“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt. 26:41)
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal. 5:17)
If you believe that the Lord was chiding the disciples that night in the garden for falling asleep, you must remember this, to them it was just another night after another long day.
Jesus Christ is God, He did not leave His mind in heaven when He came to earth, everyone He met, everyone He healed, spoke to, every step He took in a way that we will never fully be able to understand, He had already accomplished.
Nothing new has ever happened to the Almighty.
We cannot comprehend what it means to be fully God and fully man at the same time, His Spirit was always willing, yet His flesh at times was weak, an incompressible concept to the finite minds we bear.
All those things that we cannot do He could have done, yet He chose not to, for our sake and the glory of the Father. He did not come to be tempted, He did not come to heal the sick, He brought a sword, but never harmed the bruised reed.
He came to die.
“And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Heb. 9:22)
The final sacrifice, the only acceptable offering for the sins of all mankind.
The Lord Jesus Christ could not fall to temptation, yet He was tempted, He could not be killed, yet He allowed Himself to die, He could do anything that He wanted to do at anytime He wanted to, but He chose instead to submit fully to the will of the Father. That is the lesson for us.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil. 4:13)
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” (Mark 11:23)
We who are hid in Christ have the Holy Spirit within us, nothing is impossible for us, but I do not believe that it is because of a lack of faith that we do not do all we could, it is not because we ask amiss or because we are like the waves of the sea, it is because of love.
We have abilities through Christ this world cannot begin to comprehend, when we speak for God, those in this world rightfully fear us, not because of the power of the Almighty through the Holy Spirit within us, but because of their superstitious natures. Yet we do not cast trees or mountains into the sea, we do not do as Paul did that day.
“To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1st Cor. 5:5)
We are not apostles in their calling, but we have the same Holy Spirit. We do not the things we could do because of love, for we know their end if they do not repent.
One can walk in this power, this complete confidence my friends without the need to exhibit it, our flesh will always be weak until we are glorified, but out spirit never should be.
“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” (Psalm 91:7)
Growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord means growing in the confidence that we have in Him, yet in every moment of that growing trust we must always, in truth, speak these words.
“Thy will be done.”
Always in submission to the will of our Father in heaven, always for His glory, with the knowledge that He is our shield and exceeding great reward.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” (1st John 4:18)
The love we humbly offer to the Most High is rewarded in this life with a confidence in Him that cannot be questioned. Remain in the battle every day, with the assurance that one day that battle will come to an end.
