Jesus is the source and author of all prayers. He is the one who answers. In the Lord’s Prayer (vv. 1-4), Jesus showed us how to pray. Then, Jesus begins to show us how we can apply prayer in our lives beginning in verse 5. Through prayer, he shows the importance of prayer and why we ought to pray in his name. He exemplified a prayerful life as he always sought every opportunity to be in prayer and put himself in the hands of God. He practiced his faith by trusting in the Father’s power to answer his prayer. Praying in his name is to pray according to the Father’s will and Jesus desired so in his prayers. Failing to learn what prayer is from Jesus, we will not know experience what prayer truly is and the power of it.
Prayer is a command and edict. Prayer begins at every believer’s conversion and God mandates a prayerful life. We are called to pray without ceasing. Praying without ceasing is a life of constant prayer. So, prayerlessness is a life that is not demonstrated by constant prayer. Jesus shows us three different ways Christians ought to pray. The three ways are to ask, seek, and knock.
Asking generally means to pray. But it can imply that someone inferior would ask another who might be superior. The word ask implies humility. It is often illustrated by the Christian who kneels and sincerely prays. In the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector, we see Jesus saying those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who are humble will be exalted.
Seeking involves asking combined with actively looking around for God’s answer. Even though God will answer regardless of our actions or inaction following our asking, God calls us to seek him and ways to grow in our holiness and give him glory. For example, after praying for the lost to be saved, we are to seek out the lost and share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Knocking includes asking, seeking, and persevering. This is the most intense form of prayer. It is with a determined spirit that we pray even through difficulty. This kind of prayer is always hand in hand with faith. In other words, prayerlessness is faithlessness.
As Jesus commands us to pray, prayer then becomes the chief means of obedience. The Christian’s desire to glorify God and grow in sanctification will lead them to a growing prayer life.
We obey God in prayer because the Holy Spirit dwells in us and thereby enables us after our conversion as the Apostle Paul also did (Acts 9:11). Becoming born of God leads us to stop loving the world and begin to live a prayer-filled life.
Prayer is more than merely asking for things because as adopted children of God, we are to love the Lord and seek him to be more like Jesus Christ. As part of being more like the Lord, we are to unceasingly pray. The Lord is not asking us to pray. For those who are genuinely saved, we know we ought to pray because our spiritual life depends on it.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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