Willing Spirit Weak Flesh

Willing Spirit Weak Flesh

“Keep watching and praying, so that you will not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:38 or Matthew 26:41 NASB20)

When we read things like this there are a couple of keys that help us understand.
First, it is important to distinguish between what the Bible teaches, and what the Bible reports.
Second, it is important to think about the context and audience involved.

In this passage, the Bible is reporting something that happened. The passage itself is not there as an instruction for us. Jesus is helping the Disciples understand that what’s coming is going to be beyond their ability to cope with. He knows they want to support and follow Him. He also knows how hard it’s going to be and that they will not be able to get through it without stumbling. In fact, not long after this, Peter denied Jesus three times. So, Jesus encourages the Disciples to pray so they will be strengthened.

Though scripture is simply recording an event here, we can learn something from it too.

In our heart, we want to have godly attitudes and actions, but the flesh sometimes (maybe even often) results in our failure to do that. Ungodly attitudes and actions happen when the temptation of the worldly way of living by what seems best to our senses draws us away from the godly responses and behaviors we truly want.

Like the Disciples, we can, and should, pray about such things. Talking with Him about our struggles and the temptation we face and asking that He strengthen us by His Spirit in our inner self brings our minds to the right place so we can withstand the temptation. Father has given us the victory and we are strong in Him. Moreover, we have the security of knowing that even if we fail and fall to the temptation, we remain His righteous children.