Peter’s SEVEN Falls – Part 3

Peter Failed because he had a willing spirit but a weak flesh

Text: Mathew 26:36-41 38 Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples  “Stay here while I go over there and pray.” Taking along Peter and two sons of Zebedee, he plunged into an agonizing sorrow. Then he said, “This sorrow is crushing my life out. Stay here and keep vigil with me.” 39 Going a little ahead, he fell on his face, praying, “My Father, if there is any way, get me out of this. But please, not what I want. You, what you want?”. 41 When he came back to his disciples, he found them sound sleep. He said to peter, “Can’t you stick it out with me a single hour? stay alert; be in Prayer so you don’t wonder into temptation without even knowing you’re in danger. There is a part of you that is eager, ready for anything in God. But there’s another part that’s as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire.” (The Message)

Jesus knew the time has come for Him to fulfill the purpose He had come into this world. All what Isaiah had prophesied concerning Him had to be fulfilled. He knew that He is going to be pierced for our transgression, Crushed for our inequities, oppressed, afflicted, despised and rejected. Jesus never sinned. There was no sin in Him, but for my sake, he was made sin. Our sin was put on Him. While the pressure was building in Him, he asked Peter, “would you uphold me in your Prayers?”. His sweat was turning into blood. But when He came back to Peter, He saw all three fast asleep. Then He woke Peter, and said, “Can’t you even pray for me for just one hour?” And He said, “The spirit is Willing but the Flesh was weak.

Are we also like Peter? When we have to uphold our Family, our Church, our Nation, our Missions in Fasting and Prayer, we don’t. We give many excuses. We spend much time in front of the computer, TV, with People, but when the time comes to spend time with the Lord, we fall a sleep. Paul too faced the same situation. He said When I want to do good, I end up not doing it. I end up doing the things that which I decided not to do. The reason for it is because, our SPIRIT is saved, but our soul is getting saved day by day. That is why Paul is saying, I find two Law’s operating in me. The Spirit say, “Let’s spend time with the Lord in Fasting & Prayer, but the soul / Body say no, I feel hungry, Lazy ect…

Because we don’t pray much, we fall into Temptation. We fall a sleep while reading the word of God or fall a sleep while the preacher gives the sermon.

Galatians 5:16-18 My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence? (The Msg)