Lifeway Church in Dacula, GA | Sundays 10 AM

Day 9 - Turning From Temptation

Matthew 26:39–41 (NKJV)
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”


Jesus chose Peter, James and John to go with Him to the garden to pray. The purpose for choosing them was not because He needed them to agree with Him in prayer. He wanted them to learn from Him how to turn from temptation and submit to the Father's will.

When Jesus said to the Father, "not as I will, but as You will", He resisted temptation and yielded to His spirit. He was showing His disciples by example how to crucify the flesh. (only they were not paying attention at the time as they were giving in to the flesh by sleeping)

Jesus finds them sleeping and takes the opportunity to teach them anyway. He confronts their error and tells them why they should be watching and praying. He says, "watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation." Jesus wants us to turn from temptation and turn to the Father.

By watching and praying we stay in a position where we are more in tune with the spirit than we are with the flesh. We are turning from temptation and to God. To turn to God is to turn from temptation.

Jesus made another statement, "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The spirit is willing to resist temptation while the flesh is weak in resisting temptation. In order to resist temptation we must walk in the spirit and not in the flesh. And Jesus showed us this by example and taught us with His word.

During this time of fasting, depend on the power of His spirit working in us to resist temptation.

Challenge:
Spend an extra 15 minutes meditating on the above passage and ask the Lord for deeper revelation.

Say this:
I will watch and pray so that I do not enter into temptation. By watching and praying I am building up my spirit so that I am able to say NO to the flesh and YES to the spirit. I turn from temptation and follow Jesus by doing the will of the Father.

Pray this:
"Heavenly Father, Thank you for the example of Jesus in the garden. He gave His life for me and now I give my life as a living sacrifice for him. I choose to do what He did and say NO to the flesh and YES to the spirit. Thank you for the grace to walk in the spirit and turn from temptation today. In Jesus Name"
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