Pray at Your Own Risk: Praying When You Don’t Want To
Pray at Your Own Risk • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
HOLY WEEK SERVICES —
Palm Sunday: Sunday, April 13th
Easter Outreach Event: Sunday, April 13th after second service.
Bring pre-filled Easter Eggs
Holy Wednesday Service: Wednesday, April 16th — 6:00 pm
Good Friday Service: Friday, April 18th — 6:30 pm
Easter Sunday: April 20th
Park in Independence Bank parking lot if you’re able
PRAY
Anybody here know what it’s like to fight with a toddler? Like, I have somehow created a mini version of myself that likes to argue with me. Here’s a recent example:
So, we live on a cul-de-sac and Judah likes to go on walks — or a “Wahk” as he calls it. So we’ll do probably six or eight loops on our street when we go on one of these “Wahks”. And dude makes it his personal mission to find every stick on the ground on our street and carry it with him. Some days he hits the jackpot and he’s got so many that he’s gotta start handing them off to me. And I’m not sure why he’s decided he’s going single-handedly rid the neighborhood of sticks, but he loves it.
Every time he finds one, he shows me. He’s like “A stick!”, and I’m like good job, bro. Keep going.
Now on this particular day, he only found a couple of sticks on his “Wahk” — but he got a really good one. You know, it’s like one you’re really proud of. Every woman in here right now is like what is he talking about but I bet every guy in here can relate…
So we’ve got our stick. We’re living our best life. It’s awesome. And finally, he’s starting to get tired — it’s gonna be time for dinner soon, so we’ve got to wrap this “Wahk” up, so when we get back around to the house after what felt like our 50th’s lap around the neighborhood, I was like, “Okay bud — time to head inside. Let’s drop the stick out here and we’ll come back and get it tomorrow.”
And like — you’d have thought I told him we were giving up snacks forever (…which would probably make me throw a fit too, to be honest with you). I mean… crying… threw himself on the ground… full out tantrum.
And I’m like, “What is happening right now?” He is furious.
He’s yelling “NO!” and snot bubbles are starting to form. And I’m like, “Bro, we gotta go in… you need water. I think I need a nerve pill. Let’s roll.”
And he is not having it. In that moment — he wasn’t arguing because he had a better plan. He just didn’t like my plan.
…sound familiar?
So finally — he calms down enough to tell me what he’s really mad about — and between sobs he’s like “Ah stick…”
And I’m like, “Dude, it’s just a stick — if that’s all it takes to make you happy — take the stick inside. A stick ain’t worth all this.”
But isn’t that what’s it like communicating with God sometimes? Some prayers come easy… and some of them feel like arguing with a toddler… you’re not gonna win… and it’s gonna get loud.
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But the thing is — God gives us strength in prayer to face the things we don’t want to do. We’re in the middle of this Wednesday night series called “Pray at Your Own Risk”. You know, we’re told to “pray without ceasing” — in other words — we should stay connected and in communion with God in all that we say and do… but what do you pray when the thing God is asking you to do is the very thing you don’t want to do?
I think it’s easy a lot of times to go to God in prayer if it’s a blessing we want — or if it feels like it’s something we need, right? We can pray for Him to move in a big way if we’re needing something done with our finances — or our family — or our job — or our recovery. But what about those things God is calling us to do that we really don’t wanna do? What does our prayer life look like when we know He’s telling us to do something that’s gonna be hard — or uncomfortable?
If that’s you — you’re not alone. That’s what Jesus Himself faced in the Garden of Gethsemane. Tonight we’re going to look at a passage that’s pretty timely, as we are quickly approaching Resurrection Sunday here in just a few weeks. It’s the prayer Jesus had when He was preparing to be arrested — beaten — and crucified. We’re in Matthew 26:36-46.
And as we’re looking at this passage — let this text read you as much as you’re reading it. Because this isn’t calm — quiet prayer. And it’s not super bold — and powerful — and wordy. Like, have you ever heard anybody pray in King James? It’s weird right?
But this prayer is one of anguish. This is raw — real — and honest prayer — the kind that leaves your soul aching and your knees trembling.
Let’s take a look:
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
38 He said to them, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He asked Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me one hour?
