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Power of Prayer: Why Jesus Didn't Pray Like You or Iby Mark Replogle Have you ever wondered what made the difference in Jesus' prayer life? Other than he is the second person of the trinity, and thus has connections that you don't. Well...if we are honest with ourselves, we are so grateful that he didn't pray as we do. THE ANSWER MAY SHOCK YOU The answer can be found in the story of Jesus' healing of Jairus daughter. So let's turn to Luke 8:41-56. There we read that Jairus begged Jesus to come to his house in order to lay hands on his dying daughter in order to heal her. Jesus agreed to do that and they were on the way to Jairus' house. After they received news that it was too late because the daughter had died, Jesus gave the key information in verse 50. He said; "Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole". Those words that Jesus said were not his own, they were the Father's (John 14:24). Those words clearly went across reality and psychological normalcy. Jairus clearly believed that Jesus could heal his daughter while she was alive. But how about now that she was dead? Jairus initially chose Jesus (God) when he made his plea. Now Jairus had to choose to believe Jesus (God) again. GOAL PLANNING BY JAIRUS
JESUS' UNFAIR, UNBIBLICAL ADVANTAGE Jesus didn't really have an unfair nor unbiblical advantage, but I have met a number of people who think he did. Jesus' advantage was that he had a dialogue with God the Father. Jesus didn't talk at God only. No; he listened and heard God speaking to him. I'm sure it was just as intimate and close as when Moses was alive. At that time, the Bible tells us God spoke to Moses like a man speaks face-to-face with another man. The Bible tells us (John 14:24) that "These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me." In John 17 Jesus often tells the Father that he faithfully told his disciples whatever the Father told him to say. Because Jesus chose to have such an intimate relationship with God the Father, he was able to say the right things and do the right things that we needed him to do in order save us from our sins, and set the example for us all to follow. JESUS' OTHER PRAYER SECRETS Jesus, as a man, chose never to sin. Which means that he was working on the old "being righteous" angle as well. Perhaps we should too, huh? Jesus gave the Lord's Prayer in response to his disciples request that he teach them how to pray. Yet, I am sure you have noticed that in all the recorded prayers of Jesus, he never once prayed the Lord's Prayer. He didn't need to as he went beyond that model. So why do we stop at reciting the prayer? Next, Jesus never prayed Scripture at or to God the Father in the sense of reminding the Father of something, or as leverage to get his prayers answered affirmatively. Jesus used Scripture because either the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit did or said something. Or an actual event took place or will take place. In other words, Scripture was real and very much a part of him. When faced with news of Jairus' daughter's death, Jesus never prayed, thought, or believed that she could now receive a true and complete healing in her death. Nope -- he just listened to what his Father would say to him in prayer (a dialogue), and then do and obey what the Father told him to do or say. When faced with news of Jairus' daughter's sickness, Jesus never prayed that the doctors and nurses at the local Children's Hospital would be blessed and directed in their treatment of her. That way people could say that she was "healed." HOW WE PRAY FOR THINGS Most of us when we pray are only praying at God. Okay...to him. But we never listen for his response. If we do, it is usually for a minute or less. And don't even think about hearing God speak to us. Most Christians don't hear God speak to them often in prayer. And this is all due to their choice. They have chosen to believe that God can't or won't speak. That it is against the Bible to speak to his children during the New Testament era. The only time that God is allowed to speak to his children is either in heaven awaiting the Second Coming of Christ, or after the Second Coming. Of course, too many of us also do the opposite of the positive things listed above that Jesus did. Additionally, the following beliefs or practices, among others, are also practiced by us today:
THE TIME HAS COME, THE WALRUS SAID... The time has come to be challenged by God's Word. To make our choice as to what kind of a relationship we want with God. To help you make that choice, let me review with you the benefits of hearing God speak to you. They are:
THE CONCLUSION God has taught his saints in the Bible, and through experience, how to become a closer friend of His. To be able to hear his voice and do mighty things for him.
See Also:
Prayer - How To Be Confident
That You'll Get What You Asked For
Is Prayer Good for Your Health?
Patience In Prayer
How Does Prayer Work? Prayer and Spirituality Home
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