I invite you to join me on a journey as I begin a series of discussions on prayers in the Bible.
Let’s talk about prayer. Most of the time we are hesitant to pray because we don’t think we know how to pray. Maybe we feel:
💥 We don’t know what to pray about.
💥 We don’t have the right words.
💥 We don’t sound spiritual enough.
💥 We cannot pray long enough.
So, we just keep silent. 🤐
I know because I use to feel that way. I would volunteer for anything else - reading the scripture, making announcements, even singing in the choir (although I cannot sing) - anything other than praying.
Until I realized what prayer is really all about.
When we receive Jesus into our heart, we become a child of God, and have the privilege of talking to Him at any time about anything. That’s what prayer is - Communication between you and God. A two-way relationship in which we not only talk to God, but also listen to Him. It’s like when you have a best friend and you tell each other everything, nothing is too private for you to discuss with one another.
Jesus wants to be our best friend. He wants us to trust Him enough to bring all our concerns, desires, faults, praises, joys and tears. The Christian life is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity.
What should we pray about? Well I like to go to the bible for answers, so that’s what I did. There are many different prayers in the bible from many different people. But I wanted to start with Jesus. What did Jesus pray about?
Let’s take a look inside of the book of Luke 22:31-34.
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Jesus was interceding in prayer for Peter. What did he pray about?
✔ First - We notice that Satan wanted to sift Peter as wheat to destroy him. Sifting wheat was a process to scatter, loose or separate the chaff from the edible grain, which was called threshing. The old-fashioned way of doing this was “to shake” and “to toss to and fro.” Satan sifts us by means of temptation and trails, hoping to separate us from trusting in Jesus by causing us to walk in doubt and unbelief.
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
✔ Second - Jesus prayed that Simon's faith would not fail when the enemy tempted Him. In fear Peter denied Jesus. It is so important for us to see that Satan wants to steal our trust and dependence on Jesus. He wants to destroy our faith so he can come in and kill whatever joy and peace we have left. Jesus prayer gave Peter the strength to withstand the wiles of the devil. Prayer is active and alive in our struggles of life. Without prayer, (which involves us being in a daily trusting relationship with Jesus) we would get caught every time in the trap of the enemy.
Phillippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.
✔ Third - Jesus believed His prayer would bear results. How do I know that? He tells Peter “And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” This means that although Peter was going to turn away from Jesus in shame, Jesus had faith, through the power of prayer, that Peter would remember His words and turn back to Him. He believed Peter would become stronger than before, and bear witness about Jesus, with a testimony about the power of prayer.
James 5:16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
What was the result of Jesus praying for Peter?
We see that Jesus restored Peter and entrusted him to disciple his people. The scripture below takes place after Jesus was resurrected and appeared to the apostles.
John 21:15-17
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, Feed my lambs.”
16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Did Peter fulfill Jesus trust in Him to “Feed my sheep”? YES!
1 Peter 5:6-10
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Wow! What a transformation. This is a Peter who is humble, trusting in the Love of Jesus, and letting that love restore, confirm, strengthen and establish him in Jesus, and because of that Love he is able to resist the wiles of the devil.
We can also have a transformed life through the power of prayer.
✨ Pray we keep firmly attached to Jesus, our foundation, when Satan tries to
shift us by the storms of life from our trust and belief in Jesus.
✨ Pray our faith in Jesus does not fail while we are going through trails &
temptations, and that we will stand firm on his promises.
✨ Pray Jesus will bring us through the fire and when we come out, we will be
stronger and have a testimony that we will be able to encourage others
with.
✨ Believe the power of our prayers will yield results. That God will answer
them the same way he did Jesus prayer.
Choose not to make praying something we run away from, but something we run toward. Spend time, with your best friend Jesus, and have a conversation with Him every day. To God Be the Glory.
What has been your experience with prayer?
Do you feel uncomfortable praying? If so, why?
Do you believe prayer can change your present circumstances?
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