Bible Study Watch and Pray – Matthew 26:41

[James Brown]

Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

- Matthew 26:41​

Thoughts on Today’s Bible Verse:
Before the Lord Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He asked His disciples to hold watchful prayer, but they fell asleep. Jesus Christ knew their spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. From Jesus’ words, we know that prayer is of the utmost importance for us. This verse shows us the way to solve the problem of weakness of the flesh.
In real life, we often feel the flesh is weak. For example: Sometimes, we don’t attend church gatherings because of our busy work; sometimes, we don’t pray or read the Bible when we watch the favorite TV shows. Though we know what we do will put us further and further from God, we are unable to help ourselves from succumbing to the pleasures of the flesh … At this moment, if we hold watchful prayer and rely on God, He will guide us to overcome the weakness of the flesh. Just as God’s words say, “After praying, the Holy Spirit will enlighten and illuminate people, and lead people, and will give people the faith and courage to put the truth into practice. …. The purpose of prayer is so that people can come into the presence of God and receive the things God intends to give them. If you frequently pray and frequently come into God’s presence, then you will have a continual relation with God, and you will always be moved by Him, always receive His provisions; and therefore you will be transformed, your conditions will continually improve and will not regress.”
Prayer is our spiritual need. We can only gain strength to satisfy God’s demands by praying to Him. God’s word will give us confidence and keep us from evil things. May God guide us to grow. Amen!

 

[for_his_glory]

Prayer is very hard for some people as they do not know how to pray or they think there should be some grand format to follow to make a perfect prayer. Some are even afraid to even approach Jesus as they feel he is unreachable in their lives for the way they live, but Jesus will hear the prayers of anyone who has a sincere heart for the Lord no matter who they are and in all boldness will come to him.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Praying is humbling ourselves before the Lord and making a petition before him in simplicity of words for whatever our need is. Jesus, as our mediator, sits at the right hand of God making intercession for the saints of God as he presents our petitions before the Father. You do not need eloquent elaborate words or long prayers that use vain repetitions like the Pharisees used as God called them hypocrites because they were arrogant in their ways loving to have others see them in such formality who made the outside of themselves look good, but were nothing more than full of iniquity.

Jesus is our mediator to the Father and just wants us to sit and talk with him like we would sit and talk with our best friend. Our prayer language needs to be in this same way. When you have a need just talk to him and speak from your heart. We do not have to be repetitious in our prayers as Jesus already heard you the first time. Pray once and then stand strong in faith to know God has heard your prayer and then just keep praising him and thanking him for his answer to your prayer even though you might not see an answer yet, but know that God in his timing will answer you. Gods answer may not be what we want to hear at times and his answer can be no at times, but God knows what is better for us then we do and we need to trust in this.