“And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”” Luke 22:39-40 ESV
Reflection: how are you battling with Jesus for your soul?
This walk through life is full of battles. Some of the most difficult ones might not be very obvious, as our enemy is not always fighting out in the open. He often cloaks himself in all sorts of ways, even as an “angel of light”, as the Bible teaches. And when we realize we are actually under attack, the enemy might already have done significant damage.
Jesus and his disciples have just celebrated this amazing Passover meal, a meal which Jesus told them he had been longing to celebrate with them. We can only image the joy, the singing and celebration in that upper room. They all were on a spiritual “mountain top”. And we also remember that during the meal, Jesus instituted the new covenant in his blood, for the atonement of sins. And as they finish the meal, Jesus says something seemingly strange. “He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”” Luke 22:36-38 ESV.
They are entering into battle.
The disciples might have had a very different idea of what sort of battle they were going into, bringing swords. But as they approach the garden of Gethsemane, which is at the bottom of Mount Olive, Jesus gives the disciples battle instructions. He says to them,
“Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”” Luke 22:40b ESV
He says to them that the unseen battle will come in the form of temptation. But they didn’t understand. And looking at what happened next to Jesus, we can get a deeper insight into this sort of battle. Let’s read. “And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”” Luke 22:41-42 ESV. Jesus faced perhaps his most difficult, and most significant battle of his time in the world right here. The temptation to follow his will, over the Father’s will.
He had to surrender his own will,
To the will of his Father. Because he knew that, although the road ahead for him was horrific in terms of physical anguish and pain, even separation from his Father, he still knew that his Father’s will was good. His prayer was a surrender, a declaration of surrender to his Father’s will. The disciples, on the other hand, didn’t get it. Didn’t understand the significance of the moment they were in. They were tired after the celebration, all the good food and wine, and perhaps from all the information Jesus had shared with them. But instead of praying, as Jesus had told them to do, they fell asleep. And when Jesus return and found them asleep, he was very saddened. How could they sleep in such a critical time? In the middle of the battle? They didn’t realize the moment, what was really going on.
So what can we learn from this? Just as Jesus was telling the disciples, we too are in a battle. And the enemy strikes when we are the most vulnerable, most exposed. That is why Jesus told them to pray. To arm themselves with “swords”. We must “put on” the full armor of God, as Paul described in Ephesians 6. We dress up daily with the armor, a daily declaration, being clothed in Christ. You know that he is praying for us, for our faith to be strong in him as he did for Simon Peter. He is battling for our souls.
Let him not find us asleep. Instead, let’s suit up with the armor of God, the sword of the spirit which is God’s word, and pray always. Let’s enter into the battle with Christ, for our souls, as we pray “Father, let your will be done, not ours”.