If you are not convinced of the value of prayer and the need for unceasing prayer in your own life, look at Jesus. At every major juncture in His life, you will find the man, Jesus, praying.
Apparently, Jesus felt He could not live properly without unceasing communion with His Father. And neither can you.
And when He prayed, it was always followed by amazing, supernatural occurrences and ministry.
Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:28-31 NASB).
His Constant Prayer
Jesus was always going up on the mountain or away into the wilderness to pray. Don’t try to convince God of your busy-ness as an excuse for prayerlessness.
Time was no obstacle to Jesus’ prayer life. It was always the priority.
Even now, seated at God’s right hand, Christ’s great occupation in heaven is to daily intercede for His brothers and sisters (see Hebrews 7:25).
His Glorious Transfiguration
While He was praying, He was changed. This is always the result of prayer. If you truly enter into the Lord’s presence in the heavenlies in prayer, you cannot go there and not experience some type of transformation in your mind, your emotions, your will, your spirit.
If you are worried, for instance, this is not a result of your problem or stress; it is a sign of your prayerlessness. If you pray about everything, the peace of God will “[mount] guard [over] your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Prayer transforms.
His Conversation
“Prayer is a conversation between people who love each other,” Rosalind Rinker said. The Father appeared in this moment (see v. 34), as did two prophets from the “great cloud of witnesses.” They were to talk with Jesus about His coming death, resurrection, and ascension.
Their conversation was as natural and real as if Jesus were speaking with Peter, John, and James around a fireside. Jesus knew He had access to heaven through prayer, as do we.
One day, we will realize that we gave up the greatest privilege we had in this life—to speak with unceasing conversation to our Father all day long about everything.
His Need and Ours
Jesus needed this encouragement, or He would not have been led by God to these moments of prayer. He apparently needed the direction, encouragement, fellowship, and life that came from prayer with no intermission.
And so do we.
Not one of us knows what we will face in the next days or seasons. But we can know this: We will not be prepared to face it without first meeting with the Father in prayer and hearing the encouragement of His words.
It was Christ’s normal practice. It was how He made it and made it successfully, fulfilling His destiny.
And it must become ours.