PRAYING LIKE HIM
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples (Luke 11:1).
The Lord Jesus was so different from the religious leaders of His day and from what the people around Him were used to. Everything about Him was transcendent and awe-inspiring, including His prayer life and prayer language. His disciples, having watched Him for a while, came to Him one day and said, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Now, why did they ask this?
Remember, they were Jews, and the Jews knew how to pray. The Jews prayed all the time; their entire life was centred around the temple and revolved around prayer. So, for a Jew to say “Teach us to pray,” means something significant. They already prayed religiously because their religion demanded it. They prayed several times a day as a routine. But they noticed something different about Jesus; they saw that His prayers were effective. They saw results. His words had power. Something happened when Jesus spoke.
When Jesus prayed, it wasn’t religious; it seemed like He was actually talking to someone who was listening. They never saw the religious leaders pray like that. And even more astonishing, it seemed as though whoever Jesus was talking to responded, as His life reflected answers to those prayers. This was what amazed the disciples, so they said, “Master, teach us to pray.” Jesus taught them to pray, and they learned to pray like Him.
As you study the Gospels, the Book of Acts, and the Epistles, you discover that they indeed learned to pray like Jesus. Through their writings, they taught us to pray as Jesus taught them, and now, we also pray like Jesus and have results like Jesus. When you get to know prayer like this, you’ll love to pray. You’ll realize that you can actually effect changes and make things happen through prayer. Prayer becomes a powerful tool to bring God’s will to pass in your life, in the lives of others and in the nations of the world.
CONFESSION
My prayers are powerful and effective, imbued with the authority to cause changes in my life, my family and my world. Every word I speak in prayer carries power and produces results. Thank you, Lord, for making me an agent of change, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Mark 11:24, John 14:13-14, 1 John 5:14-15
1-Year Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 19:1-15 & Exodus 13-14
2-Year Bible Reading Plan : Matthew 10:12-22 & Genesis 27
