A Safeguard in the Face of Temptation | Matthew 26:40-41

[00:00:00] Real Truth Daily. This is Daily Truths with Dave Ahlman.

[00:00:07] Hi everybody, welcome back to Daily Truths. Today I want to talk about temptation and what you do in the face of it. You might be saying, well, Pastor Dave, I read the word and embrace the promises of the word and that's a good thing. Some of you might say, well, I have an accountability partner who I talk to when I fail and they pray with me and hold me accountable and that's a wonderful thing.

[00:00:28] Some of you might say, well, when I know that temptation is coming my way, whether it's a porn side or going to a place where I shouldn't go like a bar or whatever, or going to be hanging out with friends who I know might lead me astray, I simply don't go there. And that's a great thing.

[00:00:44] But there's another powerful tool we have in the face of temptation. What is it?

[00:00:51] Well, we're in Matthew chapter 26 and remember Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and he's asked three of his friends to join him, Peter, James and John.

[00:01:01] Well, we pick up verse 40 and this is what it says. And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.

[00:01:07] And he said to Peter, so you could not watch with me one hour, watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.

[00:01:17] Now, what can we say about this? First of all, it's past midnight and these guys are tired and so they fall asleep.

[00:01:24] He comes to Peter first and he says, could you not watch with me for one hour?

[00:01:29] Why did he go to Peter? Because Peter is the same one who just an hour or two before said, if all these other disciples leave you, I never will.

[00:01:35] I'll never deny you and all of that. So to hold Peter accountable, basically, who is a leader of the group, he said, could you not stay awake with me and watch and pray for one hour?

[00:01:47] Could you not do that? OK, and really, what did what was Jesus needing?

[00:01:51] He needed the presence, power and encouragement of his friends.

[00:01:55] So what does he say here? Knowing indeed they're facing fear, anxiety, loneliness and confusion over what is happening not only to Jesus, but what could happen to them.

[00:02:07] I mean, what was the temptation for them, for them to walk away from Jesus, to not be there for Jesus, to not uphold Jesus and support Jesus and stand up for Jesus.

[00:02:20] That was the temptation. They didn't know what was going to happen.

[00:02:23] They were facing this this doubt and uncertainty about who Jesus really was.

[00:02:28] Is he really the Messiah or have we been misled? All of that they were facing and so much more.

[00:02:35] And so what was Jesus saying in order to keep you strong?

[00:02:39] Watch and pray. In other words, watch out for the pitfalls of denying me, of walking away from me, of betraying me, of all these things that could come your way.

[00:02:50] Watch out for temptation and pray in the midst of it.

[00:02:57] Wow. What a great encouragement that is for us when temptation is coming our way, that we would pray about it.

[00:03:05] Number one, that we would ask God to not allow it to come our way.

[00:03:09] And number two, that we would ask God if it does come our way, that we would be able to resist.

[00:03:15] Did you hear that? That God would hold that temptation at bay.

[00:03:18] And if that not be as well, that when it comes, he would give us strength to say, I'm not going to go down that road.

[00:03:25] I'm not going to do what Satan wants me to do.

[00:03:28] What a great encouragement that is.

[00:03:31] So we said there's different ways to fight against temptation, accountability, the power of the word of God, simply not going to places where we know we're going to be tempted.

[00:03:41] And number four, to pray for God's strength, to face it and walk away from it.

[00:03:46] If indeed it comes our way.

[00:03:49] So that is a great encouragement for us today.

[00:03:52] Let me pray for you right now regarding any temptation that you might be facing in everyday life.

[00:03:59] Let's go ahead and pray right now.

[00:04:01] Lord God, Heavenly Father, I don't know what my listeners are facing right now in their everyday life.

[00:04:07] You know the exact temptations that are coming their way.

[00:04:11] You know how Satan will try to use those temptations to undermine their faith and to cause them to fall into sin.

[00:04:18] Lord God, Heavenly Father, you've told us to watch and pray in the face of temptation.

[00:04:23] And that's what we do right now.

[00:04:25] I pray for every person that's listening to my voice that is tempted in some way, somehow by the evil one.

[00:04:32] Lord, keep that temptation away from them.

[00:04:35] And if that not be your will, Lord God, when they face it, give them strength to resist it and to walk away and to walk in your ways.

[00:04:45] Heavenly Father.

[00:04:47] Lord Jesus, that's what you told the disciples to do.

[00:04:50] You told them to stay alert, to watch for temptation, and to pray that they would be able to resist.

[00:04:57] Lord God, we pray the very same thing in the strong name of Jesus.

[00:05:02] For everyone who is hearing my voice right now, when that temptation comes, give them strength to walk away and to resist.

[00:05:10] And we pray this all in the strong, powerful, and unparalleled name of your name, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Redeemer and King.

[00:05:21] In his name we pray all these things.

[00:05:25] Amen.

[00:05:26] I hope that's helpful for you today.

[00:05:28] Walk in the strength of Jesus.

[00:05:31] Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

[00:05:33] And when temptation comes your way, may the Lord Jesus give you strength to simply say no.

[00:05:41] Amen?

[00:05:42] Amen.

[00:05:43] And that is today's Daily Truth.

[00:05:45] Have a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[00:05:48] Thank you for tuning in to Daily Truths with Dave Allman.

[00:05:50] Pastor Dave Allman is the pastor of Mount Hope Church in Boulder, Colorado.

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[00:06:06] Come back tomorrow for your next Daily Truth.