If you’ve ever felt like your prayer life could use a reset (raises hand), I’m happy to say that the Bible is here to help us.
I’d like to start by looking at examples of Jesus praying in Scripture. Doing so will give us a solid foundation to pray better and tune our hearts back towards God. As we explore these verses, we’ll unpack some key features of each prayer and how to apply them during our personal time with the Lord.
How many times did Jesus pray in the Bible?
In the New Testament, we have 34 accounts of Jesus praying—which is worth noting since He’s also the author of Creation. If there ever was somebody who didn’t need to pray, it probably would’ve been Him.
It’s remarkable that despite His power, perfection, and authority, Jesus made time for prayer. As the Son took on flesh, He prioritized and cherished His communion with God the Father. He sometimes took extra effort to seclude Himself far away, allowing uninterrupted solitude. If prayer was that important to Him, shouldn’t it also be for us?
Prayers of Jesus in the Bible
Christ’s prayers in the Bible are a masterclass in humility and selfless love. The more we understand them, the more we can pray like Jesus. Each one we’ll explore has distinct characteristics that can reshape our own practices and instincts. So, what did Jesus say about prayer?
The Lord’s Prayer
In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses how believers are to properly pray. He does so by giving them an example to follow.
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” —Matthew 6:9-13 (ESV)
The simplicity, beauty, and effectiveness of this prayer can’t be overstated. It’s a flexible and lean template that’s only 52 words long but packed with meaning. Let’s take a deeper look at its content.
We start off by addressing God the Father with reverence and honor. Before making any personal requests, we elevate His will and mission above our own. After that, we express total dependence on Him for everyday needs. We then ask forgiveness for our sins, assuming we’ve also forgiven others as well. Finally, we end with praying for God’s protection against spiritual danger.
Praying this way can shape our thoughts about God (and ourselves) to be more Christ-like. If you’re struggling with the right words to say during prayer, this is the perfect place to start. You can recite it verbatim or use it as a framework for new requests that come with each day. But while the Lord’s prayer is really meant for us, how did Jesus pray himself?
The High Priestly Prayer
I don’t have space to post the entirety of John 17 here, but I think these two verses aptly summarize how Jesus prays for us.
“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” —John 17:20-21 (ESV)
As His earthly ministry came to a close, Jesus lifted up His current and future followers for the trials ahead. He prayed for unity and faithfulness among them, and that their testimony would shine out to the world. We should note that Jesus’ foremost concern was (and still is) our faithfulness as a body above everything else.
It’s easy for us to be too focused on praying for material needs that we neglect praying for the spiritual growth of our congregation and leaders. If we aren’t united as one, the testimony of our church will fail to show the love of God to outsiders. Focusing on faithfulness together will keep our paths straight as we keep bringing our requests to Him.
Prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane
The night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed to the Father, asking that He might be spared the physical and spiritual torment waiting for Him at the cross.
“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” —Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
It’s hard to miss the humility and obedience on display here. Jesus knew what was coming, and rather than demand His way out of it, He asked that the Father’s will be done instead of His. Just think, had He not endured the agony of the cross, none of us would know the joy of being forgiven!
If you’ve ever gone through a serious trial, you’ve probably also asked God to change your situation. It certainly isn’t wrong to ask that, but we often forget to prioritize God’s will over our preferences. If we have health issues, marriage troubles, or financial setbacks, we can still pray that God will help us glorify Him in anything we face.
This goes for small things, too. When the Lord appoints a flat tire for my morning commute, I can be so preoccupied with fixing it that I don’t stop to think how He could be using it to grow me in faith and patience. The more we pray for the Father’s will to be done, the more we can face any roadblock knowing that God is working it out for our ultimate good.
How CHM can strengthen your prayer life
When you join CHM, you’ll get an affordable alternative to health insurance with spiritual support. The Prayer Wall available through Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM) allows you to lift up the needs of fellow members and submit your own requests. By logging in to your Member Portal and accessing the Prayer Wall, you’ll find an online community of spiritual support for life’s hardest moments.
Plus, each Member Contribution Form (monthly billing statement) features the Prayers Unceasing section. This spotlights members in need of prayerful, encouraging letters through mail or email. As you seek to grow in prayer, consider using these two resources to pray for the physical and spiritual needs of CHM’s members.
If you’re not a member yet, you can join and start building your biblical community while saving on healthcare costs. Learn more by using the link below to download your free Info Pack!
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