Written on December 9th, 2006 - 10:28PM Last Updated: December 9th, 2006 - 10:28PM
This teaching comes from an extraordinary experience I had from the Lord one recent evening. I was reading the Bible according to the plan I've devised, while listening to a cable digital music channel that plays mostly soothing, instrumental music.
While reading Mark's Gospel, I noticed in the current song there was some singing in the background in what seemed like another language, perhaps Latin, and felt something in my heart from the Lord.
I then came to this verse in my reading:
Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Mark 14:38)
Not many seconds after reading that verse, the same song playing began to have English singing, with a slow chorus saying, "Stay with Me... Watch... and Pray..." ! I felt the power of Yahweh all through me and knew that this message of scripture had great importance. This was a music channel that did not claim to be Christian or play Christian music, so this was undoubtedly an appointment with the Lord. I continued to pray in the Spirit as I finished my Bible reading, and asked Him to reveal what He had for me in that reading.
What He has given me so far, I am sharing here to bless you and help you come to know Him better.
"Watch"
The word in Greek (γρηγορειτε) means to watch, be cautious, take heed, etc. Scholars trace its probable root to εγειρω, meaning to arouse or raise up. That word they feel is akin to αγορα, which was and still is a very common Greek word. We get our word "agoraphobic" from that root, which means a fear of open or public spaces and places. The "Agora" was the marketplace in Athens, and a gathering place for the open exchange of ideas and philosophies; Paul shared the Gospel there, where "market" or "marketplace" is simply the Greek word αγορα (Agora) (Acts 17:17).
Putting that all together, the command to watch could be described as a gathering together of ourselves. As the English idiom goes, "pull yourself together." We assemble ourselves in a way, by keeping our minds from being divided here and there. More than this, however, we can see the words' connection, that the Agora was a place of fellowship or sharing—thus, to watch is to be aware of outside input. When we "watch," we pull ourselves together in order to be aware and hear.
The Lord's command to His disciples "to watch" was a call for them to leave behind their fleshly fears and doubts and to come together in their own selves to remember all the words that He had spoken to them those last three years. He had warned of His impending betrayal, torture, death and resurrection, but they continued to look to those things around them which shook their faith in Him. As the Son of Man, Jesus would naturally desire help from His friends, because He was Man as well. He gave His friends the opportunity to watch with Him, to be aware of what was happening, perhaps in the hopes they would even give Him words of encouragement. But they had not yet matured that far in the faith as the story later reveals.
"Pray"
This word (προσευχεσθε) means to make prayer or pray. It is a combination of a more basic word meaning to ask, wish or pray, with the preposition "toward." Thus, more fully it has the idea of praying toward a particular thing, whether an object or a goal. Perhaps more important is the case of the verb: it is in the middle voice, meaning it is a cooperative effort. Not that we do it, nor is it done to ourselves. As later revealed in the New Covenant writings, we find that it is the HolySpirit Who helps us pray (Romans 8:26-27). With His help we are able to truly pray to God according to His will. The disciples, as followers of Christ Who had already receieved express authority to do His will (Matthew 10:1), could have asked His Father for help. They could have let the HolySpirit bear them along as they watched and then "prayed." They could not accomplish it on their own for they were still ignorant of Yahweh's schemes; but they again ignored the Lord's commands and because of it, were no help to Him or themselves.
"That you may not enter into temptation"
Why should they "watch and pray?" In order that they "might not enter into temptation." "Enter" (εισελθητε) comes from "unto/into" and "come/go." He did not want them to "go into" temptation. What of temptation (πειρασμος)? It can be traced back to the root words for "trial, experiment, proving," and then even further back to "crossing or piercing." Something is discovered by going through it until the other side is reached. It is thoroughly found out. We use the same words to describe the testing of precious metals—they are heated in the fire until it is evident whether they are precious (gold, silver, etc.) or common (iron, etc.).
The Lord Jesus did not want His disciples to enter into that experience, for He knew what was in them. They were not ready to be proved, as their faith was not sure. They still doubted His words and did not believe that what was happening was the will of the Father. Thus, they were to "Watch and pray," in order that it wouldn't be proved to them how far from the mark they were. Unless they did so, they would enter into temptation, go into a time of trial or testing, which would reveal their insides.
Why did Jesus know that experience was to be avoided for them?
"The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak"
Here is the truth that continues to speak to all people, both believer and unbeliever alike. Our flesh continues to slow us down on our spiritual path because it is weak. It is strengthless (ασθενης). What is the flesh? As further revealed as the disciples came to believe in Christ, be born from God, receive God's Spirit and turn to do His will, they taught us that the flesh is not just our physical muscles and skin, but the entirety of our natural senses and reasoning that contradicts what is true. The flesh does not hear the words of God and only depends upon what it can sense (Romans 7:14-25)(Romans 8:1-15).
