As true believers,  we are expected to conduct our physical and  spiritual life the way Jesus lived his.

A common feature in the life of our Lord Jesus was that he always prayed. Though he knew that he was God in human flesh, he didn’t take it for granted. Many a times, he prayed and miracles happened.

But first what is prayer?  Prayer is a way of communicating with God.  It is  the period  we set aside  to   present our case to God. While praying, we are expected to thank him for what he has done, what he is doing and  what we expect him to do.

We also pray to protect ourselves from enemy’s attack.  We pray so that we do not become preys to other people.

Let’s consider some aspects of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.  After the last Supper, Jesus said to Simon, Luke 22 vs. 31  “ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan  hath desired  to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.”.  By the revelation of the Holy Spirit, our Lord knew the plan of the devil for Simon; one of his trusted disciples.

Verse 32 Jesus said “ But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith  fail not; and when  thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren”. Had Jesus not prayed, Simon and  all other disciples might have become preys of Satan. That singular prayer  of Jesus saved Peter.

The desires of the flesh can also make us to become  preys  to  our enemy.  To avoid this, the Lord Jesus taught us to pray.  Luke 22 vs. 40.  See what Jesus told his disciples “ And when he was at the place, he said unto them,   Pray  that ye enter not into temptation”.

With this we know that prayer is an invisible shield of the Lord for us.

We also pray when we are faced with very difficult situations. This could be indebtedness, childlessness, unemployment, illness,  all kinds of failure, etc.

Our Lord Jesus too was confronted with a difficult situation and he prayed.

When it became obvious that the hour of betrayal,  trial and crucifixion drew  near, the human side of our Lord manifested .

Luke 22 verses 41- 46. “ And he was withdrawn  from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed.  Saying, Father, if thou be willing , remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat  was as it were great  drops of blood falling down to the ground . And when he rose up from  prayer,  and was come to the disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow.

And he said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation”.

From the five verses, we learn a lot of lessons. First is that when we are overwhelmed by challenges of life,  we must withdraw from worldly activities and move closer to God in prayer.

Late nights,  taking to  alcohol, visiting herbalists or false prophets  cannot make you overcome a challenge.  Only God can. Therefore,  you need to set yourself aside for serious communication with God by praying earnestly.   Pray with all your heart.   Can you imagine how Jesus as the son of God prayed?  He prayed so much  that his sweat were like drops of blood.

Brethren,  the time to pray is   different from the time to play.  Prayer must be done with all seriousness.

A prayer  with full concentration produces amazing testimonies.  Many of us know about the prayer of Hannah.  She prayed  with so  much intensity that Pastor Eli thought she was drunk.  Note also that she was withdrawn from others when she prayed.

Her result, God did not only give her Samuel, he gave her other children.

Ist Samuel 2 vs. 21 “ And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons  and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD”.