Drawing NearIhe Atụ

TEACH ME TO PRAY

Jesus was fully God and fully man when He walked this earth. As God, He knew how to limit Himself as a man. As a human being, Jesus needed fellowship with God the Father and depended on God the Holy Spirit.

As a man, Jesus often withdrew from the crowd, His disciples, and the cares of this life to pray. The following scriptures show this to be true: Matt 14:23, 26:36, Mark 1:35, 6:46, 14:39, Luke 5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 11:1.

Jesus, having close fellowship with the Father and anointed by the Holy Spirit, lived a life that was defined by eternal love and supernatural power. He taught with authority, made wise decisions, cast out demons, healed all the sick who came to Him, showed an inward peace during challenging circumstances, restored broken lives, and had knowledge and insight into people’s hearts and situations.

Jesus’ disciples saw the correlation between the impact Jesus made and the priority He spent praying. Making that observation, a disciple asked, “Lord, teach us to pray…” (Luke 11:1). Jesus graciously taught His disciples to pray.

In Luke 11:2-4, Jesus gives a guide when we pray that involves focusing on God, worshiping Him before all else, and praying that God will reign and rule in each situation we are praying for. Whatever sin has cursed the earth with, God would transform those situations to look like His kingdom which is in heaven. We pray that God will continue to meet our daily needs, including to forgive us and cleanse us from sin.

Our prayer to God often involves His strength to help us forgive others who have wronged or hurt us. We also pray that we will not be defeated in temptation, but to live fully for God and that He would make a way of escape from the devil’s attacks, living in victory rather than defeat.

Ask the Lord to teach you to pray and to become one who majors in prayer. Just as Jesus was a man of prayer and impact, ask God to help you become a warrior in prayer and have an impact in the lives of others around you!

PRAYER

“Lord, I realize that as fully God and fully man, prayer was not a second thought to you; it was necessary for your life and something you longed for. I want continual acknowledgment of your presence, close fellowship, and dependence on the Holy Spirit as I spend time with you throughout today.

Teach me to pray and help me to be your child who seeks you and receives all you desire to give me as I spend time with you.

As you transform my life in prayer, may I be a person that impacts others around me with you. May I influence others and this world through your unconditional love and great power.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.”