WATCH AND PRAY

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

The need for spiritual alertness cannot be overemphasized. Jesus gave the injunction above a few hours before He was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane. His prescription for temptation is ‘watch and pray’. It takes being watchful for one to be effective in prayer. Being carefully observant, alert, expectant, and having eyes for details are vital ingredients for prayers that overcome not only temptation, but also the tempter, our adversary the devil. Apart from being watchful in order not to succumb to satanic pressure, the word of God admonishes us to be watchful for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are enjoined to guard the garden of our heart from pollution from worldliness, false teachers, love of money, sinful pleasure, immorality, lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, pride of life, and other forms of temptation. Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”.

One of the ways to achieve the above is to saturate our heart with the word of God. According to Joshua 1:8 “This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate there in day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written there in; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and thou shalt have good success”.

When last did you memorize the word of God? When you are full of God’s word, you will carry so much light that darkness cannot withstand you. Another aspect of our watchfulness is in the use of our tongue James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain”. May the Lord help us never to fall into temptation as a result of careless use of our tongues in Jesus name.

Apostle Peter emphasizes the cogency of watchfulness and prayerfulness in 1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer”. Finally Jesus says: “Blessed are those servants when he cometh shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them” Luke 12:37 KJV

ACTION POINT

• Give your life to Christ. Say the simple prayer below:

• Dear Heavenly Father, I worship you. I acknowledge that I am a sinner. Please have mercy on me and forgive all my sins. Jesus Christ Son of the Living God, I unreservedly surrender my life to you. Please be my Lord and personal saviour and grant me the grace to live for you all the days of my life. Thank you so much, Lord Jesus. I proclaim I am born again. Amen.

PRAYER

• Worship the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever.
• Ask God to mercifully forgive all your transgressions.
• Appropriate the cleansing ministry of the Blood of Jesus into the garden of your heart.
• Rededicate your life to Jesus Christ God’s son.
• Ask for grace to be sober, vigilant and prayerful.
• Raise the blood of Jesus Christ against the devil.
• Receive the grace never to succumb to any satanic pressure.

DECLARATION

“The God of peace shall bruise satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” AMEN!

EDIFIER.