NOT MY WILL

Oct 18, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Sweat Like Blood: The Weight of Surrender

Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane wasn’t neat or quiet—it was raw, sweat-mingled surrender. His “not my will” didn’t erase his anguish but anchored it in trust. True submission isn’t passive resignation; it’s choosing God’s purpose when every fiber screams to run. Like Jesus, our darkest moments become altars where we trade control for covering. The cup we fear drinking often holds the very redemption others need. [10:35]

“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
(Luke 22:44, NKJV)

Reflection: What “cup” have you been asking God to remove? How might surrendering it actively—not passively—deepen your trust in His plan?

Day 2: Angels in the Garden: Strength When Prayer Shakes

God doesn’t always calm the storm, but He sends strength to walk through it. When Jesus prayed in anguish, an angel steadied Him—not to remove the cross, but to fortify His resolve. Our honest prayers don’t scare God; they invite His reinforcements. Trials aren’t signs of His absence but opportunities to witness His nearness. Even tears water the soil where miracles grow. [19:55]

“Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.”
(Luke 22:43, NKJV)

Reflection: When has God strengthened you mid-prayer instead of removing the struggle? How did that change your view of His care?

Day 3: Storms Don’t Test Strength, They Reveal Submission

A farmer’s horses proved submission isn’t about power but who you’re tethered to. The trained horse waited through the storm; the wild one ran into danger. Our crises expose whether we’re led by panic or the Father’s voice. Submission isn’t losing—it’s letting God’s grip on your life outmuscle the chaos. Calamity becomes clarity when we’re yoked to His will. [26:38]

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
(James 4:7, NKJV)

Reflection: What current “storm” is revealing where your trust lies? What would it look like to stop running and wait for God’s instruction?

Day 4: Your Battle Within is Won by the Christ Within

Paul’s confession in Romans 7 isn’t failure—it’s the friction of flesh and spirit at war. Jesus didn’t avoid the internal fight; He weaponized surrender. Submission isn’t your defeat—it’s letting Christ’s victory in you overpower every lie. When the devil fires his best shots, your “not my will” becomes the bulletproof declaration of who’s really in charge. [24:29]

“For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.”
(Romans 7:19, NKJV)

Reflection: Where do you feel the tension between your desires and God’s will most acutely? How can you lean into Christ’s strength there today?

Day 5: The Cup You Fear is the Path to Purpose

Jesus’ “cup” wasn’t just suffering—it was salvation for billions. Our hardest assignments often birth others’ breakthroughs. What if the very thing you’re begging God to remove is the doorway to your destiny? Surrender isn’t resignation; it’s recognizing that the Father’s plan always outlives the pain. Your Gethsemane moment isn’t the end—it’s where resurrection begins. [20:52]

“Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”
(Hebrews 5:7-8, NKJV)

Reflection: What “cup” have you avoided that might hold unexpected purpose? How could embracing it align you with God’s redemption story?

Sermon Summary

Jesus enters Gethsemane carrying the weight of the cross, sorrowful even unto death, and shows that anguish is not a detour from the Christian journey. The garden does not hide Christ’s humanity. Christ feels the full burden of pain, distress, and the coming separation from the Father as He bears sin that was never His. Peter’s warning tells believers not to think fiery trials are strange, because those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

The attacks of the enemy do not mean that God has abandoned His people. Satan turns his biggest guns toward believers who keep praising, praying, fasting, studying, and speaking life while trouble is all around them. The storm may rage, bills may be due, health may be failing, and people may walk away, but God’s people can still have peace in the middle of it.

Jesus’ prayer gives the pattern: “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Surrender does not mean pretending that nothing hurts. Christ brings strong crying and tears before the Father, and His honesty shows that believers can come before God without putting on a church face. The Father may not show the whole plan, but God remains worthy of trust when the road has potholes, ditches, gravel, and no clear pavement.

Submission is not weakness, defeat, or the erasing of desire. Submission is victory over struggle, alignment with God’s will, and the crowning of God’s choice above personal preference. Salvation changes the heart, but submission changes habits. Salvation makes a person God’s child, but submission makes that child a disciple.

