Day 8: Lord, teach us to pray!
Luke 11:1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
“Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon.3 Give us each day the food we need, 4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.And don’t let us yield to temptation.”
5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ 7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.
9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
As we begin the second week of our prayer and fasting journey, it’s helpful to pause and reflect on what God has already been doing.
During the first week, our focus was drawing near to God. We reminded ourselves that because of Jesus, the veil has been torn, and we have access to the Father. We were encouraged that God hears our prayers, that He welcomes us into His presence, and that prayer is not a ritual but a relationship. We also allowed the Lord to search our hearts so that anything hindering intimacy with Him could be surrendered.
Now, as we step into week two, our focus shifts slightly from simply approaching God to learning how to pray more deeply and intimately.
I love this story from Luke. The disciples had watched Jesus closely. They saw His miracles, His teaching, and His authority. But the one thing they specifically asked Him to teach them was how to pray. Why? Because they noticed something powerful: everything Jesus did flowed out of His prayer life. Before major decisions, Jesus prayed. Before great miracles, Jesus prayed. After long days of ministry, Jesus withdrew to pray. His power came from His communion and communication with the Father.
This week we are going to look at how Jesus prayed. We will see the patterns of His prayer life, the intimacy He shared with the Father, and the confidence He carried when He prayed.
Prayer was not a performance for Jesus, it was fellowship; and that same intimacy is available to us. As you continue fasting and seeking the Lord, ask Him to teach you to pray. Not just to pray with words, but with a heart that longs to be close to Him. He gives us a wonderful outline to a quality prayer structure here in Luke and also in Matthew. Today I want to mechanically break these down to help us structure our prayers in the future!
Primary Text: Luke 11:2–4 and Matthew 6:9–13
1. Relationship: Start with the Father
“Our Father in heaven…”
Prayer begins with relationship, not requests.
Jesus teaches us to approach God as Father, not as a distant force.
How to pray it:
Thank God that you belong to Him.
Remind your heart you are His child.
Express love and gratitude.
Example:
“Father, thank You that I can come to You as Your child. Thank You for loving me and inviting me into Your presence.”
2. Worship: Honor His Name
“May your name be kept holy.”
Before asking for anything, Jesus directs us to worship.
How to pray it:
Praise God for who He is.
Declare His attributes: holy, faithful, powerful, merciful.
Example:
“Lord, You are holy and righteous. Your name is above every name.”
3. Alignment: Submit to His Will
“May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Prayer is not about bending God to our will.
It is about aligning our lives with His purposes.
How to pray it:
Invite God to rule in your life.
Pray for His will in your family, church, and community.
Example:
“Lord, let Your kingdom rule in my life today. Help me want what You want.”
4. Dependence: Ask for Daily Provision
“Give us today the food we need. ”
Jesus teaches us to depend on God daily, not just in emergencies.
How to pray it:
Bring your needs to God.
Ask for wisdom, strength, and provision.
Example:
“Father, provide what I need today—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.”
5. Repentance: Keep the Heart Clean
“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”
Intimacy with God requires a clean heart.
How to pray it:
Confess sins honestly.
Release bitterness and forgive others.
Example:
“Lord, forgive me where I have failed. Help me forgive those who have hurt me.”
6. Protection: Ask for Spiritual Strength
“And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one.”
Jesus reminds us that we are in a spiritual battle.
How to pray it:
Ask for strength against temptation.
Ask God to guard your mind and heart.
Example:
“Father, strengthen me against temptation today and protect me from the enemy.”
Here’s the pattern in one sentence:
Jesus teaches us to pray by moving through this rhythm: Father → Praise → Surrender → Provision → Repentance → Protection
Or even more simply: Relationship → Worship → Alignment → Dependence → Cleansing → Protection
Prayer Focus
Father,
I praise Your name. You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Thank You for inviting me into a relationship with You through prayer. As I continue this time of fasting and seeking You, teach me how to pray. Help me move beyond routine words and into true intimacy with You. Shape my heart to desire Your presence the way Jesus did. This week, show me how to seek You more deeply and trust You more fully. Give me today the things I need both spiritually and physically. Let me live my life in forgiveness to others, holding nothing back from You or them. Keep me in Your will, Your way, and Your protection.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.