PRAYING LIKE JESUS CHRIST

Our Lord Jesus Christ prayed as if His prayer depends upon His father. He said,’ I do not do anything on my own I do what my father wants”(John 6:38).
He says, He has no power of His own.
He came from heaven to do the will of His father.
That is the major difference between Jesus prayer and our own prayer.

We do not consider that we do not own ourselves. John 17:18 says,” As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. Verse 20 says my prayer is not for them alone.
He is not doing things on His own.
He is doing the will of His father.
In our own prayers, we complain-asking, asking, asking and asking.
So when you want to pray, you should be in an attitude of Jesus Christ

If you want to pray like Jesus Christ, you should be in an attitude of Jesus Christ.

How can we be in an attitude of Jesus Christ?
Is Jesus a man of sin? NO.
Is He a Holy man? YES.

So if you want to pray like Jesus, you must:

1.POSSESS THE CHARACTER OF JESUS CHRIST

Possessing the character of Jesus Christ means you should:
· Pray as if all things depend on God.
· Meditate the name of Jesus Christ and the blood of Jesus Christ.
· Depend upon Jesus Christ for all things.
· Separate yourself from sin.
· Allow God’s will to be paramount in your life

The relationship between God and Jesus Christ should be the relationship between you and Jesus Christ.
Jesus will never do His own will.
Never do His own will; you too should allow your will to be obedient to God’s will. John 3:38 says,” For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but to do the will of Him who sent me.
So in your prayers, you have to be sure that somebody is behind you who is the Holy Spirit.
You have to be spirit filled.

2.LOOK UNTO THE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST
You have to look unto the cross where the price was paid for the blessing you want.
How?
The cross we are referring to is the spiritual cross.
He paid the price for whatever thing you desire so you don’t need to bother yourself.
In John 16v7, He said,’ it will be better for me to go so as to send you a comforter’. He died for us on the cross and right on the cross He is still praying for us.
Roman 8v26 says,” We do not know how to pray but the Holy Spirit prays for us'.
So whenever you want to pray, you have to look unto Jesus Christ on the cross where the price was paid for the things you desire.

Remember, Jesus has taken away the problem, so:
· Focus and continue to meditate the name of Jesus Christ.
· You must trust Him when you pray, believe that Jesus Christ is working out the answer.
· Trust Him because He said I am going and I shall send a comforter to give you power for witnessing.

He died in order that your sin might be forgiven.

Jesus is still praying for you that is why there are answers to your request.
He has done everything on the cross.
Luke 9v23- forget yourself. He said to them all. 'If anyone would come after me, He must deny himself, carry his cross and follow me'.

This is self-denial.
· Separate yourself from sins-
· Deny yourself all the worldly things, which are perishable. Only salvation will last forever.
· Pursue the course of salvation, which is everlasting.

3.PREPARE YOURSELF FOR PRAYERS
You should prepare yourself for such prayers- your prayer must be in line with Jesus prayer.
HOW DO YOU PREPARE YOURSELF FOR PRAYERS?
By singing spiritual songs-Ephesians 5v19-20.You want to invite the Holy Spirit to come inside of you and take control and give you what you want.
For you to forget things of the world, try to sing- You will forget yourself, if not, you will still be remembering your business, family, problems, failures, pleasures etc in spirit.
Sing songs that elevate the spirit like, `O How I Love Jesus’. By the time you are singing, your mind will be filled with righteousness and the Holy Spirit will take over your mind and the problems you have.

4.PRAY FOR OTHERS
Nothing makes us love a person so much as to pray for him.
How many times do you pray for your enemies, friends and acquaintances?
If you want to measure the love you have for A or B, it is when you pray for the person.
If you love God, keep His commandments.
If you love your fellow men, pray for them.
Luke 6v27-28 says, `But I tell you who hear me, love your enemies, do well to those who hate you.
I John 5 v 2-5 says, “This is how we know that we are the children of God – by loving.
To show that you love God, carry out his command.
To show you love your neighbor, you pray for him.
If you have three people at a particular time, you have different reasons to love them. It may be the face, or the voice or the structure of the body. That thing which you love in a person is what you want to grow, so pray for him to increase in what you love in his physical
If you love a person because of his intelligence, you should continue to pray for him so that the wisdom of God can grow in him.
Jesus loves you because He wants you to be saved, to make you a child, to leave the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light so if you want to pray like Jesus, continue to pray for the people to continue to grow.

