Pray that you will not fall into temptation. Luke 22:40

Before his arrest, Jesus asked the disciples to pray that they will not fall into temptation.

This request assumes that prayer keeps man from falling into temptation.

Question becomes: why?

In what respect does prayer keeps you from falling into temptation? Simply how does it work?

The answer is found  in what Jesus did during the hour (moment - we do not know how long the prayer lasted) of prayer, that is, he conversed himself with God the Father.

Three factors are at play:

No. 1 - what you've got (or are going to get or go through)

No. 2 - your re-action based on your will (experience, judgment, likes, dislikes, etc.)

No. 3 - what God has in mind [in you dealing with what you've got] for you in the situation given.

The time of prayer is the time to sort the factors out, and get yourself ready to face the factor No. 1.

Notice that the factor No. 1 is unalterable (or un-avoidable), for everyone has his or her own cross. After all each person has one life to live here on the same planet earth wearing the same body which is consisted of the same raw materials. Remember that Jesus' body is not made of specially ordered materials. His body is the same in quality as mine and yours.

Through prayer you confirm the goodness of God's will in the Father putting you (wearing such a body as fragile as glassware or any earthen ware) through the Factor No. 1, so doubt ought to turn into conviction which convinces you that you can successfully face it, knowing that God never asks you to do (or puts you through) anything without first providing you with the means by which to do what you are asked to do and further knowing that God's sending of the factor No. 1 your way is the step you are not going to miss for it is the step of 'promotion' that will take you to the level where [God knows] you really love to be.

Without this time of communication with God the Father (who is the ultimate source of all that are coming or not coming your ways), you are bound to fall (owing to you misunderstanding or misinterpreting and therefore misbehaving). Satan does not have much power, except the power, wisdom, ingenuity in causing you to misunderstand or understand wrongly God's will which is good, perfect and pleasing "all" the time.