Learning from Jesus to Pray

Most of us struggle with prayer. We’ll talk more about that struggle in weeks to come, but today’s article focuses on the prayer life of Jesus. The Gospel of Luke is filled with pictures of Jesus’ praying or teaching on prayer, and one way to strengthen our prayer life is to strive to pray like He did.*  

In fact, here’s my challenge to you today: choose at least two of these ways to pray, and grow in your own prayer life this week: 

1. Pray as you commit yourself to God’s work:

   “when Jesus also was baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened” (Luke 3:21). We often forget that Jesus prayed at His baptism, but He launched His work with prayer.  

2. Start the day with prayer:

   “And when it was day, he departed and went to a desolate place” (4:42). Mark 1:35 tells us that Jesus went to this place to pray. He found a time and place very early in the morning to be with the Father.  

3. Push away from the crowds to pray:

   “Great crowds gathered to hear him . . . but he would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (5:15-16). This text always challenges me because Jesus pushed away from the busyness to pray. I fear I would deal with the busyness first and pray second—and that’s backwards.  

4. Pray for people to invest in, just as Jesus did before calling His disciples:

   “he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God” (6:12). When we pray about those we might disciple, we seek God’s choice—not ours. His choice is always right.  

5. Pray thanksgiving for food:

   “And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them” (9:16). Here’s the prayer we most often get right: praying when there’s food in front of us! We’re even almost afraid to take a bite before someone prays . . .  

6. Spend time praying alone:

   “Now it happened that as he was praying alone. . . ” (9:18). All of us need to build times into our lives when we just get alone with God and pray. Because it doesn’t just happen, however, we need an intentional strategy to prioritize that commitment. 

7. Take others to pray with you on a prayer retreat:

   “he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray” (9:28). Only Luke’s Gospel tells us that Jesus took the disciples to the mountain to pray. If you’re a leader in your church, invite other members to join you for prayer.  

8. Just rejoice in prayer:

   “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father” (10:21). It would do most of us some good just to erupt in prayer and praise when God works in mighty ways around us. Too seldom do we voice prayers of praise and thanksgiving!  

9. Pray, and then teach others how to pray:

   “Now Jesus was praying in a certain place . . . And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say . . .’” (11:1-2). Better yet, make prayer such a part of your life that others will want to learn from you how to pray. Be a model prayer warrior. 

10. Pray for others under spiritual attack:

    “Simon, Simon, Satan demanded to have you . . . but I have prayed for you” (22:31-32). Jesus interceded for Peter when He knew the enemy was coming after him. We, too, have the privilege and responsibility to pray for others under attack.  

11. Cry out to God in your anguish:

    “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me” (22:42). God’s shoulders are big enough to handle any burden we bring to Him. It makes little sense, in fact, that we would not bare our hearts before God who already knows us perfectly.  

12. Pray for God’s will to be done:

    “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (22:42). No matter what you might be facing, trust God’s will to be perfect. Prayerfully give Him a blank check, and trust Him to fill in the blanks for you—even if His will is anguishing.  

13. Pray for your enemies:

    “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (23:34). This one’s a hard prayer to pray, but Jesus had already told His followers to do the same: “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28). Something just happens within us when we seek God on behalf of those who wound us.  

14. Pray when you face death:

    “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (23:46). Some of the sweetest moments I’ve ever had in ministry were times when I sat with strong believers praying as they died. Their prayer at death was simply a continuation of their prayer during life.  

15. Pray blessings over Jesus’ followers:

    “Then he led them as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them” (24:50). Surely Jesus prayed for them as He blessed His disciples. If you want to encourage leaders in your church, make time to bless them through prayer.  

So, what do you learn from Jesus’ praying in the Gospel of Luke? Where will you begin to strengthen your prayer life?  

And, if you want to do another Bible study that focuses on prayer, take a similar look at prayer in the book of Acts—Luke’s second volume in the New Testament. There, you’ll see that the early believers followed Jesus in making prayer central to their lives. It’s no wonder others said the early church turned the world upside down! (Acts 17:6).   

--------- 

* See Chuck Lawless, The Potential and Power of Prayer: How to Unleash the Praying Church (Church Answers Resources) (p. 48). Kindle Edition.