Did Jesus Pray?

Have you ever struggled in your prayer life? Many of us know how vital and powerful prayer is, but we still may be lacking in that area by not doing it as often as we should. I know I can go through some ebbs and flows, so I decided to study Jesus’ prayer life to see what I could learn.

If you have ever wondered, did Jesus pray? The answer is YES, and often. In fact, when asking how many times did Jesus pray in the Bible, Scripture gives us clear insight throughout the Gospels.

In each of the Gospels, you will find Jesus praying. But I find it interesting that Luke has the most recorded mentions of prayer. The Gospel of Luke’s overarching theme is to show Jesus’ humanity. I believe the reason this Gospel has the most recorded prayers (at least 15) is because it shows the reader how Jesus, who became like us, was utterly dependent and in need of communing with His Father while in the flesh.

Jesus was completely sinless, yet He prayed often. How much more, should we (with a sinful nature), be praying to our Father? The answer is much, much more!

So here are eight things we can learn about prayer through Jesus’ example:

1. He Prayed Regularly

Prayer is essential as a Christian. We can’t have a sincere and close relationship with the Lord if we aren’t talking to Him regularly. Prayer should be a necessity in our life like food and water.

2. He Prayed Without Ceasing

The night before Jesus was arrested for crucifixion, He prayed without ceasing. He knew what was coming and knew He needed to be continually praying to the Father, asking for His will to be done. Meanwhile, His disciples were sleeping even though He repeatedly told them to be on guard to pray. While the Spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We need prayer to fight temptation.

3. He Prayed Before Making Decisions

Before choosing His twelve disciples, He was praying to the Father through the night. I don’t know about you, but I can so easily forget to pray to the Lord before making a decision and instead end up praying for the Lord after to help sort out my mess. May we follow Jesus’ example and pray before we make choices in life.

4. He Prayed in Submission to the Father

Jesus openly came to the Father to express His struggles of suffering and asked for the cup to be taken from Him. But His highest desire was for God to be glorified through Him and His obedience. He ultimately prayed to submit His will to the Father. He showed us what it looks like to fully surrender our lives into obedience and submission to the Lord’s will, even to the point of death. Prayer prepares our hearts for obedience.

5. He Prayed Through Suffering

Jesus turned to the Father when He was suffering in our place. He knew the Lord listened and cared. God doesn’t turn His back on us in our trials, even when it may feel like it. He wants us to draw near to Him and fully rely on Him to carry us through whatever we are facing.

6. He Prayed in Solitude Often

He would often withdraw from the crowds and go spend intentional time with His Father to commune with Him alone. He expressed gratitude, interceded on our behalf, and asked for His will to be done. May we make it a regular practice to spend one-on-one time with the Lord in solitude.

7. He Prayed for You and Me

Before being arrested, Jesus was lifting up all believers (then and future). He prayed for us to remain in the Lord, to be kept from the evil one, to be sanctified by His Word, to be united as one body, and for us to be with Him one day to see His glory. Before facing the suffering He would endure because of OUR sin, He was interceding and praying FOR us. Our Lord and Savior prays for us and is still interceding on our behalf in heaven! What a gift!

8. His Prayer Life Encouraged Others to Do the Same

The disciples were with Jesus often and saw Him regularly commune with the Father. Have you ever been around someone and they just seem to have a different way of communicating with God that you desire? This was how the disciples felt toward Jesus. They saw His prayer life and asked Him to teach them how to pray so they could experience the same

A Prayer to Finish Well

My favorite prayer from Jesus that I pray is something I can say at the end of my life:

“I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” (John 17:4)

Whatever the Lord tasks me to do, I pray I do it all for His glory and to the best of my ability. May He be glorified through me on earth, and I pray you have the same desire.

How Many Times Did Jesus Pray in the Bible?

If you are specifically wondering how many times Jesus prayed in the Bible, there are 34 recorded instances in the Gospels where Jesus is mentioned to be praying:

• 8 in Matthew

• 7 in Mark

• 15 in Luke

• 4 in John

John 17 is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus.

Bonus: Interesting Facts About Jesus’ Prayer Life

Jesus’ final breath was a prayer to the Father, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

Bible References of All of Jesus’ Prayers

Here's a list of all of His recorded prayer if you want to highlight them in your Bible. 

Matthew

Matthew 11:25–26; Matthew 14:19; Matthew 14:23; Matthew 15:36; Matthew 19:13; Matthew 26:26–27; Matthew 26:36–44; Matthew 27:46.

Mark

Mark 1:35; Mark 6:46; Mark 8:6–7; Mark 10:16; Mark 14:22–23; Mark 14:32–39; Mark 15:34.

Luke

Luke 3:21; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:16; Luke 9:18; Luke 9:28–29; Luke 10:21; Luke 11:1; Luke 22:17–19; Luke 22:31–32; Luke 22:41–44; Luke 23:34; Luke 23:46; Luke 24:30; Luke 24:50–51.

John

John 6:11; John 11:41–42; John 12:27–28; John 17:1–26.

Hebrews

Hebrews 5:7