remember His greatness.Your Kingdom Come — Ask God to display His rule and goodness on earth.Give Us Daily Bread — Trust Him to provide what you need.Forgive Us Our Debts — Confess sin and receive His grace.Deliver Us from the Evil One — Ask God to protect you and defeat the enemy.
Coleton points out that Jesus intentionally ends His model prayer here. That means fighting spiritual evil isn't an optional part of Christianity—it is part of ordinary Christian prayer.
Bible Passage
Matthew 6:9–13

1. Jesus Knows This Is What Is Really Wrong with the World
Coleton explains that beneath every broken relationship, every injustice, every war, every addiction, every lie, and every act of rebellion lies a deeper spiritual problem.Jesus did not primarily come to overthrow governments or fix political systems.He came to destroy the works of Satan.The greatest enemy of humanity isn't another nation, another political party, another religion, or another group of people. The deepest problem is sin and the spiritual kingdom of darkness that opposes God's purposes.
This explains why so much of Jesus' earthly ministry involved confronting demons, healing people oppressed by evil, and setting captives free.
Rather than teaching His followers to hate people, Jesus commanded them to:Love their enemies.Pray for those who persecute them.Turn the other cheek.But when it comes to Satan and spiritual evil, Jesus tells believers to fight.
Coleton spends time explaining Daniel 10, where Daniel prayed for understanding for twenty-one days. God immediately heard his prayer, yet an angel was delayed because of conflict with spiritual powers described as the "Prince of Persia."
This passage offers a glimpse behind the curtain of history. Events on earth often reflect a much greater conflict taking place in the unseen spiritual realm.
Paul teaches the same reality in Ephesians: our true struggle is never against flesh and blood.That changes how Christians view the world.Instead of seeing people as the enemy, we begin praying against the spiritual forces influencing hearts, cultures, governments, and communities.
Bible Passages
Matthew 6:131 John 3:8Daniel 10Ephesians 6:12
Quotes
"Spiritual beings are associated with nation-states... Michael fights for God's people, while the prince of Persia is a demonic power." — D.A. Carson"Daniel was learning that the ultimate power struggle was fought out in a realm of which most people know nothing... the world crises we see are reflections of an older, more ruthless conflict." — Sinclair Ferguson

2. Jesus Knows Every Believer Will Experience Spiritual Conflict
Coleton reminds us that no one escapes spiritual warfare.Whether someone believes in Christ or not, the enemy is active.For unbelievers, Satan blinds people from seeing the beauty of the gospel. This explains why many reject Christ despite God's incredible offer of mercy.For believers, conversion does not end the battle.In many ways, it begins a new one.Peter warns Christians that the devil prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Paul tells believers to put on the armor of God because spiritual conflict is inevitable.
Coleton carefully avoids extremes.He reminds the church that not every hardship is caused by demons.Not every sickness...Not every temptation...Not every mental illness...Not every difficult circumstance...
The Bible teaches that sometimes our own sinful desires lead us into temptation. Other times physical problems simply require ordinary wisdom and medical care.
Still, Scripture clearly teaches that Satan actively seeks to:tempt believers toward sin,accuse them with guilt,destroy marriages,create division,attack families,discourage God's people,oppose God's work,and steal joy, peace, hope, and confidence in God.
Because Jesus knows His followers will encounter spiritual opposition, He teaches them to pray for God's protection regularly.
Bible Passages
2 Corinthians 4:41 Peter 5:8Ephesians 6:10–13Matthew 4Mark 5Matthew 9Matthew 12Luke 13Matthew 15Matthew 16Mark 9Acts 5Luke 22John 10:10
Quotes
"After a man is converted... Satan gathers all his forces... because he cannot bear to lose his subjects." — Charles Spurgeon

