Introduction

Good morning, let us turn to Matthew Chapter 26. Looking back at the Gospel of Matthew, what exactly is the author conveying? I would suggest that everyone cultivate the habit of thinking within a framework. Without a framework, everything you see appears chaotic; with a framework, everything falls into its proper category.

If you carefully study the first chapter of Genesis, you will find it contains enough wisdom to last a lifetime. Among the most important concepts is that of things producing after their kind, which serves as a framework. If we summarize the entire Gospel of Matthew into a framework, it would consist of two kingdoms, two logical systems, two pursuits, two goals, two ways of living, and two different outcomes.

The theme of Chapter 24 is, Be vigilant, lest you be led astray. Chapter 25, which I have lectured on twice, with the second time being better, focuses on Being a wise person. If you are wise, you will be less susceptible to deception. Therefore, we must understand with our intellect. Chapter 26 highlights an even more crucial point: Even if you are wise and intellectually clear, your spirit is willing, but your flesh is weak. You may understand perfectly well, but when the time comes, your flesh will lead you into doing what you do not want to do.

Man Cannot Overcome the Flesh on His Own

The theme of Matthew 26 can be defined as: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. We may be wise, but can we overcome the flesh? It is, in fact, very difficult, as described in Romans. To truly understand the Bible, we must clarify the theological systems of Jesus and Paul.

Paul's theological system is embodied in his epistles, such as Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Philippians, and Colossians. The phenomenon of our spirit being willing while our flesh is weak is vividly displayed in many people's lives. It would be odd if you believe in the Lord without experiencing any internal struggle.

What did Paul say?

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. (Romans 7:14-25)

We must understand what we are doing. Why does this situation of the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak occur? Let us discuss this issue. I assume everyone has read Matthew Chapter 26. Let's start with Peter. Peter followed Jesus and understood completely in his heart, with a clear mind. In Chapter 26, before Jesus was arrested, they went to a place to celebrate the Passover. Jesus told them:

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. (Matthew 26:31-35)

Peter said, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. All the disciples said the same. Were they speaking from the heart? Yes, they were. Today, we must understand that many brothers and sisters, although weak, deeply desire to follow God. The problem is that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Let us first discuss Peter. Jesus took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 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. (Matthew 26:38-41)

People often experience a sense of sorrow, almost to the point of death; the drowsiness is irresistible. Sometimes, when ministering to people with severe demonic influence, I often feel extremely tired. Once, while ministering to someone, leading her in prayer for three to five minutes, my entire body stiffened, my head felt like it was in a tight band, and soon I lay down, completely unconscious.

Fortunately, a colleague was with me, quite capable of assisting me in ministry. At that time, the drowsiness was entirely overwhelming. As a result, Jesus found the disciples asleep and said to 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.

Peter kept confidently proclaiming that he would die with Jesus and never deny Him. Yet, when it came to watching and praying with Jesus, he couldn't. Because drowsiness was completely insurmountable. What did Jesus prove to Peter and John here? That relying on the flesh is futile. So, what is the solution to this problem?

When Jesus resurrected, He told them, Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised. (Acts 1:4) Before the Holy Spirit descended, these disciples had strong carnal desires and were spiritually weak. Later, the Apostle Peter went everywhere preaching the gospel, emphasizing the laying on of hands for prayer and being filled with the Holy Spirit because he clearly understood that people could not accomplish anything through the flesh.

Imitating Jesus, Mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh by the Spirit

Today, we Christians must understand that Peter discovered he could not resist drowsiness at that time. Peter did not want to sleep; he wanted to pray with our Lord Jesus. Today, Jesus was about to be arrested and crucified, and Peter wanted to pray with Him. Later, he found it impossible; he could not pray. Jesus Christ, in the flesh, was also in extreme pain at this time. When Jesus prayed there, His sweat became like drops of blood, a thick, viscous substance like blood. How painful that must have been! Indeed, being in the flesh is like that. I deeply understand such experiences; the most critical thing about being in the flesh is the flesh itself.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Romans 7:24)

