Crisis Prayer
12/04/18 10:38
For most Christians, the Lord’s Prayer is the example of prayer we were taught to model in our own prayer life. It’s the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples to pray found in Matt 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4 It would be more accurately called the “Disciple’s Prayer” and it's a great model for our prayers, for sure!
There is also another model taken from Jesus own life. It’s His "crises prayer" in the garden of Gethsemane, just before he gave himself up to the Jewish authorities. It led to the horrific pain and eventual sacrifice of His life on our behalf for our salvation. And it is only because Jesus redeemed us from our crises of separation from God, that we can come before Him in worship and prayer.
In that desperate moment He prayed:
"Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36, Matt 26:39, Luke 22:42)
Four Essentials:
Jesus modeled four essentials to effective prayer for us: Fellowship, Faith, Request, and Surrender. These have been very helpful in my own prayer life and I hope help you too!1. Fellowship with God: “Abba, Father”
Jesus was intimately connected with the Father all the time. He lived in union with God and constant worship before Him. Worship expressed in obedience and adoration.
* “Abba" (Daddy) suggests love and intimacy with the Father.
* “Father” suggests that Jesus knew who God was and who He was - the Son of God and Son of Man.
For us, this fellowship with God is possible because of what Jesus did for us on the cross. By our believing and receiving Him by faith we become sons and daughters of God! Jn1:12
To live in fellowship with God means we are living in repentance before Him regarding all sin in our lives and pursuing our relationship with God. So, while Jesus didn’t have sin, we do and must confess and forsake any sin God reveals to us!
As you approach a time of prayer ask:
Question #1: Am I living in fellowship with God? Is there any unconfessed sin in my life? Have I turned from it and surrendered to Christ’s Lordship? Jesus had made up his mind to live in fellowship and under the Father’s Lordship regardless of the outcome.
2. Faith: “All things are possible for You.”
We are commanded to believe God when we pray and this is Jesus example. Mk11:24 Praying in faith means we fully believe God is able to do anything He desires. Does it mean we believe He will give us what we ask? I think not - Not unless what we are asking is something God has promised us in His word, such as the promise to give us peace. Phil 4:7 But this asking in faith must go deep into our being. it’s not wishing that God could do something. It is fully affirming that God is who He says He is and putting our weight into it. Heb11:6
As you approach a time of prayer ask:
Question #2: Do I fully believe God is able to do anything - that all things are possible? Inherent in this prayer is the trust that God would do what is best in His plan. We too can lean on God’s great promise that He does all things for His glory and our good. Rom8:28 We mustn’t let our circumstances or other’s words diminish our view and the truth of who God is.
3. Request: “Remove this cup.”
Jesus did not hide his desire before the Father. He was aware of what he was feeling (Matt26:38) and what was causing His feelings (impending crucifixion and more.) He brought this before the Father and His request for this chapter in His life to be removed. Did God give Him this request? No, but He did give Jesus the strength to follow the Father’s plan. This strength allowed Jesus to bring his emotions of sorrow under control and to obey God.
As you approach a time of prayer ask:
Question #3: Am I bringing my deepest requests before the Lord? Am I being honest and vulnerable before Him - hiding nothing?
4. Surrender: “Yet, not what I will, but what You will.”
Perhaps this reveals more about Jesus’ heart than anything. His knowledge and love of God was so complete that He passionately wanted the Father's will over His own. He knew and trusted that the Father’s will was best - whatever that meant for His current circumstances. He knew that in the end, joy was before Him. Heb12:3
Our knowledge of God and delight in His will is a work in progress. Still, by His grace, we can also live in surrender. We have an amazing hope we are to abide in, faith we are to live by, and love we are to walk in by His Spirit’s power. We can affirm that His will is better than ours. We can even be optimistic about the future. 2Cor2:14
As you approach a time of prayer ask:
Question #4: Is the posture of my heart one of surrender? Do I fully believe God’s will is best? Do I have a surrendered attitude toward God in the little things as well as the big?
May God deepen our experience of Him and may we imitate Jesus in all areas of our lives, including our prayers.
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