What Jesus Teaches about Prayer?
The priorities in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples.
7/21/20264 min read
What Jesus Teaches about Prayer?
Objective - Explains the priorities in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples.
Secret and Simple Praying:
The disciples said to Jesus, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). We can learn best how to pray from the One who prays best. Therefore, let us allow Jesus to be our teacher.
Jesus told His disciples not to pray like the Pharisees (Matthew 6:5). They prayed in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets. Is it wrong to pray in public? Of course not! Jesus did not rebuke the Pharisees for praying in public. He rebuked them for praying just to be seen of men.
“Praying in public is not wrong. Jesus prayed in public. It is praying to be seen of men that is wrong.”
Praying to Whom?
There are those who can lead a group of people into the very presence of God. They are able to direct the people’s minds toward the Lord. How we need this kind of prayer leaders! Ministers, especially, should develop this gift.
How can we learn to lead in public prayers without thinking about ourselves or the other people? This is not learned by “practicing” in public.
It is learned by praying in private. It is also learned when we are alone with God, and His Spirit teaches us to put everything out of our minds except the Lord. Then, when we stand in public, it will be as though we are still in private.
Even though we know the people are listening, our thoughts are only on what we are saying to Jesus. We are alone with God in the midst of people.
Praying in public:
Spirit-filled people often pray together. This is a way by which each believer can shut himself in with God even while he is in a group of people. When people pray together, it is a beautiful experience. Many times, when praying together, the Spirit of God will be felt by the people, and there will be praising and speaking in tongues. By tongues we mean worship in the Spirit in a language given by God which no one understands unless it is interpreted. This is a spiritual gift that you can read about in 1 Corinthians 14. It is a gift for the believer who has faith to receive it and it is a great help in worshiping. When this happens, everyone is blessed and God is glorified.
Praying in private:
Jesus said for us to go into our room and close the door. He said that our Father who sees what we do in private will reward us openly (ref. Matthew 6:6).
Jesus was referring to a state of mind more than to a room with a door when He said these words. What is important is that we get alone with God. You can be alone with God wherever you are. Some people pray best when they are walking in the forest. Some prefer a room away from other people. Some are able to be “alone” even when there are others about them. The important thing is to be alone with God.
We should remember that prayer is talking with God. When you are visiting with someone, it is important that each one has a chance to talk. Some of our praying is not at all like talking together. It sounds like we are preaching to God! Such praying is very poor praying. Who likes to visit with a person who does all the talking? We like to get away from such people as quickly as possible. We don’t enjoy talking to them. It must be that the Lord often wishes that He could say something to us, but we do not give Him a chance to speak! It is much more important for us to listen to God than for God to listen to us. What can we tell Him that He does not already know? But, oh, there is so much for us to learn… if we would only listen!
If we will read a verse and then ask God to show us what it means, God will bring the meaning to our minds.
That is God talking to us. The Holy Spirit will be our teacher—leading us into all truth. When the Spirit makes a truth real to us, then is the time for us to worship God and thank Him for the truth He has taught us.
We can then continue to read until God speaks once more from His Word. What a wonderful way to pray!
Best way to hear what God wants to say to us when we pray
Remember what Jesus said about “meaningless words” (Matthew 6:7). God is not deaf. He is not indifferent and does not have to be persuaded. Since He is a God of love, we only have to mention our petitions and trust Him to answer. Sometimes we show our lack of faith by asking over and over again as though God hadn’t heard us the first time we asked. Other times we act as if we believe He has to be persuaded. God is a God of love. He is not hard-hearted or selfish. He wants to help us!
Praying Always
We are told to “pray always for all God’s people” (Ref. Ephesians 6:18). In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we read, “Pray at all times.” How can a person pray at all times? How can he pray always?
It is plain to see that prayer is more than kneeling down. It is more than time spent in meditation, in acts of worship, and in petitions. Prayer is to be “always.” It is to be “at all times.” It must then, of necessity, be an attitude or way of life.