Matthew 26:44 Leaving them again, he went off and prayed a third time, saying the same words. 45 Then he came to the talmidim and said, “For now, go on sleeping, take your rest. . . . Look! The time has come for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up! Let’s go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Mark 14:41 The third time, he came and said to them, “For now, go on sleeping, take your rest. . . .There, that’s enough! The time has come! Look! The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners! 42 Get up! Let’s go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Luke 22:39 On leaving, Yeshua went as usual to the Mount of Olives; and the talmidim followed him. 40 When he arrived, he said to them, “Pray that you won’t be put to the test.” 41 He went about a stone’s throw away from them, kneeled down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, let not my will but yours be done.” 43 There appeared to him an angel from heaven giving him strength, 44 and in great anguish he prayed more intensely, so that his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. 45 On rising from prayer and coming to the talmidim, he found them sleeping because of their grief. 46 He said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you won’t be put to the test!”
A third time. The intensity here is insane and Yeshua is drained. So much so that an angel from Heaven came to give Him strength -- not to rescue Him.
It was in this space that He prayed more intensely, in great anguish. Even His sweat turned to blood. This was all happening because His Father said it was necessary, but that doesn’t remove the sting of the separation that was about to come.
You may recall from Day 5 we dove loosely into this term. In the CJB, Stern uses the word “anguish” but the KJV uses the word “agony”. Both are good choices but “agony” is more closely related (linguistically) to the Greek:
G74 ἀγωνία agonia (ag-o-nee'-ah) n.
1. a struggle
2. (properly) the state of struggle
3. (figuratively) anguish
The root of this word actually gives us a little clearer picture of what’s going on:
G73 ἀγών agon (ag-one') n.
1. (properly) a place of assembly (as if led)
2. (by implication) a contest (held there)
3. (figuratively) an effort or anxiety
It’s interpreted in the KJV as conflict, contention, fight, and race. As in:
Philippians 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict (agon) which you saw in me and now hear is in me. - NKJV
(More helpful translation: 29 because for the Messiah’s sake it has been granted to you not only to trust in him but also to suffer on his behalf, 30 to fight the same battles you once saw me fight and now hear that I am still fighting. - CJB)
Colossians 2:1 For I want you to know what a great conflict (agon) I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
1 Thessalonians 2:1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict (agon). 3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.
1 Timothy 6:11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight (agon) of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight (agon), I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race (agon) that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This is war. And this war will be with you until you breathe your last breath. Yeshua experienced it. Paul experienced it. And you, if you choose to fight, will experience it as well.
The race before us is not going to be easy. Nor should it be.
There are some believers that are under the impression that the goal of life is to have few to no problems. There’s this idea that God wants nothing more than to bless you and fill you with peace. If you find that perfect job, you’re in God’s will because He’s clearly blessing you. If you have plenty of money (falsely called provision), again, evidence God is taking good care of you. And living a conflict-free (peaceful) life? Ah, you’re super-relaxed thanks to God protecting you from trouble.
Now, I do believe Abba plays a pretty critical role in these things (maybe), but I’ve also come to realize that the reason you have those things is not for you. He gives you money, power, and protection to grow His Kingdom. We’re called to be stewards, not consumers.
But we don’t really get that so we bet it all on our lifestyle. And that’s a bet that always ends in disaster.
“Hey wait, doesn’t the Bible teach that you should have peace in your life?"
Sort of -- but not how you think.
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” - NKJV
It isn’t peace in the world that we crave -- it’s shalom in Yeshua. The world is full of tribulation, not peace. In fact, I’d argue a life of peace in the world is a dangerous sign. When things are easy, it’s easy to forget about God. When things are tough and you can’t solve your own problems, that’s when we seek Him with a sincere (and desperate) heart.
Peace in the world gives us happiness. Shalom in Yeshua gives us joy. What's the difference?
Happiness is like your appetite -- you continually have to feed it or else you get hungry -- then hangry -- then violent. Hunting happiness always induces striving, which means contentment is a near impossibility. You always need more and you structure your life to get it. The other issue with happiness is that it is heavily dependent on external factors -- you know, the things you can’t control. Sadly, it ends up being the luck of the draw (or “hard work”) that determines whether happiness resides in your life.
Joy, on the other hand, is generated from within. There is no external influence that can take it from you, and the only way it goes away is if you give it away. Since your joy is independent of circumstances and outside influence, you can dwell comfortably in a state of contentment. You don’t need more because Abba has given you precisely what you need to do what He wants done.
Yeshua in this hour was not likely to be full of happiness. But you can be 100% certain that He was full of joy.
The punchline? Peace allows us to drift away from God, slowly but surely. Trials draw us in, quickly.
Which do you truly believe Abba wants for you?
Trials are good.
There is an interesting narrative in the Book of Revelation. Michael and his angels are fighting the dragon and his angels but the good guys were too much to handle so the bad guys get thrown out:
Revelation 12:7 Next there was a battle in heaven — Mikha’el and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But it was not strong enough to win, so that there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 The great dragon was thrown out, that ancient serpent, also known as the Devil and Satan [the Adversary], the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him.
Fight’s over? Nope. Having been kicked down to the earth, they decide to go after the woman that had the male child (Yeshua).
Revelation 12:13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled down to the earth, he went in pursuit of the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert, where she is taken care of for a season and two seasons and half a season, away from the serpent’s presence. 15 The serpent spewed water like a river out of its mouth after the woman, in order to sweep her away in the flood; 16 but the land came to her rescue — it opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon had spewed out of its mouth.
But they failed again. Fight’s over now? Nope.
17 The dragon was infuriated over the woman and went off to fight the rest of her children, those who obey God’s commands and bear witness to Yeshua.
That’s you. (Well, if you are one of those that obey God’s commands and bear witness to Yeshua.)
The dragon first went after God’s army. Then His Son. Now he’s after us.
And what are his tools? Swords? Knives? Spears? Maybe. This type of warfare will assuredly push you closer to God (or further away if you become angry).
Or maybe it’s power, money, and comfort. I lean a little closer to these since they are what tend to pull us away from God. The Adversary doesn’t want to hurt you, he wants to hurt God. You are of zero consequence to our enemy. But the best way he can hurt Abba is to keep you from him, and what better way than to get you to strive for more, focusing on yourself the whole way.
Question: If you were the adversary, which tools would you choose? The effective ones, right?
This is the battle we face. This is the conflict we experience. This is the race we run. This is our fight.
Agonizing? Yeah.