Jesus and Prayer
Jesus mentions prayer many times in the bible and how to pray in many different situations.
He spoke about
1. Praying in Public vs. Praying in Secret.
Jesus Said: Don’t Pray Just So People Can See You Praying.
Matthew 6:5-6, ESV And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Quite simply, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others.
1 Timothy 2:1-4, ESV First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Philippians 2:4, Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
3. Praying in Faith.
Matthew 21:21-22, ESV Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer ‘ The Lord´s Prayer
Luke 11:1-4, NIV One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”
Repetitive Prayer?
5. Jesus Said: Repetitive Prayers Are Not Better Prayers.
Matthew 6:7-8, ESV And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
6. Jesus Said: Pray For Those Who Persecute You.
Matthew 5:44–45, ESV
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.
7. Jesus Said: Ask, Seek and Knock. God Gives Good Gifts To Those Who Ask Him.
Don´t be afraid to ask God for things that you need yourself. Just as you would ask a parent for things you need.
In the verse below it says ask and it will be given to you. The literal interpretation is ask and keep on asking. If you do not receive what you ask for at first then ask again. But beware God does not always answer your prayer in the way you think he should.
Matthew 7:7-11, ESV Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Jesus Said: Ask, And You Will Receive, That Your Joy May Be Full.
John 16:23-27, ESV In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.
8. God Sees The Heart.
Matthew 15:8-9, NIV These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.
9. There Is Power In Prayer.
Matthew 18:19-20, ESV Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
10. Praying with Confidence, and Forgiving Others.
Mark 11:23-26, ESV Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
11. Pretending With Long Prayers.
Mark 12:38-40, ESV Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.
12. Praying Should Be Accompanied With Obedience.
Obedience Is The Proof Of Our Faith In God.
Luke 6:46, ESV Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
13. Pray Specific Prayers
Luke 10:2, ESV The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest
14. Persistent Prayer ‘Don’t Lose Heart'.
Luke 11:5-8, NIV Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.
The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Luke 18:1-8, ESV And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
15. Pray For The Holy Spirit.
Luke 11:9-13, ESV And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
16. Stay Humble.
Luke 18:10-14, ESV Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
17. Pray For Strength.
Luke 21:36, ESV But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.
18. Pray Against Temptation.
Luke 22:40, ESV And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.
19. Pray Sincerely.
John 4:23–24, ESV But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
20. Pray Expectant Prayers.
John 14:12–14, ESV Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
21. Abide In Jesus.
John 15:7, ESV If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John 15:16, ESV You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.