What’s Your Problem?

If you think you have a ‘sin problem,’ you probably do. But one reason you might have a sin problem is that you have a temptation problem. And one reason you might have a temptation problem is that you have a prayer problem. You won’t rise up to pray so that you don’t enter into temptation. But I have good news for you and for all of us.

Remember that night Jesus was at the Last Supper with the disciples? He prophesied to Peter that he was going to deny Him three times that same night, before the rooster could crow twice. Peter could not imagine a world—much less a scenario—where he would deny Jesus the Christ. “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” The rest of the disciples echoed his sentiments.

Now, fast forward to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James, and John. Jesus instructs them to watch and pray while He went a little further to inquire of the Father. He returned to find them all sleeping. “Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” This happened a couple of times.

Jesus is then betrayed by Judas, arrested, and all the disciples scatter.

While Jesus was facing the Supreme Council in Jerusalem, Peter was below in the courtyard observing…and then it happened.

“One of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘I neither know nor understand what you are saying.’ And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him again and began to say to those who stood by, ‘This is one of them.’ But he denied it again. And a little later, those who stood by said to Peter again, ‘Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.’ Then he began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know this Man of whom you speak!’ A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.’ And when he thought about it, he wept.”

The good news is, even though Jesus knew Peter was going to deny Him, He still held him to the same standard. He didn’t lower the bar for Peter. He had already prophesied Peter’s denial, and yet His instructions remained: “Watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation.” He still expected him to obey. The temptation Peter fell into was self-preservation and the denial of Jesus; lying, even. If we look back on the Last Supper, we know Peter’s spirit was willing because of what he claimed: “I’ll never deny You, Jesus!” He absolutely meant that. But when he had a chance to prove his loyalty, his flesh was too weak to do so. He fell into temptation because he didn’t watch and pray while in The Garden of Gethsemane. He kept falling asleep.

Jesus knows and understands the weakness of our flesh. He knows where and when and how we will fail, and yet He instructs us to watch, to pray, to abide, to remain, to love, to forgive, to trust, to be holy, etc., etc. God’s standards don’t shift because we’re weak. His holiness isn’t lowered to meet our spiritual deficiencies. Instead, He invites us into deeper intimacy with Him, and He continues to hold us to the high standard to which we’ve been called.

Temptation is ever-present. When we give in to it, we enter into sin. Jesus’ antidote for temptation is prayer. Before Peter ever denied Christ, Jesus gave him the remedy: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” And he also taught us that “Men ought to always pray and not faint…”

If we’re not praying, we’re fainting…we’re falling into temptation. 

So go pray. 

Scripture References:

Mark 14:27–31; Mark 14:32–42; Mark 14:53–72; Luke 18:1; Matthew 26:41; James 1:14–15.