* If you keep being on the alert; looking for Red Flags around you; then you are Watching.
*In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to His disciples: “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation …”
— Matthew 26:41(a).
* Note the order of Jesus’ words:
“Watch” first, then “pray” next.
* Reason for this warning:
“The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
— Matthew 16:41 (b)
* In this generation, some people have fallen into temptation to sin, because they only pray, but they don’t watch for Red Flags (signs of danger).
— They don’t pay attention to tell-tale occurrences around them.
* Consider the example of Simon Peter:
— When he was watching, Peter said to Jesus (on the issue of identity) : “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
— But because the other disciples were not watching (not in spirit), they were not able to identify who Jesus is.
*To clarify issues, Jesus said to Peter: “Blessed are you … for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 16:16-19, 13-15.
* Now let’s see what happened when Peter stopped watching:
*Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things, from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
— That is Jesus’ mission on the earth.
* But Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke Him, saying: “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”
* Peter failed to see the Red Flag (the manipulation of the devil in his statement of rebuke).
*So Jesus turned and said to Peter: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me …” — Matthew 16:21-23.
* Why would Peter raise objection to Jesus’ mission on the earth (as he just did)?
— Obviously, Peter had yielded to the weakness of the flesh.
* This is what happens to people who fail to lookout for red flags in their daily lives and activities.
* Therefore, we need to keep in mind always that: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (it may lead us into sin).
*So let’s keep watching and keep praying in the Spirit.
Pastor Kayode Owoade Contributes from US
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