Prayer: Why is it So Hard? (Matt 26:36-45)
• What was Jesus asking them to do?
o Verse 40 says He was asking them to pray for one hour. Is this realistic?
• What was he asking them to pray?
o Verse 41 He was asking them to pray against temptation. “What temptation”?
• What gets in the way?
o Flesh, He says the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
• What are some of the problems here?
• First, I think the disciples missed what an epic moment this was.
o Maybe they didn’t understand fully what was about to happen, but they missed it.
o So how do we overcome this?
We have to ask. Slow down enough to ask Jesus.
Repent, Jesus sorry we are slow and dense but show us what is going on right now.
Jesus, “Open our eyes to spiritual realities so that we can catch an urgency for prayer.”
• Second, is the flesh, in this case sleepiness.
o I think there is also a greater issue of spiritual sleepiness
Not processing what they do know.
• Jesus was fulfilling all of the OT prophecies of what the Messiah would do.
o So how do we overcome this?
First, give up our right to comfort
Second, process what we do know.
• Third, they succumbed to the very thing Jesus told them to pray against.
o I think they underestimated the level of spiritual attack.
o How do we over come?
Do like Jesus said and pray against temptation and attack. Don’t pray passively here.
Fight with the right weapons 2 Cor 10:3-6
Do whatever is in your power to set aside distractions and get away from distractions.
• Fourth, they didn’t know what to say, in prayer and to Jesus
o Mark 14:40 …They did not know what to say to him. Probably in prayer as well.
o So how do we respond?
Repent for not knowing. Ask Him, “teach me to prayer”
Spend time listening for what to pray for.
Remember prayer isn’t always about asking. It’s also listening, it’s also loving.
• Fifth, they were caught off guard Jesus comes back for the third time and this time He doesn’t do anything.
• But then when he comes back the fourth time, Judas and a crowd armed with swords are right on top of them.
• So how do we respond? Stay in prayer and listen well. Let Him prepare us!
