Matthew 26:40
Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
We sometimes miss the importance of prayer because we do not understand it’s importance.
Jesus said to His disciples could you not watch with me for just one hour.
This statement is very important to note because prayer is what keeps us from temptation.
Prayer keeps you away from falling.
Prayer strengthens your faith.
Prayer keeps you from losing faith.
Prayer energises you to keep going.
Jesus said in Luke 18:1
Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,
However, the scripture that caught my attention is found in the book of Luke 21:34-36
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
The key is in the statement watch therefore and pray always that you may be counted worthy.
To watch and pray is one of the most important aspects of our Christian walk.
Just to be a believer is not enough, we must be believers who watch and pray.
Jesus said to His disciples, to watch and pray, which was one of His last statements to His disciples before He was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:41
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus understood the power of the flesh over the spirit – He understood that we will be tired, we will be weary, we may get frustrated and even become despondent. He knew our willingness to serve God will be put to the test. So, He counselled us to be alert, focus and always in prayer.
Peter counsels us also in the book of 1 Peter 4:7
7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore, be serious and watchful in your prayers.
Yes, to watch and pray was Jesus’ counsel of alertness, both in the spirit and in the physical.
The book of Nehemiah gives us a very good picture of what Jesus was saying when He said to us to watch and pray,
Nehemiah 4:9.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.
Whilst they were praying to God, they kept watch because they did not want the enemies to creep up on them at night. They were alert.
For too long the Church had been asleep and the enemy crept in sowed all sort and we woke up to find our children, spouses, siblings struggling with one addiction or the other.
Nehemiah and his men did not just pray but they kept watch day and night.
As believers, we cannot ignore the time we are living in, just as the sons of Issachar, we must know the season we are in. Let us not be carried away by the entertainment, the cares of this world etc. The events of the end time may not be evident in the physical. We must not allow the day of the return of Jesus take us by surprise.
In Nehemiah 4:16-18
16 So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armour; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. 17 Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. 18 Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
Nehemiah’s servants had those who carried the shovels and mortar, and had those who carried weapons and were on the lookout to warn the others of danger.
To watch is to be alert, to be focussed, discerning, observant, remain awake, exercise care, caution, or restraint.
The only way to remain alert is when we are connected to Heaven through prayers.
The ultimate gool of prayer is not deliverance, it is not healing, it is not to get the things we need from God. The ultimate goal of prayer is relationship. The ultimate goal of prayer is connection with God.
John 16:13
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
As we watch we should be connected to heaven in relationship, be connected to Him.
