Jesus in the Garden

Matthew 26:36–46 CSB

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.”

Take it to prayer

Jesus has just finished up supper with the disciples and the time for his betrayal has come. Before he goes to be crucified he takes time to pray. This is important, he prayed, he didn’t panic. Was he grieved, yes. Was he anxious, yes. Was he stressed, yes. But was he panicked, no. He took his worry, his stress and his grief to a place of prayer. How do you respond in the face of great trial and tribulation? Luke tells us he was so grieved about what he was about to go through that his sweat turned to blood. Even in the highest level of stress he knew prayer was the place to go. Many people today turn to their vices. They want to just be distracted from what is in front of them rather than strengthened. They want to run away to something else rather than run to the throne room of grace.

Gethsemane

Jesus didn’t just go anywhere to pray, because this wasn’t just any trial he was facing. He was entering into the final stage of his purpose on earth. Your purpose requires a different result from prayer than your problems. Jesus went to Gethsemane. This was an olive grove on the Mount of Olives and the name Gethsemane means “Oil Press”. It is symbolic of the pressure that Jesus went through in this moment, but this pressure was the type that produced oil. Olive oil was used for annointing and is still used today even when we anoint here at the altar. If you are going to walk in your purpose you need an anointing. The only way you can cultivate anointing is in the oil press. Jesus stepped into the oil press of prayer to get the anointing that he needed to walk out this last stage of his purpose.

If you are going to walk out the purposes of your life you better get into the oil press. The scriptures teach us that the anointing is for healing, empowerment, wisdom, strength, protection, favor, ability, encouragement and consecration to God. If you are going to live your life you need these things! You might be saying what type of purpose do I have that I have to have these things? Your marriage needs you to be anointed. Your children need you to be anointed. Your bank account needs you to be anointed. Your health needs you to be anointed. YOU NEED THE ANOINTING ON YOUR LIFE!!!

Get to gethsemane, get to the oil press of prayer and let God pour out his anointing upon you!

His will not yours

The prayer that Jesus prayed was not him begging for deliverance but rather he was surrendering himself to the will of God. He asked the father to take the cup from him but ultimately he was preparing his heart to carry out God’s will. This is so important. Prayer is so much about aligning our hearts with God’s will.

Don’t Fall asleep,Watch and Pray

When Jesus was praying he came to check on his disciples only to find them asleep. He rebuked them for falling asleep asking them if it was really that difficult to stay awake for just an hour to pray. How many times have we been caught sleeping in the midst of a time that we should be praying? I am not talking about a physical sleep but rather a spiritual sleep. We should be in prayer about something but rather we sleep on it. Being asleep is a dangerous place to be in the spirit. Sleeping makes you vulnerable. You are not ready for what is coming if you are asleep. That is why Jesus told them that they need to “watch and Pray, so that they don’t fall into temptation.”. Temptation sneaks up on you when you have your guard down. The enemy creeps in when you aren’t paying attention.

He tells them that the “spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”. We desire to serve God but our flesh gets in the way. We desire to live holy but our flesh causes us to sin. A life that is watchful and prayerful is a life that gives strength to the spirit while suppressing the flesh.