Preparing For Spiritual Warfare Series

INTRODUCTION

• SLIDE #1

• Today we are rewinding our Bible DVR’s a little bit further as we get ready to examine the scene of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.

• Last week Jerry explored the arrest of Jesus, this week we are going to look at how Jesus spent his final moments preparing for the arrest and subsequent trials, beatings, and crucifixion.

• We too are in the midst of spiritual warfare each day.

• Each day the enemy tries to chip away at our faith. Our enemy is smart, he does not try to take us down with one fatal shot (although there are times when he will try), but rather Satan will try to slowly chip away at our faith and confidence in God.

• When we send our soldiers into battle or into hotspots of where potential engagements can happen, we send them in prepared.

• How do you prepare for those spiritual battles we are engaged in each day? Do we try to ignore them and hope they go away?

• Are there things we can do in order to help us to be victorious?

• Jesus was getting ready to face the spiritual and physical battle of His life. How did Jesus prepare for this battle?

• In the scene we will examine today we can find a couple of principles from Jesus’ time in the garden that can be helpful to us as we engage in the spiritual warfare we face.

• Let us begin our journey this morning by turning to Matthew 26. We will begin in verses 36-38

• SLIDE #2

• Matthew 26:36–38 (ESV) 36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

• We first learn from Jesus that in preparing for spiritual warfare…

• SLIDE #3

SERMON

I. Do not prepare for battle alone.

• Jesus is closing in on the most stressful time in His ministry. There have been other stress points, there have been many other battles with the enemy, but none like the one Jesus was about to be engaged in.

• Jesus is facing a HIGH stress, HIGH pressure battle.

• The place where Jesus retreats to, the garden of Gethsemane was an interesting place to retreat to.

• The word GETHSEMANE means- ‘Place of olive presses.” The way you get olive oil out of olives during Jesus day was by pressure. As the press squished the olives, the oil would come out.

• Jesus is going face difficult pressures this evening.

• Luke tells us in Luke 22:44

• SLIDE #4

• Luke 22:44 (ESV) And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

• Jesus was in such agony that he was sweating large drops of blood. That is a lot of pressure.

• Some would ask why He was stressing so much since He was the Son of God. Well, He became human at the incarnation (or when He was born) so He knew what He going to suffer was going to HURT, it was going to be a horrific experience.

• Well, what do many people do when they are about to face something difficult, or when they are stressing over stuff?

• Many will cut people off, they will deal with it alone, but notice what Jesus does here.

• By this time His circle is down to 11 since Judas did his thing.

• Jesus asked 7 of the disciples to wait for Him, but He took His inner circle, Peter, James, and John with Him to go pray.

• Matthew tells us Jesus state of mind was sorrowful and troubled. When Jesus was hurting and stressed, when He was about to face the most epic spiritual battle of His life, He took some close friends with Him to support Him during His time of preparation.

• He really needs some support, He needs these close friemnd

• In verse 38 Jesus says, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.”

• Jesus takes these men with Him not just for His benefit, but for theirs. They would need to know the importance of being there for one another during difficult times.

• This is part of why we come together.

• SLIDE #5

• Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV) And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.