In the evergreen Ayoni songs

We have a track called "Gethsemani"

 

The lyrics below

"Gethsemani  , Gethsemani 

 Nibe ni Jesu to gbadura fun mi" ×2

 

A wonderful song I love to sing 

But when I read the scripture where Jesus prayed at Gethsemane, He wasnt praying for us , He was praying for himself . 

 

NOTE: This doesn't mean Jesus never prayed for us , he did many times , you can read John 17 but in the Garden of Gethsemane when he was about to be arrested , He wasn't praying for us but for himself and even ask disciples to pray for him .

 

Lets read 

MATTHEW 26:36-46

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

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!”

 

LESSONS FROM JESUS PRAYER 

 

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray , that they should always pray that the will of God be done Not their own will or want  (Luke 11:1-2)

 

Jesus here practiced what He preached . In his human flesh, he doesn't want to die or face the shame of the cross but Jesus prayed not my will but your will be done on earth.

 

The Most important prayer for us to pray is that the will of God be done on earth as it is in heaven. Infact, our purpose on earth is to do the will of God !

 

The very first request in the Lord's prayer is 

THY KINGDOM COME , THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH.

The first request is not first about Food , Not Cloths , not car or land property but His kingdom and Will be done on earth.

 

Today, what people seek for in church and prayer meeting is their own want and wish that may not be what God wants for them .

People flood prayer mountain and conference seeking for material things rather than seeking for the will of God .

 

One day, in John 4, Disciples brought food to Jesus to eat, he told them that His food is to do the will of His father and finish His work.

 

My food,” He had said, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34)

 

This should be our goal , vision and mission on earth that the purpose of our life will be to do His will and finish His work . Not even our work but His work.

 

Peter , John and James followed Jesus to Gethsemane to pray but they went there to sleep. Many will leave their home and tell family that they're going for prayer meeting but when they get there , they will be sleeping.

 

Peter had word of Affirmation 

Confession of faith but no prayer 

He told Jesus that 

I will never Leave you nor fosake you

 

Matthew 26:35

But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

 

When you hear Peter speak, you will say wow. What a man of Faith. Positive confession!

Affirmative words. These are common in our days and churches . People declare bold 

They declare word of faith and confessions but not men of prayer .

 

Peter should have relied on God and pray but he went to Gethsemane to sleep .

He denied His lord and saviour three times .

Thank God for restoration.

 

What about James and John 

They vowed to Jesus that they're ready to drink the cup .

 

Mark 10:37-39

They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”

39 “We can,” they answered.

 

This also sound like word of faith

Affirmative words. Positive confession.

But they were not men of prayer .

They were sleeping at Gethsemane.

 

They relied on their own confession , power and gift not on God .

Anytime you don't pray , you depend on your ability. That's the meaning. If you depend on God you will pray.

 

Jesus should be the one to be full of word of confession, positive words . Affirmative words . Like many are been taught today . They will say, if you feel sad , declare I am happy .

If you feel negative, declare positive .

 

But Jesus was bold to tell His disciples that He was sad and really down . He felt so depressed. He was open to them . He was so humble to admit that he feels so depressed. 

 

He ask His disciples to pray for him . He told them to watch and pray .but they were sleeping. 

 

Some of you depend on others to pray for you.

You think your pastor or prophet is praying for you but what if they're sleeping. Thank God Jesus didn't depend on the prayer of Peter , John and James . He prayed . He cried out to the one who can save Him and was heared .

 

The same soldiers that came to arrest Jesus met him at Gethsemane but only Jesus could stand the time of trial because He received strength in place of prayer . Those that were sleeping ran away . 

 

Peter stood up to defend Jesus with a sword . Jesus rebuked him that we are not to fight enemies.  He said , it takes nothing to call the father to send his angels and defend him but this is the will of God . It must be done . 

 

On the cross , Jesus prayed for His enemies .

Luke 23:34 

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

 

He could have called down fire on them to kill His enemies but He prayed for them. He practiced what He preached . He said it in Matthew 5 :44

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

 

He practiced this teaching on the cross . He bless those who persucute and beat him . But today in our churches, we pray that God should kill those who hate us and persecute us.  This is not the way of Jesus .

 

In the Garden of Eden , Adam fell without prayer but in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus arose with strength from place of prayer . Pray without ceasing. 

 

𝑩𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂

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