The variety of Jesus’ prayers in the gospels makes clear that prayer comes in different forms, such as petition, thanksgiving, and intercession. As the believer grows in his or her faith, he or she will naturally learn to pray in moments of crisis or when discernment is needed. Regular times of prayer will foster a dependency upon Christ Jesus and teach the believer to be quick to give thanks for his countless blessings.
Introduction
Imagine having a close friend but being unable to communicate with him or her. That would be hard! In any relationship, communication is natural and essential. A lack of communication hinders the relationship’s growth. Our relationship with God is no different. We need to hear from God (through reading the Bible), and God wants to hear from us (through prayer). Prayer is a lifeline and a privilege for the Christian.
It is normal to struggle in prayer. Believers, both young and old in the faith, testify to the challenge of having a meaningful prayer life. Thankfully, there are aids to prayer. One can go to the Old Testament Psalms and simply pray them. In fact, the Bible is filled with prayers, which serve as a boon to the believer as he or she strives to grow in prayer.
The purpose of this article is to explore and examine the specific prayers recorded in the Bible that Jesus prayed. Through this study, the reader will learn several lessons about spending time in prayer.
We learn about Jesus’ life and ministry primarily through the four New Testament Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This article will primarily draw from their teaching.
Prayers Jesus Prayed in Moments of Ministry Preparation and Decision
Prayer at His Baptism
Matt 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22
John the Baptist had a unique role in redemptive history. God called him to prepare the way for Jesus, the Son of Man. As people came from all over to be baptized, John preached a message of repentance (Matt 3:2). Luke explains, “Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened” (Luke 3:21).
Jesus lived a sinless earthly life and did not need to be baptized. However, “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3:15), Jesus asked John to baptize him. At that moment, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus, and the Father declared, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). During this monumental time, Jesus prayed. For Jesus the Son of God, prayer was natural and regular, more so than it had been for anyone else in history.
Prayer Before Preaching in Galilee
Mark’s gospel provides us glimpses of Jesus’ prayer life before engaging in ministry. For example, Mark explains, “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35). Jesus’ days were often hectic and jam-packed with ministry activity. Sometimes, the only time he could enjoy his Heavenly Father was at the crack of dawn. Jesus found a quiet place to prepare himself for the ministry that awaited him later that day (Mark 1:38-39).
Prayers Before Choosing the Twelve Apostles
Jesus’ commitment to prayer is also on display in the lead-up to choosing the twelve disciples. Luke writes, “In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). Before selecting these twelve men, Jesus spent a whole night in prayer, indicating how seriously Jesus took this. Luke goes on to say, “And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:” (Luke 6:13). Jesus already had a pool of followers (“disciples”), but from this pool he chose “apostles” in whom He invested heavily.
These twelve men would become the church’s foundation (Eph 2:20). The church grew through their faithful preaching of the gospel (Matt 16:18, Acts 2:42).
Prayers Jesus Prayed During His Ministry
Prayers of Thanksgiving and Blessing
At the Feeding of the Five Thousand
Matt 14:19, Mark 6:41, Luke 9:16, John 6:11
One of Jesus’ most famous miracles is the feeding of the 5000. Before Jesus had the disciples distribute the loaves and the fish, He prayed a blessing over the food. “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing” (Mark 6:41).
This prayer of Jesus models a profound faith and dependency upon the Father. We acknowledge our need for God’s daily bread whenever we sit down and pray a blessing before a meal. Prayer is not just about spiritual needs. It includes the believer’s entire life, including their physical needs. Pausing to give thanks promotes a spirit of gratitude in the believer’s heart.
On The Return of the 72 Disciples
Before sending them out, Jesus gave the 72 disciples instructions on how to carry out their ministry (Luke 10:1-12).
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