SELF PRESERVATION
by W. G. Guy
Matthew 26:40-41 – And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Jesus spoke this to three of His disciples while in the Garden at Gethsemane because He asked them to pray with Him for what was about to occur. However, after just eating a big meal their fleshly bodies became sleepy and so they slept rather than to obey Jesus request to watch and pray.
We all have this same struggle between the flesh and the spirit: as when the Lord says “pray” and our body says “sleep”. However, Jesus gave a warning about falling into temptation due to the weakness of the flesh which yields to physical desires. Thus we have a conflict between the spirit and the flesh.
Galatians 5:16-17 – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The following is a more dire warning of such a conflict which is an act of self-preservation or protecting “self”. Again we are seeing Jesus deal with Peter when he makes a prediction.
Matthew 26:31-35 – Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Peter’s response was from his spirit with a righteous intent, but Jesus knew of the weakness of Peter’s flesh and told him that he would deny knowing Jesus. Jesus’ prediction is fulfilled:
Matthew 26:69-75 – Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
What was the cause of Peter’s denial of Christ prior to the crucifixion, and why did Peter respond in such a flagrant denial of knowing Christ. The answer is simple: SELF PRESERVATION! When Peter understood that his relationship with Jesus Christ placed him in a threatening situation, he sought to preserve himself from such a threat – thus denying he knew Jesus the Christ.
At this point in Peter’s life, the Spirit of Christ has not entered into him and he was not yet born again. As a result Peter could not respond to such a threat in the power of the spirit but could only respond in the flesh. It was not until after the Spirit of Christ had entered into Peter as recorded in John 20:22, and until he was empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost could Peter respond in the power of the Spirit.
As to the issue of self-preservation, what would you do if you were accused of being a follower of Jesus Christ by a hostile government, a group of religious zealots hostile to Christianity, or by a group of influential elite that had control over your life? Would you seek to save yourself and deny Christ, or would you be willing to lose your “self” for Christ’s sake? Consider the words of Jesus that he gave for all of us to abide by:
Matthew 5:11-12 – Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 10:38-39 – And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it
Matthew 16:24-26 – Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 24:9-10 – Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Luke 21:12-18 – But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In America we have not been faced with such a situation..…YET! It will very likely happen soon as predicted in the Bible. Very fearful things lay ahead for the entire world, including Christians in America.
Matthew 10:22 – And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Revelation 12:10-12 – And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Do you think this can’t happen to you or here in America? It has happened to many other Christians elsewhere in just the past few decades. Consider what is currently happening to Christians in the mid-eastern Muslim nations like Sudan, Syria, Iran, etc.; or what has happened in Communist Russia and China, or in Islamic Turkey with the Armenian genocide of the 1920’s, or any other government hostile to Christianity.
Have you considered what happened to the seven churches listed in the Book of Revelation? They were all located in what today is modern Turkey. They were all destroyed by Muhammad’s militant Islamic horde: consider what the Christians there endured at that time.
As we see America going strongly toward a godless, liberal, leftist and communistic ideology and even acquiescing to Islamic indoctrination, persecution of Christians is a certainty, and it is only just beginning. Are you prepared to endure for your faith, or will you deny the Lord Jesus Christ to save your flesh?
Matthew 10:32-33 – Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
A question is posed to you now – is “self-preservation” really worth it? Which is more important, walking in the spirit or living according to “self” and thus preserving the flesh?
Romans 8:12-14 – Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Read all of Romans 8 to build up your faith.)
Don’t be conflicted between your fleshly self and the Spirit of Christ that is within you (if you are a true believer in Christ).
Galatians 5:24-25 – And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Please recognize the times we are in as being the last days before the return of Christ.
Luke 21:31-36 – So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
by W. G. Guy
Matthew 26:40-41 – And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Jesus spoke this to three of His disciples while in the Garden at Gethsemane because He asked them to pray with Him for what was about to occur. However, after just eating a big meal their fleshly bodies became sleepy and so they slept rather than to obey Jesus request to watch and pray.
We all have this same struggle between the flesh and the spirit: as when the Lord says “pray” and our body says “sleep”. However, Jesus gave a warning about falling into temptation due to the weakness of the flesh which yields to physical desires. Thus we have a conflict between the spirit and the flesh.
Galatians 5:16-17 – This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The following is a more dire warning of such a conflict which is an act of self-preservation or protecting “self”. Again we are seeing Jesus deal with Peter when he makes a prediction.
Matthew 26:31-35 – Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Peter’s response was from his spirit with a righteous intent, but Jesus knew of the weakness of Peter’s flesh and told him that he would deny knowing Jesus. Jesus’ prediction is fulfilled:
Matthew 26:69-75 – Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
What was the cause of Peter’s denial of Christ prior to the crucifixion, and why did Peter respond in such a flagrant denial of knowing Christ. The answer is simple: SELF PRESERVATION! When Peter understood that his relationship with Jesus Christ placed him in a threatening situation, he sought to preserve himself from such a threat – thus denying he knew Jesus the Christ.
At this point in Peter’s life, the Spirit of Christ has not entered into him and he was not yet born again. As a result Peter could not respond to such a threat in the power of the spirit but could only respond in the flesh. It was not until after the Spirit of Christ had entered into Peter as recorded in John 20:22, and until he was empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost could Peter respond in the power of the Spirit.
As to the issue of self-preservation, what would you do if you were accused of being a follower of Jesus Christ by a hostile government, a group of religious zealots hostile to Christianity, or by a group of influential elite that had control over your life? Would you seek to save yourself and deny Christ, or would you be willing to lose your “self” for Christ’s sake? Consider the words of Jesus that he gave for all of us to abide by:
Matthew 5:11-12 – Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Matthew 10:38-39 – And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it
Matthew 16:24-26 – Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 24:9-10 – Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Luke 21:12-18 – But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist. And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In America we have not been faced with such a situation..…YET! It will very likely happen soon as predicted in the Bible. Very fearful things lay ahead for the entire world, including Christians in America.
Matthew 10:22 – And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
Revelation 12:10-12 – And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Do you think this can’t happen to you or here in America? It has happened to many other Christians elsewhere in just the past few decades. Consider what is currently happening to Christians in the mid-eastern Muslim nations like Sudan, Syria, Iran, etc.; or what has happened in Communist Russia and China, or in Islamic Turkey with the Armenian genocide of the 1920’s, or any other government hostile to Christianity.
Have you considered what happened to the seven churches listed in the Book of Revelation? They were all located in what today is modern Turkey. They were all destroyed by Muhammad’s militant Islamic horde: consider what the Christians there endured at that time.
As we see America going strongly toward a godless, liberal, leftist and communistic ideology and even acquiescing to Islamic indoctrination, persecution of Christians is a certainty, and it is only just beginning. Are you prepared to endure for your faith, or will you deny the Lord Jesus Christ to save your flesh?
Matthew 10:32-33 – Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
A question is posed to you now – is “self-preservation” really worth it? Which is more important, walking in the spirit or living according to “self” and thus preserving the flesh?
Romans 8:12-14 – Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Read all of Romans 8 to build up your faith.)
Don’t be conflicted between your fleshly self and the Spirit of Christ that is within you (if you are a true believer in Christ).
Galatians 5:24-25 – And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Please recognize the times we are in as being the last days before the return of Christ.
Luke 21:31-36 – So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
