There are several accounts in the Bible where Jesus prayed. God’s Word teaches us that Jesus is fully God and fully man, so when we discover prayers of Jesus in the Bible, we discover what is in the heart of God. When our prayers line up with the heart of God, we can be certain that He will answer. Let’s look at a few of the prayers of Jesus together.
John 14:16-17
“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth..”
When Jesus was about to be crucified and leave this world to be with the Father, He comforted the disciples with the promise that the Helper would come, the Holy Spirit of God who would indwell all believers in Jesus. If you are a Christian, it is fitting to spend time praying that the Holy Spirit who dwells in you would lead you into all truth and help you to be a witness to Jesus (John 15:26).
Matthew 26:39
“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’”
Jesus knew that He was about to suffer a terrible death on a Roman cross so that He could be the world’s sin-bearer. From a human perspective, the course set before Him was undesirable, so He asked the Father if this could be avoided but conceded to do whatever the Father determined for Him. You may find yourself in difficult, almost unbearable circumstances at times but the proper prayer in those moments is that God’s will be done. Enduring the consequences of that prayer requires another example from Scripture.
Luke 22:31-32
“And the Lord said, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail…’”
Peter was about to deny the Lord three times. He did not understand the Father’s will for Jesus, and in his confusion and dismay, could not let his heart surrender to God’s master plan. But Jesus prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail, and of course, it didn’t. We need to have our faith buffered from time to time. Prayer for faith to believe and to endure helps us to rely on the Giver of faith and not on ourselves in times of need. This brings God glory and prepares the Christian to humbly receive the help that God alone can give.
John 17:20-21
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
It is the ultimate plan of God that His children would be united in one heart and mind with the Father and the Son. This prayer of Jesus is birthed into each person who comes to Him as Savior and Lord (because of the gift of the Holy Spirit) and is being perfected throughout the lifetime of the believer (a process called sanctification). How much glory do you suppose the Lord receives when His people come together to worship, pray, and praise Him with one heart and voice? This is, by the way, the stuff of heaven—see Revelation 5:13. God wants us to pray in agreement with Him, and what He wants most is that we experience the fellowship and oneness that exists eternally within the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).
Hebrews 7:25
“Therefore, He [Jesus] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Jesus Christ is our High Priest (He is the only one who able to intercede or mediate for us on behalf of the Father—1 Timothy 2:5). His life offered on the cross is the eternal payment for sin, and His resurrection life is eternal life to all who believe Him to be the Son of God and Savior. These intercessory prayers of Jesus give assurance that the Christian will be saved completely and perfectly (to the uttermost), and no one or nothing can separate him from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). Our prayers to be made completely and perfectly into the image of Jesus will be answered.
The prayers of God are powerful and perfect; they cannot be thwarted. When we align ourselves and our prayers with His, we experience the power of God in our lives and the joy of walking in intimate fellowship with Him. I encourage you to practice praying the prayers of Jesus, an exercise of eternal consequence and heavenly rewards!