Even the Apostles Paul and Peter experienced such things. Whether it was Peter or Paul, they knew that the only way to overcome the weakness of the flesh was to rely on Jesus Christ and mortify the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit, there is no other way. Therefore, those of us with strong carnal desires must always watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. The way to mortify the flesh is to rely on the Holy Spirit. I will teach you a simple method: praying extensively in tongues will solve the problem of fleshly weakness.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26:42)

Actually, Jesus's prayer at that place was quite long, but Matthew only recorded a small portion of it. How long did Jesus pray? The Gospel of John records that Jesus's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane was very long. We should not assume that there is a difference between long and short just because Matthew wrote a short account and John wrote a long one. Matthew wanted to highlight one thing: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Do not assume that everything will be fine after believing in Jesus; that is not the case. After believing in Jesus, you must continually rely on the Holy Spirit to mortify the deeds of the flesh. After Jesus prayed the second time, He returned and found them asleep again because their eyes were heavy with sleep. I can tell you that when our eyes are extremely heavy with sleep, and we cannot resist that condition, we must understand that the spirits behind it are quite powerful. At this time, Jesus Christ was praying there, in extreme pain, why? Because we live in the flesh, and our flesh is the key that the devil uses to attack us. Once we live in the flesh, we will inevitably live in the pain that the flesh brings.

Then, after Jesus prayed the third time, they were still sleeping. Because they could not continue to pray! Actually, Jesus did not say too many reproachful words to them because their spirit indeed was willing, but their flesh was weak. Shortly after that, Judas led the chief priests and police to arrest Jesus. At this time, Jesus was living in the flesh and was also struggling within! But at this time, Jesus was victorious. Jesus could have called angels to help Him, but He did not do so.

Jesus said this:

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (Matthew 26:53-54)

How can overcoming the weakness of our flesh be fulfilled? Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh, and Jesus had the same hardships of the flesh, but Jesus was victorious. Those people took Jesus to the high priest Caiaphas, and Peter mingled with the crowd, watching from a distance.

At that time, many disciples were gone. The Bible records that all the disciples deserted him and fled. Just a few hours earlier, they were saying, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. But a few hours later, they denied the Lord, which is your spirit is willing, but it is useless, and the weakness of your flesh is fully demonstrated. This is what the New Testament says, how important is the power brought by being filled with the Holy Spirit and praying in tongues. It is not a great gift, but it is an important gift.

Brothers and sisters must know that Peter was one of the most formidable among the carnal Christians. The other disciples all fled, and only he mingled with the crowd. When Jesus was being questioned, Peter was sitting in the courtyard, and a girl said, You were with Jesus! But Peter denied it before them all, saying, I do not know what you are talking about. Peter went out onto the porch, and another servant girl saw him and said, This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.

Again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man! After a while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away, you speak with a Galilean accent. Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, I don't know the man! Immediately a rooster crowed, and this fulfilled what Jesus had said.

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. (Matthew 26:34-35)

How painful Peter must have been at that time! We do not know exactly what he experienced, but we know that Peter had no ability to deal with his flesh. When people asked, fear arose in him, and his flesh blurted out, I do not know this man. How could he say such a thing? At that moment, he made eye contact with Jesus. Jesus looked up, and the rooster crowed. When Peter saw Jesus, he felt very uncomfortable inside, and he went out and wept bitterly. Why do people weep bitterly? It is because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, which is what the Apostle Paul described in Romans.

In fact, people are like that, and I can understand your experience of the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Don't think that I am not, I am too, we all are. That is why we need the Holy Spirit so much, and we need the Holy Spirit to help us with groans that cannot be uttered. We must know that the deeds of the flesh are mortified through the Holy Spirit. Living in the flesh, there is an invisible force that grabs us and forces us to surrender there.

But today, if what we believe in is the gospel of great power, we can overcome through Jesus Christ and through the great power of the Holy Spirit. That is why Peter went everywhere preaching the gospel and asking people why they had not received the Holy Spirit. If you have not received the Holy Spirit, Peter said it would not work because he had tried it himself. Originally, he thought that even if he died, he would not deny his Lord Jesus, but as a result, he denied the Lord three times before the rooster crowed.

