In Scripture, there is a common thread that runs through the examples of those who have led a successful Christian life. Does this mean perfection? Absolutely not! Does it mean that there is a way that people can live in the here and now and experience a deep relationship with God? Certainly it does!
Reading the Bible is important, and it should never be deemed as anything but that. However, different denominations and beliefs exist, many of which can be considered Christian. The differences divide, but the core tenants of Christianity unite the church in the body of Christ. It is important to recognize that two conflicting beliefs cannot both be right. A philosophical argument that is opposed to truth being relative holds that “A” cannot be both “A” and “non-A.”
What does all this mean? It means that perfect doctrine is not what makes a good Christian. Good Christians can be found in all of the different denominations, as long as the denomination/church is not apostate.
Therefore the common thread in leading a successful Christian life is not perfect doctrine. Is it important? Yes! But there is something else that must be focused upon as absolutely necessary.
Is the common thread the type of service that someone renders to the church? This thought can be quickly discarded as the Bible makes it clear that many gifts will be given to the body of Christ. Some will preach, some will teach, some will give, and some will evangelize, etc.
So what is it? Prayer is an element within the life of the Christian that cannot be avoided if one wants to cultivate an intimate fellowship with God and thus live a successful Christian life. Two forms of instruction are found within the Bible: direct command and example. At this point, we turn to the example of Christ.
The example of Christ in private prayer
Do you enjoy getting alone with God? Jesus did! Do you only seek the Lord in prayer when you need something? That was not how Jesus operated. Jesus loved to be with His Father. This was the primary reason Jesus spent time alone with the Father in prayer. He was not simply concerned about all His needs; the presence of the Father drew Jesus near, and His heart cried out in prayer.
Scripture says, “And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone” (KJV, Matt. 14:23). Try to envision this Scripture. Jesus had recently been spending time with a vast number of people. The context itself is the feeding of the five thousand. Jesus had been serving and performing miracles. He must have been tired and worn out.
However, when Jesus had the opportunity, He made time to get away to be with His Father. The Bible says that Jesus found an unoccupied mountain which allowed Him the opportunity to be alone with His Father. He ascended the mountain, and the sun began to set. As the evening drew nigh and was upon Him, there He was in the cool of the night with His Father, alone in prayer.
His prayers could not have been frantic, as though Jesus quickly rambled off one request after another. His prayers would not have been distracted prayers, as though He started to pray and lost focus as He moved toward thinking about the five thousand He just fed. His times of prayer would have been intimate, focused, and blessed.
Scripture says, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there he prayed” (Mark 1:35). Yet again, Jesus is seen pulling away from the people to sit at the Father’s feet. Jesus loved His Father and therefore made His Father a priority. It was not a burden for Jesus to spend time in prayer. It was not tortuous, nor was it an inconvenience. His attitude toward prayer was absolutely holy and righteous and good.
It is this same attitude toward prayer that the Christian must learn to develop. This attitude will not come overnight. It is actually an attitude toward prayer that is developed through prayer. The same can be said about the Bible. A good attitude toward Bible reading is developed in the midst of Bible reading. This type of phenomenon is deemed to be axiomatic. The very practice of prayer attests to itself and its validity.
If someone sits around hoping for a miracle that will somehow make them into a prayer-loving Christian, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s not going to happen. Christians do not enjoy prayer and find great benefit from prayer because they were zapped by God. The new birth did, in fact, take place; the Christian is deemed a new man; but the Christian must start to do what the Bible says in order to experience joy in his new life.
Jesus loved solitary places where He could be with His Father. Do you? Do you enjoy finding places where you can be alone with God? Scripture says, “And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?” (Luke 9:18). Once again, the Scriptures make it clear that Jesus would consistently seek out ways to be alone in prayer.
The example of Christ in intercessory prayer
It is also important for the Christian to see that when Jesus prayed, He did not merely pray for Himself. He was very concerned about others. Jesus’ role as the Great High Priest would attest to His desire to intercede for others. However, there are many Scriptures that highlight Jesus’ heart on this matter concerning intercessory prayer.
A time was going to come in the life of Peter in which Peter was going to be tested. Jesus knew that in some ways, Peter would fail that test. Maybe you are aware of the story. Jesus told Peter that, before the rooster would crow, Peter would deny Him three times. This event could have actually been much worse for Peter. Satan desired to sift Peter like wheat. But the Scripture says, “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:32). Jesus’ intercessory prayer for Peter was answered by the Father, and thus Peter was protected from destruction.
Another portion of Scripture says this: “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…” (Luke 23:34). The context of this passage is that Jesus has just been crucified. He then prays to the Father and requests that the people who are mistreating Him would be forgiven of their sin. This was not simply a nice little prayer that can be found in the Bible, with no real meaning. The Father answered Jesus’ prayer.
If you pay close attention to the story of the two thieves, you can see that, at first, both of the thieves were opposed to Christ. Why did one of them turn to Christ in faith? Was it because one of the thieves was a good man? Absolutely not – he was hanging on a cross because he was a sinner of the highest degree. The only good answer that can be given is that the Father answered Christ’s prayer, turned the thief’s heart toward Christ, and thus forgiveness was granted through the thief’s acceptance of the Savior.
Not only was the thief saved after Jesus prayed, but so was a centurion that was standing guard during Jesus’ crucifixion. How could such a wicked man be changed in an instant? Once again, the Father turned the centurion’s heart toward Christ, the centurion accepted Christ as his Savior, and thus forgiveness was granted.
Application
The application is simple. Prioritize getting alone with God. If you do not prioritize this, it will not happen. People find time for what is important to them. If getting alone with God is not important to someone, he will not find time for it. When you get alone with God, pray for the good of others and that God would work in their lives.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for sending Christ and for showing me through Christ how I ought to pray. Teach me to pray, Lord, and draw me to the Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.