“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

~ Matthew 26:41 ~

Years ago, Sherrie and I ended up at one of those unforgettable Las Vegas timeshare presentations. You probably know the kind: a free stay, free breakfast, and free show tickets, all for just '90 minutes' of your time. Before we realized it, nearly three hours had gone by. The room was dim, beach scenes played on the screen, and soft music filled the air, almost like a Hallmark movie. The salesman encouraged us, saying, “Don’t overthink this. What does your gut tell you?” I noticed couples leaning in, whispering, nodding, and dreaming about more than just numbers. In that moment, it felt right. But that was the trick—it wasn’t about logic, long-term cost, or wisdom. It was all about feelings. I’ll admit, for a moment, even my gut was swayed. But then a deeper voice inside me said, "Slow down." The truth is, our gut can be easily influenced, or even manipulated.

In today’s verse, notice what Jesus leaves out in Matthew 26:41. He doesn’t say the spirit is the problem. Instead, He points out that the flesh is weak. Our flesh, or gut-level impulse, tends to react quickly to pressure, pleasure, pride, and fear, often without thinking. It acts before we have time to reflect. When we just follow our gut, we let the weakest part of us, the world’s voice, lead instead of the strongest, God’s voice. That’s a backwards way to fight a battle.

We often hear the advice, “Just follow your gut.” It sounds inspiring and freeing. But our gut isn’t always neutral. It can be shaped by feelings like being upset, hurt, hungry, tired, insecure, or driven by ego. When these urges take over our thoughts and emotions, they can slowly dull our spirit. In the end, the loudest voice usually wins—unless we choose to listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, our Commander.

Jesus doesn’t tell us to just 'Express yourself.' Instead, He says: “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” — Luke 9:23. Denying yourself isn’t about disliking who you are. It’s about putting your priorities in order so you can grow in determination, like Jesus. The loudest voice in your mind shouldn’t be your impulses. It should be the steady determination of Christ. The Christian life follows a different path: from God to Spirit (made alive in Christ), to a renewed mind, to emotions that match your soul, to a stable sense of self, and finally to discipline of the body or love with self-control. This is how we realign with Christ instead of the enemy.

So let’s pause and check our souls. Before you send that text, make a purchase, assume the worst, or react, stop and ask: Is this my flesh (gut) or my Commander? Is this fear or faith? Is this ego or obedience? The spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak. That’s why we watch, pray, and deny ourselves.

From now on, our strategy is to submit our soul to the Commander before we act. Why? A compass only works when it’s set to true north, and the only way to be truly aligned is by following the voice or commands of Christ. Your soul can guide you, but only after Christ has reset it. In life’s battles, victory doesn’t go to the loudest or most emotional voice. It goes to the one who has surrendered the most, and for Christians, that voice is always the Grace and Truth of Christ.

If you ever find yourself in a Las Vegas timeshare presentation, maybe hoping to see “The Blue Man Group,” remember this: when the salesperson asks, “What does your gut tell you?” always listen to the Commander’s voice. “Deny Yourself” is a key tactic to make sure your spirit leads your flesh, not the other way around. Face life’s battles with the Art of War, Jesus Style.

And remember, God is here. God is able. God is good.

Pastor Drake

I’ll be continuing this conversation later this week on the Just Sayin’ podcast, where we’ll take a deeper look at Weapons of War: Spirit Over Flesh