Consider the Lord's Prayer: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."
Deliver means to release, rescue, save, liberate, to set free from capture. There are two categories of people who need to be delivered. FIRST... In Matthew's gospel there are those who have been taken captive by the evil one. Matthew repeatedly tells us how Jesus drove out evil spirits, and healed the demon possessed "with a word" (Mt 8:16). In Matthew 9 we read about a demon-possessed man who simply could not talk.
In Matthew 8:28 Matthew describes two demon possessed men who came out of the tombs to meet Jesus. "They were so violent that no one could pass that way." And they came shouting at Jesus, "What do you want with us, Son of God, have you come to torture us before the appointed time?" How freaky would that have been?
A few summers ago I was in Chicago with some friends, when a man ran up to us shouting. I nearly wet myself! He clearly, was not in his right mind. I'm sure a health professional would say he was mentally ill. But this man was spitting and slobbering. He was rocking and swaying, spewing hate. He was speaking "words of death" over me, my friends, cars driving by, pedestrians. He was wishing we'd get hit, that people would die in the street. His spirit was under the control of some kind of angry, evil influence. We walked away fast! {Sometimes a husband or wife thinks their spouse is demon-possessed, but this scenario was way beyond my pay grade.}
Sometimes we sensationalize this idea of demon possession. We think of the men racing out of the tombs screaming. But what if it's more subtle? In 2 Timothy 2:26 Paul people he hopes will "come to their senses", and "escape the trap of the devil who has taken them captive to do his will." You know, there is a whole spectrum of people who have been taken captive by the evil one.
Look at how the devil uses drugs to take people captive, it's one of the saddest things I see. Look at how the devil uses words to take people captive. Do you ever listen to that inner voice? Anxious thoughts, fearful thoughts, doom and gloom, continual worry about health/work/money/what eat/ what wear/ politics/ ISIS/ employment/ school/ retirement. Anxiety is debilitating, it can rob soul from a person.
People have depressive thoughts. Thoughts of discouragement, feeling disillusioned with life, feeling unappreciated, that no one cares. Feeling left out and unwanted. Feeling inferior, being unable to laugh or smile... thoughts of suicide.
People have hostile thoughts. Maybe critical spirit, graceless spirit, resentment, unforgiveness, thoughts of revenge, prejudices, extreme intolerances. One form of deliverance is how do we break the stranglehold that the devil seems have on people?
In Ephesians 6:11-12, Paul speaks of the way the Devil is scheming against mankind. He says, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm." Evil gets institutionalized. It gets embodied in religious systems, our beliefs, government, military, political platforms, authority figures, laws, policies, text books, ideas, culture, our music, video games, movies...
In Matthew 12:29 Jesus says, "How can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he plunder his house." What is Jesus talking about? He is talking about Beelzebub, the Devil. In order for a soul to be set free someone has to bind Satan hand and foot. Paul tells us in Ephesians that Jesus descended to set us free, and take us captive, to do God's will.
By the way, there were demons the disciples couldn't drive out. Jesus told them there are those that can only be delivered through intensive prayer. When you see someone taken captive by drugs... when you see someone descending into anxiety/fear, depression, hostility... get on your knees. Get in the word. Its battle time.
Paul says, "put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should." (Ephesians 6:13-20)
How many of you like good movies? A while back Lara/I watched a movie called "War Room," which is about a couple who found their marriage, lives under attack. There isn't a single power in this this universe that can't be broken by prayer. There isn't a single thought, no matter how debilitating, that can't be changed when God's Word takes hold. Remember? Jesus drove out most notorious demons by his Word! If you are in a dark spot, maybe watch that movie. Its on my top five.
There is another category of person that needs to be delivered. Anyone who seriously endeavors to choose a path of righteousness in life, will need protection, rescue, divine intervention. This is why Jesus teach us to pray, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Jesus life is example of this.
