Watch And Pray

“And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that you enter not into temptation. And when he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, Why do you sleep? Arise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” Luke 22:39-46
 
“All of you will be offended of me this night—verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, you shall deny me three times—Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemene, and saith unto the disciples, Sit here, while I go pray yonder.  And he took with him Peter, James and John, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.  Then he said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, tarry here and watch with me.”  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me:  nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.”  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could you not watch with me one hour?  Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation:  the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  Matthew 26:31-44

• Pray that you enter not into temptation.  In this passage, Yeshua is demonstrating to his disciples the power prayer gives a man over temptation.  Yeshua is faced with a trial, a test of faithfulness to the voice of the Spirit, the ultimate test of obedience—The Cross.
  • Matthew 16:21-26 Jesus rebukes Peter for trying to derail him from Calvary.  “Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offence to me:  for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”  Then said Jesus, “ If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
    
    
• Watch and Pray that you enter not into temptation.
  • Watch in Hebrew, “Shomer.”  It means,  “to hedge about as with thorns.  I.e. to gourd, to protect, attend to; to beware, circumspect, take heed, look narrowly, observe, regard, reserve, save self.  Mishmar, “A gourd; a deposit, usage, example, diligence, guard, office,observance.”  Greek, “to keep with all vigilance.”
    
    
  • Temptation:  Through the idea of piercing—the serpents teeth and its venom.  A test, to prove, adversity, trial, to test (endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline) to try.
    • Temptation.  Jesus is prayed because he was exposed to temptation just before Calvary.  He was exposed to the temptation of not being executed on the stake but letting himself be rescued by “a dozen armies of angels” (Mt 26:53).  Nevertheless he subjected himself to the will of the Father (Spirit).  Every believer in Yeshua is expected to make his obedience his model, drawing on the power of the Holy Spirit to conform every more closely to his obedience, thus doing the will of God.
      • Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me.”
      • Romans 8, The Spirit itself helpeth our infirmities—for it prays according to the will of God
        
      • And you shall receive power to be witnesses”—Of the Shema: Hear O Israel the LORD our God is One LORD!  “Shema” means, “hear and obey.”
      • Temptation in the wilderness (Speech)—they hardened their hearts from the voice of God
        
        
  • The Spirit is willing.  Willing to do what?  Willing to Obey! The adversary to obedience is the Flesh.
    • Psalm 142, “Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: the spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”
      
      
• Psalm 141, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.  Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.  Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity (extortion—hiking of food prices, covetousness, greed):  and let me not eat of their dainties (un-confessed sin).”
  • We are to watch to doors of our speech.  Our speech proceeds our actions.

Let Us Watch and Pray!