In Luke 22:46, Jesus tells His disciples while they were in the garden to not sleep but to rise and pray lest you enter into temptation. Jesus gives us in this statement the means and method for protection against temptation. I am an individual who believes that Jesus never said something random. I believe He always had a purpose for what He said. In this case He was telling the disciples and us about how we can defend or prepare ourselves against temptation. Temptation in the simplest sense means to be tested. When we were in school testing was a normal process of our schooling. We were tested to see how we were doing and how we were progressing. Were we learning the material and things we had to learn on a particular subject. That is also what life is. Are we learning to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus says that if we do not slumber or sleep. If we stay fully awake and focused on the things going on around us we will not fall into temptation. If we rise, stand up and refuse to go down without a fight. We say this is where I take my stand, we will not fall into temptation. The devil really is a coward. James says if we resist Him He will flee from us. Jesus then says, "Pray and you will not fall into temptation." Prayer is the means of keeping ourselves from temptation. As soon as the temptation arises begin to pray. Get divine help and enablement right away. Tell God what is happening and seek His aid, power and victory. We are all tempted but that does not mean we have to give into the temptation or fall. Jesus gave us a way to overcome it. Let us employ it for His praise and glory.
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