41 Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
43 And he came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open.
44 After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? See, the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.”
Can you imagine what Jesus is feeling and experiencing in this moment? He knows that the Cross is coming. And He knows the weight He’s about to carry. And so he falls on His face and He says “Father — if it is possible — let this cup pass from me.” He’s asking God to spare Him from the torment and torture that He’s about to go through. And I think a lot of us can relate to that, right? We’ll pray things, like:
Lord — please let me make sure I’ve got enough money to pay this bill.
or God — help me to fight this temptation.
Or even Father — help me not to even have to deal with that person who causes me worry and stress.
But how often do we ask God to actually help us through those things instead of just trying to avoid them?
Because that’s the next sentence of Jesus’ prayer. He first says, “God please take this cup from Me,” — but then He says, “Not as I will — but as You will.” Man, that’s powerful.
That cup? It’s not a literal drink. See — in Scripture the cup usually represents God’s judgement. Jesus is staring into the reality of all of human sin:
The weight of
every betrayal
every abuse
every addiction
and every lie.
Jesus isn’t flinching at a paper cut — He’s about to face spiritual — and emotional — and physical suffering at the deepest level.
And knowing what’s at stake — He asks “Is there any other way?”
That should comfort us. It doesn’t mean you don’t have faith if you’re struggling — Jesus had struggles too.
That’s not sin — that’s honestly.
And let’s be real here — if Jesus can pray that, then so can we.
You see, we’ve got this idea that strong faith always means saying yes with a smile… but sometimes faith looks like falling on our face and whispering, “God I don’t want this… but I want You more… and I’m willing to do what You’re telling me to do… I just need Your help.”
When we lay down our will — and we say “God, I’m willing to do whatever it takes — whatever you’re telling me to do,” He will give you the strength to do it. I love what Augustine said about this:
AUGUSTINE QUOTE
When God is our strength, it is strength indeed; when our strength is our own, it is only weakness.
Augustine of Hippo
Can I confess something to y’all? Even as a pastor — it’s hard to pray sometimes. Like, I get it, we’re supposed to be the ones that have all the answers and have it all together, but honestly, sometimes I go to pray and my mind starts wondering things like:
“Should I check my email?”
or “What’s for dinner?”
“Is that a pimple!?”
And then other times — I don’t want to pray because I already know what God is gonna say. It’s not that I’m confused… I’d just rather avoid being obedient than to surrender. Anybody else out there or just me? But those are the moments I need prayer the most.
And we’re reminded of that promise time and time again in Scripture:
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
See guys we’ve got to remember that prayer — it not only gives us strength — but it gives us hope that we’re not alone. Look at what Spurgeon said:
SPURGEON QUOTE
God the Holy [Spirit] writes our prayers, God the Son presents our prayers, and God the Father accepts our prayers. And with the whole Trinity to help us in it, what cannot prayer perform?
Charles Spurgeon
——
So, Jesus comes back to the disciples — and they’re asleep.
He’s agonizing. And they’re dozing.
If you’ve ever felt alone during the hard times — Jesus gets it, right?
He even tells them in verse 41:
41 Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
That’s not a guilt trip. It’s one of the most compassionate statements in all of Scripture. It’s Jesus saying: “I know you want to do it right — but desire alone won’t get you there. You need to pray.” See, prayer isn’t meant to just be some burden that weighs us down — it’s our connection to God. And He wants it to be our first response — not the thing that we do when we’ve tried everything else.
We can’t muscle or fight our way into God’s strength. We have to kneel into it.
BUNYAN QUOTE
I love how John Bunyan put it — he was a preacher and a writer in the 1600’s:
You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.
John Bunyan
God gives us the strength to say yes to the hard things. And sometimes saying yes and obeying God means that things may get harder — but that’s why He helps us through prayer. If you were with us on Sunday we talked about that in Exodus Chapter 5 — Moses obeyed God and things actually got worse. (And if you weren’t here go back and watch it online — the preacher was really handsome that day.)
Sometimes obeying God doesn’t make life better right away — sometimes it makes it harder.
You say yes to God — and the bricks get heavier.
You surrender — and suddenly people start questioning your motives.
You walk into recovery — and some of the people who you thought loved you don’t understand why you’re changing.
