Thursday: Jesus Prays In The Garden

Matthew 26:39 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.”

40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

43 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44 So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.

45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Prayer Focus

  • Jesus chose to follow God’s plan, knowing what it was going to cost and what it would cost if He didn’t. Pray that God would give us the same resolve to follow his plan. Ask God to give you a perspective on your life that allows you to see every day and opportunity as a chance to build His Kingdom.
  • Pray that God would show you just how much you are needed to be on mission for His Kingdom.
  • Join Jesus in His prayer that we would know God, that He would reveal Himself to us and we would believe Him with simple, childlike faith (John 17:3, 6, 26; Matthew 18:2-3).
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to help us recognize temptation, to resist it and to ruthlessly stand firm on God’s Word (John 17:15; James 4:7).
  • Pray that we would be sanctified by the Truth of Christ, by the power of His living word to teach, rebuke, correct and train us in righteousness (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 2:16-17).
  • Pray for the person you’re inviting, that as you make the invitation today or tomorrow they will be ready to respond with a yes.
  • Pray for your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ at SixEight that the people they are inviting would also be ready to respond with a yes.

Additional Reading:

  • Prepare the Upper Room
    • Matthew 26:17-19
    • Mark 14:12-16
    • Luke 22:7-13
  • The Last Supper
    • Matthew 26:20-35
    • Mark 14:17-31
    • Luke 22:14-38
    • John 13-17
    • 1 Cor. 11:23’25
  • Judas Leaves
    • John 13:30