Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.” (Luke 22:53 NLT)

One of the most maddening moments in the Garden of Gethsemane came when Jesus’ enemies finally arrived to arrest Him. Leading the way was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed the Lord. According to Luke 22:47, “Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss” (NLT).
The obvious question is “Why?” Judas Iscariot had followed Jesus for three years. He had listened to the Lord’s teachings. He had witnessed miracle after miracle. He had watched Jesus expose the hypocrisy of the very people he conspired with to betray Him.
So, why did Judas do it? The closest we get to an answer in Scripture is Luke 22:3, which says, “Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot” (NLT).
But that only leads to another obvious question. Why does God allow Satan to exist? In Job 1:7, Satan says, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on” (NLT). But he’s not a passive observer. He’s looking for trouble. He’s looking for lives to ruin. He’s looking for saints to stumble.
So, why does God allow him to carry on? Why doesn’t the Lord just take him out, as He could in a nanosecond? You might be surprised to learn that Satan, in his own twisted way, serves the purposes of God.
Consider how he unwittingly played a major role in the cross of Christ. In his enduring hatred for God’s Son, Satan thought it would be a great idea to have Jesus betrayed, arrested, beaten within an inch of His life, and then crucified and put to death on a Roman cross.
Everything went according to Satan’s plan. As Jesus told the mob who came to apprehend Him, “But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns” (Luke 22:53 NLT).
The power of darkness did indeed reign that day, and Satan’s plan succeeded. But so did the plan of God. What the evil one didn’t realize was that it was God’s plan all along that the Messiah would die for the sins of the world. In the prophecy of Isaiah, we’re told, “It was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer” (Isaiah 53:10 NIV).
Unaware that he was making the biggest blunder since his rebellion against God, Satan played into the plan and purpose of God when, in his rage and hatred, he prompted Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (see Zechariah 11:12–13).
Satan’s “best shot” against God and the people of God was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And in that act, he not only unwittingly sealed his own doom, but he also opened the door for Jesus to offer redemption and salvation to the whole world.
Remember, then, if you hold on to God and trust Him through the dark times, Satan’s best shots against you also will end up working for your good—and God’s glory.

Reflection question: What is an example from your life when God used Satan’s attacks against you for your good and His glory? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!
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“He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.’” (Matthew 26:39 NLT)

Just before He was arrested, put on trial, and crucified, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He chose to spend the time He had left in conversation with His Father. That conversation, as recorded in the Gospels, is unlike any other in Scripture.
First, there’s the matter of what Jesus asked God to do. “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me” (Matthew 26:39 NLT). In essence, He was asking His heavenly Father if there was any other way for the work of salvation to be accomplished. His request points to the enormous suffering involved in Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus knew what was coming: physical, emotional, and spiritual agony beyond measure. And He wanted to make sure that it was absolutely necessary.
With that in mind, however, we must understand that the first part of Jesus’ prayer cannot be separated from the second part. The reality is that God said no to His Son’s request because there was no other way for the work of salvation to be accomplished. A perfect sacrifice was required.
If Jesus’ prayer had been only that God remove the cup of suffering from Him, the events that followed would have been cast in a different light. Jesus would have been a reluctant participant in the crucifixion, trapped by God’s refusal to excuse Him from becoming a sacrifice.
But that’s not what happened because Jesus’ request was followed by these words: “Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39 NLT). And those same ten words (or some variation of them) must accompany every sincere prayer that believers offer.
It isn’t just a matter of saying, “If You want to do it Your way, go ahead.” It’s a heartfelt acknowledgment that nothing else is more perfect than God’s will. Nothing else can surpass its wisdom. Nothing else can bring ultimate fulfillment and good. Praying these words is a way of embracing the truth that God’s will is more important than our preferences, our comfort, or even our well-being.
The Bible’s promises regarding prayer are exciting. But we should never mistake them for a wish list or an opportunity to get our way. When we embrace and actively seek God’s will, we get a front-row seat to His work in the world.
Maybe you’re at a crisis point in your life right now—a personal Gethsemane, if you will. You have your will; you know what you want. Yet you can sense that God’s will is different. Would you let the Lord choose for you? Would you be willing to say, “Lord, I am submitting my will to Yours. Not my will, but Yours be done”? You will never, never regret making that decision.

Reflection question: How might praying for God’s will change your perspective on a situation in your life right now? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!
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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
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“He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’” (Matthew 26:37–38 NLT)