Jesus knows what it’s like to say “Yes” and immediately feel the weight of that yes. But He shows us that strength doesn’t come from avoiding the struggle — it comes from praying through it.
And so as He prays, Jesus makes the same request to God again. Look at verse 42:
42 Again, a second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
And then the same thing happens. So then He prays a third time. Verse 44:
44 After leaving them, he went away again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more.
See sometime crying out to God doesn’t have to be a one and done. Sometimes you’re going back — again — and again — and again asking for His help. And His strength. And His power. Sometimes we already know the answer — but we’re asking for Him to walk alongside us — to help us do the thing we can’t do on our own. And He will.
And by Verse 46, Jesus has that strength — and He’s accepted God’s will — even though He knows what He’s going to walk into:
46 Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.”
That betrayer, obviously, is Judas who handed Him over to the Roman authorities.
See — something happened in that prayer. Jesus didn’t get out of the assignment — but He got what He needed to walk into it. And that’s the point.
If you’re a believer in Christ — then you’re called to do the hard things. See about ten chapters back in the Book of Matthew, Jesus said:
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
But we can’t carry the Cross without kneeling at it first.
Jesus didn’t skip the process. He prayed. He surrendered. And from that surrender, He stood up with strength.
So often we want resurrection power — but we try to bypass Gethsemane.
We want clarity — but we skip the conversation.
And we want peace — but we avoid the process.
But prayer is the process. That’s where our strength comes from.
So let me ask you tonight — what’s your cup? What is God telling you to do that you’re begging Him to take away? Is it:
Forgiving somebody who’s hurt you?
Or staying in a difficult marriage while God works to heal it?
Is it walking away from people and places you know you don’t need to be around anymore?
Or laying down a secret sin?
Or maybe it’s just stepping into a calling that scares the heck out of you?
We can’t ever relate to the torment and the anguish that Jesus experienced on the Cross — but we do know what it’s like to ask Him to take the cup from our hands. Whatever that cup is tonight — bring it to the Father. We don’t have to like it, but we are called to trust Him.
And even in those times it feels like God is silent — we’re called to trust Him — to call out to Him and to ask Him for strength. During His time in the garden Jesus went back to pray three times asking God for help. It’s not because God didn’t hear the prayer — it’s because sometimes we’re called to lean on God — especially when we feel alone.
It’s kind of like when a seed is planted in the ground. When it first gets buried in the dirt — that seed kinda seems lifeless, right? And for a long time… nothing happens. It’s just still… and silent.
But the thing about that silence — is that it’s also a time of transformation.
Because on the outside it might look like nothing is happening, but under the surface that seed is growing roots and it’s doing what it has to do to get ready to break through the surface.
And that is often how our relationship with God looks, too. Sometimes in life, God’s silence can feel like we’re just buried in our struggles, right? But really — that silence is where He’s nurturing our faith and preparing us for growth.
When those seeds go into the ground it might not look like much — but just like those seeds can grow into huge trees — our faith grows strong through our trust in God and in our prayer to Him.
Here’s the truth: God won’t ever call us to something that He won’t also empower us to do. But that strength — it comes after the surrender.
Jesus didn’t leave Gethsemane with everything fixed — He left with everything settled. And sometimes, that’s all we need: to leave prayer — not with a solution — but with surrender.
The most dangerous prayer we can pray is “Your will be done.”
But it’s also the most powerful. Because when we say that — we’re trusting God with the outcome — and we’re anchoring our peace in His goodness — and not our own power.
Jesus walked out of that garden with courage. And that’s available to each of us here too.
Even if you don’t know Him tonight — or maybe you’ve just drifted far away from Him. Whatever that “cup” is for you — He’s ready to take it. And He’s ready to strengthen you. If you haven’t come to know Christ in a saving relationship — if you haven’t surrendered your life to Him — tonight can be the night where you can see that He won’t just help you through this one thing — but He can work through all things. And He can give you His strength.
What would it look like if we all prayed “God not my will, but Yours be done?”
I’ll leave you with this thought from Andrew Murray:
Some people pray just to pray, and some people pray to know God.
Andrew Murray
What’s that look like in your life?
PRAY
