Young People's Group

THE EXAMPLE OF THE LORD JESUS IN PRAYER IN THE MIDST OF GREAT STRUGGLES

by Pastor Mitch
March 31, 2013

Having The Custom To Pray

On the night before the Lord Jesus died on the cross, what was one important thing He did? It was taking time to pray and to commune with the Father. Despite all the sorrow and distress that He felt, He chose to go to the Lord in prayer. He had just taught the disciples a parable about how men always ought to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). And the Lord Jesus exemplified this by His consistent habit to pray.

“Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed”
Luke 22:39

It was His custom to always go to the Mount of Olives to pray. Even as He faced the challenge of dying the next day, He still kept the habit of praying. Isaiah 50:4 speaks of how morning by morning He would seek the Lord in prayer. Matthew noted how Jesus went to the mountain to pray (Matthew 14:23). He always humbled Himself before God, and knelt down to the Father to pray. Young people, is it also our custom to go the Father in prayer despite what we may feel?

Watching And Praying To Overcome Temptation

“He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.'” 
Luke 22:40 (cf. Luke 22:46)

The Lord Jesus commanded the disciples to watch and to pray (Matthew 26:41). He knew how the spirit could give in to the flesh easily. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak. When the Lord Jesus was in the wilderness and was tempted by the evil one, it was His knowledge of the word of God, fasting and prayer that enabled Him to be strong against Satan’s wiles (Luke 4). The Disciples, on the other hand, gave in to the temptation of the flesh. They were not able to watch and pray with Jesus as they should. Let’s also learn to watch and pray, lest we too enter into temptation.

Praying In The Light Of The Will Of The Father

“Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” 
Luke 22:42

The Lord Jesus prayed with a closeness of relationship with the Father. As He prayed to the Father, He poured out His heart to Him in prayer. There was a tremendous struggle within His heart concerning dying on the cross. He prayed that if it is within the will of the Father, the cup of suffering would be taken away. The word “nevertheless” speaks of how foremost on the mind of Christ was God’s will and not His. Despite how He felt, He prayed in the light of submitting to the will of His beloved Father and not His own. Obedience to the will of God was what mattered most. How very often we have only our will in mind as we pray. Let’s learn to always pray that the will of God be done.

Praying More Earnestly

“And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” 
Luke 22:44

As the Lord Jesus prayed to the Father, an angel was sent to strengthen Him. The Lord Jesus knew that God’s will for Him to die on the cross had not changed. The Lord Jesus was in great agony as He struggled with His impending death. Yet, He prayed even more earnestly to the Father. There was intensifying of effort in prayer. He struggled till His sweat was like great drops of blood. What tremendous struggle and effort in prayer! He persevered in prayer no matter what. Let’s also learn to pray and struggle in prayer with our own challenges in the same earnestness as the Lord Jesus. Let’s not give up. With greater prayer effort, the Lord can help us overcome all things.

Back to Article Listing