There are many examples of Yeshua praying throughout the gospels, including his rising early in the morning (Mark 1:35), praying all night (Luke 6:12) and fasting 40 days (Matthew 4:2). His disciples saw how important prayer was to Yeshua and asked Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1).
Yeshua’s prayer was not casual, but very intense:
Hebrews 5:7 – He offered up prayers and supplications with great shouting and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death and was heard because of His fear of God.
Why tears? Tears are a sign of pain. In times of intercession, Yeshua was burdened by compassion and could feel in his heart the sickness, suffering and death of mankind. Our “lostness” pained His heart. Our pain was His pain. He wept for us.
Why shouting? Shouting is a sign of resistance. In times of spiritual warfare, Yeshua faced the forces of sin and Satan. He fought against the moral darkness of the world. He opposed and overcame evil. In prayer He fought energetically on our behalf.
Why fear? This was not normal fear or worry, but the pure fear or reverence of God. Even though Yeshua was perfect and never sinned, as a man, it was possible for Him to sin. In humility, He had to deal with the temptations of pride and lust like any person living in a human, fleshly body.
Let us strive for the same kind of prayer life that Yeshua had: feeling compassion, resisting evil and walking in the humility of the fear of God.
Asher serves as president of Tikkun Global family of ministries and congregations, dedicated to the dual restoration of Israel and the Church. He is founder of the Revive Israel five-fold ministry team, and oversees both Ahavat Yeshua and Tiferet Yeshua congregations in Israel.
He and his wife Betty share a passion for personal prayer and devotion, local evangelism and discipleship in Hebrew, and unity of the Body of believers worldwide.
Asher was raised in a conservative Jewish home and holds degrees from Harvard University, Baltimore Hebrew College and Messiah Biblical Institute. He has authored numerous books, tracts and articles.