Open The Word | Fungua Neno

⏱️ 4 minutes.

Greetings, children of God,

Today, let’s look at one of the most underestimated weapons against temptation:

Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. — Matthew 26:41

These words were spoken by Jesus to Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. In this particular scene, we find Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here, Jesus is aware that He is soon to be taken into custody by the Romans and eventually crucified.

And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed.
— Matthew 26:37

Jesus asks the disciples that He brought with Him to keep watch and pray. After this, He goes ahead of them and takes some time to Himself to pray. Unfortunately, He comes back and finds that they have been sleeping. This grieves Jesus, as He understands they don’t fully comprehend the gravity of the situation they’re about to face.

And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour?
— Matthew 26:40

The phrasing that Jesus uses to ask the disciples why they weren’t praying reveals a certain tone that Jesus had toward them. This tone is confirmed furthermore with the next phrase that Jesus shares with them.

In the next verse, Jesus highlights the importance of prayer. The reason He asked them to pray was not simply because it was something routine, but rather because they were about to face a very unique situation. As Jesus highlights the significance of prayer at this time, we see how powerful prayer can be.

Jesus knows that He and the disciples are about to face a very difficult time in the ministry. Jesus knows that He is about to be apprehended and that the disciples will then have to face the most challenging period of their lives. Church history teaches us that the majority of the disciples were later martyred.

With this reality, Jesus knew that the biggest challenge the disciples would face was the temptation to give up. And so, Jesus highlights the most powerful aspect of prayer: protecting against temptation.

Jesus says, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation.” He links the purpose of prayer directly to the battle against temptation.

This highlights an important function of prayer. As we pray, we gain strength to overcome temptation. In this scene in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see Jesus Himself embracing the same principle. As He faces the most distressing moment of His ministry here on earth, the one thing that He goes to is prayer.

This principle remains true even today. Throughout the epistles by Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude, we see prayer at the center of their exhortation. As the apostles reach out to the church, they instruct them to pray continuously, to pray diligently, and to pray in the Spirit.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
— Jude 20

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
— James 5:16

Jesus goes on further to highlight another important aspect of prayer. He says in the second part of the verse, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This directly highlights the weakness in our flesh. As Christians, we have been indwelled by the Holy Spirit who strengthens us in all things godly. Therefore, even when it comes to matters of prayer, it is the Spirit that empowers us to be prayerful, knowing that prayer can keep us away from temptation. However, the flesh is not willing, for it is weak.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you do not do the things that you want.
— Galatians 5:16-17

Here are some important things to remember:

• Prayer is a weapon that we can use against temptation.
• Prayer strengthens us even in our time of weakness.
• Our flesh is weak against the temptations of this world. We cannot survive against temptation without the power that comes through prayer.

Friends, let us not underestimate the power of prayer. And I pray that this word will remind us to be prayerful.

Blessings,
Paul