32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Mark 14:32-34

Jesus’ command to keep watch was one He’s said before. It’s not a passive watch but a vigilant one. Yes, they were to watch for those who would come to arrest Jesus but it was more than that. This would be the beginning of their ministry with Him and they were to be alert for what was to come. Many dangers and pitfalls awaited them. They had to be spiritually alert so they didn’t fall into any trap that their enemies and the evil one had in store for them.

This is also a warning for us as well. Though our enemies probably won’t come to arrest us (as Jesus’ enemies did), they are out there as sure as I write this. The enemy hates us and will do everything within his power to demobilize and destroy us.

Our vigilance through prayer and Scripture reading and memorization is critical for our survival. We live in very uncertain times. While many are “prepping” for the Great Reset, we probably should focus more on our spiritual lives.

What are you doing, if anything, for the spiritual battles that lie ahead?

Taking small steps today to form spiritual habits will reap great rewards when the time comes.