Jesus practiced the discipline of prayer. As he walked this earth he spent a great
amount of time praying. Often he was off
by himself in the early morning hours or late at night.
Mark 1:35 “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up
and went out to an isolated place to pray.”
Matthew 14:23 “After sending them home, he went up into the
hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.”
He prayed for Children
Matthew 19:13-15 "One day some parents brought their
children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the
disciples scolded the parents for bothering him. But Jesus said, 'Let the
children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to
those who are like these children.' And he placed his hands on their heads and
blessed them before he left."
He prayed for Peter –
before he denied Christ
Luke 22:32 “But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon,
that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me
again, strengthen your brothers.”
He prayed for
Himself/Surrender
Luke 22:41-44 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and
knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of
suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an
angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and
he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great
drops of blood.
He prayed for His
Persecutors
Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t
know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing
dice.
He prayed for His
Followers (You and Me)
John 17:9-12, 15-24 “My prayer is not for the world, but for
those you have given me, because they belong to you. All who are mine belong to
you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. Now I am departing
from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy
Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name
so that they will be united just as we are. During my time here, I protected
them by the power of the name you gave me. I guarded them so that not one was
lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold. I’m
not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the
evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy
by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. Just as you sent me into
the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy
sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth. I am praying not
only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through
their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as
you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world
will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may
be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such
perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them
as much as you love me. Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with
me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me because you loved me
even before the world began!"
Hebrews tells us that he is still praying today for you and me
today. Hebrews 7:25 "Therefore he
is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on (our) their behalf." I don’t know about you, but I find it
comforting to know that the one who knows me better than anyone else ever
has/will is daily lifting me up to the Father.
Amazing facts about Christ’s prayers for us:
1.
He always prays in the Father’s will because he
is God!!! (1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV) “And without controversy great is the mystery
of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into
glory.”)
2.
He always has the Father’s ear. (John 11:41-42 So they rolled the stone
aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing
me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people
standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.”)
3.
He always prays for our protection/preservation.
(John 17:15 “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them
safe from the evil one.”)
4.
He knows what we need even before we ask or even
realize we need it! (Matthew 6:8 8 “Don’t be like them, for your Father knows
exactly what you need even before you ask him!”)
5.
He loves us and only wants the very best for our
lives. (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.
“They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”)
6.
He sees the future and knows what’s ahead. (Jeremiah
29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for
good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”)
Let
us rest in the knowledge that our Wonderful Savior is interceding for us
daily. He’s got our back!!
All Scripture is NLT unless otherwise stated.
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