Today’s reading is Mark 14.
The Weapons of Our Warfare
In 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, Paul wrote:
For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete (ESV).
As citizens of Christ’s kingdom, our weapons are not fleshly. We don’t use military means or political powers to accomplish God’s work in our lives or the world. That, however, doesn’t mean we are weaponless. No. We have heavenly weapons. We wield weapons of heavenly, divine power to destroy the strongholds in our own minds, hearts, and lives.
Regrettably, Paul doesn’t give us a list of those weapons in this passage. No doubt, the Word, which is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17) is a divinely empowered weapon. But Paul goes on in that litany of God’s armor to immediately talk about prayer. In fact, once we are armored in God’s armor, the next thing He tells us to do is not go out and fight, but get down on our knees and pray (Ephesians 6:18-20). Certainly, prayer is another divinely empowered weapon.
Peter Sleeps While Jesus Wields Prayer
In Mark 14, we see the divinely-empowered weapon of prayer used at full strength. We notice it in the contrast between Jesus and Peter.
Both Peter and Jesus were committed to die. In John 12:20, Jesus had declared even though His soul was troubled as the hour was coming on Him, He would not ask to be saved from it. Rather, He would ask for God to be glorified. In Mark 14:31, Peter had likewise committed himself to death. “If I must die with you,” he told Jesus, “I will not deny you.” Both had made their commitment.
But then we follow them to Gethsemane. Jesus’s distress has increased. He is sorrowful even unto death. How does He address the distress? Prayer. Three times He goes to pray. While the record of the prayer can be read in about 3 seconds, He claims to have prayed for about an hour. In other words, though He used many different words and various statements, His hour’s prayer could be summed up in a couple sentences:
Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.
–Mark 14:36 (ESV)
Wait! I thought Jesus wasn’t going to ask to be delivered from this hour? What’s going on? Recognizing this prayer is actually the summary of an hour of praying (which is then repeated two more times), we should see this as more than a quick flash of prayer tossed up by Jesus to check a box in preparation for the crucifixion. This is a struggle in prayer. This is a struggle to move from “Remove this cup” to “Not my will, but yours.” Through prayer, Jesus is strengthened to let the Scriptures be fulfilled. We see Jesus employing the divinely-empowered weapon of prayer in order to tear down any strongholds of distress tempting Him to disobey and strengthening to obey His Father.
But what is Peter doing while Jesus prays? Sleeping. Jesus even encourages Peter. “Peter, you need to pray. Your spirit is willing, but your flesh is weak.” Perhaps Jesus means Peter has a spirit willing to pray, but his flesh is too weak to stay awake. But, more likely Jesus is referencing Peter’s earlier commitment. Peter’s spirit is willing to die with Jesus, but his flesh is weak and will betray him into sin when the test occurs. Unless he prays, he will not have the needed bodily strength to overcome the temptation. But Peter sleeps again. And again.
Jesus Succeeds while Peter Fails
Jesus passes the test in Gethsemane. Instead of striking down the mob, He declares, “Let the Scriptures be fulfilled.” That is, let the mob take Him prisoner because it is the Father’s will. Then He gets to the trial and though it is a farce, they can’t even get their drummed-up, false witnesses to agree well enough to fake a proper reason for conviction. If Jesus just keeps His mouth shut, the trial is going His way. Maybe it’s a sign. Maybe the Father is letting Him out of the crucifixion after all. But when the high priest demands Jesus identify Himself, Jesus does:
I am [the Christ], and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
–Mark 14:62 (ESV)
Jesus faces the test. Someone demands He identify Himself. But this identity will send Him to the cross. What will He do? He has already demonstrated the distress. Will He bear up? Will He succeed? Yes! Jesus victoriously declares His identity and seals His fate. He will go to the cross.
Peter, however, follows behind at a distance and makes it to the courtyard of the house where this farcical trial occurs. While Jesus faces the high priest himself, Peter is confronted by a servant girl of the high priest. Though she has no power and no social standing, she accuses Peter of being a disciple of Jesus. Here is the test. He could die with Jesus. He could follow in His King’s footsteps and declare His identity as a disciple of Jesus Christ. What does he do? He folds like a bad poker hand. He denies being a disciple. Then a little later, he does it again. Then again. As he slept three times instead of praying, he denied three times instead of confessing. Peter failed.
Don’t Miss the Real Difference
Why did Jesus succeed and Peter fail? It may not be your first guess. We are tempted to say because Jesus was divine and Peter was only human. But Mark has demonstrated a different difference.
Jesus prayed. Peter slept.
Both men had a willing spirit. Both men were in the flesh. And flesh is weak. One man, knowing the weakness took up arms against the flesh and prepared for battle. One man prayed. One man succeeded.
Don’t forget how prayer has been important throughout Mark. In Mark 1:35, Jesus made sure to get up early to pray when He was too busy to pray during the day. In Mark 6:46-47, after feeding the 5000, Jesus spends the evening in prayer on the mountaintop (perhaps this was in preparation for the test He would face the next day seen in John 6). When the disciples are unable to cast out the demon from the mute boy in Mark 9, Jesus explains their failure was due to lack of prayer (Mark 9:29).
Let me ask you a soul-searching question. Do you find yourself failing again and again? Do your days end in defeat on the battlefield against Satan? Are you praying? Are you praying intensely? Do you do much more than tossing up laser prayers throughout the day? Do you make prayer purposeful and intense?
Prayer is so much more than just talking to God. Prayer is a battle in itself. It takes work. It takes time. But it is so worth it. It is, after all, a divinely-empowered weapon which will destroy the strongholds in our hearts, minds, and lives which ensnare us to sin. Even Jesus needed this weapon to succeed. If He needed it, what hope do we think we have without it?
Have you prayed today? Why not do so right now.
And, instead of praying for the things you want and wishing God would give them, why not try praying for what God wants. Then watch as, over time, God transforms you into the kind of person who has a mind set on God’s things and starts using you to accomplish His things.
Praise the Lord!
Next week’s reading is Mark 15.
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PATHS:
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