Are you, as a Christian, very interested in knowing how, when, what, where, and even why Jesus, who needed not to pray, as some would say, prayed? That’s very good if you want to improve your prayer life because it is enough for the disciple that he be as his master and the servant as his Lord (Matthew 10:25).
As a Christian who would like to improve in his prayer life, deepen his relationship with the Father, and see his prayers answered, it would be best if he learned from the Master.
In this post, we shall cover the prayer life of Jesus and discover life-transforming lessons from it.
[Read also: All Recorded Prayers of Jesus: Who Knows? Perhaps You’ll Discover Something That Will Forever Change the Way You Pray.]
Table of Contents
Why should we learn from the prayer life of Jesus?
Because we are his disciples:
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. St. Luke 11:1(KJV)
A disciple means a student and an active follower of someone. John taught his students how to pray. So, one of the disciples of Jesus requested that Jesus teach them how to pray, not just because John taught his disciples, but mainly because he had been seeing Jesus praying.
Jesus did not hesitate to respond to his request. He immediately went to teach them. During the lecture, he gave them a prayer template, which is now known as our Lord’s prayer.
I’ve heard of many Christians meeting with great men of God to inquire about their prayer lives, how long they pray, how they pray, etc., making great efforts to learn about these men of God’s prayer lives so that they can work on their own prayer lives. That’s wonderful, but who can teach us prayer more than our Lord Jesus Christ? As students of the Word and disciples of Jesus, let us also pray, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
Because Jesus Christ is both God and man.
What do I mean? Both God and man? Yes, of course.
St. John 1:1 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (KJV) St. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (KJV)
Being Man:
I believe in God’s omniscience, but as a human, I still wonder how God would have understood what it means to be a man (the temptations and trials), if not that he had to experience it himself.
For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)
So, being a man, he understands our weaknesses. For example, the busyness and business of this life, how difficult praying can be, and how real challenges are, but in all that he prayed and even had a strong prayer life.
Being God:
To whom is a prayer addressed? God. The template of prayer Jesus gave begins with the phrase “our Father who art in heaven”. That’s to say, we pray to God.
In the Gospel of John, chapter one,
John 1:1 IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. (See also: Isaiah 9:6) John 1:2 He was present originally with God. John 1:18 No man has ever seen God at any time; the only unique Son, or the only begotten God, Who is in the bosom [in the intimate presence] of the Father, He has declared Him [He has revealed Him and brought Him out where He can be seen; He has interpreted Him and He has made Him known](AMP). (See also, Proverbs 8:30).
So, no man understands God more than Jesus. No one knows better the way to his heart than him. Being God, he understands the nature of God, the kind of heart God accepts, and the kind of prayer He answers. Hence, the need to learn from the prayer life of Jesus.
Possible Questions About the Prayer Life of Jesus
There are some questions that might be going through our minds right now about the prayer life of Jesus. How did this wonderful person pray? When, where, what, and even how long? Alright, let’s probe into his prayer life.
While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could deliver him out of death. And God heard his prayers because of his reverence for God. Hebrews 5:7 (NLT).
How did Jesus see prayer?
To Jesus, prayer is life, the only source of help and strength, and the only means to communicate with the Father. I suppose that he saw prayer as breath in one’s nostrils, without which one would suffocate and die. These can be deduced from his attitude and actions toward prayer.
I strongly believe that Jesus never prayed out of pretense, neither did he pray only to show us an example to follow. To Jesus, prayer meant a lot.
To whom did he pray?
Jesus, as a man born of a woman, addressed all his prayers to God the Father. He addressed God as his Father. He had the child-like faith he taught us, and he believed that God, as a Father, could provide for and sustain him.
When he encountered demon-possessed people, he never prayed to the devils to leave those people. Rather, he would command them and cast them out.
How did he pray?
Privately:
He often goes to a secluded place to pray. Because prayer is not a religious act that should be done to receive praise from men, it is always written of our Lord Jesus Christ that he oftentimes withdraws himself to pray (Luke 5:16).
Jesus was always alone with the Father in prayer. He prayed much more often alone than he prayed with others in the synagogue.
Passionately:
Jesus prayed with passion and fervency. While he prayed, he exhibited enthusiasm, conviction, persistence, emotional warmth, and fervor. His prayers were never cold like those of one who might be reading them out from a booklet whose heart is not in it. Rather, his prayers were very hot. (Luke 22:44; Hebrews 5:7).
Honestly:
While Jesus prayed, his heart was in agreement with his lips. He was sincere in his prayers to the Father. This was seen in the prayer he made at Gethsemane, saying, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me…” (Luke 22:42) He expressed his feelings before God.
With knowledge:
Jesus prayed with the understanding that God in heaven is his Father. He appreciated that the Father hears him every time he prays.
Since the scripture says in Psalms 147:9, “He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry,” Jesus knew who he was as a Son (not ravens) and never failed to make known his request unto God (Luke 11:10). He taught the same in Luke 12:24–28.
