“There He told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”
“Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”
Luke 22:40, 46 NLT
“Later, he came back to His three disciples and found them all sound asleep. He awakened Peter and said to him, “Do you lack the strength to stay awake with Me for even just an hour?
He came back to the disciples and found them sound asleep, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open.
When he returned again to his disciples, he awoke them, saying, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Don’t you know the hour has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to the authority of sinful men?”
Matthew 26:40, 43, 45 TPT
What does being awake have to do with my spiritual life? A lot! If not, Jesus would not have placed such importance on it. He wasn’t saying that sleeping was bad, He slept. What He was saying was, don’t be physically asleep when you should be spiritually awake. There’s a time to sleep and a time to be aware of the times we’re living in. They had allowed the sleep of sadness to take away their awareness of what was about to happen to Him and them.
Resting is necessary for physical and mental alertness, you think clearly when you’re rested. But in this instance, Jesus needed them to join Him in prayer, He needed their support as much as they needed to be strengthened for the testing that was about to overcome them all. Peter was a leader in the group, the mouthpiece for everyone’s thoughts. To whom much is given, much is required. If he called for prayer, everyone would pray, if he went back to fishing, they all went back to fishing. He had influence. So we see Jesus singling him out.
We cannot be victorious over temptation if we sleep through times when we should be praying. Have you ever been awakened with a sense of urgency to just get up and pray? You have no idea why but you just can’t shake it. You have two options: Be obedient or pull the covers over your head. The first option may avert something the enemy is doing, the other may spell death for someone. Are you still sleeping? Sometimes someone’s face may just pop up. What did you do? Or you get the sense that you need to call someone you hadn’t spoken to in a while. What do you do? These are all wake up moments. Did you sleep?
Our own time of prayer or the importance we place in setting time apart for personal introspection and intercession for others, serve as a buffer against the enemy and his attacks. Jesus advises us to not only pray but to watch and pray. Always having a sense of alertness and awareness. Get up and pray so you won’t give into temptation, was what Jesus told the disciples. Even when we’re asleep we’re awake and aware of what’s going on around us, because of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. But what Jesus wanted to make them aware of was the sleep of heaviness.
Whenever we’re burdened down by the cares of this world, we become mentally and physically tired. Jesus warns against this. It makes us prone to all kinds of temptations that will lead to sin. Our spiritual defenses are compromised. We don’t make wise decisions. We must be sober minded and alert at all times, because unfortunately Satan never takes a break. So are you still sleeping? It’s time to wake up to all that’s going on around us. Had they been awake to pray, they would’ve been better prepared to handle what happened next.
“Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
Prayerlessness makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us arrogant. The flesh is always trying to cover deficiencies. Peter wasn’t listening to anything Jesus said, he heard and responded, but it hadn’t resonated with him. An emotional response will never take the place of discerning prayer.
Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.”
Matthew 26:31-33, 35 NKJV
When you sleep instead of praying, you react instead of responding. You’re operating in the flesh and not the Spirit. Prayer is essential for us, it’s the key that opens the lock to Godly wisdom. Just listen to the conversations and responses of some Christians in a crisis. You’ll learn pretty quick whether they’re sleeping or praying. Jesus tried to prepare them, Peter woke up and argued. Watch what ensued.
“But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.”
Matthew 26:50-52, 56 NKJV
Exactly what Jesus warned them about earlier happened. Peter cut the guy’s ear off and Jesus had to perform a miracle while He was being dragged off. A fleshly response to spiritual warfare never ends well. They all ran. They all forsook Him. Why? They slept through the prayer meeting. Jesus could’ve done a lot of things to defend Himself, but He was prayed up. He was prepared. He told them the betrayer was on the way, He gave them a heads up. But they discerned none of it because they were asleep. Are you still sleeping? I’ll close with these words from Jesus:
“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36 NKJV
Watch and pray. Let those words sink in for a moment.... be aware of what’s going on around you. The Holy Spirit is your spiritual alarm clock. Don’t sleep through His promptings. Don’t be distracted and lazy. Shake yourselves, go wash your faces. Time is shorter and His return nearer than we think. Don’t be like the five foolish virgins. Trim your spiritual lamps, stay vigilant in the Word and prayer. That’s our anchor in troubled times. Don’t live off of what was. I call that the Samson syndrome. By the time he woke up, his strength was gone. WAKE UP!! Your redemption draweth nigh!
Father in Jesus Name
We admit that we have not been awake to the things that are happening around us. We do more complaining and criticizing than praying. We have allowed distractions to enter in our lives, taking our focus away from what is vitally important to our victory as children of God. Please forgive us. Help us be more sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit in us, reminding us that our time here is short. In Jesus Name. Amen
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant