Prayer is peculiar and necessary in our spiritual lives. In Part 1 and Part 2, we looked at the very first prayer recorded in the Bible. We investigated Isaac’s prayer for his wife’s healing as well as King Hezekiah’s prayer, seeking the Lord for the salvation of Jerusalem. We joined in the life of Daniel and heard his prayer on behalf of the Jewish people, and we saw what happened when Jesus prayed for his friend Lazarus. 

Remember that your prayers are powerful and effective (James 5:16). Prayer must be coupled with belief (John 11:42, 1 John 3:23, James 1:5-8).

Some people might wonder if there’s a formula to pray through. And others may think that if they pray a pre-written prayer, then it’s like casting a spell, expecting something “magical” to happen. We’ll touch on these issues with examples from the New Testament.

Physical Effects of Prayer

The disciples of Jesus witness how He would habitually pray. 

“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35 ESV)

These same men witness what happens after Jesus prays.

“And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.” (Mark 1:35, 39-42 ESV)

“That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.” (Matthew 8:16 ESV)

Jesus’ life of habitual prayer enables him to preach, to cast out demons, and to heal all who are sick. What a key enabler prayer is! If Jesus lives in you (Galatians 2:20), then this type of life is possible for you too.

Teach Us How to Pray

Jesus’ disciples see that after Jesus prays, people are healed and evil spirits are cast out. Later on, with so many testimonies under their belts, they get enough courage to ask Jesus an important question. And thank the Lord they ask this question and then record the answer for us years later.

“Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’” (Luke 11:1 ESV)

Now I suppose we ought to pay attention to Jesus’ response, as this prayer is very important.

“And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. [Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.] Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”’” (Luke 11:2-4 ESV, Matthew 6:10 ESV)

“…But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:13 NKJV)

Matthew adds the last couple lines that most of us are familiar with. This prayer is usually called “The Lord’s Prayer.” But, it should likely be called “The Disciples’ Prayer” because they ask Him how to do it.

A Random String of Idle Words?

If Jesus tells us to pray a certain way, believing that the prayer is not just a random string of idle words, then it is definitely okay for us to pray these specially crafted words! It’s not a spell we’re casting. Rather, we realize that the words we speak are powerful. In fact, evil spells are just a twisting of the truth. Jesus’ words contain power; therefore, our words contain power. Every word from God contains the power to accomplish that word (see Luke 1:37 in the ASV or NIV translations and this post).

Don’t be afraid to pray the prayers of Jesus, or any of the prayers found in the Bible for that matter. Praying Scripture back to God is Scriptural! And it is powerful. I speak from experience, praying multiple hours every week for the last 4+ years.

Coolest Prayer

In my opinion, this is the coolest prayer in the entire Bible. It’s found in John 17, and it’s often called “The High Priestly Prayer.” Jesus prays these words after three amazing chapters of teaching.

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. 

“I Have Given Them The Words That You Gave Me”

I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 

All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 

“Sanctify Them In The Truth”

But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 

“I Do Not Ask For These Only…”

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’” (John 17:1-26 ESV)

Powerful Prayer

Can you feel the power in Jesus’ prayer? It’s amazing! I want to highlight a few points about His prayer. 

First, if any prayer in all the world is going to be answered, it’s this one. The Son of God, right before His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, is calling on the Heavenly Father to hear Him and answer His prayer. Do you think something happens as a result of His prayer? I do! If there ever is a person who can get God’s attention, it is His own Son!

Second, Jesus actually prays for you specifically, in His verbiage, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” You can trace your spiritual lineage back to this moment in history. As a Holy Spirit filled believer in Christ, you can be confident that these prayers are for you. 

Third, what is Jesus’ heart for you in His prayer? He wants you to be sanctified in truth. What does ‘sanctified’ mean? It’s a setting apart for His good pleasure. Sanctification is a separation from evil and a dedication to God. It’s a purification from sin, guilt and shame, and an internal renewing of the soul. He wants this for you right now, today! Trust in His Word, which is Truth.

Unity With God

What else does Jesus want for you? He is interested in your oneness with God and each other. “…that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us…” (John 17:21 ESV). Jesus loves when brothers and sisters in Christ dwell together in unity (see Psalm 133). Jesus loves it when we see our unity with God through Christ. What happens when we experience the oneness Jesus prays for? The world will believe that Jesus is sent by God. Do you wish to evangelize the world? Do you want people to come to Jesus? Then rest in the unity you have with Jesus Himself, and watch as the world turns to Him.

Glory

Jesus prays something radical for us as His Church. He says:

“The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (John 17:22-23)

Jesus receives glory from the Father. And then Jesus gives His glory to us. This process is part of becoming one. Glory is part of your inheritance. Many religious people do not like that statement. They will say, “No, Brett, all glory belongs to God.” Perhaps the rebuttal is half true. All glory does belong to God, and He shares it willingly. Just like peace: Jesus gives us His peace.

Have you ever read what Paul writes about the church in Ephesians 3?

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV)

Here’s an amazing principle. God wants to do way more than you can imagine, “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (NKJV), “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (NIV), “far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams” (MSG). Does this sound too good to be true? It’s not. God wants that for you. He wants to dream with you. And what you’ll find is that the dreams that you dream are actually His desire for you.

God Gets The Glory Through You

Now, as the great things that God has planned for you (Ephesians 2:10) are accomplished, He gets the glory. The glory is to Him in the Church. And His glory is in Christ. How can His glory be both in His Church and in Christ? It’s because Christ is in us, the Church! Christ lives out His glorious life through our lives. Don’t take my word for it; this is what the Bible says.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 ESV)

Some might say to me, “Doesn’t the Bible say that God doesn’t give his glory to another?” Well, let’s take a look at the references.

“I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.” (Isaiah 42:8 ESV)

“For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11 ESV)

Who Is He Talking About

In both instances, the Lord is referencing idols. He will not give His glory to idols, or the demons behind them for that matter. Are there idols that attempt to steal God’s glory today? You bet there are. And sometimes we agree with them. We give praise to a doctor, but it’s God who heals. We say, “I have this amazing idea. It just came to me.” And we forget to honor the One from whom the idea came.

But how does the transfer of His glory to the Church supposed to work? God does not consider us as an “other.” We are His children (John 1:12). We are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:11). He wants to impart His glory to us, so that the world can see what a son or daughter of God is supposed to look like.

The Father Loves Us Like He Loves Jesus

Do you believe the statement, “the Father loves us like He loves Jesus”? Consider the words of Jesus in John 17:

“O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:25-26 (ESV)

Jesus point-blank asked the Father to love you and me in the same way the Father loved Jesus. Do you think the Father answered Jesus’ prayer? Of course He did! He’s so good. His love is meant to fill you up to overflowing. His love, like a great fire, is meant to set you ablaze for Him. The love of the Father sends fear running for the hills, for it says in 1 John 4:18 (ESV), “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

Have you received the endless, relentless, overwhelming, overcoming, enduring LOVE of God Himself? You can receive it. Just ask. As Jesus said, “Ask, seek, and knock” (Luke 11:9-13). Ask Jesus for a revelation of the Father’s love. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Knock on Heaven’s door and enter when it’s opened. 

Expect the Unexpected

To sum things up and close out this series of posts, I really encourage you to expect God to answer your prayers. Believe that something happens when you pray. Consider that your prayers are powerful and effective. Search out the will of God, and pray it! Come into agreement with God and His plans for your life, and pray those things into your life. Do you feel like the Lord promised you something? Then repeat it back to Him in prayer. Does a particular Scripture jump off the page when you read it, or stick in your mind? Pray through it.

Let me share a few words that I feel like the Lord told me during various prayer sessions. These words are why I’m so passionate about this subject, because I really feel like the Lord wants me to think this way.

Prophetic Words

“Expect miracles. Expect signs. Expect wonders to happen in you and around you. Expect Me to do great things in your midst. For I WILL DO IT!”

“Take heart, I have overcome the world. My Spirit will cover this earth as water covers the sea. My glory is coming in great measure; it will cover this land, and great signs and wonders will be done in the name of Jesus. Press in even more. Keep praying and keep pressing, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Put a levy on Heaven; place a demand on Heaven. Create a vacuum for Heaven to fill. I will come down; I will act; I will come forth! (Come Lord Jesus!) Even so, I will come. I am coming.

Trust in Me; trust in Me. My food is good food. My drink is good drink. My words are good words. My ways are good ways. Love me, and I will love you. Turn away from me, and I will turn away from you. I will let you reap what you sow, but I can supersede what you sow, so that you reap what I have sown. My seed is always good seed. I am the Sower, and you are the sower. Learn from me; pull knowledge from me; place a demand on me; understand this principle. It’s important for you. In My Name, Amen!”