Conversationally:
In John 17:1-26, a prayer of Jesus is recorded. He prayed as one who addresses a being that can listen, and not as one who speaks into the air.
With gratitude:
We see Jesus thanking the Father the majority of the time. Even when the Father’s provision appeared insufficient, he was always grateful (John 6:11).
Where did he pray?
- We frequently see Jesus go to the mountain to pray (Luke 6:12).
- He withdrew to the wilderness (Luke 5:16).
- He prayed in public as well (John 11:41).
The key thing here is that Jesus always sought a convenient or solitary place to pray.
When did he pray?
He prayed early in the morning, late in the afternoon, and even at times all night. Jesus also prayed at some important times in his life. Here are a few examples:
- While being baptized.
- Before he began his ministry.
- Before choosing the 12 apostles.
- And also, before his betrayal and death.
What did he pray?
The prayer life of Jesus consisted of different types of prayers, encompassing thanksgiving, supplication, intercession, petition, and more.
The only thing I can say is that his prayers never included a prayer of confession and forgiveness for his own sins because he was sinless. Nevertheless, he prayed for the forgiveness of others (Luke 23:34).
He prayed for himself, his disciples, and all the believers (John 17).
How long did he pray?
The prayer life of Jesus consisted of both short and long prayers. Sometimes we see him pray all night in the mountains. At times, he says a very short prayer to the Father while in public.
How often did he pray?
I would say that Jesus was always in the mood of prayer because, at times, while speaking to the people, he would address the Father. (John 12:28–29).
Why did he pray?
These are some of the reasons why he prayed.
- To overcome temptation,
- To set an example for us,
- To carry out the will of the Father,
- To communicate with the Father, etc.
Check out 10 reasons why Jesus prayed.
Bible passages of where Jesus prayed
- During his baptism (Luke 3:21-22).
- Before he chose the twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-13).
- Early in the morning (Mk 1:35–36).
- After healing the multitudes of their infirmities (Luke 5:15-16).
- While he was speaking to the multitude (Matthew 11:25-26),
- Before meal: The 5000 (John 6:11; Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16); The 4000 (Matthew 15:36; Mark 8:6-7); The Last Supper (Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22–23, Luke 22:19).
- After feeding the 5000 (Matthew 14:22–23; Mark 6:45–46; John 6:15).
- Before asking the disciples, whom men say that he is (Luke 9:18).
- During his transfiguration (Luke 9:28–29),
- When the seventy returned, he sent out two by two (Luke 10:21).
- Before teaching his disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1)
- Before he raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:41-42),
- While he predicted his death (John 12:27-28).
- In Gethsemane, before he was arrested. (Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:39-46; Mark 14:32-42)
- On the cross (Luke 23:34; Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:46); After His resurrection (Luke 24:30)
Lessons from the prayer life of Jesus
1. Jesus prayed to his Father:
In the prayers of Jesus, he always begins with the acknowledgment of the personality he prays to. He always begins with the word “Father” and not just with something like “oh God”.
When Jesus called us his brothers, he called God our Father (John 20:17). Wow! It is a great thing to know that whenever I pray, I do not address a stranger or an unrighteous judge, but my righteous Father.
2. Prayer is a necessity:
From the prayer life of Jesus, we also learn that prayer is a necessity. I thought he didn’t need to pray, but he prayed too much.
If Jesus prayed, then prayer is compulsory for all his followers. It is therefore crucial that you must pray. He even said that men ought always to pray.
3. Jesus prioritized prayer:
On Jesus’ to-do list, what do you think is at the top of his list? From his lifestyle, I suppose it is prayer.
Where is prayer in your life? First place, second place, third place, or last place?
Jesus prioritized prayer above his job (attending to the multitude). He placed the relationship with his Father above his relationship with men. I believe that prayer is at the top of Jesus’ list, and it should likewise be on your list.
4. Prayer should be done in a convenient place:
We read that Jesus often goes to the mountain or wilderness to pray. That was the most convenient place for him.
The convenience I mean isn’t comfort. Most people who pray on their beds always complete their prayers in their dreams. They end up sleeping.
A convenient place should possess these three qualities
- Should be distraction-free.
- Shouldn’t be too comfortable to induce sleep.
- And also, should provide solitude, if possible.
A convenient place is important because private prayer requires solitude. You, alone with your lovely heavenly Father.
Jesus taught in Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your [most] private room, and, closing the door, pray to your Father, Who is in secret; and your Father, Who sees in secret, will reward you in the open (AMP).
At times, when Jesus goes to the mountain with his disciples, when he wants to pray, he would move a little farther (Luke 22:41).
Jesus had a convenient place to pray. Where do you pray?
5. Prayer is powerful:
From the things that Jesus did and the time with which he accomplished them, we can truly say that prayer is effective.
