Prayer and Dependence on God

The in-house Youth Fellowship discussion led by Ashish Mathew, brought together young families from the Mar Thoma church. During this gathering, participants actively shared their common struggles with daily prayer and the different ways to address the struggles.

Prayer Life of Jesus

Mark 1:32–37 describes Jesus’ prayer life by showing how he rose very early in the morning, while it was still dark and went off to pray in a solitary place, even though he was busy teaching, healing, and walking long distances. Jesus would withdraw from the busyness of his life to focus on prayer. Mark records this self-isolation three times. Jesus pulled away to pray, alone with the Father. He made prayer a priority in his life.

In Mark 9:17-29 Jesus heals a boy with a demonic affliction, where the disciples had failed to cast out the evil spirit. Here Jesus teaches his disciples that prayer is the only way to cast out these kinds of evil spirits. This story teaches us about the importance of faith, implying that the disciples’ lack of faith prevented them from healing the boy. There can be no true prayer without faith, but prayer is also the way to more faith. “Big time problems” call for “big time praying”.

Luke 6:12-13 teaches the importance of praying before making significant decisions, as Jesus spent the entire night in prayer before choosing his twelve apostles, demonstrating the value of seeking God’s guidance in crucial choices by dedicating significant time to prayer. The all-night prayer signifies the need for deep, focused prayer when making significant choices. Prayer should be a “mutual conversation” which involves both speaking to God (expressing needs and thanks) and actively listening for His response, rather than just a one-sided monologue.

In Matthew 26:39-42, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane, expressing his will to do God’s will, even if it means suffering. This reveals his spiritual and emotional agony, and his deep depression. This demonstrates how to express our personal desires in prayer while ultimately submitting to God’s will, even when facing difficult circumstances.

In Luke 23:34 Jesus who is on the cross, enduring immense pain, prays for those who are responsible for his suffering. Here Jesus is showing us to pray for our enemies by extending forgiveness even to those who have wronged us, demonstrating the ultimate act of love and mercy. In Acts 12, the primary example of praying for others is the story of the early church fervently praying for Peter’s release from prison, demonstrating the power of intercessory prayer where the community united to petition God on behalf of one of their own facing persecutions; this highlights the importance of praying earnestly for those in need.

According to Luke 23:46, Jesus’ final prayer on the cross was “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” signifying a complete surrender and trust in God’s hands even amid his death, demonstrating a deep devotion and reliance on the Father throughout his life and final moments. The last moments of a Godly person would be characterized by peace, acceptance, and a focus on faith, often involving prayers of gratitude, forgiveness, and a sense of readiness to meet God, with a belief that they are leaving this life to enter a better one.

Prayer Life of other Believers from the Bible

  1. Hannah was unable to conceive and deeply desired a child. She prayed honestly and from the heart, even when she was in pain. She described her prayers as pouring out her soul. Her prayer was so intense that the High Priest, Eli, thought she was drunk. She was persistent in prayer, even when it felt like God was silent. She didn’t let her circumstances stop her from praying. Hannah trusted God and that his plan for her son was better than her own.
  2. Daniel prayed three times a day, kneeling in the privacy of his upper room, with the windows facing Jerusalem. Daniel literally risked his life to pray by failing to obey the King’s law. He knew full well that he would end up with the lions. But prayer was so important to Daniel that he didn’t stop praying.
  3. The Canaanite woman lived out the principle of persistent prayer. Even though Jesus initially declined her request by saying “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs” (Matthew 15:26), she showed her faith by saying “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Matthew 15:27). Her faith was rewarded when Jesus healed her daughter. Jesus acknowledged the woman’s faith, calling it “great” and welcomed her into his kingdom.
  4. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was a Christian deacon in the early church who was known for his faith, miracles, and courage. Acts 7:59-60 describes Stephenas full of the Holy Spirit,which enabled him to speak with power and conviction. When Stephen was being stoned to death, his final prayer was “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”.

Prayer in our Daily Life

Prayer is a way to communicate with God, to express thoughts and feelings, and actively listening for His response. When you’re going through trials and suffering, some people tend to pray more, while some others pray less. Jesus taught us to pray more especially when we are suffering. But even when things are going well in our lives, it’s important to still remember to express gratitude and thankfulness to God for the blessings we have received.

Feeling like it’s a struggle to find time to pray is a common experience, often stemming from the busyness of daily life, distractions, and sometimes even feeling unsure about how to effectively incorporate prayer into your routine; it’s important to remember that even short moments of focused reflection can be meaningful prayer, and finding a method that fits your lifestyle can help overcome this challenge.

Grabbing for our phones within minutes of waking up in a typical morning is a default reaction for many Christians. Usually, we are so prone to click on our phones first because of reasons that are rooted in sin rather than rooted in the desire to serve others and savor God. But what we want in our morning routine is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Let the first thing out of you in the morning, while you are still on the pillow, be a cry to God. Whatever we first focus our hearts on in the morning, will shape our entire day.

Let us follow Jesus’ example by turning to prayer when facing major life decisions and prioritizing time alone with God, asking for God’s wisdom and direction. Let us seek God’s will above our own, while expressing our wishes, ultimately prioritizing God’s plan for our life.

Summarized by Tessy Mathew

About Ashish Koshy Mathew