Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mark 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Jesus tells His disciples to watch and pray. We need to take this seriously. If we walk about day to day only thinking about the matters at hand, we will miss out on what God is doing. A day may start out wrong and the next thing your day is a continual episode of putting out the next fire. You may reflect on the fact that God is with you and maybe even think He is watching over you. Here we can see the first scriptural example, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
We can see where the temptations and circumstances of life creep in and cause us to sink, as Peter did when he walked on water and was distracted by the storms of life. Jesus was right there watching with Him, but Peter was not watching with Jesus. He did not see what Jesus saw. The ability to have the spiritual authority over the natural creation. We need to learn how to watch with Jesus. Lord, help me to see life and its circumstances, situations, trials, and temptations both good and bad as You would see them; so I can learn to overcome the evil of this world and enjoy the good with You. When we see each advent with Jesus, we will be watching from an unlimited spiritual view point instead of a limited natural view point.
Jesus also tells us to watch and pray for we do not know when the time is or in context when the end will come. I believe we can see the end here from two points of view. First, the end of the world as we know it and Jesus’ second coming. Second, as our physical end. We do not know the hour or day when we shall pass from physical death to eternal life with Jesus. It is Important to watch and pray so we can make the most out of the time we have. Living each day, each moment, watching and praying with Jesus to take heed of our spiritual purpose in our life and not be limited to just our physical being.
There is yet another scripture which points us in this same direction, Ephesians 6:18 says, “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (KJV). This point is made after we are told that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against spiritual principles and so on… and we should put on our spiritual armor. Watching with Jesus and praying is the last part of the armor that we miss sometimes. We may pray our spiritual armor on and then go out into the world never giving Jesus another thought. That is like a soldier putting on his uniform and leaving his battle plans behind. We must walk, watch and pray with Jesus to overcome our physical and spiritual circumstances and have victory with Jesus.
Learn to put on your spiritual armor [Eph 6:12-19], watch and pray with Jesus so you can walk in the unlimited spiritual potential of the abundant life Jesus has for you.
In Christ,
Greg