James places submission before resistance because nobody can resist the devil successfully without first submitting completely to God. Christ’s obedience in Gethsemane leads to His victory at Calvary. The same Jesus who bowed His will broke death’s power, so submission does not take away freedom, identity, or authority. It gives covering, focus, and a weapon against the enemy.

God does not always take His people out of the fire. God often sustains them through the fire, because purpose can require a painful road. Jesus learned obedience through suffering, not because He sinned, but because the fully human and fully divine Savior had to be touched with the feelings of human infirmity. Christ went through with the assignment for people who did not yet exist, and His sacrifice still calls every heart to say, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

Key Takeaways

1. Anguish does not cancel God’s purpose Jesus did not avoid sorrow in Gethsemane, and His distress did not mean that the Father had lost control. Trials can press hard without canceling the call of God on a life. Pain becomes dangerous when it is treated as proof that God is absent rather than a place where God can strengthen faith. [04:48]
2. Honest prayer still submits to God Jesus openly asked for the cup to pass, showing that surrender is not fake strength or religious pretending. God receives the tears, questions, and fear that people bring honestly before Him. Faith reaches maturity when honest desire still yields to God’s greater will. [14:40]
3. Submission comes before resisting the devil James gives the order plainly: submit to God, then resist the devil. Human willpower cannot win a spiritual battle that requires divine authority. A surrendered life puts the enemy on the run because God’s authority, not personal effort, stands behind that resistance. [24:08]
4. God sustains people through the fire God does not always remove the trial because some destinations require going through what cannot be gone around. The fire can reveal whether a heart is driven by impulse or led by instruction. God’s sustaining grace can give peace in the very place where circumstances still look hard. [21:18]
5. Christ’s obedience paid redemption’s price Jesus knew the assignment, knew the cross was coming, and still chose the Father’s will. His suffering was not for His own sin, because no guile was found in Him. His obedience opened the way for lost people to be redeemed and called believers to yield their own will to God. [36:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:45] - Jesus Enters Gethsemane
[03:02] - Not My Will
[04:26] - The Reality of Anguish
[05:43] - Expect Opposition for Living Godly
[10:19] - The Prayer of Surrender
[14:40] - Jesus Prayed With Tears
[16:02] - The Power of Obedience
[20:22] - Purpose in the Fire
[22:13] - Submission Is Victory Over Struggle
[24:08] - Submit to God, Resist the Devil
[25:30] - Put the Devil on the Run
[30:47] - Jesus Learned Through Suffering
[36:54] - Christ Paid the Price
[39:40] - Prayer of Surrender

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 26:36-39
“Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, 'Sit here while I go and pray over there.' And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.' He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” [01:45]

James 4:7
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” [24:08]

2 Timothy 3:12
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” [06:45]

Observation questions

What words and actions in Matthew 26:36–39 show the depth of Jesus’ sorrow before the cross?
In Jesus’ prayer, what request does He bring to the Father, and how does He end that request? [02:10]
According to 2 Timothy 3:12, what kind of person should expect persecution, and what examples of opposition were described? [06:02]
In James 4:7, what comes first: submitting to God or resisting the devil? What result is promised after that order is followed? [24:08]

Interpretation questions

Jesus did not hide His sorrow from the Father, yet He still yielded to the Father’s will. What does this show about the difference between honest prayer and complaining without trust? [12:03]
If Jesus experienced deep anguish while fully obeying the Father, why should believers be careful not to treat hardship as proof that God has left them? [04:40]
James places submission to God before resisting the devil. Why is that order important when a believer is facing temptation, fear, anger, or spiritual attack? [24:26]
Submission does not erase a person’s desires but puts God’s choice above personal preference. How can this understanding keep submission from being seen as weakness or defeat? [22:13]

