Prepare by Prayer: Part 1

Prayer - A.W. Tozer  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  22:40
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Matthew 26:31–41 ESV
Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
What happens before and after Matt. 26:41 has the greatest ramifications in history.
Jesus is about to have all of the sins of humankind past, present, and future placed upon Him and be sacrificed for us.
Jesus was the only one present who knew what was coming and was preparing himself for it.
We don’t need to pity him for the path he was going to walk, but we need to be thankful and ever grateful.
He saw the problem and provided a way for us to come to the Father.
He also prepared himself for what He was going to be facing by praying to the Father to give him the strength and power to face this.
Because He of what He did, He was able to establish the new earth that will never pass away.
Of course, the way He prepared for this event was to go to His Father in prayer.
The disciples whom He took with Him to pray didn’t have the knowledge, nor the foresight to see what the importance was of that night.
Partly, they couldn’t see what was in front of them and the importance of this night to Jesus.
They also still were to unspiritual to see who He really was and what the event was that was coming up.
They were also fighting their humanness in being sleepy.
Because of these three things, one would betray Him, one would deny Him, and all would forsake Him and runaway.
Jesus gave them this one nugget during this time.
Matthew 26:41 ESV
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus was praying in anticipation of what was coming. His prayer was an anticipatory prayer.
How many battles are lost before they are even fought because we haven’t prayed in anticipation of what was to come?
History will prove this.
Take a look at the Old Testament and the history of Isreal.
When they would go into battle righteous and prayed up, they never lost.
But when they didn’t pray and were filled with iniquity and pride, they always lost.
There are so many times we can look at Isreal and see the reason why they lost the battle.
Why do we not learn by example of this and pray ourselves up for the battles we are going to face?
It is the same with the disciples here.
They didn’t lose the battle when they denied Jesus or when they decided to flee.
They lost it this night at Gethsemane when they didn’t have the strength to pray for what was lying ahead of them.
Battles are not only lost before they are fought, they are also won.
David and Goliath
Jacob and Esau
Elijah against Ahab, Jezebel, and the Prophets of Baal
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