Jesus was fully God and fully human. Because He was fully human, He had the same needs that other people have. He enjoyed the same things that other people enjoy, including companionship. He surrounded Himself with disciples not just so that He could teach and prepare them for ministry, but also because He enjoyed their companionship. He found comfort and pleasure in interacting with them.
When Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane before He was arrested, He brought along His closest friends. And He made a simple request of them. “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38 NLT). Actually, it was more of an opportunity than a request. Jesus was giving them a chance to play a role in God’s plan.
Maybe if His companions had recognized the opportunity embedded in the request, they would have been more diligent in carrying out Jesus’ instructions. Instead, they gave in to their physical desire and fell asleep. It wasn’t the first time.
Matthew 17:1–13 records the story of the Transfiguration, in which Jesus led Peter, James, and John up a mountain so that they could see Him in His glory. On the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to them.
“As Moses and Elijah were starting to leave, Peter, not even knowing what he was saying, blurted out, ‘Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’” (Luke 9:33 NLT).
The previous verse explains why he suddenly spouted such nonsense. “Peter and the others had fallen asleep” (Luke 9:32 NLT). Imagine what else Peter might have witnessed had he been fully awake and watchful at the Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
It makes me wonder how much we miss out on because of our spiritual slumber. How often are we spiritually slumbering when God wants to speak to us through His Word? How often are we spiritually slumbering instead of opening our hearts to a message at church? How often are we spiritually slumbering when the Lord would want us to speak up for Him?
Staying awake, spiritually speaking, means directing our gaze toward the things of God—the things that matter. Look at the words of the psalmist in Psalm 119:37: “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word” (NLT).
Like the disciples, we, too, can miss out on what God wants to do in and through us. So, we need to be awake, alert, and paying attention. Good things happen to those who keep their spiritual eyes open.

Reflection question: What would spiritual slumber look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!
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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast
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“Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” (James 5:13–15 NLT)

Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane for one reason. It wasn’t to hide from His enemies. It wasn’t to spend quality time with His disciples. Jesus went there to pray. Knowing that, in a matter of hours, He would submit to unimaginable physical, emotional, and spiritual agony, Jesus wanted to spend His remaining hours of freedom in the presence of His Father.
The circumstances were unique, but the discipline wasn’t. The Gospels record several instances in which Jesus set aside time for prayer. Mark 1:35 says, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray” (NLT).
Luke 5:15–16 says, “But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (NLT).
Jesus understood the power of prayer, and He wants us to understand it as well. When we find ourselves in trying circumstances, often the temptation is to strike out at those we hold responsible. Or to get mad at God for allowing those circumstances to disrupt our lives. Or to wallow in self-pity.
But those are things the devil wants us to do because he knows how counterproductive they are. When we’re afflicted, when we’re suffering, or when we’re in trouble, prayer should be our first response, just as it was for Jesus. Why? Well, for one thing, God may answer our prayer and remove the problem from our life. He may directly intervene in our circumstances. The Bible is filled with stories in which He did just that.
Even if He doesn’t intervene immediately, He still works in and through us when we take our needs to Him. Prayer affirms our dependence on Him. It puts us in a right relationship with Him. It also allows us to place our burdens in His hands. When we turn our requests over to God, we can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that He will be doing the heavy lifting. Through prayer we also receive the grace we need to endure trouble and grow closer to God.
James 5:13–15 says, “Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven” (NLT). The word suffering could be translated “in trouble” or “in distress.” Is anyone among you in trouble? Are you distressed? Then you should pray.
When the bottom drops out, when you feel as though you’re hanging by a thread, when circumstances seem to grow worse by the minute, pray. Pray when you’re afflicted. Pray when you’re sick. Pray when you need forgiveness. Pray when specific needs occur. Pray for God’s will to be done.
Just like Jesus did in Gethsemane.

Reflection question: How can you make prayer a more integral part of your daily life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!
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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast
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“He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’” (Mark 14:34 NLT)

As the hour of Jesus’ crucifixion approached, the enormity of what He was about to do—of what He was about to endure—weighed heavily on the Lord. He retreated to an olive grove at the foot of the Mount of Olives, a place called Gethsemane. There He agonized, pleaded, and prayed. Though He brought along His closest companions, He was utterly alone. According to Mark 14:34, “He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me’” (NLT). No one else could begin to fathom the suffering and separation that lay ahead for Him.
In the coming week, we’re going to look at the events that unfolded during those hours in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the Perfect Sacrifice submitted Himself to God’s plan of salvation. And we’re going to start with the very real, and very relatable, emotions that sent Jesus to the garden in the first place.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the Old Testament prophet Isaiah offered this description of Him: “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT). Jesus felt every bit of that sorrow, that grief, that rejection, that sense of being despised and uncared for during His time in Gethsemane.
Have you ever felt lonely? Have you ever felt as though your friends and family had abandoned you? Have you ever felt misunderstood? Have you ever had a hard time understanding or submitting to the will of God for your life? If so, then you have an idea of what the Lord Jesus went through when He agonized at Gethsemane.
But that understanding is a two-way street. And there’s the takeaway from today’s devotion. Our experiences allow us to empathize, even if it’s only to a small degree, with what Jesus went through. Likewise, His experiences allow Him to empathize with what we go through.
Jesus came to earth as fully God and fully human. He felt joy, pain, hunger, thirst, rejection, betrayal, and grief. He asked God if there was any other way for the plan of salvation to be accomplished—one that didn’t involve His suffering. He can relate to us on the deepest levels. That makes Him the perfect Source to turn to in any and every situation.
The author of Hebrews explained it this way: “So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:14–16 NLT).
No matter what situation we face, we can approach the Lord with confidence, knowing that He will provide the comfort, wisdom, direction, or healing we need.

Reflection question: How can Jesus empathize and help you with a situation you’re facing now? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!
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The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.
Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast
Become a Harvest Partner
Support the show: https://harvest.org/support
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.