FAITH CAPSULE: Giving self to praying and not watching is certain for temptation to miss God’s promise.
Luke 25:1-25
From experience, Jesus warned us to watch and pray lest we enter into temptation. After Jesus’ praying with fasting, His watching and not become a victim of devil’s temptation recorded, “And the devil said to Him, “…If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” (Luke 4:3) Repeatedly, devil’s temptation for Jesus failed. If Jesus can experience temptation man cannot avoid temptation without watching and praying.
Temptation is the result of sleeping from sorrow while rebellion is the character of temptation. Rebellion is resistance or opposition to the word of God. When complaining, discouragement or fear raises its flag man will show to be identified as rebellion against God.
Rebellion is the author of hardness of heart which is not hearing God’s word.
Hebrews 3:7-13 buttressed, “…Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Therefore, I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’ So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Verses above are the characters of rebellious before God: hardness of heart; testing (challenging) God; going astray (going amiss, departing from God) in heart and becoming a victim of deceitfulness of sin. In life, without watching and praying will give to temptation which encases rebellion.
The Israelites were rebellious in their journey of deliverance to God’s Promised land. The Israelites prayed to God for deliverance out of the bondage of over four hundred years but failed by not watching as they gave self to rebellion. Prayer delivered Israelites from bondage but lack of watching gave them to temptation. Jesus warned man to watch and pray. Giving self to praying without watching is set for temptation.
Are you praying and not watching? Jesus is not a talkative but true to manifest His word in the life of obedient ones.
A priest named Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. On prayer ground the priest was prayerful but not watchful when angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.” (Luke 1:13) Zacharias was not watchful when he responded to angel’s news for his answered prayer as stated, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” (Luke 1:18) Zacharias tested God which is the character of rebellion. Watch and pray is a warning command of Jesus for man not to miss out the blessings of God.
Prayer for today: Ask for God’s hand that is not short, to be upon you against failing before God.