Spirit Lead Me

This morning while reading my bible, just enjoying my coffee and Jesus time, I felt God speaking to me through scripture. I had been dealing with my own battles and had recently made a covenant with God. I needed a change and clearly something I wasn’t doing was holding me back.

I was reading the story of when Jesus went to Gethsemane with his disciples. This was about the time that Jesus was preparing for what was to come. His final hour was nearing and Jesus was just filled with all these raw emotions while fighting his own emotional battles. Jesus takes Peter and two other disciples with him as he goes off to pray. The only thing he asked his disciples to do was just simply stay with him and keep watch. That’s it! But they failed to do the one task asked of them.

Jesus returned and says to them in Matthew 26:41,

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

When I read this scripture it just spoke straight to my heart. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” I felt so convicted. I knew my spirit truly wanted to obey God in every way but my flesh had fallen weak. I had been more focused on not having enough and not seeing that God is our God that provides. He is Jehovah-jireh. God our provider. I hadn’t been trusting him wholeheartedly and that had been keeping me from moving forward. God gave me a simple task. Honor me FIRST. Not second and definitely not last. But FIRST. And I had failed Him. Just as the disciples had failed Jesus. My heart wanted to, my spirit wanted to, but my flesh was worrying about not having enough. About lacking.

Jesus was right. Our flesh is weak. Our flesh is literally the weakest link. When our spirit yearns to want to do all the right things, our flesh can come and rob us from God’s goodness if we allow it. I had allowed this. The disciples had allowed this. They allowed themselves to be overcome by sleep instead of praying and keeping watch. They were exhausted and probably couldn’t keep their eyes open another minute more. I’m sure they tried staying awake. I’m sure they didn’t mean to fall asleep but they did. God spoke to me through this scripture. I had fallen weak to the heaviness of my worries and fears.

Jesus gave his disciples a very menial task. “Stay awake guys and watch my back.” Simple! Yet they just couldn’t accomplish this. And this didn’t happen just once. No. Each time Jesus returned to pray, he came back to find them asleep again and again.

In our hearts we may be willing and wanting to step out in faith. But when we allow our flesh to make all decisions for us, we can keep ourselves from fulfilling God’s divine purpose for our lives. I look back and remember all the times I denied God’s call. I am so thankful I surrendered myself to give Him my all. It took me some time and God patiently waited until I answered His call. I can no longer allow my flesh to govern my decisions. I turn and let my spirit lead me.

We can overcome our fear when we allow our spirit to lead and not our flesh. It takes courage and strength. And we get all this and more from God. He gives us the confidence in knowing He has our back. It doesn’t matter how difficult your circumstance is, God wants you to trust Him completely with no reservations. Trust me when I tell you, the moment you do, the moment you honor Him first, is the moment God starts moving those mountains. It was just a matter of days for God to show me and my husband that He will ALWAYS provide. In the most unexpected, unfathomable way, God will move and make Himself known. But first, we must honor Him before all else. We must allow our willing spirit to lead and not our flesh.

“Heavenly Father, I thank you for the courage to stand in my faith and step into the divine purpose you have laid before me. Thank you Lord for the strength to overcome the weaknesses of my flesh. It is not my flesh that governs my every thought and move. But your will my Heavenly Father. In Jesus name I thank you Lord…Amen.”

XOXO…Ileen