If you were standing in front of Peter, Peter would definitely say, You can't do it! Among the carnal disciples, I am the most formidable. But the most formidable level is denying the Lord three times. If you were to do it, it might happen more times. A Christian who has not received the Holy Spirit is a weak Christian. Later, wherever the Apostle Paul went, he asked people whether they had received the Holy Spirit.

Why do we believe in the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ as if it has no power today? Because a key step is missing, which is receiving the Holy Spirit. The key is not just believing that Jesus Christ was crucified, because we all believe that. The steps of believing in the Lord are: accepting Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and receiving the promised Holy Spirit. These are four steps, and you can check the Bible. But today, the practice of many churches is: repent, repent hard, and repent constantly, but no matter how many times they repent, the result is still the same. Then they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, after which it is finished. But there is still one procedure unfinished, which is the need to receive the promised Holy Spirit.

Some people say that receiving the promised Holy Spirit is automatic, but the Bible does not say that receiving the Holy Spirit is automatic. It is all about asking John, Peter, and Paul to lay hands on people and pray for them to receive the promised Holy Spirit. That is why we have so many miracles and wonders in our church. We believe in the originally powerful gospel as the powerful gospel. Whether it was Peter or Paul, they did not mess up. Peter was always troubled by the fact that he denied the Lord three times. He was deeply impressed by this matter, felt uncomfortable when he thought about it, and suffered pain. Later, after Jesus Christ rose from the dead, Peter had not yet emerged from the pain.

The Worldly System Leads Man to Corruption

Scripture:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)

Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, thus freeing him from the bondage of denying the Lord three times. Today, we must understand, what can be accomplished by the flesh? If a person does not rely on faith, but on the flesh, performing the law, doing good deeds, it is all in vain. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Among carnal Christians, the highest level is having denied the Lord three times.

Another person is Judas. Was Judas pained by betraying Jesus? How could he not be?

Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5)

Why would a person hang himself? Because of extreme pain in the heart. Why does a person become like this? Because they do not do what they want to do, and do what they do not want to do. Judas was extremely confused, extremely conflicted. He walked and walked until he reached the chief priests, asking them: If I hand Jesus over to you, how much will you give me? They gave him thirty pieces of silver, and they made the deal. Judas sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so. (Matthew 26:19-25)

Judas asked Jesus if he was the one who would betray Him? Jesus said yes. What kind of conversation is this? According to our common understanding, if my betrayal of Jesus has been exposed, it cannot be carried out. But Judas could not control himself and still went to the chief priests.

While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. (Matthew 26:47)

When did Judas go to the chief priests? Perhaps it was during the conversation. Do people experience this kind of situation? People certainly do! Many times, people cannot control themselves, so don't be too confident in yourselves. If your spirit is willing, but your flesh is weak, that is how it is. You may clearly know it in your heart, but what is manifested is weakness. Why? Because of two kingdoms, two pursuits. Two pursuits, two logical systems, and two different results.

In the end, Judas hanged himself. Was Judas full of contradictions? Judas followed Jesus for years; there was still affection, it was impossible not to have affection, but when he betrayed Jesus, he only had money in his mind.

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. (Matthew 26:7-12)

We need to know for sure what the perspective of a carnal person is on things, and what the perspective of a spiritual person is. Whether you are a carnal person or a spiritual person, you clearly want to do things that are pleasing to God. But because of the difference in the logical system within, sometimes our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak. At this time, the disciples blurted out: This ointment can be sold for a lot of money and given to many poor people.

Let's think about it, wasn't this ointment poured on Jesus Christ? Their idea was that money is more important than Jesus Christ. With this kind of thinking, how could they not be confused? How could I say such a thing? How could I think that money is more important than Jesus? Therefore, Jesus said that throughout the world, wherever the gospel is preached, what this woman has done will be told in memory of her.

If we have completely dealt with the worldly logical system, completely denied the value system of the devil's kingdom, and completely abandoned the logical system of people living by the flesh, we would not say such a thing. If we feel that money is not important, that nothing is more important than Jesus, we would be willing to die for Jesus, willing to offer our lives to Him. Even so, we still need to rely on the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the body.