3. Jesus Wants Us to Fight—and Prayer Is One of Our Greatest Weapons
Coleton emphasizes that prayer is much more than bringing requests to God.Prayer is warfare.Paul teaches that Christians do not fight with worldly weapons but with weapons empowered by God to destroy spiritual strongholds.
Coleton reminds us of the story where the disciples could not cast a demon out of a boy.When they asked Jesus why they failed, Jesus answered that this kind only comes out through prayer.Prayer is not powerless.Prayer invites the power of God into spiritual battles that human strength can never win.
The Christian does not defeat darkness through cleverness, politics, anger, intimidation, or force.We fight by depending upon:the Holy Spirit,God's Word,faith,and prayer.
Bible Passages
2 Corinthians 10:3–4Matthew 17 (or Mark 9 parallel)
Quotes
"Christians can wage a successful campaign in the spiritual realm only when they abandon human resources and totally rely on spiritual weapons." — D.A. Carson"We must all practice violence... he who prays is fighting against the devil." — Martin Luther"While others fight, Christians pray." — Origen

How Should Christians Respond?
After explaining why Jesus included this prayer, Coleton gives several practical responses.
Live with Awareness, Not Fear
Christians should recognize spiritual warfare without becoming frightened by it.Jesus has already defeated Satan through His death and resurrection.Believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, and God's Spirit is infinitely greater than the enemy.Every time demons encountered Jesus in the Gospels, they were terrified of Him—not the other way around.
Bible Passage
1 John 4:4
Pray for Discernment
Coleton warns against seeing demons behind every inconvenience.The Bible teaches balance.Sometimes problems are spiritual.Sometimes they are physical.Sometimes they arise from our own sinful desires.Believers need wisdom to recognize the difference rather than becoming fearful or superstitious.
Bible Passages
James 11 Timothy 5:23
Know the Scriptures
When Jesus faced Satan's temptations in the wilderness, He answered every attack with Scripture.God's Word is called the sword of the Spirit because truth defeats lies.The better Christians know God's Word, the better prepared they are to resist temptation and deception.
Bible Passages
Matthew 4Ephesians 6James 4:7
Make This Prayer Part of Your Daily Life
Coleton challenges the church to actually pray the prayer Jesus taught.Pray for:your marriage,your children,your workplace,your church,your community,your city,your government,and everyone God has entrusted to your care.The power is not in our words.The power is in the God to whom we pray.
Quote
"Satan dreads nothing but prayer... He laughs at our toil... but he trembles when we pray." — Samuel Chadwick
Persevere in the Battle
Coleton closes with an illustration from the final days of World War II.After realizing Germany had lost, Hi**er issued the Nero Decree, ordering the destruction of his own nation's infrastructure so the Allies could not benefit from it. Though defeated, he sought to cause as much destruction as possible before the end.Coleton compares this to Satan.The cross and resurrection settled the outcome.Jesus has already won.Satan knows his defeat is certain.Until Christ returns, however, he seeks to steal, kill, destroy, and create as much devastation as possible.That is why Christians must not become discouraged when they experience spiritual opposition.Spiritual conflict is not necessarily evidence that you are outside God's will.Often, it is evidence that God's kingdom is advancing through your life—and the enemy wants to stop it.Jesus has already won the victory.Now He invites His followers to participate in that victory through faithful, persistent prayer.

Discipleship Group Questions
Why do you think Jesus chose to end the Lord's Prayer with, "Deliver us from the evil one"? What does that reveal about the Christian life?How does understanding that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood" change the way we view difficult people, cultural conflicts, or personal hardships?Coleton emphasized that not every difficulty is spiritual warfare, but some certainly is. How can Christians grow in discernment without becoming fearful or overly focused on the demonic?Which of the practical responses challenged you the most: living without fear, praying for discernment, knowing Scripture, praying regularly against spiritual evil, or persevering? Why?What specific people, places, or situations in your life need to become part of your regular prayer for God's protection and deliverance from the evil one?

Culture of Gospel
Share this with someone in your life who doesn't know Jesus
Every one of us senses that something is deeply broken in the world—and often within ourselves. Jesus teaches that the answer isn't simply trying harder, but trusting the One who has already defeated the deepest source of evil and invites us to live in His victory, freedom, and peace.