Application questions

What burden, disappointment, or unanswered question are you carrying right now? How might you bring it to God honestly instead of acting like nothing is wrong? [12:21]
Is there an area where your desire and God’s instruction seem to be pulling in different directions—such as relationships, work, finances, forgiveness, habits, or speech? What would it look like to pray, “Not my will, but Yours,” in that specific area?
When trouble comes, what is your usual first response: panic, control, withdrawal, calling someone else, or prayer? What could help you turn to God first and keep turning matters over to Him? [38:51]
Think of a recent pressure point in your life. Did it reveal that you were being led mainly by impulse or by God’s instruction? What is one practical way to pause and seek God’s direction before reacting? [26:26]
Where have you been trying to fight the enemy in your own strength? What might fuller submission to God look like before trying to resist that temptation or attack? [24:32]
God does not always remove people from the fire, but He sustains them through it. Where do you need grace to endure faithfully rather than only asking for an immediate escape? [21:22]
Jesus went through with His assignment for the redemption of people who did not yet exist. How does His obedience and sacrifice reshape the way you view the cost of following Him? [36:54]

Sermon Clips

58s

#FaithThroughTrials

“Sometimes there's not even a road paved there. You gotta go on the gravel. What are you saying? Even on your way to the destiny, even in your purpose, there's gonna be trials and tribulations. Well, god gave me the purpose. I... Yeah. He gave you the purpose, but didn't promise you there won't be some problems. When Jesus prays in Yosemite, not my will, but thy will be done, he reveals something profound. Submission is not the absence of struggle. It is victory over struggle. If submission was easy, Jesus wouldn't have sweat drops that resemble drops of blood. If submission was natural, he wouldn't have prayed that prayer. If submission were automatic, he wouldn't have said if it be possible. Submission is not the defeat of our will. It is alignment with his will.”

53s

#JesusPaidItAll

“So when we're studying, you go back and you look at not my will, look at what Jesus went through. Look at the price he paid for sins he did not commit. Look at what he gave up. He left his seat beside God to come down to a sin cursed earth, to suffer, to bleed, to die, to be separated from his father for a world that did not love him. He saw you and I down the generations. And he knew that if I don't die for him, if I don't die for her, if I don't do this and then get up with all power, they'll be lost.”

41s

#ThroughTheFire

“This moment in the garden captures the heart of surrender where Jesus, not only does he just obey god, but he goes all the way through with the assignment. By yielding our lives to god, we align with his perfect will, allowing him to work through our situations, transforming trials into triumphs for his glory. Sometimes god doesn't get you out of the fire. He sustains you through the fire. Oftentimes, we're praying, take me out. And God will say, no. You don't need to come out. What I have for you, you're gonna have to go through this.”

40s

#SinSeparates

“We need to understand this, that Christ's prayer was not that he wouldn't die. That really was what the prayer was about. It it was a prayer. He prayed like he did that he would not be separated from the father because he who knew no sin took on the sins of the world. See, most people think the prayer in the Garden Of Gethsemane was Jesus was praying not to die. That won't it. He was praying not to be separated from the father. He had never been separated from God. And if you don't know, now you're gonna know sin separates us from God.”

50s

#TurnItOverToGod

“After we have tried everything else, then we turn to God. When the first thing we should do is turn to God. Save ourselves a lot of heartache. Save ourselves a lot of pain. Save ourselves some tears if we just turn it over to Jesus and let him work it out. Has he ever worked anything out for anybody? Do you know what I'm talking about? Turn it over to him. And, yes, there'll there'll be situations. Well, you know, I turned I turned some over to him last week where it'd be something new today, something new tomorrow, Something else next week? You gotta consistently, continually turn it over to the Lord.”

34s

#TrustGodsPlan

“This prayer models true submission, acknowledging our desires, but ultimately surrendering to god's perfect will. Our strength comes not from avoiding hardship, but from trusting God's plan. Even when it is difficult or unclear, we trust his plan. Because God doesn't always... I don't know about y'all, but God don't call me and ask for my opinion. He don't call me in, though I do ask him and give me the full plan.”

