The Power of Prayer: Drawing Near to the Heart of God - A Prayer Series (2)

Part 2: Praying Like Jesus – Learning from the Son

(Scripture-based | NLT)

🌿 Introduction: Following the Master's Example

If anyone truly understood the heart of prayer and how to connect with the Father, it was Jesus. Yet, the Gospels reveal a consistent pattern of Jesus withdrawing to solitary places, rising before dawn, and seeking His Father in quietness and complete surrender. He didn't just preach about prayer; He lived a life saturated in it. In this second part of our series, we will turn our gaze to the prayer life of Jesus, seeking to understand His practices and glean wisdom from His perfect example. Our aim is not just to admire His devotion, but to learn how to pray more like Him, drawing closer to the Father as He did.

✨ Section 1: What Does It Mean to Pray in the Name of Jesus?

Two powerful statements from Jesus in the Upper Room just before His arrest illuminate a cornerstone of Christian prayer:

“You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.” — John 14:13 (NLT)

“At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.” — John 16:23 (NLT)

These weren't casual remarks; they were part of Jesus' final instructions to His disciples, a profound promise about how His followers – including us – would relate to God after His ascension. This concept of praying "in Jesus' name" is central to our faith and deserves careful consideration.

🕊️ What Does "In Jesus’ Name" Actually Mean?

Praying in Jesus' name is far more than simply adding a closing phrase to our requests. It signifies:

• Acknowledging His authority: Jesus is the divinely appointed mediator, the single bridge between a holy God and humanity separated by sin (1 Timothy 2:5). When we pray in His name, we recognize His supreme authority and our access to the Father through Him.

• Aligning with His will and character: It's not about using Jesus' name as a magic formula to get what we want. Instead, it's about aligning our desires with His heart, His purposes, and His character as revealed in Scripture. We ask for things that would honor Him and further His Kingdom.

• Approaching the Father boldly: Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, the veil has been torn, and we are no longer distant outsiders. Through Him, we are adopted children, invited to come with confidence before the "throne of our gracious God" (Hebrews 4:16, NLT). As Romans 8:17 declares, “And since we are his children, we are his heirs…” (NLT). We stand on His righteousness, not our own.

🌿 What It Is Not:

It's crucial to understand what praying in Jesus' name is not:

• It’s not a magic phrase to guarantee results: Simply tacking "in Jesus' name" onto a selfish or misaligned request doesn't guarantee God will grant it. Our motives matter (James 4:3).

• It’s not a ritual to "seal" a prayer: It's not an empty formality but a declaration of our reliance on Christ's finished work.

• It’s not permission to pray selfishly: As James 4:3 reminds us, “And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.” (NLT)

Instead, praying in His name is an act of humility, faith, and deep trust in His perfect will and timing.

💖 Jesus Modeled This Kind of Prayer:

Even Jesus, the Son of God, consistently prayed in alignment with the Father's will. In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing unimaginable suffering, He prayed: “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” (Luke 22:42, NLT).

And He taught us to pray similarly in the Lord's Prayer: “May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, NLT).

Therefore, when we say "In Jesus' name," we are not just speaking from Him; we are speaking with Him, in Him, and through Him, acknowledging our union with Christ.

🌸 The Invitation:

To truly pray in the name of Jesus is to:

• Surrender your will to His.

• Stand confidently before the Father based on His righteousness.

• Reflect His love, His mercy, and His mission in your words.

It is one of the most powerful and sacred ways we declare: “I am no longer my own—I belong to Christ.”

✨ Section 2: Why Did Jesus Say to Pray in Secret?

While Jesus often prayed publicly, He also gave specific instructions about the importance of private prayer. He never condemned public prayer itself, but He strongly cautioned against prayer offered for the sake of human approval. In His day, some religious leaders would deliberately pray lengthy, elaborate prayers in public places like street corners and synagogues, their primary aim being the admiration of others.

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.” — Matthew 6:5 (NLT)

Jesus then offered a contrasting and more intimate approach:

“But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.” — Matthew 6:6 (NLT)

🕊️ What Was Jesus Teaching?

Jesus was unveiling a profound truth: God, the Almighty Creator, desires a deeply personal and intimate relationship with each of us. He doesn't just hear the volume of our voice; He sees the posture of our heart.

• Shutting the door isn’t just literal: It represents intentionally closing out the distractions and noise of the world to enter into a sacred space of divine fellowship.

• Your "secret place" is where masks fall: It's a place where pretense fades, distractions diminish, and you can meet God in raw honesty and quiet trust.

• Jesus Himself modeled this: He frequently withdrew to lonely places to pray (Luke 5:16, Mark 1:35). Mark 1:35 records, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” (NLT)

🌿 Why Does This Matter for Us?

• God sees the unseen: Even the faintest whisper of a prayer in the quiet of your heart, even silent tears shed in solitude – nothing is hidden from His loving gaze.

• Your reward isn’t applause—it’s His presence: The greatest reward for our private prayers isn't the admiration of others, but the profound intimacy and connection we experience with the Father.

• Your secret place becomes your sacred place: This might be a quiet room, a corner of your home, a prayer journal, or even a solitary walk in nature. The location isn't as important as the intentionality of your heart.

Matthew 6:8 reminds us, “He knows what you need even before you ask him.” (NLT). Praying in secret isn't about informing God of something He doesn't know, but about positioning our hearts to receive what He longs to give.

When we prioritize praying in secret, we mirror the humility and focused devotion of Jesus. We step away from the spotlight of the world and into the radiant presence of the One who knows us best and loves us most.

✨ Section 3: What Is the Meaning of the “Our Father” Prayer?

