The sign flashing “HOT” meant only one thing, a delightful treat just waiting for me to indulge! My love affair with glazed Krispy Kreme Doughnuts was serious. There was a time I could devour half a dozen without a thought to self-control or health issues ever being a problem. Now, as I work toward a disciplined life, prayer has become my arsenal of deliverance.

How can prayer deliver me from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts though, or any other “sugary indulgence” for that matter?

“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41, NKJV).

I hear these words, spoken by Jesus, and I know they are put there just for me!

However, we find Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane speaking to Peter, James & John on the night of His betrayal. This is a gut-wrenching time especially for Jesus as He will take on the sins of the world in a matter of hours and give the greatest gift known to man (redemption) but also give the gift of prayer. Oswald Chambers said: “It cost God everything to make it possible for us to pray” (If You will Ask: Reflections on the Power of Prayer). When will we understand the gift that prayer is to each of us? When will we stop relying on our own self-confidence and remember in our flesh dwells no good thing (Romans 7:18)?

When God created man, He created us with a deep-seated need that only He can fill (not Krispy Kreme). Since He knows our very need, He understands the dangers that lurk about. “Watch,” He says (be on the alert your adversary the devil is on the prowl, 1 Peter 5:8), and “Pray” (“Never stop praying,” 1 Thessalonians 5:17, NLT). Prayer delivers us from all kinds of heartache!

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers . . .” (Ephesians 6:18, NLT).

Let Ephesians 6 be your “battle cry”! We must all “take up the full armor of God” (verse 13) praying at all times because the ultimate struggle is not the donut but the devil and his fallen lifeforces (verse 12). “Stand firm against the schemes of the devil”; Protect yourself with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God’s Word, and never stop praying (verses 11, 14-18)!

Certainly, there is a place for sugary delights, and when appropriate, can be enjoyed guilt-free. 

But don’t fall prey to every “sugary” temptation or any temptation for that matter, but pray . . .

What “Sweet” do you find the hardest to put down?