Lecture 10 Christian Living II - "Watching"

Lecture 10 Christian Living II - Watching

Matthew 26:36-44 36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Luke 21:34-36 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

The Greek word “gregoreo” is translated “watch” and means “to have the alertness of a guard at night.”

A night watchman must be even more vigilant than a daytime guard. In the daytime, danger can often be spotted from a distance. But in the night everything is different. A night watchman must use senses other than sight to detect danger. He is often alone in the darkness and without the defenses he would otherwise employ. There may be no indications of enemy attack until it happens, so he must be hyper-vigilant, suspecting it at any moment. That is the type of watching Jesus spoke about.

Dr. Curtis Mitchell – “To pray correctly one must be mentally alert and vigilant. Much praying is hampered by a dull, drowsy frame of mind.” Page 62

We must have a Spirit of Watchfulness!

In our text Jesus asked the disciples to “What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

“Only as we develop a spirit of watchfulness can we recognize satan’s plan of attach and block his efforts.” Page 63

BIBLICAL ILLUSTRATIONS: Paul with the Fortune Teller.

This aspect of prayer is often neglected and overlooked. But God's Word makes it clear that "watching" is to be included as a specific element of prayer. The word means to be awake or vigilant. The dictionary defines watch as 'keeping awake in order to guard'; 'a close observation'; or 'to be on the alert'. When used in the Scriptures it means that believers should stay awake spiritually and keep guard.

Both Jesus and the apostle Paul linked watching with prayer. Colossians 4:2, "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;"

Peter used the same word in the warning about our enemy.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

So for us to pray effectively we must be mentally alert and vigilant.

It is important for us to develop a spirit of watchfulness in our prayer time. From the earliest moments Satan seeks to hinder the effectiveness of our prayers. He attacks by drawing our minds away from the key issues of prayer. What can develop if we aren't careful is a habit of praying very shallow prayers which are empty and vague. eg. "Lord bless the folks on our prayer list. Lord bless the missionaries. Lord bless our church. etc."

How to Watch and Pray:

i. Stay spiritually aware of specific needs.

a. Read the missionary prayer letter, or at least read the special prayer list that we distribute.

b. Listen carefully when prayer requests are taken and write them down.

c. Remember: our prayers should be specific and that means we must be alert to the various needs of others.

ii. Stay informed concerning the news of the day.

a. Newspapers, radio, and television can keep us up to date with the changes in our world.

b. This is essential for us because we have been given the commission to go into all the world.

c. Ask God to refresh our minds concerning current events and how they may impact the work of God.

iii. Ask for the Holy Spirit's leadership in our prayers.

a. Without the Holy Spirit guiding us, effectiveness in prayer is an impossibility.

b. Twice in the Scriptures we are admonished to "pray in the Spirit".

i. Page 68-69 Professor Hallesby shared an account that illustrates this thought. He spoke of an ordinary country girl, Bolette Hinderli, who had a most unusual prayer experience that ultimately brought thousands to Christ.

1. While in prayer the young girl experienced an inner vision of a man in a prison cell. She observed his face as plainly as the print on this page.

2. She was obedient to the heavenly call. For months she prayed earnestly that the prisoner would learn of God.

3. During a trip to a distant city in Norway, Bolette Hinbderli heard that a former prisoner would be speaking the evening message at a local church. The man stood up to preach and walked to the pulpit and she saw that it was the man she had prayed for so many times.

c. Illustration: Kevin Lloyd hearing a word from God to go and preach to a man at a fountain in Oklahoma city. He went and met a man there that God had told to go there to hear from Him. He led him to the Lord that day, and he was part of the church I grew up at.

d. He is our prayer partner.

i. note: i. Romans 8:26-27 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.We don't know what we need.

ii. We don't know what we need.

iii. The Holy Spirit does know what we need.

iv. He will help us in our weakness.

v. He will reveal to us our real needs.

vi. He will go with us and intercede on our behalf.

Andrew Murray– “The great lesson for every time of prayer is – to see to it, first of all, that you commit yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and with entire dependence on Him, give Him the first place; for through Him your prayer will have a value you cannot imagine, and through Him also you will learn to speak out your desires in the name of Christ.” Page 69

After we are girded with our spiritual armor, we are instructed to watch and pray. cf Ep 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

We begin with praise, followed by a silent waiting, a period of confession, a time of Scripture praying, and watching. Jesus asked His disciples, "Could you not watch with me for one hour?" Let's stay alert in this matter of prayer!