It was the night of betrayal. Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane with His three closest disciples, Peter, James and John. He told His disciples to wait while He went a little further to pray. When He came back, He saw that His disciples were asleep. This He did three times and three times when He returned, His disciples were sleeping. He said to them: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (v.41).
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak – The three disciples were just too tired. I’m quite sure they tried to keep themselves awake. But their eyes wouldn’t allow.
Have you ever tried to keep away while the worship or Bible class is going on but couldn’t? Your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak. God knows the heart. He knows when a worshipper’s spirit is willing but his flesh is weak. By affirming that “the spirit is willing,” Jesus was saying that He knew the disciples wanted to stay awake and pray, but the weakness of the flesh had overpowered the spiritual desire to pray and watch.
But He also knows when a worshipper’s spirit is unwilling and he tells his flesh to go to sleep. There is a difference between a spirit that is willing and another which is unwilling. The disciples’ spirits were willing to do what was right. In fact, just a few minute earlier, all of them had pledged their lives to Jesus (v.35). Peter even declared he would die with Jesus than to deny Him. But, as it turned out, they fled when their Lord was arrested (v.56).
Jesus was not scolding His disciples but exhorting them to beware of the weakness of the flesh. He knew they had tried. Our Lord will be more concerned with those whose spirits are not willing. An unwilling spirit is a brother to the flesh.
What does an unwilling spirit do?
1. No qualms about falling asleep during worship.
2. No plans to attend mid-week Bible classes, Gospel Meetings, church activities.
3. No desire to serve God.
An unwilling spirited Christian has no struggle with the flesh. He does not feel bad about not setting the right example: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5).
The willing spirited Christian cares for the things of the Spirit. Therefore, he makes it his purpose in life to walk in the Spirit; to do those things which the Holy Spirit approves. So, he aligns his life towards godliness: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11, 12).
The spirit that wants to live right but fail will receive more mercy than the spirit who chooses to live according to his liking. God calls to be holy like Him (1 Peter 1:15, 16). God knows sometimes the flesh is weak. And, His mercy extends to those who are struggling in their spiritual life: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The unremorseful ones are those who say they have no sin; their spirit and flesh are one.
Therefore, let us check our spirit: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). What about you? What kind of spirit do you have?
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