Fully AWAKE- Watch & Pray

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.  “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep?  Could you not keep watch for one hour?  Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”  Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.  When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy.  They did not know what to say to him.  Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?  Enough!  The hour has come.  Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Rise!  Let us go!  Here comes my betrayer!”

– Mark 14:37-42

There is Always a lesson to be learned with Jesus (Yeshua) because he is our Teacher!  And in this passage of scripture in Mark, Jesus (Yeshua) went to a place called Gethsemane with his disciples Peter, James, and John so that he could pray to God the Father right before he was arrested.  There were 3 things that Jesus (Yeshua) specifically instructed his disciples to do and that was to stay Fully AWAKE, to Watch, and to Pray!  But why??  Why was Jesus (Yeshua) SO Concerned about his disciples staying awake, watching, and praying, that he returned to them 3 times in a row to find them all asleep yet again?!!  What point was Jesus (Yeshua) trying to make?  What lesson was Jesus (Yeshua) trying to teach his disciples?  Jesus (Yeshua) was trying to teach his disciples how to overcome the flesh by the Holy Spirit!  Even Jesus (Yeshua) said, the Spirit is willing, but the body (or flesh) is weak!  This proves what Jesus (Yeshua) was trying to teach his disciples!  He was trying to teach them that the Spirit (the Holy Spirit) is STRONGER than the flesh and that they needed to stay Strong in the Spirit or they would be overcome by temptation!  But how could the disciples stay Strong in the Spirit??  Just as Jesus (Yeshua) said!!  By staying Fully AWAKE, by Watching, and by Praying!  And not just praying in Any way, but by constantly praying in the Spirit through the Holy Spirit!  That was the only way the disciples could overcome temptation!  And in the same way, Jesus (Yeshua) is not wanting to return to find us sleeping with our lamps snuffed out by the enemy because we have fallen into the temptations of this world!  Rather, Jesus (Yeshua) is wanting to return to find us Fully AWAKE, Watching, and waiting on him Expectantly with our lamps burning Brightly and Overflowing with oil through Holy Spirit – filled prayer!  Jesus (Yeshua) is wanting you to be Fully AWAKE in the Spirit so that when he returns it will not take you by Surprise because you will be ready and prepared for his return and you will be found worthy to come into His Kingdom like the wise virgins!  Are you Fully AWAKE in the Spirit today??  Are you Expectantly watching and praying for Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) return??