Tag Archives: Matthew 26:41

Watch And Pray

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ - Day 306 - Matthew 26:41 - Watch And Pray - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 306 – Matthew 26:41 – Watch And Pray – Growing As Disciples

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

Watch And Pray

That is exactly what I will do. That is exactly what I need to do. What’s that? I need to watch and pray so that I will not fall into temptation. No statement could be truer than, my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. It is a good thing that you do believe what I am saying to you. Yes, it would be a foolish mistake for me to think that I can stand against temptation with my own strength. How will watching and praying help you to stand against temptation? That is a very good question. It is a question you need to know how to answer. I think I know how to answer your question. I would love to hear your answer. I have more than one answer. I’m listening. Watching and praying will help me to see temptation approaching. I cannot tell you how many times I have fallen into temptation simply because I allowed myself to enter into or remain in a tempting situation. One strategy to avoid falling into temptation is to run and distance myself from it before it arrives. If I allow myself to linger in the presence of temptation, I am likely to fall prey to it. I must never knowingly allow myself to enter into tempting situations. Watching and praying will help me to avoid temptations before they become overpowering. That is one way watching and praying will keep you from falling into temptation. Yes, it is.

Watching and praying will help me to resist temptation in an even more important way. How so? Watching and praying will align my heart and mind and life with yours. Watching and praying will help me to want to know and do your will. Watching and praying will transform my thoughts and words and actions. I will want to think your thoughts, speak your words and take your actions. Watching and praying will motivate a passionate desire within me to do what is good and right and pleasing in your sight. The passionate desire you have placed in me to live my life with and for you will overcome the power that temptation once had over me. Yes, it will. Watching and praying will help me to remain dead to sin and alive to you. So, I will continue to watch and pray so that I will run from temptation and so I will have an ongoing powerful and passionate desire to live my life in way that is pleasing to you. That will be very good. 

Lord, I know my spirit is willing and my flesh is weak. Only you can make me both faithful and fruitful. Reorder all my priorities and transform all my thoughts, words, and actions, as I watch and pray. Keep my heart and mind and life entirely focused on you. Amen

Key Question… When have altered your course to avoid a temptation because you were watching and praying?

Living It Out… Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that as you watch and pray, the Lord will protect you from falling into temptation.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how watching, and praying has kept you from falling into temptation.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 306 – Matthew 26-41 – Watch And Pray – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Watch And Pray

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Discipleship - Matthew 26:41 - Watch And Pray - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Discipleship – Matthew 26:41 – Watch And Pray – Growing As Disciples

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

Watchful And On Guard

Are you watching out? Are you on guard? Are you being careful? Are you praying as you walk through life with me? Since you are asking me these questions, I’m guessing that I’m not watching and being carefully on guard and praying nearly enough. What should I watch out for and be on guard against? How must I be careful? What prayers should I pray as I walk through life with you? Do you really want to know? You’re not asking me these questions just because I have brought them up to you? No, I really want to know. If I am missing the mark, I want to know.  That’s good.

Do you want to be able to stand against temptation and resist evil? Yes, certainly. Temptation and evil, that is what you want me to watch out for and be on guard against. That’s what you want me to be careful about and pray against. That’s right. How can I stand against temptation and resist evil? That’s a good question. How can you guard yourself against evil? I can separate myself from evil. I can remove sources of temptation and evil from my life. I can make sure that I don’t allow myself to enter into tempting circumstances. I can slam the door shut on every way that temptation and evil might attempt to enter my life. I could put temptation and evil on a starvation diet by not letting it feed on anything in my life. That would be a very good start. What else? I could take your word into my heart and mind and life. I could allow your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guard my life. How would you do that? I could let your word dwell in me richly. I could meditate on your word day and night. I could claim your word. I could take hold of your word. I could let you word take hold of me. I could pray your word as you make me able to stand against temptation and resist evil. Is this what you will do? Yes Lord, I will separate myself from evil and take hold of your word. Then you will truly be on guard. The you will be careful. Then you will be watching. Then you will be prayerful. Then you will be able to stand against evil and resist temptation. That is what I want. That is what you will have as you remain watchful and on guard with me.

Lord, I know my flesh is weak and that I am susceptible to temptation. I will watch and pray so I will not fall into temptation. I will rely on you to guard me. I will trust you to strengthen me. I know you will make me able to stand against temptation and resist evil. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Prayer – Matthew 26-41 – Watch And Pray – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Watch And Pray

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Spiritual Warfare - Matthew 26:41 - Watch And Pray - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Spiritual Warfare – Matthew 26:41 – Watch And Pray – Growing As Disciples

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

Watch And Pray

How are you watching? How are you praying? How am I watching and praying about what? How are you watching and praying so you will not fall into temptation? That is a good question. I’m not sure that I am watching and praying so I will not fall into temptation. Is that really necessary? Would I ask you to do something that is not necessary? No, you would not. Let me ask you a few questions. Go ahead, I’m listening. How often has a tempting situation snuck up on you? How often has a tempting situation taken you surprise? How difficult has it been for you to resist a temptation when you have been in the midst of it? How much easier has it been for you to resist a temptation that you avoided before it reached you? I can avoid temptations before they reach me? Yes, you can. You don’t need to allow yourself to enter into tempting circumstances. You can decide to not allow yourself to be placed in the middle of them. But, for that to be possible one thing is required. What’s that? You must be watching. You know when, where, why and how you are most likely to be tempted. You know people, places and circumstances that will likely present powerful temptations to you. Yes, I do. Watch and avoid them. Watch and run from them. Will you do that? Yes, I will. That will be very good.

Is that all I need to do to not fall into temptation? Is watching enough? That is a very good question. No, that is not all. Watching alone, is not enough to keep you from falling into temptation. What else is needed?  As you watch and avoid temptation, as you watch and run from temptation, you must enter into prayer to me. You will be leaving temptation and evil behind you as you run to me. You will be resisting evil by leaving it and submitting yourself in prayer to me. Watching and praying will both be needed if you want to avoid falling into temptation. Will you do both of these? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.  

Lord, I will keep my eyes open so I will not let tempting situations and circumstances sneak up on me. As I’m watching I will also be praying so I will have all I need from you to be able stand when temptation does try to attack me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Spiritual Warfare – Matthew 26-41 – Watch And Pray – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com