Resurrection Sunday reminds us of Christ’s victory over sin, death, Hell and the grave. As Jesus faced His final week before the cross, there were many last-minute details, yet there was one constant in Jesus’ life that did not change — prayer. The night of His betrayal and arrest was another opportunity to spend time with His Father, seeking strength and direction. One author stated about this agonizing time of prayer by Jesus, “When He hurt, He prayed. When He really hurt, He really prayed.” Jesus modeled prayer, and no one has ever prayed with the power, effectiveness or authority He demonstrated.
Observing the prayer life of Christ teaches us many things about what prayer meant to Him and what it should mean to us. Prayer is much more than petitioning God for what you need or even interceding for the needs of others. In Prayer 101, Warren Wiersbe quotes Charles Spurgeon as saying, “Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom.” Wiersbe stated, “Asking humbles us, and it glorifies God.” Prayer has a spiritual dynamic that is a mystery and beyond our understanding that interconnects God’s providence, power and presence with His people when they pray. There is much to learn from Jesus.
Jesus sought continual communion and communication with the Father. Wiersbe also stated, “Prayer isn’t bothering God, bargaining with God, borrowing from God or burdening God.” True prayer is spending time with Him because you love Him, trust Him and want to know Him better (Phil. 3:10). You become like the ones you spend the most time with so, how much time are you spending with Him? Wiersbe continued, “The purpose of the spiritual life is not for us to become great Christians, whatever that may mean, but to glorify a great Savior by revealing Him in our character and conduct.”
Jesus prayed to discern and discover the Father’s agenda. How did He accomplish that? Through communion with Him. He always kept the communication lines between Him and the Father open. Jesus’ daily rhythms and habits included prayer. Even in Luke 3, when Jesus was baptized, the Scriptures say, “As He was praying, Heaven opened.” This intimacy and closeness kept Jesus in step with the Father’s plan. Prayer has been referred to as a wartime walkie-talkie on the battlefield, and the battle of the ages was about to occur. Prayer is God’s primary means of revealing His distinctive will for your life.
Even at Jesus’ greatest moments, His habit of seeking the Father did not lessen but increased. Prayer gives clarity to the task God has called us to by discerning His will in every situation. “But the news about Him spread even more, and large crowds would come together to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed” (Luke 5:15-16 HCSB). Jesus was able to discern the importance of boundaries and limits in ministry through His commitment to prayer. Even though His popularity was increasing greatly, He withdrew from the crowds for clarifying prayer.
Prayer is for communion with Him, clarity from Him and composure in Him. Luke 22:42-43 makes this clear, “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening him.” Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father, and when He did, immediately, strength was provided for the task. Jesus is now resolved to face the cross and drink this cup. In John 18:4 (HCSB), we see Jesus ready to face the mob led by Judas, “…knowing everything that was about to happen to Him….” Agonizing prayer is where He found strength.
Prayer not only produces sweet fellowship with the Father and discernment for your next steps, but also the discovery of the resources God provides to accomplish the task He has for you. Prayerless people have no idea what they are missing out on. God’s power and strength come through persistent, earnest, surrendering prayer, but it is even better than that. God delights in our prayers. Proverbs 15:8 states, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.” On this truth, Wiersbe stated, “For us, prayer should mean not only delighting in God but bringing delight to God.”
When Judas shows up to betray Him, Jesus is centered, anchored, laser-focused and in control with a godly calmness. In prayer, He received the Father’s plan, purpose and, most importantly, His presence. The disciples were clueless because they had fallen asleep and did not know what was going on. Once again, prayerless people do not know what they are missing out on. The disciples were unable to see God’s plan and, because of this lack of prayer, they were confused, agitated and angry. They began doing things they should not have been doing and making plans they should not have been making.
You do not receive communion, clarity and godly composure while asleep. That requires persevering prayer. Do not expect this to happen instantaneously. It is cultivated over time by seeking God’s face daily and continually. As you dedicate yourself to spending time with Him, He releases His power into your life, not in seconds, minutes or hours but in years. God is calling us to go deeper in our prayer lives with Him. Jesus asks us to join Him in what He is doing. Are we willing to watch and pray for an hour, two hours, three hours or all night? Or will we fall asleep?
The memory of their prayer failure would remain with these disciples for the rest of their lives. Failure has a way of either defining us or refining us. Which will it be? These disciples later become very diligent in prayer, realizing that the prayerless followers of Christ are missing out on what God desires to do in and through their lives. The key to getting God to listen to you is making sure you are listening to Him (Zech. 7:12-13). The angel ministered strength to Jesus after He prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.” Psalm 145:18 (NIV) says, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.”
