WATCH AND PRAY

Verse of the Day: Colossians 4:2 (NIV)

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Jesus said “Watch and Pray!” So many nights I sit in my bed and I might study my bible for a bit, but so often I do not want to get on my knees and watch and pray. It is a war in the flesh because the flesh is weak. I often times end up falling asleep praying in my bed KNOWING the best way for me to pray would be to get myself up out the bed and get on my knees. The flesh is weak! No matter how many times we pray throughout the day as we go about, there is nothing like the alone time with God in prayer.

Mark 13:33-37 (KJV)

^“Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.  For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

Lord, give us strength to get up and pray in our alone time with you, without distraction, so that you can speak Lord into our lives. Amen! God desires to speak to us, but are we listening? God can speak in the busyness of the day or in the quietness of the night, but don’t we want to hear God ALL the time? I pray for deliverance from sleeping through my prayers. Lord, help me to be thankful and to pray even when I don’t feel like it. Amen! Prayer changes things in our atmosphere, so let’s start changing some things through prayer and let His work in us be established.

Matthew 26:35 (NIV)

^“But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.”

If I had been watching and praying, if my husband had been watching and praying, if Peter and the other disciples were watching and praying, rather than sleeping, would we have still disowned Christ? Thank God for His amazing grace! He will never disown us! His hands are always open to accept His prodigal sons, Amen!

Matthew 26:36-45 (NIV)

^“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter.  “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Let us follow the example and instructions of Jesus and WATCH AND PRAY! Will we keep watch with Him? Will we walk in the spirit and conquer this flesh? AMEN! Temptation is calling from all directions, trying to steal away our time with God. We have to be constantly building this house or this house will surely fall.

To the ONE who can keep us from falling, let us submit to Him, His will, His way, and watch and pray. Let us obey and serve the Lord! Again, devoting (which means to give up or appropriate, to concentrate, set apart or dedicate, or to consecrate), ourselves to prayer being “watchful and thankful!” Amen! Get out the bed and get low teaching our children to do the same!

As always, the Lord is talking to me. Is He on your street too?

Walk in the Spirit,

Prophetess Deanna Mack