Betrayals of Christ Invoke the Prayer, “Take this Cup from Me.”

Luke 22:39-46

Jesus’s betrayal has been bought and paid for. Now, He goes to prayer to ask that what is about to happen will not happen. It’s not a harmonious period for the church leaders between the time of the agreed betrayal to His arrest. They are suspicious and do not trust one another as well as having issues about who is the greatest among them. When they should be in prayer with Jesus, they fall asleep. While Jesus is encouraging His followers to stay awake and pray, the mob comes to arrest Him.

“Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, 
and His disciples followed Him. 
On reaching the place, He said to them, 
“Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 
Luke 22:39-40

Today, there is betrayal of the Spirit of Jesus Christ everywhere a person goes, and it’s especially obvious in the churches. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is tossed out, the Holy Spirit is grieved, and the mark of the beast is worshipped as God. Prayer is needed during this horrendous time of betrayal, prayer that we do not cave-in to temptation. The inner presence that has power over physiology has many, many ways to entice a person to fall asleep to the Gospel. It boasts of being all-knowing, ever-present, and all-powerful. It is able to enflame sensual feelings, to enflame anger, to imitate joy, and every emotional pleasantry. It opposes Christ in all that it does. It betrays the Spirit of Christ by tempting a person with extraordinary intuition, insight, and bits of knowledge. It demands people to denounce Christ to receive its fleshy benefits. It betrays the Spirit of Christ by tempting with physical health, exceptional skills, and every type of physical superiority over the norm. Those benefits are rewards for denouncing Christ. Jesus says, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

“He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 
An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him. 
And being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly,
and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Luke 22:41-44

Today, the Spirit of Christ lives in us, the Holy Spirit conforms us into the image of Jesus Christ. With all the betrayals taking place against the Gospel of Jesus Christ, those who live in the Spirit of Christ are feeling the same anguish as Christ Himself. Already, there are afflictions, and many types of sufferings happening to those who hold to the testimony of Jesus. This is the onslaught of the greater tribulation. The agony and crucifixion that Christ suffers is the same that His followers suffer because those who rule by the mark of the beast despise Christ and His people. Even today, God’s people are praying this prayer, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” With every doctor appointment that I have, my heart is praying that prayer. With every appointment that I have with someone in authority over me, I say that prayer.

“When He rose from prayer and went back to the disciples,
He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 
“Why are you sleeping?” He asked them. 
“Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
Luke 22:45-46

Who isn’t exhausted from the constant friction that occurs twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. The hostile society fills us with sorrow. The betrayal of Jesus Christ is what society is breathing, eating, and sleeping. If it isn’t coming internally by the browbeating of our thoughts and the emotional devastation of all the remembered regrets, then it is coming externally from the hostility of those who live by the mark of the beast. Many sorrows fill the mind and emotions of those who choose to live for Christ. In these difficult and sorrowful days, it’s easy to lose a bit here and a bit there corresponding to our ability to remain in Christ. Losing bits of our testimony lulls us to sleep until we are no longer awake to the Gospel. It’s necessary to stay awake, this is no time to fall asleep. Jesus comes to us and says, “Why are you sleeping?” “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11