Protection for Our Lives
ICS Daily Devotions
Matthew 26:39, 42-44 (NKJV) 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.”…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.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
When we talk about the prayer of consecration, we mean “praying about the will of God for your life” because we do not know what it is. It can be a struggle for many Christians because it deals with the Lordship of Christ in our lives.
Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. His soul was overwhelmed with sorrow because of what He had to go through. Yet, Jesus was submissive to God by praying to the Father regarding His will. He was following God’s will, which involved paying a price. It can be challenging for our flesh to live out a consecrated life because we need to bring our flesh into submission to the Spirit. Nonetheless, we need to choose to be yoked with God and allow Him to be the stronger partner in the calling of our lives.
Jesus was not praying to receive anything, but praying about becoming the sin sacrifice for the world. He was praying to the Father to see if there was any alternative. Because He didn’t know, He was praying “if it was possible”. This is the only recorded prayer of Jesus which mentions: “if it is your will”. In v44, Jesus prayed a third time, saying the same words.
In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see that Jesus’ life was the culmination of a life of consecration. Jesus lived it every day and every step of His ministry. He was submitting to the will of the Father no matter how challenging and agonising it was. It means dying to our flesh to not do what we want but God’s plan for us. Jesus submitted to the will of the Father when He knew what the Father’s will for Him was.
John 6:38 (NKJV) For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me.
Submitting to God even when we don’t want to is a form of protection. Living a consecrated life is a choice. When we learn to walk in His will by surrendering ourselves to Him, we find ourselves living a life with joy, satisfaction of the soul and contentment of the spirit.
Sermon Series ： Consecration
