Episode 5, "The Garden Battles” Series: “Step into His Presence”

Episode 5, “The Garden Battles" Series: Step into His Presence"

Today, we will answer the question, “Why did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane and not somewhere else before he was arrested?”

Hello and welcome to Episode 5 of our series, “Step into His Presence.” My name is Stephanie Wright. Thank you for joining us today. It’s time to go into “The Garden Battles.”

 Why did Jesus spend his final hours in prayer in the garden—in this case, in the Garden of Gethsemane? This was not the only place Jesus had prayed before. He prayed in the mountains all night (Luke 6:12), in public (John 11:41-42, John 12:27-30), before Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:41‑45), and at many other times and places. So, why the garden?

 There are many theories, I am sure, as to why Jesus prayed in the garden the night he was arrested before his eventual crucifixion. Well, I would like to propose that Jesus prayed in the garden so he could defeat the devil in the garden. Remember, Adam and Eve failed the test when they were tempted by the devil in the Garden of Eden to eat the fruit of the tree of good and evil. They were strictly forbidden to eat from that tree, but they did it anyway in direct disobedience to God’s command. (Genesis 2:16‑17, Genesis 3).

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Transcript

Episode 5, “The Garden Battles" Series: Step into His Presence"

Today, we will answer the question, “Why did Jesus pray in the Garden of Gethsemane and not somewhere else before he was arrested?”

Hello and welcome to Episode 3, in our new series “Empowered Through Christ, Our Living Hope.” My name is Stephanie Wright. Thank you for joining us today. It’s time to go “In the Garden.”

 Why did Jesus spend his final hours in prayer in the garden—in this case, in the Garden of Gethsemane? This was not the only place Jesus had prayed before. He prayed in the mountains all night (Luke 6:12), in public (John 11:41-42, John 12:27-30), before Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:41‑45), and at many other times and places. So, why the garden?

 There are many theories, I am sure, as to why Jesus prayed in the garden the night he was arrested before his eventual crucifixion. Well, I would like to propose that Jesus prayed in the garden so he could defeat the devil in the garden. Remember, Adam and Eve failed the test when they were tempted by the devil in the Garden of Eden to eat the fruit of the tree of good and evil. They were strictly forbidden to eat from that tree, but they did it anyway in direct disobedience to God’s command. (Genesis 2:16‑17, Genesis 3).

 The Garden of Eden was actually Round 1 of “The Garden Battle,” and mankind lost that round, but they did not ultimately lose the battle because Round 2 was in the Garden of Gethsemane. We know Jesus won Round 2 of the Garden Battle against the Devil.

Let’s review. After the devil succeeded in getting Adam and Eve to disobey God, God prophesied to the devil that his head would be crushed by the seed of a woman. Genesis 3:15. So, staying with our focus on the garden, in this instance, the devil’s head was crushed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Is it irony, or is it providence that the woman’s seed avenged Eve’s being deceived by the devil? Some call it the irony of God’s providence. Thus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the process of God’s prophesy commences. Jesus prevailed in that Round Two by praying three times. His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. (This is a rare medical phenomenon known as hematohidrosis.) Jesus submitted to God’s will and defeated Satan’s attempt in the garden to hinder Him from going to the cross to die for all mankind. Luke 22:42‑44.

 So, you see, it had to be in a garden that Jesus prayed because that is where it all began -in a garden with Round 1, and as we shall see, that is where it will end, Round 3, in a garden. Just for a little lighthearted humor, this battle was not won in Madison Square Garden. What battle? Stay with me.

 We know that ultimately, Jesus went to the cross, was crucified, died, and was buried, but ah – Sunday was coming. And we know that before Jesus died, he said, “It is finished.” The redemption of man and victory over sin, sickness, and death were now accomplished. But there was still one more round in the last garden.

This time, it was a Sunday morning, and Mary, along with Mary, the Mother of James and Salome, came to anoint Jesus’ body. They could not do this earlier because Jesus died just before the Sabbath began, and there was no time to anoint his body. Nevertheless, when they arrived, the body was gone, and an angel was in the tomb and announced that Jesus had risen. This is in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 16. In the Gospel of John, Chapter 20, Mary turned after looking in the tomb and saw a man she thought was a gardener. So, here we are in the garden again – the garden tomb or, as I shall refer to it, the Resurrection Garden. Then, Mary realizes it is Jesus after he reveals himself to her. Can you even imagine how she felt? Can you imagine how we are going to feel when we see Jesus face‑­to‑face or see our loved ones again? But, let’s get back in the garden.

Jesus, meeting Mary in the garden was Round Three of the Garden Battle, and it was the knockout. Jesus rose from the grave, and it was in the garden that he first revealed himself to a woman named Mary. This woman, Mary, would be the first to spread the good news of His resurrection. She would be the first witness to crush the devil’s head with the news that Jesus had risen and mankind had been redeemed. Mary shared Jesus’ victory in crushing Satan’s head, for she was the seed of woman in the Resurrection Garden.

In The Garden Battle, Round One, we saw the fall of mankind into sin through the disobedience of Eve first, then Adam in Eden. But, in The Garden Battle, Round Two, through the power of prayer, Jesus crushed the devil’s head after he tried to pull the same trick he did in Eden. Finally, in Round Three, we see the devil totally crushed when the message that Jesus is raised from the dead would catch fire worldwide. What God said would happen in Genesis 3:15 did happen!

 Now, this is deep, but let’s go there. There were three victories in each of the gardens. Why? Because when God spoke and said Satan’s head would be crushed, it was the same as saying what was done in Eden was already undone. (Isaiah 55:11, Hebrews 4:12). It is what is known as an event precedent. In other words, God’s Word preceded Satan’s lie and Adam and Eve’s disobedience to make those events of no effect because Jesus would undo it all with His victory over sin and death. Thus, victory in the Garden of Eden was not defeat. When Jesus prevailed in the Garden of Gethsemane, again victory, it was the same as saying, “Satan, I have come to fulfill my Father’s word, and what you did in the Garden of Eden is undone.” And, finally, when Jesus died and was raised up by the Holy Ghost, and appeared in the Resurrection Garden to Mary, it was the same as saying victory. So, what do we have? Victory for the Father in the Garden of Eden, Victory for the Son in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Victory for the Holy Ghost in the Resurrection Garden. (Romans 8:11). In other words, victory is for us because we are more than conquerors through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (Romans 8:37).

So, what garden are you in? Are you in the Garden of Eden trying to decide if you want to live for Jesus? Or, are you in the Garden of Gethsemane, struggling with whether you want to submit to the will of the Father in your life? Or are you in the Resurrection Garden?  Do you have the kind of joy Mary Magdalene had when she knew he was alive? Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can be alive in the Resurrection Garden of love, joy, peace, and everything Jesus died and rose from the grave to give us.

Now, stay with us for a closing prayer and for Apostle Charles, who will close us out and give you contact information. 

 Lord, we pray for all our listeners that they will daily step into your garden of victory in the battles of life that you have prepared them for. Give them directions on how to walk in that garden and how to show others the love of Jesus found in that garden. And if you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, simply say, “God, I believe in my heart that You raised Jesus from the dead, and I call on Jesus to deliver me from a life of rejecting and sinning against you to a life of righteous living in him, and I believe I am saved unto everlasting life.” Romans 10:9‑10, 13. 
 
 Until next time. Now, stay tuned for Apostle Charles.