Pray in Faith – Luke 22 Encouragement

Greetings,

       “And He [Jesus] withdrew from them about a stone’s throw away, and He knelt down and began to pray, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’” (Luke 41-42)

       Have you ever prayed for something and ended with, “Please, God, if it be your will? Amen.” Many, pray like that; I used to. They don’t know what is ahead for them in their circumstance so they pray like that to feel better if things don’t work out. They can think, “It must not have been God’s will.” And many use the verse above to justify that kind of prayer – but that’s not how Jesus was praying. That kind of prayer has no faith. Don’t pray like that; I won’t anymore!

       I think you’ll all agree, Jesus had rich, intimate relationship with Father God. Actually, Jesus was praying something like, “Father, I know exactly what’s ahead for Me and in the flesh, I don’t want to do it. If there is any other way, please, let’s do that instead? But if this is the only way, I’ll do what You say, not what I want.”

       Can you see the difference? One says, “I don’t know, but I just hope You’ll agree with what I want.” The other says, “No matter the cost in this world, I have Faith in Your best for me and I will follow You in obedience regardless.” One prayer comes from a place of fear and wishful thinking. The other from a place of Great Faith.

       So, here’s the Encouragement: Like Jesus, out of intimate relationship, let’s pray in agreement with God’s best for us. “…we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us…” (Romans 8:26) Talk with Holy Spirit about your circumstances and, in Faith, let’s pray in agreement with Him.

God bless,

Dave