“But as I continued to pray, God helped me see that my whole perspective was skewed. He then tweaked my prayers and massaged them and refined them – and then He answered. It’s as if He then was telling me, “That’s the prayer I want you to pray.”
David Jeremiah, The Prayer Matrix, p. 18.
Prayer in the Life of Jesus
Text ASCENT21 to 97000 to opt-in to receive a daily text reminder with a link to that day’s devotional.
Have you received clarity and direction from the Holy Spirit on how He would have you participate in the spiritual discipline of fasting during this 21 Days? For some guidance and ideas, read our post on “Why Fast?”
We want to encourage you to grab a journal or a notebook – something to write on as you walk through each prayer guide or devotional. Yes, it will add a few minutes to the time it takes to do the devotion, and it will also deepen your experience and shape your walk with God for years to come. This journal or notebook will be a keepsake to remind you of God’s faithfulness during this challenging season for all of us.
Engage the Word
Over these few days, we continue to focus on Jesus’ “High Priestly Prayer” in John 17 from the Upper Room, as He prepared to go to the cross, where Jesus prays for His disciples, for us and for the world. Jesus prays…
John 17:6-10
6 “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. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 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. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
Connect the Heart
Why does Jesus pray these words to the Father? If He is God, wouldn’t we be able to assume that His thoughts already align with the Father’s thoughts, so prayer is unnecessary? That actually makes some sense since Jesus IS God – so why, then, does Jesus pray these words to the Father? Two things seem obvious to me – and a third is almost too good to be true. 1) Jesus willingly models a life of dependence before the Father so that we might see what a life of dependence looks like. 2) Jesus shows us here that, yes – living a life of dependence is crucial to spiritual vitality – but the words we use when we pray matter greatly. 3) Jesus actually prays for us.
Did you move past that point already? Let me repeat it: Jesus actually prays for us. This, to me, is mind-blowing. And if you think that He is referring only to the disciples in the upper room and not to us (we’re not finished with the High Priestly Prayer yet), the author of Hebrews reiterates this amazing truth in Hebrews 7:25: “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Jesus didn’t stop praying for us after this High Priestly Prayer in John 17. No – He lives to make intercession for you. For me. Always. Every day. Wow.
Reflect on the Truth
1. Jesus, fully God and fully man, chose to live a life of total dependence on the Father. Is your heart – your words, your actions, your desires, your motivations – reflecting this life posture and heart orientation before God that Jesus modeled for us? How might Jesus’ example of a life of dependence and prayer be an invitation for you to experience more intimacy with Him?
2. What are some things that you would like to bring to Jesus – knowing that He “always” turns right around and goes before the throne of grace to intercede before the Father on your behalf?
Depend on the Spirit
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see the deeper longings, desires or motives in your heart that these thoughts are pointing to. (For example: you may write down, “I’m struggling with a few things that seem impossible to resolve – but I know that with you, all things are possible. It’s comforting to know that you are bringing these very things before the Father right now.”) The Lord can help us discern the path forward – through His word, His Spirit, His people.
For Prayer:As we conclude our devotional time, pray that Jesus would be glorified through each one of us – and ultimately through His Church, and specifically Ascent Church.
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Read our post “Why Fast?” to learn about the spiritual discipline of fasting and gain a better understanding of why Jesus asked us to fast. We fast not to get something we want from God, but for God to change our wants. We fast because Jesus fasted, He expected we would fast, and we see that the early church fasted.
Read yesterday’s post HERE.
Catch up on all our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting posts on the blog HERE.
Thank you for doing this.
You’re welcome, John. Praying that you are blessed daily as you engage these devotionals and most importantly, spend time with the Father.