On Guard!

On Guard!

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41 KJV

Jesus finished the last supper before his death on the cross and he took the disciples apart for prayers before the terrible experiences were to start. The words of Jesus here bear emphasis, and we will do well to heed his warnings.

First, you are most vulnerable when you think you are most secure. You are more prone to attack when you think you have sorted out your defenses. The disciples were about to witness the true test of their allegiance. They had seen Jesus perform miracles and get away with opposing the Pharisees and scribes, but things were about to change. Do you take the path of least resistance or are you standing for God, no matter what lies ahead? 

Second, this is a season where all you think you know or are sure about is being tested. A few of the disciples had made promises: "we won't deny you; we won't stop following you". We know how these promises went. Don't beat your chest about things you have not tried and proved. Your faith will be tested; you priorities will be proven. It's the season of fear for some, but the season of faith and soaring for others. The difference is in the strings of the heart. 

Third, watching and praying are fundamental to all that God has in store. You can't close your eyes to what is going on around you, because the signs of the end of the age are all around us. But you cannot also get a  understanding of the times and seasons if you do not go to God often. As I wake up each day, I realise there is a lot about the day that I do not understand, so I must go to God and seek His face. I realise I do not have any answer to all of life, so I must go to the Creator of Life Himself. That is the only way I can guarantee a good end.

Lastly, the pressure is real. There is always the temptation to think you can do it by yourself. There is a tendency to claim that God will not do for you what you are required to do for yourself. Whilst that may be true, have you at least sought God's face to know what He requires of you? Is your spirit aligned with His? Don't let the world's expectations burden you so much that you think you have to struggle on your own to make it. Nobody has ever succeeded in doing that. 

You are only truly safe when God is on your side, and you can only ensure this is the case when you constantly seek Him and seek his perfect will and purpose. This Easter season is another time to reflect and ask yourself: do I have God on my side? Is He my daily single pursuit or one of many options? Does He hold all of my heart or are there parts of me under my own personal control? Is my flesh subdued or still in charge? So many questions, with answers that will impact eternity. His time of favour is here.