The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!

Published 12:50 pm Friday, June 26, 2020

There is something in each and every one of us that wants to be a good person and not sin. I believe that in each one of us, that we want to do and say the right things and love our neighbors. There is something inside of us from birth that wants to be a genuinely good person, but the Bible tells us the story over in the book of Matthew of the spirit man that is willing but the flesh is indeed very weak. The story takes place in the garden of Gethsemane just hours before the arrest of Jesus. Jesus and the disciples had come to the garden with one goal on Jesus’ mind— he needed to pray to the father. The disciples were to be on watch while Jesus got in touch with Father God. I believe they loved Jesus with everything in them but something happened. The old flesh took over and they began to fall asleep instead of being on lookout for Jesus. The spirit man was willing, but the flesh got the best of them. And when Jesus returned he found them asleep, not once but three different times. Have you ever fallen asleep on Jesus? Have you ever been reading your Bible and fell asleep? Have you ever been by your bedside at night praying to God and fell asleep? Maybe you were in a perfect situation to witness to someone about God’s love and you fell asleep on God? I think we all have done it more than once. The Bible plainly tells us that our spirit man is willing to do great and wonderful things, but the “flesh is weak.” However, too many times we use this scripture as an excuse, but I believe this was a warning to us. A warning that our “flesh is weak” and at the hour we need Jesus the most if we are not careful, we will find ourselves asleep.

This old fleshly body that we walk around in can get distracted, tired, and weak very easily. It doesn’t take much for us to get off of our spiritual task. It just takes being hungry, tired, in pain, or sometimes just being too hot or too cold and this flesh will cry out with a loud voice and drown out the intentions of the spiritual man. In this passage the disciples were no doubt worn out from the long day that they had. It was around the time of the Passover and they were making meal plans and preparing, not to mention Jesus had told them some pretty tough things throughout the day. Jesus had told them that he would be leaving them and that the son of man would soon be crucified on a cross. So, I believe they wanted to stay up and watch for him that night, but the flesh was weak. Just hours before this Peter even pledged his life for Jesus, but the “flesh is indeed week.”

At this point you may be saying, I understand what you’re saying but how do we fix it? I’m glad you asked. Jesus gave them two very important defenses against our flesh being weak. Watch and pray! That may sound simple to you, but prayer is our most powerful and the number one defense against the enemy. In 1 Thessalonians the Bible tells us to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. Prayer is your direct line with God Almighty. Unfortunately, for most people we use prayer as a last resort or we don’t want to bother God with some of our problems. But like a good father, God wants to hear from you, he wants to hear your problems and fears, and most of all he wants you to hand them over to him and let him carry those burdens for you. The Bible says cast all your cares upon him for he cares for you. Prayer should always be your first thought when you’re facing a trial or trouble in your life. Never underestimate the “power of prayer.” After all you are praying to a God that created all things and knows all things.

The second line of defense that he mentioned in the scripture is to watch. Always be watching. The devil is lurking around trying to get us to slip up and fall asleep on Jesus. He will throw everything at you that this world has to offer, but it’s only temporary and it will only feed the flesh. We must be watching at all times ’cause the devil will try to use all the weaknesses of the flesh, things that appeal to the flesh like money, power, respect, sex, drugs or alternative lifestyles. Just look around at the advertisements on TV today. If we feed the flesh the spiritual man will starve to death, but if we are continually watching and praying, then the spiritual man will grow strong enough and take over when the old flesh gets weak. The Bible also tell us that God will not put more on us than we can bear, lest he give us a way to escape the temptation. Watch and pray. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. That was a warning, not an excuse! Ask yourself today what is my spirit willing to do but the flesh is too weak? What are you supposed to be doing and can’t seem to do it? What are you not supposed to be doing, but still doing it anyway? The flesh is weak! That is a warning not an excuse.Watch and pray and the spiritual man will overcome. God Bless! Have a great week!

(The Solution Column is provided by Pastor Brandon Young of Harmony Free Will Baptist Church, Hampton, and his associate, David Odom.)