Lessons from the Gospels – Teach Us to Pray

When you think about Jesus’ teachings about prayer, does your mind immediately go to the “time His disciples ask for instruction on prayer and He provided what we call the “model prayer”?

Luke 11:1-4 [NKJV] 1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, [that] one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." 2 So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as [it is] in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."

This seems to be the starting point for prayer, though, rather than the total of Jesus’ instructions on prayer. This is a basic outline that includes praising God, praying for His Kingdom and His will, and asking for our physical and spiritual needs.

But Jesus had so much more to teach His disciples and us about prayer.

1.     Go to God with your need, at the time of your need, and be persistent:

Luke 11:5-10 [NKJV] 5 And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 'for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 "and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'? 8 "I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. 9 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

2.     It is God’s desire to give you the good things you ask for:

Luke 11:11-13 [NKJV] 11 "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if [he asks] for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 "Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

3.     Prayer is meant to be about relationship, not self-importance:

Matthew 6:6 [NKJV] 6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who [is] in the secret [place]; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

I don’t believe Jesus was saying you can never pray in public. He certainly did – for example: when He prayed over the little children. [Matthew 19:13-15]  

I believe that the issue He points out is that we should be more focused on who we are praying to, than on who we are praying with. Prayer that is meant to boost self is not effective prayer.

Jesus sent an example of praying in public and in private – going into a private place or space to be alone with our Father. Mark 6:46 [NKJV] And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. See also Mark 14:32-39.

Luke 22:40 [NKJV] 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

4.     Be humble and show some respect:

Luke 18:10-14 [NKJV] 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise [his] eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Perhaps the most telling part of this parable is the phrase “prayed thus with himself”. God knows who we are – both our good and our evil. He also knows Who He is by comparison. We should not forget that we are sinful mortals, and He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise, Eternal Father.

He is a merciful Father, who desires to give us good things. He is not like a boss here on earth whom you must try to impress with all your hard work.

5.     Prayer changes things. Most importantly, it changes us.

Matthew 9:38 [NKJV] 38 "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

Matthew 24:20 [NKJV] 20 "And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

Luke 21:36 [NKJV] 36 "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Luke 22:40 [NKJV] 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation."

When the disciples said, “teach us to pray”, Jesus provided a lesson on prayer. However, there were many other times throughout His earthly ministry where He both modeled and taught them – and us – the way to have effective, impactful prayer.

I welcome your comments and questions. Did I miss any scriptures where Jesus taught us to pray? Let me know in the comments section or write me any time at Nancy@DyanmicChristianMinistries.org.