"Peter said unto him, though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples." Matthew 26:35
On this day, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus left the last Passover celebration with His disciples and walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. On the way to the garden, Jesus had a discussion with His disciples. He told them that things were going to be changing and the unity they had experienced following Him would be shattered. He finished His challenge to them with the promise that He would raise from the dead and would bring them back together again. The whole dying and raising from the dead thing was completely lost on them, because all they could think about was that they had no intention of leaving Him or each other. They were going to stay with Him and their group even if it meant death. They were unanimous in their pronouncement. At this point Jesus turned to Peter and predicted, "...this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."
To deny Christ was unthinkable to Peter and the rest of the disciples. They knew who He was. He was the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Yet when the religious leaders called Jesus before their council and condemned Him to death, the disciples could not find it in themselves to even admit that they had been with Him. Jesus understood their struggle, and, with unparalleled love, He prayed for them and told them to watch and pray themselves because their spirit was willing but their flesh was weak.
You may think that you will never deny Christ. You may be sure that you will be faithful no matter what happens, but be sure of this one thing----the spirit in you may be very willing to stand for Christ but your flesh is going to struggle. Never stop watching for the devils tricks to get you to deny Christ. Satan's strongest weapons have always been religion and community benefits. Never stop praying that you will be strong enough when the time comes. It took Jesus three different conversations with the Father to prepare Himself for what was to come.
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