Often referred to as the Lord's Prayer, Jesus offered this not as a rigid script to be recited verbatim, but as a pattern, a framework for how we can approach the Father in prayer.

“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.” — Matthew 6:9–13 (NLT)

This seemingly simple prayer is packed with profound meaning, teaching us to:

• Begin with reverence for God’s holiness: Acknowledging His supreme authority and sacredness.

• Prioritize His Kingdom and will: Surrendering our own agendas to His divine purposes.

• Depend on His daily provision: Trusting Him for our needs, both physical and spiritual.

• Embrace forgiveness and extend mercy: Recognizing our own need for grace and offering it to others.

• Seek spiritual protection: Acknowledging our vulnerability and asking for deliverance from evil.

The "Our Father" prayer is a masterclass in prayer, guiding us in how to relate to God and what to prioritize in our communication with Him.

✨ Section 4: Did Jesus Use a Prayer Shawl?

As a devout Jewish man and Rabbi living in first-century Palestine, it is highly likely that Jesus regularly wore a tallit (prayer shawl) during times of prayer, worship, and teaching. This wasn't merely an article of clothing; it was a deeply symbolic and sacred garment rooted in Jewish tradition and the commands of God.

The tallit was typically worn with tzitzit, the fringes or tassels specifically commanded by God in the Torah:

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach them with a blue cord. When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord…’” — Numbers 15:37–39 (NLT)

💠 Jesus and the Hem of His Garment:

One particularly poignant passage highlights the significance of these fringes in relation to Jesus:

“She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped.” — Luke 8:44 (NLT)

The Greek word translated as "fringe" (kraspedon) is often understood to refer to the tzitzit on Jesus' tallit. This wasn't an act of superstition, but a powerful expression of faith rooted in Messianic prophecy.

“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings…” — Malachi 4:2 (NLT)

Interestingly, the Hebrew word for "wings" (kanaph) can also refer to the corners or edges of a garment – precisely where the tzitzit were tied. This woman, understanding the prophetic implications, believed that even touching the "wings" of the Messiah's garment held healing power.

🌿 What Does This Mean for Us?

While we may not be required to wear a tallit today, understanding its significance provides valuable insight into the prayer practices of Jesus and the rich symbolism of His Jewish heritage:

• A visual reminder of covenant: The prayer shawl served as a tangible reminder of God's covenant promises and the call to live a holy life in obedience to His commands.

• Reflecting obedience and tradition: For Jesus, wearing the tallit reflected His own obedience to the Law and His participation in the established prayer traditions of His people.

• Our spiritual covering in Christ: For us today, while the physical act may not be necessary, the concept of a spiritual covering remains. We are invited to “clothe ourselves with Christ” (Romans 13:14, NLT) – He is our righteousness, our protection, and our ultimate covering.

✨ Section 5: How Did Jewish People Pray?

To truly grasp how Jesus prayed, we need to understand the common prayer practices within Judaism during His time. These weren't just empty rituals; they were deeply ingrained acts of devotion that shaped the rhythm of daily life. Jesus, while often challenging the hypocrisy surrounding these practices, himself participated in and fulfilled them.

🕊️ Common Jewish Prayer Practices in Jesus’ Time:

• Set Times of Prayer: The Jewish day included specific times for communal prayer: Morning (Shacharit), Afternoon (Minchah), and Evening (Ma’ariv). Acts 3:1 records Peter and John going to the Temple for the afternoon prayer, suggesting Jesus himself would have honored these sacred rhythms.

• Blessings for Daily Life (Berakhot): Short, specific prayers of blessing were recited over various daily activities, such as meals, seeing light, waking up, and engaging in work. These "berakhot" cultivated a constant awareness of God's presence in the ordinary moments of life.

• Scripture as Prayer: The Psalms held a central place in Jewish prayer. They were not just read but sung, recited, and meditated upon. Jesus himself quoted Psalms, even in His final moments on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22:1, NLT).

• Facing Jerusalem: A physical orientation towards the Temple in Jerusalem was a common practice, symbolizing a longing for God's dwelling place. Daniel, even in exile, prayed facing Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10).

• Postures in Prayer: Various physical postures were adopted during prayer to express different aspects of devotion: standing, bowing, lifting hands, and lying prostrate all conveyed reverence, surrender, and passionate supplication.

🌸 Jesus Blended Ritual with Relationship:

Jesus honored these established traditions, yet He consistently emphasized the crucial element of the heart behind them. His life serves as a powerful reminder that prayer isn't about outward performance but about genuine inward connection with the Father. He rebuked those who “honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Matthew 15:8, NLT).

Jesus prayed often and fervently, but always with the primary intention of intimate communion with His Father. His example invites us to embrace both the structure and the Spirit of prayer, finding freedom within sacred rhythms and cultivating deep intimacy in quiet moments.

🙏 Reflection Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for being our ultimate guide in prayer. Thank You for showing us, through Your own life, how to approach the Father with boldness and humility. Help us to follow Your example – to seek the Father in quiet places, to pray with unwavering faith in Your name, and to trust that even our most private prayers hold immense significance in the heavenly realm. Teach us to pray not out of obligation, but out of a deep desire for connection and communion with You. May our lives become living prayers, marked by grace, reverence, and unwavering faith. In Your holy name, Amen.

This concludes Part 2 of our "Prayer Series." I pray that reflecting on the prayer life of Jesus has provided you with fresh insights and a renewed desire to connect with the Father in deeper ways. In our next installment, we will explore The Spiritual Depth of Prayer, delving into how we should pray, the relationship between prayer and meditation, and the powerful concepts of praying in the Spirit and in tongues. Stay tuned, and may your prayer life continue to flourish!

Blessings,

Faithful Pen

[Hiswordsministry.com]