Jesus Praying?
The Prayer Life of Jesus: Learning from the Master
Few aspects of Jesus’ earthly ministry are as compelling and instructive as His prayer life. The Gospels depict Jesus as a man of prayer—one who constantly sought communion with His Father. For believers today, studying Jesus’ prayer habits not only reveals His heart and priorities but also provides a powerful model for our own prayers.
Jesus Prayed Regularly and Intentionally
Jesus’ pattern was to pray often, sometimes withdrawing from the crowds to spend extended time alone with God. Even amid a busy ministry schedule, He made prayer a priority:
And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. - Mark 1:35 ASV
This intentional solitude demonstrates the importance Jesus placed on uninterrupted fellowship with the Father. He prayed before making major decisions (such as choosing the twelve apostles: Luke 6:12 ASV), before performing miracles (John 11:41 ASV), and during moments of deep anguish (Luke 22:41 ASV).
The Content of Jesus’ Prayers
Jesus’ prayers reveal His dependence on the Father, His submission to God’s will, and His love for others. Consider His prayer before raising Lazarus:
And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the multitude that standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me. - John 11:41-42 ASV
In Gethsemane, Jesus’ prayer was marked by honesty and submission:
saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. - Luke 22:42 ASV
Jesus prayed for others, including His disciples and all future believers:
Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. - John 17:20-21 ASV
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer
Jesus not only modeled prayer but also taught His disciples how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer, sometimes called the “Model Prayer,” encapsulates His teaching:
After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. - Matthew 6:9-13 ASV
This prayer teaches us to begin with worship, seek God’s will, depend on Him for daily needs, pursue forgiveness, and seek protection from evil.
The Significance of Jesus’ Prayers
Jesus’ prayers are unique in that He is both fully God and fully man. As the Son, He maintained perfect fellowship with the Father, yet as a man, He experienced human weakness and need. His dependence on prayer demonstrates His humility (Philippians 2:6-8 ASV) and provides an example for believers to follow.
Jesus’ ongoing ministry of intercession is also emphasized in Scripture:
Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. - Hebrews 7:25 ASV
Application: Following Jesus’ Example
- Prioritize prayer—Make time for regular, private prayer with God.
- Pray with dependence—Acknowledge your need for God in every situation.
- Submit to God’s will—Seek His will above your own desires.
- Intercede for others—Pray for the needs of others, just as Jesus did.
As we study Jesus’ prayer life, we are invited to deeper communion with the Father, confident in Christ’s ongoing intercession and the promise that our prayers are heard.