5.FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER

Forgive one another. Jesus forgives others.
Luke 23:35 say,’ Father forgive them for they know not what they do’. He prayed for His accusers and persecutors. Jesus prayed as if all things depend on God. He appealed and begged the father to forgive His crucifixion.
If you want to pray like Jesus Christ, forgive your enemies.

Luke 6:27-28 says,’ Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless your enemies’.

Romans 12 14-21 says,’ Bless your persecutors; yes bless and do not curse. Share the joy of those who are happy and the grief of those who grieve. Live in harmony with others; do not aspire to eminence but associate yourself with humble people; do not be conceited. In no case paying back evil for evil, determine on the noblest ways of dealing with all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but leave room for divine retribution; for it is written.” It is mine to punish; will pay them back, says the Lord.” Instead ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; in case he is thirsty, give him water to drink” for in doing so you will pile burning coals on his head. Be not overpowered by evil but overcome evil with good”.

How many times have you prayed for your persecutors?
It means we have not been praying like Jesus Christ. You have refused to forgive your enemies.

Ephesians 5:19-20 says,” You are to sing songs, read Psalms unto the Lord.(Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and Hymns making your heart to be melodious).Make music to the Lord with your heart, always thank God”.

If your heart is not happy, how can your prayer reach heaven?
If you are sad, Jesus will never listens to you. Make yourself happy prepare yourself. It is when you are happy that the spirit of God will dwell in you.
If you happen to be a sinner, and you know how to go about it, you can receive before you ask for it because God honors men who planned to succeed.

King David sings times without number. He knew how to sing his ways to God. That was the method David used for nearly fifty percent of the Psalms.

The Bible says no one is righteous. If you are bold to confess your sins, God will forgive you (I John 1:8-9). It is very important for you to make your heart full of melody in order to pray like Jesus Christ.

6.YOU SHOULD PLAN
If you are a sinner, you should plan .You will received if you plan because God honors those who plan.


7.TAKE IN THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
You are to take in the life of Jesus Christ so as to give out the life of Jesus. It is what you take in that you can give out. If you take in yam, you will vomit yam, so if you take in the life of Jesus Christ, you are bound to give out the life of Jesus Christ.
How do you take in and give out the life of Jesus Christ?
Anywhere you are believed Jesus Christ is there through the Operation of the Holy Spirit. Jesus will never speak anything that is negative. So refrain from speaking things that are negative, condemnation, pointing accusing fingers. Your
Utterances have to be things that are just, pure and of good report. If you have taken in good things, melodious songs, possessing the character of God, you will give out or release what you have taken or swallowed.
John 10 v10 says,” Jesus Christ came to give abundance. That is more so as to restore the relationship between God and Man.
If satan wants to give anything, it is going to be things of sicknesses etc. You are saved to save others. Satan has no life.
Philip 4v8,says,”Whatever you take in such things you have spirit filled life.

8.LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Matthew 5v44 says,” But I said unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curses you. I Corinthians 13v13 says,” And now abided faith, hope, charity, these three but the greatest of these is charity.

9.PRAYER THE MASTER KEY
Prayer is the master key to loose and to bind.
Matthew 16v18-19 says,” And I say unto you, that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 18v18,says,”Verily, verily I say unto you. Whatever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall be loosed on Earth shall be loosed in heaven”.