48s

#SurrenderToGod

“Our surrender is not passive, but is active trust, knowing God's plan is to prosper us and give us hope and a future. This sermon encourages believers to embrace the reality of struggle. Pray the prayer surrender like Jesus and rely on the spirit's power to obey God's will through every trial. This moment in the garden captures the heart of surrender where Jesus chooses divine purpose over our personal desire. He had a personal desire because he said, this cup pass, but he chose his purpose. Jesus knew exactly what he came for. He didn't come not knowing. He didn't come, oh, it's a surprise. They're gonna put me on a cross. No. He knew.”

43s

#FaithInTheFire

“First, the reality of anguish in this Christian journey. Jesus experienced deep sorrow and distress as he faced the weight of the coming cross. This moment shows us that even the son of God failed the full burden of human struggle and pain. We are reminded that suffering is not a detour but part of the Christian life. Graciously given to refine and strengthen Like Jesus, we will face trials that will test our faith, but these moments are opportunities for God to shape us.”

42s

#JesusForUs

“This moment in the garden foreshadows Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross, revealing his obedience and love for humanity. It connects to the over arching narrative of the bible where Christ willingly submits to the father's will for our redemption. He did it for us. He didn't do it for himself. Please take note of this, that in moments of anguish and uncertainty, true strength is found in surrendering to god's will rather than clinging to our own desires.”

33s

#PeaceInTheStorm

“God makes the way. God decides what's gonna be best for us. God has it set. And, yes, the trials will come. Yes, the storms will come in your life. Yes, you're gonna have enemies that show up. But if you're saved and you don't have any enemies, you need to come to the altar because you... You're gonna be unattacked. And, you're gonna have some good days. Don't you know you can have good days while under attack? The storm can be raging all around you, and you have peace.”

64s

#GrowingThroughPain

“But when you adjust, your attitude starts speaking the right things out of your mouth and realizing that it is not our will, but it is the will of God. It's the will of God that we prosper. It's the will of God that we have good health. It is the will of God that we live blessed. But, also, it is the will of God that trials will come. It's the will of God that your faith will be tested. It's the will of God that you grow in him. But guess what? You can't grow without some growing pains. It's gonna be some. The old gym saying would be no pain, no gain. we find out that that all pain, in that case, ain't good. So you you gotta know the difference. But to grow in god, there are gonna be some moments of pain.”

42s

#FullyHumanFullyDivine

“Not that he had sinned, for he had not sinned. But the fact that he had to be touched in all points like us to be our high priest, He went through it, and he learned about the suffering in his flesh. Because we gotta remember one of the mysteries of God is the fact that Jesus was fully human and fully divine at the same time. No other person has ever been like that. Not even John the Baptist who was born with the Holy Ghost. That's why John the Baptist is not our high priest.”

40s

#PraiseThroughTheBattle

“Expect the attacks. Know that it's coming. In fact, you're probably in some battles right now to tell the truth about it. But yet you're still praising God. You're still serving God. You're still praying. You're still studying. You're still fasting. You're still walking in the word. You're still talking positive out of your mouth. You're not talking deaf, but you're speaking life. Right. And the devil is mad. Aren't you glad the devil mad? I know I am. Thank god I got the devil mad.”

44s

#FollowGodsVoice

“There was a farmer who had two horses, one wild, one trained. Every morning, the farmer will go out and open the gate. The wild horse will run wherever he wanted to run. He'd just take off running, while the trained horse would wait for the farmer's voice before he would even move. And finally, one day a storm came, and the horses were excited. So the wild horse panicked, ran out the gate, broke it down to run out, but he ran into danger while the train horse stayed until the farmer came and led him to safety.”

28s

#SurrenderYourDesires

“Can you go through what he went through to have that kind of anointing? And I had to back up from the table. I was sitting at the kitchen table. I had to back up. And I said, wait a minute. I had to repent. And I know somebody said, well, that wasn't no sin. You were desiring a good thing. No. No. I was wrong. That's how I felt now. I was wrong thinking I was ready.”

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