Have you ever faced a moment so challenging that you felt entirely alone, wrestling with a decision that could change your entire life's direction? If you've ever encountered such a crossroads, tune in as I, Don Carpenter, guide you through the deeply spiritual journey that Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. This episode of Faith Walk delves into the heart of what it means to confront the divine plan, even when it leads us to places of profound struggle. We explore the significance of Jesus' request for the cup to pass from him, decoding the layers of meaning within his plea and reflecting on the universal themes of loneliness, the anticipation of suffering, and the burden of humanity's sins.
Together, we'll connect the dots between the biblical accounts of Jacob, Saul of Tarsus, and Peter with our contemporary experiences that test our faith. Discover how the presence of spiritually strong companions can make all the difference when we are called to step into the unknown. This episode isn't just a retelling of a biblical narrative; it's an invitation to recognize the Gethsemane moments in our own lives and to find strength in solidarity and faith. Join us as we confront the fears that go hand-in-hand with true spiritual commitment, and learn how to emerge with a fortified faith, ready to embrace the path that God has laid before us.
Have you ever faced a moment so challenging that you felt entirely alone, wrestling with a decision that could change your entire life's direction? If you've ever encountered such a crossroads, tune in as I, Don Carpenter, guide you through the deeply spiritual journey that Jesus experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane. This episode of Faith Walk delves into the heart of what it means to confront the divine plan, even when it leads us to places of profound struggle. We explore the significance of Jesus' request for the cup to pass from him, decoding the layers of meaning within his plea and reflecting on the universal themes of loneliness, the anticipation of suffering, and the burden of humanity's sins.
Together, we'll connect the dots between the biblical accounts of Jacob, Saul of Tarsus, and Peter with our contemporary experiences that test our faith. Discover how the presence of spiritually strong companions can make all the difference when we are called to step into the unknown. This episode isn't just a retelling of a biblical narrative; it's an invitation to recognize the Gethsemane moments in our own lives and to find strength in solidarity and faith. Join us as we confront the fears that go hand-in-hand with true spiritual commitment, and learn how to emerge with a fortified faith, ready to embrace the path that God has laid before us.
Speaker 1:
This is Faith Walk. My name is Don Carpenter and I'm glad that you're with me today. I'm going to talk on. It Is Enough. There are many dangers encountered in our journey as we press into the plan and the purpose of God for our life and our ministry, and I'm going to go there in just a moment. First of all, I want to just set the scene here. This particular teaching and lesson that I'm going to share with you today is based out of Mark, chapter 14, verses 32 through 42.
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Jesus is now in the Garden of Gethsemane. In this scene, judas has gone to betray him for 30 pieces of silver and Jesus is struggling and he's asking Father, if it's possible, is there another way? You know, eventually we all come to a place where we wrestle long and hard with things, when we know that we have to make some choices and changes. But we have to make some choices and changes and we have to lay down our lives, spiritual lives, to walk out what God would have us to walk out. Jacob, the Old Testament patriarch. He came to that place. He was in the field of wrestling, if you'll remember. He was sleeping with his head on a stone. Heaven was opened and my oh my, the angel come down, and I believe it was the Lord. And they wrestled Saul of Tarsus. He came to that place on the Damascus Road. Jesus, what will you have me to do? Peter came to that place when he stood around the fire with a group of strangers and he realized that things were going to change dramatically from then on.
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In this place, jesus took 11 of his disciples with him. They probably went there quite often. Judas was not with them. He had gone to the temple to sell Jesus, to betray him into their hands. And while they're in the garden, jesus, in verse 33 of Mark, chapter 14, he says this he taketh with him Peter and James and John and began to be sore, amazed and to be very heavy. He had eight of them to stay by themselves and he told them to sit. He takes Peter, james and John with him when they are with him deeper in. I don't know what it was that they've seen. I don't know what it was that they experienced, but I'm sure that it was terrifying to them. Probably they were thinking we didn't know. It was like this.
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You know, sometimes when we go deeper in the Lord and the things of God, we see things and maybe we're challenged, maybe the enemy may say you keep going this way and this is what's going to happen to you. You know all kinds of things will come our way, but one thing I know I know what can handle terror and I know what handles fear in its faith. Whenever we prepare to go deeper or God is leading us to go into areas where we're not comfortable with or we're not too familiar with, it's nice to have somebody with us. I think that when Jesus talked about the power of agreement and he said if two agree not any two that's often misquoted. The Bible doesn't say any two, not in the King James, if two agree. And I believe that those people that you have in agreement are those that you know are spiritually strong. And there are some people that they are people who will move by faith and you know they'll stand with you and you know they're going to encourage you. And you know they'll stand with you and you know they're going to encourage you.
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And his prayer Jesus prayed this so many times. He said Lord, let this pass from me. Father, is it possible that this will pass from me? In verse 36, take away this cup from me. And you hear many sermons and talks on this. What was the cup? It could have been the loneliness. It could have been the fact that Father was going to turn his back on him. There would have been, of course, the tremendous pain of the cross. There were so many things in that cup, taking on the sins of mankind, and yet he was willing to do it and he did do it. Jesus did that for us and he said to them couldn't you watch with me one hour, guys, like I needed you to stand with me.
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It is something which Jesus had wanted them to do and you know, as Jesus was praying, there's all kinds of prayers. You know. People say simple prayers, that's over in a few seconds. There are people who, when they pray, it's very intense, with fasting, and there's various levels. From what I can see, I just wanted to talk about this.
