We have been talking about the most difficult prayer in the Bible. Among so many beautiful prayers in the Scriptures, namely: from Moses, David, Hannah, Leah, Jeremiah and so many others, none compares, in difficulty, to the prayer that the Lord Jesus made in Gethsemane: “Not as I will, but as You will.” ( Matthew 26:39)

Why is this the most difficult prayer?

This is the most difficult prayer because it touches the root of the greatest human problem: the self. When Jesus says, “Not as I will, but as You will”, He goes straight to the point. The great conflict of the human being is the will itself. It is the ego that insists on being heard, that wants to have priority even over God’s will.

We’ve been like this since we were little. When we do not give them what they want, the child cries to draw attention to their will. Many parents, because they do not know how to say no, end up raising not a child, but a monster, someone unable to deal with limits, frustrations and the freedom of the other.

The consequences of a life without limits

Today’s society suffers exactly the consequences of this. Young people and adults who have never learnt to hear a “no” turn the world into chaos. Restrictions, self-control and respect become rare. Each one wants to defend only what is theirs, what they want, what they think.

That’s why Jesus’ prayer exposes so clearly the problem of all of us, without exception. If even He, in human flesh, faced the conflict between His will and that of the Father, imagine us, far below His perfection and character!

The self: the devil’s greatest ally

We are all victims of our own will. Our self is the devil’s greatest friend and, at the same time, our worst enemy. This self, stubborn, insistent, and self-sufficient, hinders our faith and distances us from God.

The prayer of the Gethsemane reveals to us, therefore, not only the internal battle of Jesus, but also the reason for many apparently unanswered prayers.

God’s “no” is also an answer

The Bible shows that, strictly speaking, there is no unanswered prayer. God always answers: yes, no or not yet.

• Jesus received three “no’s” in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39).
• Paul received three “no’s” when asking for the removal of the thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
• David prayed and fasted seven days for the life of his newborn son – and God answered “no” (2 Samuel 12:16-19).

We often say “God didn’t answer me” when, in fact, He answered, but we didn’t accept…

The human being tries to impose their will on God

When the answer is not the one we want, we tend to stand our ground: “If the Lord doesn’t do it, then I won’t serve anymore.” It’s almost a spiritual blackmail.

But the truth is simple: God’s will is sovereign, and we need to submit, just like Jesus did.

Jesus: the perfect example of submission

The Lord Jesus Himself declared:

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” (John 6:38)

He knew He had come to fulfil a specific mission. He wasn’t in the world to express personal opinions or pursue self-interest. He was sent, and whoever is sent fulfils the orders of the one who sends.

Just as an employee represents their company and a diplomat represents their country, Jesus represented the Father. He did not exceed the limits of the divine will. He obeyed. Submitted.

The antidote against the poison of the self

Jesus is the antidote to the poison called the self, which lives in each of us. When we embrace His example and say, “I cannot live according to my will, but according to God’s”, we shield ourselves against this inner enemy. We align our requests with the divine will and thus avoid the frustration of prayers that are not fulfilled as we imagined.

Watch the video carefully and learn to neutralise everything that tries to sabotage your faith and follow the will of God, which is good, perfect and pleasant.

https://www.universal.org/renato-cardoso/post/o-melhor-amigo-do-diabo-bff/