THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:16
The prayer life of Jesus is written in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John. Jesus was always in prayer to His Father. Jesus prayed (talked) to His Father in public. Jesus prayed to His Father when He was all alone.
Jesus prayed over meals. Jesus prayed before He healed and performed miracles. Jesus prayed after healings. Jesus prayed before raising Lazarus from the dead. Jesus prayed about His death. Even on the Cross, Jesus prayed.
JESUS PRAYED AS TO WHO WOULD BE HIS TWELVE DISCIPLES
Before Jesus chose His disciples, whom He would later appoint to be His Apostles to spread the good news of God's kingdom; He prayed to His Father as to whom the Father wanted to be His disciples. God gave Jesus the names of twelve disciples that God Himself wanted to be with His Son to minister the good news.
As it is written:
Luke 6:12-16
12 And it came to pass in those days, that He went out unto a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.
13 And when it was day, He called to Him His disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles;
14 Simon, (whom He also named Peter), and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelotes,
16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
Before Jesus was to return back to His Father, He talked to His Father about the twelve disciples whom God had chosen to be with Him for three and a half years.
As it is written:
John 17:12
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name, those that you gave Me I have kept, and none of them are lost, but the son of destruction; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
THE PRAYERS OF JESUS IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
The Prayer Over the Five Loaves and Two Fish
As it is written:
Matthew 14:15-21
15 As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, this is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.
16 Jesus replied, they do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.
17 We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish, they answered.
18 Bring them here to Me, He said.
19 And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces that were left over.
21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
The Prayer over the Seven Loaves and a Few Fish
As it is written:
Matthew 15:29-38
29 Jesus left there [Tyre and Sidon] and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down.
30 Great crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and He healed them.
31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.
32 Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, I have compassion for these people; they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.
33 His disciples answered, where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?
34 How many loaves do you have? Jesus asked. Seven, they replied, and a few small fish.
35 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground.
36 Then He took the seven loaves and the fish, and when He had given thanks, He broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people.
37 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven baskets full of broken pieces that were left over.
38 The number of those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane
As it is written:
Matthew 26:39-44
39 And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.
40 He came to the disciples, and found them asleep, and said to Peter, what, could you not watch with me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, your will be done.
43 And He came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Jesus Prayed to His Father While on the Cross
As it is written:
Matthew 27:46
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, la-ma-sa-bach-tha-ni, that is to say, my God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?
As it is written:
Luke 23:46
46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, Father, into your hands I commit My spirit. When He had said this, He breathed His last.
THE PRAYERS OF JESUS IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
● Jesus Prayed at His Baptism
● Jesus Prayed Alone
● Jesus Prayed Before Choosing His Disciples
● Jesus Prayed at the Transfiguration
● Jesus Prayed After the 70 Disciples Report
● Jesus Prayed Before Teaching His Disciples the Lord's Prayer
● Jesus Prayed for Peter's Faith
● Jesus Prayed While on the Cross
● Jesus Prayed to His Father
● Jesus Prayed a Blessing Over the Bread
● Jesus Blessed His Disciples Before His Ascension
Jesus Prayed at His Baptism
As it is written:
Luke 3:21-22
21 Now when all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.
Jesus Often Prayed in Private Places
As it is written:
Luke 5:16
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
As it is written:
Luke 9:18-20
18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He asked them, who do the crowds say that I am?
19 They replied, some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.
20 But what about you? He asked. Who do you say that I am? Peter answered, God's Messiah.
Jesus Prayed All Night Before Choosing His Twelve Disciples
As it is written:
Luke 6:12-16
12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God.
13 When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles:
14 Simon (whom He named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Jesus Prayed at the Transfiguration
As it is written:
Luke 9:28-29
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, He took Peter, John, and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightening.
Jesus Prayed After the 70 Disciples Report of Demons Obeying Them
As it is written:
Luke 10:19-21
19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.
Jesus Prayed Before Teaching His Disciples the Lord's Prayer
As it is written:
Luke11:1-4
1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.
2 He said to them, when you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Your will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
3 Give us day by day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins: for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation: but deliver us from evil.
Jesus Prayed for Peter's Faith
As it is written:
Luke 22:31-32
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.
Jesus Prayed While on The Cross
As it is written:
Luke 23:34
34 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals: one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.
Jesus Prayed to His Father About His Spirit
As it is written:
Luke 23:46
46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. When He had said this, He breathed his last.
Jesus Prayed a Blessing Over the Bread After His Resurrection
Luke 24:30-31
30 And it came to pass as He sat at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight.
Jesus Blessed His Disciples Before His Ascension
As it is written:
Luke 24:50-53
50 When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted His hands and blessed them.
51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven.
52 Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
THE PRAYERS OF JESUS IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
● Jesus Prayed Before Calling Lazarus and Raising Him from the Dead
● Jesus Prayer to His Father on His Own Behalf
● Jesus Prayed for His Disciples
● Jesus Prayed for All Believers
Jesus Prayed Before Calling Lazarus and Raising Him from the Dead
As it is written:
John 11:38-45
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39 Take away the stone, He said. But Lord, said Martha, the sister of the dead man, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.
40 Then Jesus said, Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.
43 When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out.
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, take off the grave clothes and let him go.
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
The Prayer of Jesus to His Father on His Own Behalf
As it is written:
John 17:1-5
1 After Jesus said this, He looked toward heaven and prayed: Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.
2 For you granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those you have given Him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave Me to do.
5 And now, Father, glorify Me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
The Prayer of Jesus to His Father for His Disciples
As it is written:
John 17:6-19
6 I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to Me, and they have obeyed your word.
7 Now they know that everything you have given Me comes from you.
8 For I gave them the words you gave Me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that you sent Me.
9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given Me, for they are yours.
10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to Me through them.
11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.
12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.
14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.
15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
18 As you sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
The Prayer of Jesus to His Father for All Believers
As it is written:
John 17:20-26
20 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message,
21 That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent Me.
22 I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as we are one.
23 I in them and You in Me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.
24 Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because you loved Me before the creation of the world.
25 Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that You have sent Me.
26 I have made You known to them and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18