Prayer is greater than resolve

On the night before Jesus was crucified He took His disciples up on the Mount of Olives to pray ...

Lk 22:40
When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Jesus withdraws from the disciples to pray and talk with the Father. When He comes back to the disciples He agains speaks to them about prayer ...

Lk 22:46
and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

That night Jesus was arrested and perhaps faced His greatest trial. However, He was prepared because He had spent time talking to the Father in prayer. That night the disciples fled from fear. Had they prayed? No, they had slept.

Jesus had instructed them on how they could avoid temptation. He told them to pray so they would be prepared for what was about to happen. Victory over temptation is not found in personal resolve to avoid temptation, but in prayer. Prayer connects us with the God of the impossible and produces within us a change of our desires away from sin.