Advice For The Christian Girl

Let Me Not Fall Into Temptation (Part 1)

Let Me Not Fall Into Temptation (Part 1)

Matthew 26:41
ESV
41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Now Jesus said the verse above when He was praying before He was heading to the cross. The time came when He would soon be betrayed and Jesus, being grieved asked for His disciples to join Him in prayer.

But what were His disciples doing?

They were falling asleep, their humanity was revealed as they couldn't resist the natural urge to go to sleep. The spirit was willing but their flesh was weak and they fell asleep.

But we are Christ's disciples today. We are the body of Christ and today we stand as disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord and saviour.

But just like the disciples, we can find ourselves in that same position. We are willing, the desire is there but our flesh is weak and instead of watching we have a couple of blinks and fall asleep.

Jesus told the disciples to watch and pray lest they fall into temptation and I believe those words still echo today.

We are to watch and also pray. I believe watching has a deep value. We are called to watch what we see, hear, touch, invite, read etc. When we are watchful, it speaks of diligence, it speaks of paying attention, of not allowing deception to overtake but living in discernment. When we speak about prayer we speak of relationship with God, communion, consecration, humility, walking in relationship etc.

Both these purposeful acts of being watchful and prayerful are what help us not fall into temptation. These are the two keys we can take away from this verse and not just hear this and nod but I want as you're reading this to go before God in prayer and begin asking God for a watchful heart.

1) We shouldn't entertain anything.

We shouldn't just watch anything. We shouldn't just read anything. I can even go further, we can't just marry anyone or be friends with just anyone. Everything we do is with a watchful eye, an eye that seeks where the enemy can be knocking to get in. We see the lust knocking when we watch that film but something about it brings thoughts into your mind. We hear pride knock when instead of giving God glory we want the glory. We hear envy knocking when instead of congratulating your sister you're staring at her and wondering why she deserves it or what makes her special. We hear destruction knocking when we start walking with those who instead of bringing us closer to God bring us further but yet we ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit thinking we can change people when it's only God who changes people and hide we are the ones changing. We hear many things knocking in our society today.

But sis, are we watchful to see that knock and tighten the lock. To make sure the door is shut, to even when the knob is turning, we run and close it. Even when we were close to watching that video we know will bring us back to lust, we say not today and close our phones. When envy is crippling, do we go before God and declare blessing over that very person's life? When we are tempted to have pride, do we go before God and shout all Glory to Him?

This is being watchful but now also taking action. That action is prayer and walking in Christ.

It's not easy that's why when the disciples asked to pray, Jesus told them to pray this prayer:

Matthew 6:13
ESV

13 And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from evil.

It means Jesus sees how weak we are and is calling us to pray that God keeps us. We aren't prayerful enough, wise enough, we don't read our Bible enough or fast enough to ever think we are immune to sin. We can lift our noses when others fall but we shouldn't be so quick to say how if we were in their place we wouldn't fall like that because sis you could even fall worse, it's only by God's grace you haven't.

2. 1) Remain in prayer.

Jesus taught His disciples to be Watchful and Prayerful.

You need to be awake to pray. So after putting away all that temptation sis, go before God in prayer and remain in that place of prayer. There shouldn't be a time when you start seeing you don't need to pray. It is in those times when we see prayer as not so important that pride takes over. The truth is we need our Lord, we need Jesus every day, every minute. When we realise how His the only thing keeping us going, the only One who is holding us together we will begin to stop neglecting the powerful weapon of prayer.

Sis keep praying day and night. Sis keep praying every day. Sis keep praying even when all is well and keep praying when all seems lost. Pray in the morning. If you're busy, set an alarm and ask the Holy Spirit to be your alarm to wake up slightly earlier. If you feel can't pray in peace without a lot of disturbances, sis even pray at night!!!

Jesus prayed at night (Luke 6:12) so it's biblical to never let anything come in your life that brings you further from that place of prayer.  As His disciples,   Christ is telling His church today to remain awake. Remain prayerful for in these times He needs His awake bride.