So wherever the gospel is preached, what this woman did will be told in memory of her. So that we may know that we should do the same. A flask of ointment is a normal person's income for a year, but the mind of Judas, who betrayed Jesus, was extremely confused. Because he valued money extremely much, to the extent that he sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. After selling Him, he was extremely pained, so he threw the money in the temple and went out to hang himself. Not only was Judas pained, Peter was also pained, and those who abandoned Jesus, that is, the disciples whom Jesus brought, who was not pained? Not only were they pained, but even the other disciples were extremely pained, unable to do what they wanted to do, doing what they did not want to do, living in painful struggle.

Jesus Christ Overcame the Flesh, and is Victorious

The gospel of Jesus Christ that we believe in today is to solve this problem. Our Lord Jesus, even in the flesh, needed to constantly pray to resist the evil habits of the flesh, let alone you and I? Our Lord Jesus, like us, also has the same flesh and blood. He, like us, also underwent temptation, but He triumphed. We can also triumph through Him. How to triumph? By receiving the promised Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ, so that the Holy Spirit can constantly release power in us, so that the gospel we believe in can manifest immense power.

As the Apostle Paul said:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Matthew wants to highlight in this chapter that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Therefore, the Book of Galatians tells us again and again, if we enter by the Spirit, do we still rely on the flesh to be perfected? We rely on the Holy Spirit to enter, and we also rely on the Holy Spirit to be perfected. All things rely on the Holy Spirit. So why do we still rely on the flesh to be perfected? We no longer rely on the flesh, because the flesh cannot do anything. What it can do is deny the Lord three times.

Did we see Peter's struggle? Brothers and sisters, start to imitate Jesus. Jesus, even in the flesh, was extremely grieved, almost to the point of death. When He prayed, His sweat dripped like blood on the ground. Sweat flowed out of His body like blood. That was extremely painful. So for a Christian to deal with things of the flesh, it is not a matter of overnight, it is a lifelong lesson for us Christians.

Today we want to begin to understand a very important concept, which is to put to death the evil deeds of the flesh. Because in the flesh the desire to do good is present in me, but the ability to do it is not. This is why we need to constantly deal with it.

Next, we talk about Jesus. Some people struck Jesus, spat on His face, struck Him with their fists, and struck Him with their palms, and said: Christ, you are a prophet, tell us, who is hitting you? These people hit Jesus, and they shouted, Tell us, who is hitting you? But Jesus said: Father, they do not understand what they are doing.

Jesus would also feel pain when He was beaten, but Jesus triumphed. So we can also triumph through Jesus Christ. Christians must put to death the evil deeds of the flesh throughout their lives and no longer walk according to the flesh. Today we must build our faith, and through Jesus Christ, we can triumph. This is the way that Jesus Christ has opened up for us. You and I cannot escape this path. The Apostle Paul was the last to see Jesus. When Jesus was still on earth, he did not follow Jesus. He said:

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. (Colossians 1:24)

Paul is right. Today we must overcome our flesh because of Jesus Christ. Even if we endure some suffering in the flesh, we will not hesitate. Because in the flesh we must fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions. Jesus Christ suffered in the flesh, and He triumphed, but that does not mean that we do not need to overcome the flesh. Our spirit is willing, but our flesh is weak. This is an indisputable fact.

I often see such Christians, they are not unaware of the goodness of Jesus Christ, they know, but in the face of survival, they often compromise and cannot trust God. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Brothers and sisters, can you resolve to, by the Holy Spirit, put to death the evil deeds of the flesh, and build your faith on the most important foundation? We recognize that everything in this life is vanity of vanities. In this life, we only accomplish one thing: by the Holy Spirit, put to death our carnal deeds. We fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions in the flesh, just as Jesus Christ put to death His own flesh.

It's not that we ourselves don't feel uncomfortable, it's not that we don't feel hard when we suffer. It is also very uncomfortable and very hard. But we have made a choice, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit, to overcome the evil deeds of the flesh within us. Can everyone understand? If everything in the flesh is vanity of vanities, then what does it matter even if we suffer a little loss? It's just vanity of vanities. Therefore, let us begin to know for sure that we will no longer rely on the flesh to be perfected, because the flesh cannot be perfected. We have both entered by the Spirit and will be perfected by the Spirit, constantly relying on the Spirit to be a victorious Christian. This is the mighty gospel of our Jesus Christ. May God bless everyone!