The Spirit is Willing, But the Flesh Is Weak
Arguably it was the most important prayer meeting ever to attend…and the inner circle fell asleep.
Seeing the snoring three, Jesus said to Peter: “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41 NASB).
The truth is our flesh resists prayer; it constantly can find reasons to keep us from our times with Lord. But it’s not just prayer—the flesh resists anything of the Spirit. It will be too tired, too busy, or too hungry for the spiritual.
It must be remembered that the flesh’s destination is dust; whereas the Spirit’s destination is heaven. The flesh will always take us back to the earth, but the Spirit will take us to heavenly places!
Hence the continued battle: “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please” (Galatians 5:17 NASB).
Overcoming Fleshly Detours to Prayer
One way to overcome the fleshly detours to prayer is by having a set time to pray. Paul encouraged the Colossians, and us, with the words to “continue steadfastly in prayer.” To be steadfast means to be fixed in direction, resolute, firmly established. Thus, the Apostle is telling us to discipline ourselves and pray.
It is imperative to make prayer a priority and to be fixed in that direction.
We really need to have a firmly established time set for our prayer that is more than as we drive to work or the last five minutes before we fall asleep.
Truthfully, our spiritual lives depend on it.
Would the Journey Have Looked Different?
I wonder if Peter would have overcome the flesh by staying awake in that prayer meeting. What if he would have built up his faith through prayer? Could he have then resisted the fleshly fear that resulted in the damsel accusing him the next day? It was a fleshly fear so great it caused him to deny knowing Jesus in a space of minutes after walking with the Master for months.
That answer will never be known to me, but one thing is known: I must pray, and pray consistently not to be led into temptation—for indeed the spirit is willing but my flesh is weak.
