Prayer Revolution: A 14-Day DevotionalSýnishorn

Jesus' Practice of Prayer Provides the Perfect Example 

As displayed by the book of Luke, Jesus’ life of prayer is outlined in fullness and detail in order to furnish a clear pattern for how we, like Christ, are to navigate life by prayer, enjoy our union with God through prayer, and call down the Lord's kingdom of grace and power using prayer.

I can still recall the first time I earnestly studied the many passages about Jesus’ prayer life from the Gospel of Luke. It was a number of years after I had done a major study in the book of Acts about the priority of prayer. I had not yet connected the prayer life of the early church to the prayer life of Jesus. 

Luke wrote both the Gospel by his name as well as the book of Acts, so it is not surprising that Luke stresses the theme of prayer in both. Over several weeks, I studied the prayer life of Jesus. I discovered that prayer was a principal priority of the apostolic church simply because prayer was a priority of Christ himself. The deeper I went in Luke’s Gospel, I discovered it was not only Jesus’ teaching about prayer but His very praying life that could impart a spirit of prayer.

The outcome for me was inescapable. Jesus lived a life of prayer and Jesus said, “Follow me!” If I was going to follow Him and become like Him, I needed to live a life of prayer as He did. I knew this would be revolutionary and would disrupt my way of life, but I knew it would be infinitely worth it.

Immersing myself in the prayer practices of Jesus, my prayer life changed. Praying like Jesus became a discipline and a habit.

The King Comes in Prayer

Prayer is more caught than taught. Like Jesus praying all night before choosing His disciples and other major decisions, I take seasons and days of prayer. Our team does not make plans, we make prayer plans—meeting regularly for interactive times of prayer and planning. We have learned to face the ever-present onslaught of electronic noise and busyness by waiting on God. 

Jesus is the supreme teacher of prayer, and He invites us into His school of prayer. He demonstrates to us what a praying life looks like. He provides a model for prayer with very specific prayer practices, and we can overlay His prayer life on ours to cultivate richer prayer lives.

I invite you to learn what a praying life is about by studying the prayer life of Jesus. One at a time these texts from Luke’s gospel have weight, yet read together, they will carry you to new heights of joy and adventure in prayer.

From the Start, Jesus Lived a Life of Prayer

Jesus’ baptism inaugurated His ministry. The Spirit fell upon Him while He was praying: When all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:21–22).

Similarly, the entire Christian life begins with prayer. Prayer is the first breath of a new believer. If that first breath does not happen, life cannot begin. Once the first breath happens, the rest of life is simply a matter of continuing to breathe.

Before Jesus began His public ministry, He prayed, fasted, and fought the devil for forty days: “Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1–2).

Those who are weak in faith meet adversity with anxiety. Jesus’ followers face the enemy with prayer and with power.

As you read, pray. Allow the Word to do the speaking. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you what you need to learn from Jesus’ life of prayer. His practice of prayer is presented in detail. As you follow His example step by step, you will learn to emulate Him in prayer. You too will be convicted to withdraw from a crowded life and find more time alone with God. 

Like Jesus, take an extended time to pray before you make plans. Jesus talked with God all the time and will teach you the art of conversational prayer. The great reward for following this example is that your prayers will move from one-way words to a distant God to confiding in your Father.