10.PRAY FOR YOUR FRIENDS
It is prayer that breaks the yoke and the captive are set free. There is power of faith in prayer. Through prayer, there will be salvation, healing, protection and hope.
We sometimes act like Jesus enemies than His friends because of wrong approach to prayer. He died for us and provided every blessings man can require or desire.
Whatever you pray for, understand that for Christ died to provide for it on the cross where the price was paid for the blessing you seek.2 Corinthians 4v8-13.
How do we act like Jesus enemies than His friends?
We do not carry Him along in all we do. We embarrass Him and He wants us to be His friend.
We see ourselves as Lord and Master of everything
We pray as if everything depends on us.
He has provided all you need for you to live for Him for the salvation of your souls.
More often than not, we are Jesus enemies than friends because of our approach to business life, matrimonial life and other aspect of life.
Nowadays, married couple mess up their marital lives, thereafter, they want Jesus to solve the issue whereas they did not marry Jesus first.
Paul said, take just a wife if you cannot cope with your sexual urges. If the foundation of your wedding is based upon the Rock Of Ages come rain and sunshine, your marriage will not fail.
In business, you do not concentrate on one. The delay of your prayer before God is not without reason. He wants you to see His heart and prepare for the rainy day instead you are too anxious.

If you pray like Jesus Christ whatever things you say on earth shall be said in heaven

Do not time God for anything

When you pray as Jesus would have prayed, your prayers will be effective and with results.

Philips 4v19,says,”And my God will meet all your needs according to His Glory in Christ Jesus”. He will grant all your needs for the glory of God.

Let the past be over. If the past is not over, it will affect your present and tarnish your future.

Psalm 95 says,” I will bless the Lord all the time. His praises shall always be in my mouth. My souls shall boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear of it from my mouth” It also says,”O come let us sing unto the Lord”.

Psalm 98 says,” Sing unto the Lord a new song”.

Jesus said,” As God had sent me so sent I you He gave honour and glory to God Almighty

John 5v17 says,” My father worked therefore I must work”
We are the architects of our prayers that are not effective.

1 John 5v2-3 says, “If you love me, what I want you must want. When you keep His commandment, He will hear your prayers.
V2 says,” By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep His commandments”
V3 says” For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous”

1 Peter 5v5 says,” He cares for you. Likewise you youngsters submit yourself to the Elders”

1 Peter 5v5-7 says,” Cast your burden upon God because He cares for you”

Matthew 7v7 says, whenever you knock the door will open when you ask it shall be given”

Matthew 16v18 says,” And I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I shall build my church and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven”

Hebrew 12v2 & 3 says,” Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith”.

Life Is Uncertain
Death Is Sure
Sin Is The Cause
Christ Is the cure
Whenever there is a delay in your prayer do not blame God.
There is a reason in all God’s actions.

See the story of Lazarus in John 11v23,”When He has said these, Jesus called in a loud voice (to a four days dead body)
If there is delay in your request, He wants to give you His best.
1 Timothy 6v17 says,” Command those who are rich to put their hope in God who provides us with our needs.
You are to honour God with your words and deeds.
James 2v7-16 says,” Faith without work is dead”
Matthew 25v35-40 says, for I was hungry and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in. I was naked and ye clothe me, I was sick and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me “Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying Lord, when saw we thee hungry and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink.” When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in our naked, and clothed thee, or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee?” And the king shall answer and say unto them, verily I say unto you, in as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren,ye have done it unto me”.
John 15v3 says,” I am cleansed because of the word of God I have heard”.
Roman 10v13 says, for whomever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call on Him who they have not believed”.
James 4v2-3 says,”Ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not because ye ask not”.Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss that ye may consume it upon your lust” So therefore when you pray, ask for something for the salvation of your souls and for the salvation of the souls of others”
Finally, remember that in Roman 8v26,the Bible says,”Likewise,the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered-This means you should allow the Holy Spirit to intercede for you at all times.
The prayer uttered by the Spirit is called SPIRIT PRAYER.
This is the prayer in the power of the Holy Ghost.

It is a very very effective prayer.

Only those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit can offer this prayer.

In order to offer Spirit prayer, we should:
o Walk by the Spirit;
o Live by the Spirit
o Do everything by the Spirit;
Galatians 4v16-17, 25,
”For if we love our Lord Jesus Christ we should walk like Him”1 John 2v3-6
In our heart, we Christians and believers are made to be like our Lord Jesus Christ-By the spirit of Sonship deposited in our heart by our Lord Jesus Christ (upon repentance and baptism)
Galatians 4v6,Romans 8v15,2 Corinthians 1v21-22.