Pray Like Jesus: Learning from His Model Prayer

Prayer doesn’t come naturally to us. It’s a supernatural act—fallen, sinful people communicating with the God of the universe—so why would we think it should always feel easy? The Bible says our hearts are deceitfully wicked, and yet, in prayer, we are engaging our hearts with God. Our hearts are prone to wander, our minds get distracted, and sometimes prayer feels rote or routine. That’s normal in a fallen world, but it’s not what we’re after.

If you’ve ever wanted a more vibrant prayer life, you’re not alone. And here’s the good news: We can learn to pray better from Jesus. That’s exactly what happens in Luke 11 when the disciples ask him, “Lord, teach us to pray.”

Start Your Prayers Like Jesus: God as Father

The first word in Jesus’ model prayer is Father. Not boss, president, or coach—Father. If you belong to Christ, you have a personal, intimate relationship with God that changes everything about prayer. You can come to him with trust, knowing he loves you and wants your good, even if the answer looks different than you hoped.

Because of the Gospel, we can approach God not just as the Creator of the universe, but as our Father. That relationship is possible only because Jesus died on the cross for our forgiveness—removing the barrier of sin so we can come to him freely.

Do you know God as Father? This is not something everyone can assume. If you have not trusted in Christ, God is still Creator, but he is not yet your Father. And for those who do belong to him, our fallen nature often tempts us to see him as distant or transactional—more like a boss to please than a Father to love and trust.

As a good Father, he can be trusted with every outcome. When we pray for healing, for example, that might mean God restores health, or it might mean he gives perseverance through suffering—but either way, we can rest in our Father’s hands.

Pray Like Jesus by Seeking God’s Mission First

Jesus teaches us to say, “Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” God responds to our prayers for his mission. That means prayer isn’t about getting God to sign off on our plans—it’s about aligning our hearts with his.

Are our prayers about God’s kingdom or ours? When we pray for God’s name to be honored and his kingdom to advance, it reframes every other request. Healing, provision, and circumstances all find their true purpose in bringing him glory.

Pray for “Daily Bread” Like Jesus Taught

“Give us each day our daily bread” is an invitation to bring our needs to God. God doesn’t discourage us to pray for what we need; he encourages it. And when our hearts have already been aligned through the prayer of verse 2—“Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.”—our requests for provision take on new meaning. We’re not just asking for food; we’re asking for everything we need today to live for his glory and advance his kingdom.

Daily bread means trusting God’s provision for the moment in front of us, whether that’s energy for a hard conversation, strength to endure pain, or wisdom for parenting. And tomorrow? We trust he’ll be there again.

Pray for Forgiveness and Holiness

Prayer also involves asking for forgiveness—and extending it to others. If we can forgive in some small way, how much more can God forgive completely? In the Gospel, we see that Jesus died on the cross for our forgiveness. Remembering the Gospel should then motivate holiness in our lives.

Our sin shows up when we hallow our own name or build our own kingdom. But Jesus took our place on the cross, bearing the penalty we deserved so we could receive grace instead. Forgiven people forgive others. And forgiven people pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” because they long to live in a way that honors the One who saved them.

Application: Pray Like Jesus Today

This isn’t about guilt—it’s about growth. Whether prayer is a strength or a struggle for you, today’s the day to take the next step. Start with God as Father. Make his kingdom your priority. Ask him for what you need. Remember the Gospel as you pray.

Prayer is more than reciting words; it’s opening the door to daily communion with Jesus. Let’s learn from him—and pray like him.