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I see four levels of prayer. There is a level of intercession, number one where you're just so burdened you're pressing in. Then it goes to groanings G-R-O-A-N-I-N-G-S groanings. That's where you're in the spirit, to such a depth that it's not something that's coming out of your mouth in your native language, but your spirit is praying and making intercession in making intercession. The third level I see here is unable to ascertain whether you're in the body or out of the body. You're pressing in so close. I believe that that's when you're pressing in close in the realm of the Spirit and the power of God. It's hard to distinguish whether you're in the spirit or if it's in flesh. And then the fourth level is that you're caught up under the throne room of God, Like there are just so many levels and depths that people go to. And Jesus, he, understands that there's many dangers here in this journey encounters. And it's the same for us as we press in for the plan and the purpose of God to be fulfilled in our lives.
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The Bible says that the eyes of Peter, james and John became heavy. They were so sleepy. Weariness came upon them. They knew that in their weakness they felt bad. Lord, we really want to stay awake, but they were struggling and I believe that Jesus was just trying to say fellows, come on, we can do this. He came to them over and over at least three times the Bible records and he's thinking I need you to stand with me and agree with me and, like I said, if two will agree, it's amazing what can be accomplished, because when you think about it, and I was just talking to you just a moment ago and I was talking to you about various prayer levels. You can imagine.
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Well, I'm hoping you can, I'm hoping you can, I'm hoping you can see that, as you draw closer to the Lord and as he draws closer to you, the pull of earth, the carnal, the fleshly things that come to us so strong they become less and less and our desire to be with the Father becomes more and more. And and agreement, the power of agreement, can take you through so many cares of life, so many troubles, so many things, temptations, things that come our way and try to make us turn around or try to make us quit, try to make us go back. Jesus said it's enough and what I'm going to offer you and what God does when we press in, never think for one moment that God is going to leave you empty or powerless, that he cannot make the way for you. I look at faith as the same way. Some people say, well, but Adonai, I need more than faith. It's enough. Faith will produce, it's enough. You're going to come through it, you're going to make it. You're not going to be held back. And as we cross over into our faith realm and where we're living. There it's challenging.
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Spiritual breakouts occur because we've crossed unknown borders, we've passed from death unto life, we have gone from have not to have. Faith takes us from fear and brings us into a confidence that well, of course, it's going to work. This is God's will. No one who is traveling on an untried path will find it comforting. The flesh does not find that comforting. As a matter of fact, maybe sometimes, the more you go, the more uncertain it becomes. I have found quite often, just before a breakthrough, the enemy will make a real play and say this isn't going to work, why don't you try something else? But you don't do that. You hang in there because faith is a tried path and faith makes a way. Faith is how we please God. Can't please God any other way.
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So Jesus comes back to these disciples the third time Peter, james and John. He finds them asleep again. He just says you know, it's enough, you can keep sleeping. I have pressed in and I have the strength and I'm going to do it. I can just hear him saying this to them.
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So there comes a time in our faith walk when events are set into motion. Faith now is engaged, engaged and things are going to be happening. Hopefully you have made the right step by preparing yourself and walking the way God would have you walk. Because if something happens and you haven't prepared, you know, bear in mind that God has you on a journey where nothing is in vain, nothing is too simple. You might think well, I don't have to do that. You have to do everything that God tells you to, everything you feel in your spirit that God would have you do, tells you to Everything you feel in your spirit that God would have you do. You must make yourself available and walk in that, and failure can only come if you fail to prepare. So the time comes when Jesus informs these sleepy disciples and he wants them to know he made it, he crossed over and the victory is settled. We have to find our pathway of faith. We have to know what God wants us to do.
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And maybe sometimes you don't feel so holy, you don't feel so righteous, or you might feel like you're not equipped, you might feel like you can't do it, but when you pray and leave it in the hands of the Lord and you stand up and you begin to move forward, just like Jesus, you know when the enemy comes or when you look around at the situation. Don't let it trouble you. It's enough, you have confidence in God and it's enough You're going to go through and you're well able to cross over and you're going to possess. Remember, jesus is dealing not only just with that, but also with the betrayal Somebody that he had poured his heart into. He had did everything to make Judas a strong follower, but betrayal tears away at one's heart. It'll bring you into despair and anxiety, and it's a terrible thing to have somebody fail you or somebody betray you.
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Persecution, when it comes, it'll always expose your nature anyhow, and you know people are trying to. If it's not working fast enough, if it's not how it should be happening right now, they'll try to do it and they'll try to get themselves involved. But you know what happened when the disciples tried to get involved. When Judas showed up, peter draws his sword, slices off a slave's ear and Jesus says hey, hey, hey, hey, stop, he has to. Heal, puts the ear on and he says we don't come with them, we don't do battle this way. And so it takes trust and confidence, doesn't it? I trust God when God says to me Don, I want you to walk by faith. I'm going to trust God. I'm going to believe what God says.
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The Bible says in Psalm 511, let all who put their trust in the Lord let them rejoice, and I'm going to rejoice. Faith is trust. When you release your faith, this is what you're doing. You're walking in trust. And Isaiah 12, 2 says God's my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid. When we move by faith, we have right now tremendous ability to overcome and no matter what you're facing, when you move by faith, you can rest. I mean, you're saved, you're born again. You're serving God. You're walking with the Lord. You're releasing your faith. The enemy is defeated. You're releasing your faith. The enemy is defeated. Amen, just come to rest. And when we come to rest, we're really saying it is enough. I've done all that I can do. It is enough. I trust that this word has helped you and encouraged you. And if you'd like to have more ministry, why don't you travel on over to my website, doncarpenterca? I think you'll find some things there that'll encourage you. God bless you Until the next time.