Jesus promised His disciples that He would be betrayed and crucified, but that He would be raised up three days later:
"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified." (Matthew 26:2)
He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)
They should have been able to bear the pain of seeing Him betrayed and killed, knowing the final outcome, but the weakness of their flesh overpowered the spirit that believed. Seeing the things happen to Jesus with their physical eyes overshadowed the words of God's Son spoken to their hearts.
The spirit is indeed willing (προθυμον), a powerful word ultimately coming from words meaning "before/toward" and "strong passion," which comes from the root "to kill or sacrifice." To be willing is to have the drive to press forward. The same kind of emotion that enables killing or sacrificing, but focused into going before or toward. Although the flesh is strengthless, the spirit has more than enough power to do what Jesus asked. The problem is not that we are without the resources to do what Yahweh has asked of us; the problem is that we do not yield to that within us which is capable of accomplishing it!
Elsewhere, when asked by His disciples how to pray, Jesus taught them much in few words. One thing He taught us to ask our Father in heaven was that He would "lead us not into temptation."
Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'" (Luke 11:4)
Here we ask the Father not "to lead" us, rather than Jesus' warning to watch and pray that we might not "enter" temptation. "To lead" is "to bear/carry unto."
There was at least one time when God (as the HolySpirit) led Jesus into temptation (Matthew 4:1). But the Father knew what was in His Son and wanted it to be revealed to the spirit world, especially Satan, the Devil, who would be doing the tempting.
We, however, are works in progress, gradually becoming conformed to that same image of the Son of God, ChristJesus. We should never look for temptation, as we should be careful that thinking we stand, we are prone to falling. Rather, we should heed the words of Jesus: "watch and pray." In so doing, we might escape times of entering into that piercing through that we know as temptation. We might not discover by experience that our flesh is weak, though our spirit is willing.
Rather, as we watch—or pull ourselves together—we become aware of what is happening (Romans 13:11)(1 Corinthians 15:34). We are not caught by surprise, having our attention focused in many different places. We come to the place where we might hear what is spoken by the HolySpirit, just as Athenians would come to hear what was spoken by the philosophers.
Through doing those two things, we absolutely won't enter into temptation—we won't go unto a place of piercing through for the purpose of showing what we are inside. We may be delivered out of those situations through coming closer to our Father. For, as much as we grow in the Lord, we still have room to mature and become more complete. It will be at that Marriage Feast of the Lamb that we are revealed as the Spotless Bride of Christ—now is not the time!
We will then come to know how willing our spirit truly is. We have the ability within us, after we have been born by God and committed ourselves to Him and received His power, to do what He's asked. We need not fear the weakness of our flesh if we yield to our spirit's willingness.
Here those words of the Son of God, spoken so long ago, but which still echo in the realm of the spirit to those who have ears to hear:
"Watch and Pray."
Discerning Yahweh
Seeing the call of Jesus, we can come to discern that Yahweh wishes us to be free from pain and suffering—especially the kind that comes when we are confronted with our failures and inabilities. He doesn't want us to enter temptation or that time of piercing through, because He knows we are yet children growing each day by His Spirit.
Because the Lord gives us a way out of those horrible experiences, we come to know God as a merficul, loving Creator, One Who is waiting to show us the truth. He has our answers, if we will only but pull ourselves together and pray unto Him. As we seek Him in the spirit, not counting upon or caring about the weakness of our flesh, He is faithful and gracious to see us through. He won't allow us to be proven a failure but will continue the good work He began in us.
Yahweh is a Loving God, One Who wants to see us succeed, not fail. Many people see Him as killjoy, someone who is looking to bring pain, distress, self-condemnation and every other undesirable. But in reality we can discern Him to be kind, gentle, humble, waiting for us to go to Him so that we do not fall.
As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.
But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.
This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, ChristJesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.
You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.
God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.
That Son, JesusChrist, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.
His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.
The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.
So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.
Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!
Email the Author
I welcome your questions, testimonies, suggestions and fellowship. Please contact me by using the form below.
If you are using this form on the same page as material I've written, the form will automatically let me know what material this is.
I am using this form rather than posting my email address because of spammers who harvest addresses from websites.
Scripture Quotes: World English Bible Translation.
Site designed and written by J. Solomon Kostelnik. Please do not distribute without credit.
Thank you to the free open-source projects PHP/MySQL.