At the start of his ministry, Jesus appears in the wilderness, where John the Baptist has been baptizing folks. He asks to be baptized. John is confused why Jesus would need to be baptized, and whether it should be Jesus baptizing John! But Jesus is there to publicly declare his intention "to fulfill all righteousness." (Mt. 3:15).
You can think of this as Jesus' ordination. He is being set apart for something extraordinary, and the character of his life and ministry will be to fulfill "all" righteousness. He is resolute, as unwavering about his purpose. Upon his baptism the Spirit of the Living God descends upon Jesus, and the Father affirms Jesus' purpose, saying, "This is my son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased." (Mt 3:17).
But this righteousness is something deeper than following a moral code of right and wrong. Righteousness is a profoundly deep commitment to live for God (and to please Him) in each/every circumstance, in each/every moment, of each/every day. The true essence of righteousness is found in Paul's prayer for the Colossians: "... that you may live a life worthy of Lord and please him in every way..." (Col. 1:10)
In a sermon Jesus amplifies his commitment. He will not trivialize even the smallest part of God's will. "Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but for fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." (Mt 5:17-18)
You know a lot of people do not think like this. Most people have "selective righteousness." They will please God so long as the crowd applauds, their friends smile, the employer pats their back, the professor gives an A, or the authorities approve. They will please God so long as it's not costly, it's not painful, or it doesn't interfere w/goals. They will please God so long as we can entirely do what God wants on their terms.
And that's the problem. Selective righteousness isn't really righteousness. Because righteousness is an unwavering, fierce resolve to please God in every way, to let his "will be done on earth as in heaven." It's the spirit of Jesus' prayer in the garden, before his death, "Father, not my will be done, but your will be done."
Many people don't really intend to "fulfill all righteousness", we tend to exercise selective righteousness, letting our will override God's will! But not Jesus. He is vested. This is his calling. He will not trivialize the will of God. He seeks please God in every way. In that same sermon, Jesus issues the call, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Mt 5:48). He also says, "... anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teachers others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices these commands will be called great in the k. of heaven..." (Mt 5:17-19).
Now what Jesus is not doing, is laying out a formula for salvation You can Aim High all day long, you will never fulfill "all" righteousness, not like Jesus. The Bible says, "no one will be declared righteous by obeying the law" (Rom. 3:20, Gal. 2:16). No, we get saved by putting our faith in Jesus... letting his righteousness become our righteousness. Receiving his forgiveness, letting his righteous blood wash sin away.
What were talking about is that anyone sincerely seeking to please God will need deliverance. From the moment Jesus declared his commitment to righteousness, pleasing the Father in everything, the Devil began to tempt him (Mt 4:1). The devil appealed to Jesus' flesh--his hungers and appetites, "turn these breads into stone." (Mt 4:3). The devil appealed to Jesus' ego, tempting him to choose fame and popularity, making a name for himself, thrilling the crowds, "jump from the temple and let angels catch you, it will be so cool.". The devil appealed to Jesus' ambitions. "I'll give you the world if you will bow down and worship me." (Mt 4:10).
The devil infiltrated Jesus' inner circle of disciples, causing Judas to betray Jesus. At one point, the devil spoke even through the Apostle Peter, to deter Jesus in his mission. The devil sent forth demons to taunt Jesus as he ministered to the crowds.
Now maybe this all sounds too sensational? Except the devil tempts us when were the most vulnerable. When were exhausted, when were hurt, when were alone, when things are going good, when things are going bad. But make no mistake about it, righteousness isn't some walk in the park. Satan opposes righteousness at every turn.
This is why Jesus says, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before me." (Mt 5:10-11)
On a practical level there will be moments, in living for righteousness, where we will be tempted to abandon God's will. Jesus was tempted in every way just as we are. One of my life verses is 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." I've prayed this verse a thousand times.
Another life verse is James 1:13-15 which says, "when tempted no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death." God is not testing us. Instead, we're opening ourselves to an influence. Which influence would rather have? One that leads to life, or one that leads to death?