Pray the Prayers that Jesus Prayed
Since you’re reading this post, I’m guessing that you would like to pray better and more effective prayers. For sure, that’s my desire, and books have been and still could be written on this subject. For a moment, however, consider praying four prayers that Jesus prayed in the last hours of His life.
A PRAYER OF SURRENDER
The first prayer that we will see is found in Luke 22:42 where Jesus 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.”
We might say it like this, “Father, give me a heart that surrenders complete control of my life to you and only you.”
Many, if not most, of our prayers are self-centered prayers. We pray and ask God for those things that we think we want and need. Instead, we should consider praying an opposite prayer, a prayer where we give ourselves to God. For sure, the most powerful prayers are those where you quit asking God and start giving to God – prayers of surrender.
A PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS
The second prayer is found in Luke 23:34. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
We might say it like so, “Father, create in me a heart that forgives anyone and everyone.”
Perhaps, you struggle to pray this prayer because you have been greatly hurt. Maybe you feel like the person who offended you doesn’t deserve forgiveness. However, when you are tempted to hold and grudge, remember that Jesus prayed this prayer after they had falsely accused Him, beaten Him, and nailed Him to a cross. When humanity was at its worst, Jesus still forgave.
Consider that Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, that Thomas would doubt Him, that Judas would betray Him. Yet, He chose them all. Why? Perhaps, He chose them because He knew that you would have those who would deny, doubt and betray you and He wanted you to know that He knew what it would feel like. And, like Jesus, you must learn to pray prayers of forgiveness.
A PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION
We find the third prayer of Jesus in John 17:17. Jesus said, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.”
We might pray, “Father, help me to hide your word in my heart so that it can transform me according to your will.”
Paul wrote that we are to continually be renewed, transformed and shaped to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29 and 12:2). This happens as we carefully and prayerfully read our Bibles.
Don’t just read the Word of God – memorize it, meditate on it, study it, let it get inside of every part of your life.
A PRAYER OF UNITY
The fourth prayer of Jesus is found in John 17:21, where He said, “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.”
We might pray, “Father, make me one with you and one with your family.
If you are to be unified with God and His family, you must abandon selfish ambition. For, it is impossible to be all about God and His kingdom and to still be about self. To pray that you are one with God is to pray to be one in thought, one in heart, one in action, one in spirit.
Tragically, many want to be one with God, but they are not interested in being one with His family. Tragically, because you cannot be one with God unless you are also one with His people.
The church is most effective when the church is unified.
CONCLUSION
Most prayers are asking prayers, but these four are giving prayers. In the first prayer, we give ourselves in surrender. In the second prayer, we give forgiveness. In the third prayer, we give ourselves to the Word of Truth. In the fourth prayer, we give up ourselves for the body.
I encourage you and challenge you to make these four prayers a part of your daily prayers.