Watch and Pray

Watch and Pray
Words of Faith 4-2-24
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 14
[37] Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? [38] Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

Have you ever been driving when you were sleepy? No matter what you do, the sleep keeps winning. Slowly lulling, beckoning, tempting you to close your eyes, the sleep tries to take over even though the consequences are known to be deadly. Often, the only answer is to pull off the road and splash water on the face, run around, or stop for a while. The weary disciples were in just that place, fighting sleep but, more importantly, fighting the temptation to give into the flesh at a critical time.
We face a similar fight. Our Enemy wants us to give in to the mesmerizing speed of the world around us. Like the flashing of the broken centerline, the day's events lull us into a sleep that keeps us from walking with God. We ignore the subtle encroachment of sin. We compromise on issues that seem ambiguous. We nod off repeatedly until finally, we fall asleep as the Enemy takes over.
What is the answer? Jesus says: Watch and pray so you will not succumb to temptation.
Watch and Pray. Watching is not enough alone. Prayer is not sufficient alone. Both are vital. Watch for the subtle attack of the Devil. Watch for the compromise that will take you down. Watch out for the tricks that sound good but are not clearly of the Lord. Watch! And Pray.
Prayer is our connection that keeps us in touch. Prayer is quite different from turning up the radio or opening a window to get a blast of something different. Prayer is the moment in which we tune into a perfectly clear channel that is delightful and fascinating. We listen to the Lord. We ask the Lord about the confusing things. We pray for the strength to stay alert. We pray for the courage to take a stand.
Are you spending part of your day intentionally WATCHING for the Enemy? Examining your life with the illumination of the Spirit? Are you spending part of your day PRAYING deliberately for the strength needed and for those around you? The spirit is willing, but the body is weak, so you must decide. To make no decision while on the highway at night is to choose to fall asleep and die. To make no decision regarding watchfulness and prayer is no different. You must decide to watch and pray.

Lord, I am watching. Show me the things that have crept into my mind and heart that are not of You. I pray for the strength to remove those things and to resist the Devil. You have promised that if I draw near to You, You will draw near to me and that if I resist the Devil, he will flee. In Jesus' name, I resist, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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