Hi Darren,
Ray explains about this very thing in the article 'Praying By God's Rules.'
http://bible-truths.com/praying.htm -----------------
"And lead us not into temptation…"
Can this statement be true? Doesn’t the Scripture declare:
"…for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts He any man" (James 1:13)?
So why should we pray that God will "lead us NOT into temptation?" Good question.
In addition, we have this apparent contradiction regarding our Lord;
"Then was Jesus led up of THE SPIRIT into the wilderness TO BE TEMPTED of the devil" (Matt. 4:1).
Are not these Scriptures contradictory? I’ll admit it takes some careful consideration to untangle this apparent enigma. Here are the facts:
Temptation has always been associated with the work of Satan throughout the Bible. Beginning with mother Eve, then Jesus, Paul, James, Peter, and John, we have ample testimony concerning the beguiling deceitfulness of Satan.
While it is true that "…God cannot be tempted with evil, neither temps He any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed" (James 1:13-14), we must also consider that wherever temptation is, there also is Satan:
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise… And the woman said [to God] The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat" (Gen. 3:6 & 13).
"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (II Cor. 11:3).
"Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil… All these things will I [Satan] give you [Jesus], if you will fall down and worship me" (Matt. 4:1 & 9).
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts [desires, temptations] of your father ye will do…" (John 8:44).
"Be sober; be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour [swallow down]" (I Pet. 5:08).
"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world…" (Rev. 12:9).
Satan, not God is the great tempter, and he has temped and deceived the whole world. But here is where God does come in. After we are tempted of Satan, God is our Redeemer:
"And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing [correcting] those that oppose themselves; if God peradvanture will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves [‘…but deliver us from the wicked one’ Matt. 6:13] out of the snare [Gk: ‘trap, temptation’] of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will" (II Tim. 2:24-26).
"For THINE is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen"
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mercy, peace and love
Kat