The Spirit And The Flesh

38Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39He 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.” 40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41“Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
Matthew 26: 38 - 42 NKJV

A question has come up once again in our quest to know more of the truth of Christ Jesus.  Upon asking Dennis for prayer this week I was met by a interesting response.  His response was somewhere along the lines of, "This is what I pray for you, Matthew 26:41"  What?  Now, I admit that initially I was thinking that he was indeed being flippant, but upon further reflection I came to realize that what he was doing was taking yet another opportunity to show me Jesus.  For as we look at Jesus' words in this passage we see see two often opposing sides of our being.  This being our spirit and our flesh.  As Jesus tells his disciples who have once agian dozed off while keeping watch in the garden, the spirit was indeed willing but it was the flesh which was weak.  Now, for those who have come to know Christ Jesus, the "spirit" is Jesus Himself who now lives through us {Galations 2:20}.  Knowing this, it doesn't take a democrat pollster to see just what Jesus means when he points out the weak flesh.  This is our ever neutral flesh which all too often is influenced by it's surroundings.  Knowing this, it is easy to see why Christ would refer to our flesh as weak.  For it is the flesh which carries our emotions and heart which are so easily persuaded by our surroundings.  How often I have worked myself into a worried frenzy in the face of a certain situation.  Indeed, His spirit within us is willing, but our flesh is weak.  It is here where I got lost when Dennis said he would pray for me.  I was expecting the "formal" prayer which Jesus was telling those assembled on the Mount of Olives that day {Matthew 6: 6 - 19}.  This is how many view prayer to the point that they refer to it as the "Model prayer."  For the pulpit pounder claims that this is how we should pray.  However, what is far less known is that Jesus was speaking to a crowd steeped in the traditions and requirements of the old covenant on that day.  Now, if you indeed intend to live your live in the old covenant seperated from Christ Jesus then by all means embrace this model prayer in Matthew 6.

20“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21“that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23“I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. 24“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25“O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26“And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Luke 17: 20 - 26 NKJV

Upon reflection, it is my belief that the prayer which we should be focusing on is not found in Matthew 6 but in Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemene which we see  in Luke 17.  It is here that Jesus prays that we who know Him would one with the Father as He and the Father are one.  How prophetic, as that is exactly how those who have accepted Christ Jesus live today.  For the truth of Jesus which the apostle Paul speaks of in Galations 2:20 assures us that it is Christ who lives through us today.  I believe that this is the willing Spirit which is within us which Jesus proclaims in Matthew 26:41.  It is only natural that the Father would desire a uniting of His spirit within us and our neutral flesh.  When this happens, we will come to that realization of who we truly are in Him.  This certainly would have helped me this week when I asked for Dennis' payers.  However, he could not have asked God for anything better for His child than for me to see Himself in me.  Well done pastor.

~Scott~

Unlike most pulpit pounders, you've taught me so much :)