How to Pray Like Jesus

  Lord teach us to pray Perhaps one of the best requests ever made to Jesus was the one his disciple made in Matthew chapter 6. This is where they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Of all the things they could have asked for, they wanted to know how to better communicate with God.  

 First things first 

The first thing the Lord taught them about prayer was what not to do. “Use not vain repetitions as the heathens do: for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking.” Mathew 6:7 So, the first thing to note in prayer is that it is not about the amount of time you spend. It is about sharing what is on your heart with your Heavenly Father.  

 Enter with Praise

Once He cautions His disciples against praying to accumulate heavenly merit, Jesus begins his prayer by praising God. “Our father who is in Heaven…” The most important thing to do when starting prayer is to remind ourselves who we’re talking to. After being surrounded by ungodly people and hearing news reports of all the terrible things going on in the world, it’s often necessary to put God back on the highest throne in our hearts.  

As Israel journeyed toward the promised land, they carried a portable church with them. The portable church was called The Tabernacle. Everything about the tabernacle was built to precise specifications ordained by God. Not only was the Tabernacle built in a specific way but Israel was also instructed on how to conduct themselves in and around it as well. For instance, each tribe had assigned seating. Three tribes encamped on each side (North, South, East, West) and in their designated area. The tribe that camped nearest the door of the Tabernacle was Judea (derived from the Hebrew word Yehuda which means praise). In something that was orchestrated with such detail as The Tabernacle Plan, I think it is no coincidence that the tribe whose name means praise was the one you had to pass through to enter God’s house. 

 Beginning prayer by reminding yourself how great God is will help set your spirit for the remainder of the conversation. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise”  Psalms 100:4

Repentance 

If you do the first step right, repentance will come naturally. Every time I enter the presence of God, I automatically want to repent. I love and honor Him so much that I don’t want anything to separate me from Him. You can see examples of this same behavior throughout scripture. Many times, when someone was visited by God, they would fall on their face before Him. Ezekiel 1:28, Isaiah 6:1-7, Revelations 1:17  

Petition

Once you have entered His presence and made your heart right through repentance, you are ready to ask for help. I like using the word petition here because a petition is a formal request. Instead of begging God for help, it’s more biblical to see yourself as an employee of the Kingdom of God. Part of your job is to present issues to the CEO when there are things that only He can resolve. This way of thinking will also help you to stay on mission with your prayers. We are promised to receive what we ask for when we abide in Him.   John 15:7 Further, James teaches that we don’t receive what we ask for when we pray waywardly. James 4:3

Before I ask for anything that I need, I like to ask for the needs of others. This is called intercession. During intercessory prayer, I will pray for everything I can think of to pray for that individual, then If I feel moved to, I will allow the Holy Spirit to pray through me for things that I don’t know about. Romans 8:26-27   

Exit with Praise 

It’s worth noting that there was only one door in The Tabernacle Plan. That means they had to leave the house of God the same way they came in, through praise. Likewise, we should exit the presence of God with praise. Notice Jesus ended the model prayer with praise to God. “For yours is the kingdom and the power and glory forever.” Mathew 6:13  Exiting the presence of God with praise is like saying, “You are so much greater than all of these burdens that I have just brought before you.” This model of praying has allowed me to pray for many heavy issues without feeling overwhelmed. As the scripture says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13           

 Written by - Mike Verdin