Praying for Strength Against Temptation
Passage to be read: Luke 22: 39-46
Jesus left the city and went to the Mount of Olives, as He often did,
and His followers went with Him.
When He reached the place, he said to them,
"Pray for strength against temptation."
(Luke 22: 39,40)
God understands! He walked the same path that we are walking today, felt the same feelings that we feel right now, and had the same temptations that our human body and mind demand. But he overcame all of them with God's strength. And that's what we need to learn from the example that Christ Jesus has set for us.
Knowing that His mission on the earth, with three years of service among the human beings, is nearing the end, Jesus awaits the strength from Father in heaven. Assured of what He will be doing at the end of this thirty-three years of life with the people whom he created, He wanted to prepare himself to face the end; the cross.
The unbearable cross on which He is going to hang and die, so that we would live a forgiven and free life in the midst of our sins, would be painful and he knew that well. His heart and body struggled with the forthcoming pain.
As someone who had been experiencing each and every feeling of human beings, He finally encounters one of the biggest temptations that would have come close to Him. Somewhere in His heart the fear to face the cross and its unbearable pain troubled Him. The weakness in His flesh, bone and blood tempted Him to give way to withdrawal.
Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” (Luke 22:42) Even in the midst of this troubled and painful moment, He wanted to do what Father in Heaven wanted Him to. Then an angel appeared to strengthen Him.
Being full of pain, Jesus prayed even harder. Luke 22:44 says that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. But Jesus went running to God. He knelt down in front of the Father in heaven and that's where He found His strength to overcome the temptation.
And Jesus, during this entire moment reminds His disciples, twice, to pray for strength; for the strength to overcome temptation. What does that teach us?
You can never overcome temptation without God's strength! Yes!
As human beings with hunger, thirst and sex as our primary driving forces in our bodies, we strive hard to keep away from temptation. And let us remember, the line is very thin between keeping away from temptation and giving way to temptation. Only God's strength can save us. Only His mighty deliverance can keep us away from falling. What an influential lesson almost at the end of His moments with His disciples.
Jesus, not only went all the way to Calvary with the cross, but He also told us to pray! He said to pray for strength against temptation. And Jesus reminds us that only God's strength can keep us away from sinning and safe guard us from giving way to temptation.
So next time, when we are tempted, what do we do?
Just close our eyes and say, "Lord Jesus, I need your strength."
You would find a miracle happening. A wonder in your self. God will miraculously, in His strength and power, help you to overcome the temptation. You would be surprised.
I pray that God will help each and everyone of us to remember that we have a mighty God who is far more powerful than the temptation that slowly peeps into ourselves. I pray that we would run to Him, asking for the much strength to overcome the temptation, without delay. And, I also pray that God will strengthen each of us and show how great is His presence in such moments.
May God bless you and strengthen you.
Yours in Christ,
The unbearable cross on which He is going to hang and die, so that we would live a forgiven and free life in the midst of our sins, would be painful and he knew that well. His heart and body struggled with the forthcoming pain.
As someone who had been experiencing each and every feeling of human beings, He finally encounters one of the biggest temptations that would have come close to Him. Somewhere in His heart the fear to face the cross and its unbearable pain troubled Him. The weakness in His flesh, bone and blood tempted Him to give way to withdrawal.
Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” (Luke 22:42) Even in the midst of this troubled and painful moment, He wanted to do what Father in Heaven wanted Him to. Then an angel appeared to strengthen Him.
Being full of pain, Jesus prayed even harder. Luke 22:44 says that His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. But Jesus went running to God. He knelt down in front of the Father in heaven and that's where He found His strength to overcome the temptation.
And Jesus, during this entire moment reminds His disciples, twice, to pray for strength; for the strength to overcome temptation. What does that teach us?
You can never overcome temptation without God's strength! Yes!
As human beings with hunger, thirst and sex as our primary driving forces in our bodies, we strive hard to keep away from temptation. And let us remember, the line is very thin between keeping away from temptation and giving way to temptation. Only God's strength can save us. Only His mighty deliverance can keep us away from falling. What an influential lesson almost at the end of His moments with His disciples.
Jesus, not only went all the way to Calvary with the cross, but He also told us to pray! He said to pray for strength against temptation. And Jesus reminds us that only God's strength can keep us away from sinning and safe guard us from giving way to temptation.
So next time, when we are tempted, what do we do?
Just close our eyes and say, "Lord Jesus, I need your strength."
You would find a miracle happening. A wonder in your self. God will miraculously, in His strength and power, help you to overcome the temptation. You would be surprised.
I pray that God will help each and everyone of us to remember that we have a mighty God who is far more powerful than the temptation that slowly peeps into ourselves. I pray that we would run to Him, asking for the much strength to overcome the temptation, without delay. And, I also pray that God will strengthen each of us and show how great is His presence in such moments.
May God bless you and strengthen you.
Yours in Christ,
