Ever Interceding

JESUS’ PRAYER LIFE

BY DIANA BROWN

Jesus Himself prayed often. Being one of us while on this earth, Jesus was subjected to the same frustrations, temptations, joys and sorrows that affect us all today. Through it all, He prayed that God would give Him the help and strength to accomplish the task He had been given.

Jesus is still our example today, thousands of years later.

There are ten characteristics that describe Jesus’ prayer life, giving us a clear picture of what Jesus thought of prayer. These characteristics give us an example to follow. Let’s look at these ten characteristics of Jesus’ prayer life:

1. Jesus believed that prayer works. Matthew 7:7-11 (NIV) says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

2. Jesus prayed short and long prayers. The Lord’s Prayer, (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV) full of wisdom, is short and can be easily memorized. But Jesus also dedicated long periods of time to prayer. “Jesus... spent the night praying to God.” (Luke 6:12 NIV)

3. Jesus got alone to pray. Matthew 14:23 (NIV) says, “After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone.” Matthew 6:6, Mark 1:35-36, and Luke 5:16 also reveal Jesus’ commitment to being alone with God in prayer.

4. Jesus balanced private and shared praying. Luke 9:28 (NIV) says, “About eight days after Jesus said this, He took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.” We also see Him praying with His disciples in Luke 9:18.

5. Jesus prayed before meals. Mark 6:41 (NIV) says, “Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.”

6. Jesus gave thanks in prayer. Luke 10:21 (NIV) says, “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.’” We also see Jesus giving thanks to God in Matthew 11:25.

7. Jesus sang some prayers. Mark 14:26 (NIV) says, “When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Another scripture we see Jesus singing in prayer is in Matthew 26:30.

8. Jesus prayed before making important decisions. Luke 6:12-13 (NIV) says, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles.”

9. Jesus prayed for His disciples. John 17:11, 15, 24 (NIV) says, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave Me--so that they may be one as We are one... My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one... Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world.”

10. Jesus still prays for us. Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Another example of Jesus praying for us is in Hebrews 7:25.

Jesus, thank you for the examples You give us in the Word about Your prayer life. Lord, help us to follow Your examples and to be ever interceding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.