Jesus Christ’s relationship with God the father teaches us everything we need to know about prayer. Right from his first recorded words in Luke 2, he displays His allegiance to the business of His Father’s house, and his last recorded words display his trust in His Father. Prayer is an intimate dealing with God; Jesus teaches us how to go about it. This article will explore three things Jesus taught us about prayer and other information you need to know.
What Did Jesus Teach About Prayer
Jesus is the master of prayer. He knows exactly what God wants to hear and how we can receive answers from God. Many of Jesus’s teachings on prayers are worthy of discussion. Below are three things that He taught us about prayer.
1. How to Pray
In Luke 11:2-4, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. His prayers and teachings show his disciples how to have a deeply personal relationship with God as he does. It’s the Lord’s prayer – we delved into it in this article.
The Lord’s prayer is quite simple yet powerful. When we try to impress God with too many words, we deny that God is a loving and Hoy father. Therefore, it’s important to follow Jesus Christ’s set pattern and keep our words few when praying.
Additionally, Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:5-8 that we shouldn’t show off like hypocrites when we pray. He spoke against praying in public places loudly just so that we could be seen and praised. Instead, it’s best to go into your room and pray privately to God.
This doesn’t mean that it is wrong to pray with others. However, it should be sincere and done to the glory of God.
2. To Be Consistent in Prayer
Going further in Luke 11:5-13, one of the three things Jesus taught us about prayer is to be consistent in prayer. He shares a parable about a man who goes to his friend at midnight to ask for three loaves. Jesus shares that although the friend might not want to rise and give the loaves to his friends, he will because of his persistence.
With this parable, Jesus teaches us that God will eventually respond to our request if we are consistent in prayer. It takes a lot of boldness and persistence to be consistent in prayer. It doesn’t mean that God is reluctant, and you need to persuade Him when you consistently pray. Our persistence doesn’t change God. Instead, it changes us by developing a passion and heart for what God wants for us.
If a friend can honor your request because of your persistence and shamelessness, imagine how much more God who wants to give you a good and rewarding life will do for you. Be consistent in your prayers today, and you will receive answers.
3. Confidence in God’s Ability to Answer Us
Further down in Luke 11, we come across the last of the three things Jesus taught us about prayer. This is seen in Luke 11:9-13.
This scripture shows that we should have confidence in God’s ability to answer us when we persistently pray. He makes reference to a human father who loves to bless his children and will never answer a request for something good with something evil.
God loves to give to his children who consistently and faithfully ask Him. Therefore, we shouldn’t doubt God’s desire to answer us when we pray. The problem isn’t in receiving an answer; it’s in our lack of confidence that God will surely answer.
Lessons from the Prayer Life of Jesus
If you struggle with how to pray and what to pray for, it’s best to emulate the prayer life of Jesus. Most Christians are troubled by this, so you’re not alone. Alongside the three things Jesus teaches us about prayer, below are five lessons we can hold on to from his prayer life.
1. Learn How To Pray Alone At Times
Many times, we see Jesus withdrawing to lonely places to play. This is portrayed in Luke 5:16. In fact, out of the 15 times Jesus was recorded praying, the Bible records six times when Jesus chose solitude prayers over people. Although Jesus understood the value of praying with others, he also understood the need to pray alone. Sometimes, it’s crucial to be still before God, and the best way to ensure this is by being alone with God. Here’s what we highlighted about things to improve your prayer life.
2. Pray for Others
Jesus consistently prayed for other people throughout his time on earth. For example, he prayed for His disciples and the sick at different times during his ministry. Praying for others shows selflessness and brings us closer to God.
3. Thank God in Prayer First
Before making our requests known to God, we should learn to thank God first. Jesus started all his prayers with thanks to His Heavenly Father for his grace and mercy. When emulating Jesus’ prayer pattern, we should first learn to express our gratitude in prayers.
4. Pray for Your Enemies
Jesus was graceful enough to pray for his enemies on the cross. He also charges us in Mathew 5:43-45 to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Jesus’ teachings are consistent with his actions as he always prayed for even those who hated him.
5. Pray that You May Not Enter into Temptation
Jesus was tempted at different points in his earthly ministry, yet He was without sin. The devil offered Jesus kingdoms and even tried to make Him perform miracles. However, Jesus consistently overcame temptation so that we could do the same. Prayer is the key to victory over temptation – it can be difficult to resist Satan’s temptations without praying for God’s backup.
Conclusion
If we listen to Jesus and diligently follow the three things Jesus taught us about prayers, we will begin to receive answers to our prayers. First, Jesus shares a pattern of prayer and tells us to be consistent in prayer while expressing confidence in God’s ability to answer us. Although not everything that happens is God’s will, we can affirm through God’s words that all things work for good for us.