Jesus’ living without sinning can be traced to his prayer life. His casting out of devils can also be traced to his prayer life. Jesus would spend hours in prayer, but spend only seconds or minutes healing the sick and casting out devils. The disciples noticing this didn’t ask that he should teach them how to cast out devils and heal the sick, but how to pray.
The life of Jesus is solid evidence that prayer is more powerful and effective than we may have thought.
6. Jesus always spends quality time with God in prayer:
Jesus dedicated most of his nights to prayer. He also wakes at times, earlier than others, to have enough time with his Father (who is also now our Father).
We can see that Jesus did not pray hastily. He took his time. Because of the hours he spent in prayer, we can deduce that he never hurried when he prayed, but rather relaxed.
How many hours do you spend each day communicating with your dependable Heavenly Father? Do you speak to Him in a hurry?
7. Jesus starts with prayer:
Jesus started his ministry with prayer. He starts his day with prayer. He starts his meal with prayer. Furthermore, he didn’t choose his apostles by human wisdom, but he prayed for guidance. He started the journey to the cross with prayer. Let’s also learn to start whatever we do with prayer. Seek God’s guidance before making important decisions.
8. Jesus prayed whenever he was faced with difficulty:
Jesus prayed before the tomb of Lazarus. Considering the kind of death he was to face, Jesus prayed.
Jesus resorts to God in prayer and does not complain whenever he is faced with difficulty. What do you do when you are in trouble?
9. Jesus prayed when he didn’t feel God’s presence:
This was seen on the cross. He felt that there was a separation between him and the Father, so he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” That is to say, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).
Sin is the only thing that separates us from God. Despite the fact that it was our sins that caused Jesus’ death on the cross, he prayed.
What do you do when you recognize that you have sinned against God? Do you allow guilt to keep you from praying and then continue in the sin that brought the separation? Or do you cry out to the Father for mercy and forgiveness?
10. Jesus created time for prayer:
In his day, Jesus was a celebrity. He was a very busy person and was always crowded by multitudes. Take a look at what Mark wrote:
When Jesus returned to the house where he was staying, the crowds began to gather again, and soon he and his disciples couldn't even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him home with them. "He's out of his mind," they said. Mark 3:20-21 (NLT).
Despite this, this man prayed the most. How did he find the time for those long hours of prayer? He created time for them.
Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time” is to say “I don’t want to”.
Jesus had the same 24 hours that everyone has, but he intentionally allotted much of his time to prayers.
When necessary, he will sometimes dismiss the crowd so that he can go to pray. (Mark 6:45–46).
Another thing I observed is that his prayers were not tied to a particular time of the day for every day. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes late in the afternoon, some at night, depending on when it is most convenient for him.
Would you allow busyness and business to deny you this refreshing fellowship with the Father?
11. Jesus prays until he feels satisfied:
In Matthew 6:7, Jesus taught that we should not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard by much speaking. But in Gethsemane, he prayed the same prayer thrice. Is that contradictory? Not at all.
While Jesus taught us to avoid vain repetitions in prayer, he didn’t discourage us from being persistent in prayer.
12. Jesus believes in prayer:
Yes. Jesus truly believed that prayer works, and so he prayed. If you believe in prayer, why won’t you give it quality time? Do you actually believe that prayer works?
13. Praying did not make Jesus lazy
His too much praying and total dependence on God did not make him irresponsible. Jesus didn’t because he was too prayerful and failed to fulfill his responsibilities. Prayer didn’t render him useless, but rather useful.
Jesus would spend time praying, as if he didn’t know what else to do. Following that, he will attend to the multitude and carry out his “job” as if it were the only thing he does.
Do you allow your job to suffer because you pray?
14. Praying, was Jesus’ habit:
Jesus and prayer are inseparable. It was his lifestyle. Jesus doesn’t forget to pray. It was his habit to oftentimes go to Mount Olive (Luke 22:39), and I suppose that it was to pray.
Jesus didn’t pray only for himself: While he prayed, Jesus prayed for others. He didn’t only pray for himself. His prayers don’t reflect any form of lust. He focused on the will of the Father.
Conclusion
“No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere”.
Leonard Ravenhill
Can we pray like Jesus?
Can you pray like Jesus and…
- Continue to love and live in sin?
- Not receive the baptism and power of the Holy Ghost? (Luke 11:13).
- If we begin to pray like our Master, may I ask, will we not heal the sick people among us, cast out devils, and raise the dead?
When we begin to pray like Jesus, our relationship with the Father will deepen and be strengthened.
Can we pray like Jesus?
We can!
Read also:
- Men ought always to pray: 11 reasons to be prayerful.
- 4 Essential Christian Maturity Lessons from the Life of Jesus
Let’s emulate our Lord Jesus, the Master!
I would like to learn from your contributions as well. Are there other lessons to learn? If so, drop them in the comment section.
God’s grace!
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