WATCH AND PRAY
THAT YE ENTER NOT INTO TEMPTATION - Mat 26:41
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is week.”
Jesus, towards the end of His ministry on this earth, with His disciples, went to a place called as Gethsemane, and told them to “tarry” there while he went a little further inside and prayed.
When He went to pray, He took with Him the three disciples whom he usually takes with Him for most ministries – Peter, James and John and tells them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me” - vs. 38.
Then He went a little further and prayed to God the Father asking Him to let ‘this cup’ pass from Him. But he completely submitted Himself to the will of the Father. When He came back to the three disciples, He found them sleeping.
Jesus Christ very well knew how His disciples felt. About how tired they must have been after a long day’s work in doing ministry with Jesus Christ Himself. This is why He says, “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.
Charles Wesley in his famous Hymn, “And can it be” says, “He left His Father's throne above, So free, so infinite His grace; Emptied Himself of all but love” . Jesus, being God himself, put aside His divinity for each one of us to know exactly what we face and what we felt by emptying Himself of all but Love!
When He was on the earth He felt everything a normal human being felt; emotions such as joy, anger, sorrow; He became hungry, tired, weary and felt pain and agony. So Jesus Christ understood very well, how tired the disciples must have felt, even more so, because He was the one doing most, if not all the ministries.
How many times have we felt as though nobody understands the pain that we often go through! It could be a physical ailment, a non favorable financial situation, a broken relationship or any crisis that has been breaking you down for many years.
The truth is this that the Lord knows exactly how you feel; He’s felt it all and understands your problems even better than you do.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: - 1 Peter 5:8 (KJV)
It is very easy to sleep or become careless in our Christian walk. Temptations strike when we are most vulnerable and that is the exact moment our adversary, the devil strikes.
We need to be alert to the possibilities of an attack and pray to maintain vigilance at all times. This is how we can resist the devil and this is what the Lord meant when He said, “watch and pray”.
Are we able to watch and pray that we do not fall into temptation? Or are we drowsy and vulnerable, giving space for the enemy to take advantage of our moment of weakness? Let us ask God for His guidance and strength to keep us awake and alert at all wakes of life.
Joel Jacob