Chapter 14: Equipping Through Prayer
The last discipline we will examine together is the one Jesus demonstrated immediately after the “Farewell Discourse” we studied in Chapter 13. The practice of prayer is one of the most essential components of the Christian life, but it is also, unfortunately, one of the most forgotten and overlooked. Many people do not pray because they do not know what to say; others avoid it due to feelings of guilt or shame, while others, most tragically of all, allow laziness to hinder them from one of the greatest blessings given to them by God. As wordsmiths, what could be more important than speaking with the ultimate Wordsmith? The fact that prayer was the last thing Jesus chose to do before the most painful hours of His life points to its immense importance:
“And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” (Mark 14:32-42 ESV).
Interestingly, the word “Gethsemane” means “oil press” or “place of pressure.” How fitting is this description? In the most pressure-filled moment of His life, Jesus goes to the place of pressure to cast His cares upon His Heavenly Father. While the obstacles we face in this life pale in comparison to His trials, this serves as a powerful reminder that, in the midst of stress and anxiety, prayer is the greatest comfort for our souls.
Thankfully, this passage presents a rhythm that may be helpful as you seek to grow in your prayer life. By design, this rhythm focuses less on what to say and more on how to position your heart for what you are going to say. Prayer is incredibly personal, so we are going to avoid outlining a script for something that is designed to be conversational. When we have a strong prayer life, we are better equipped by God to equip others to understand and live out the Gospel.
The Gethsemane Rhythm
1) Preparation
“And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’” (Mark 14:32 ESV).
Before Jesus spent time in prayer, He spent time in preparation. There was a considerable amount of intentionality that went into traveling to Gethsemane, let alone requiring His disciples to stay back once He arrived. Similarly, effective times of prayer for us will often require intentional preparation. If you find yourself having consistent gaps in your prayer life, it may be because you do not have a specific time and location carved out for intentional devotion. While prayer should be a regular occurrence throughout our day, it often helps to set aside a specific time to talk to God on a regular basis.
2) Separation
“And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.’” (Mark 14:33-34 ESV).
Once they arrived at Gethsemane, Jesus separated Himself from His disciples so that He could pray on His own. Of course, there are certainly times when prayer in a group setting is appropriate and even ideal, but it is essential that we intentionally distance ourselves from potential distractions during times of prayer. For you, that may mean separating yourself from your phone or television in order to fully focus on God. Whatever the distraction may be, it is important that we do whatever we can to maintain our full attention on Him and Him alone.
3) Confrontation
“And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.” (Mark 14:35 ESV).
This small passage contains profound truth. Since He is God, it can be easy for us to think that going to the cross was an easy decision for Jesus. However, this passage tells us explicitly that Jesus asked if there was any other way for salvation to be accomplished—which, as we know now, there was not. Even though He was fully perfect, Jesus was still honest about His feelings with His Heavenly Father. If He saw the need to do this, how much more should we? As God’s children, we do not need to be afraid of confronting Him and being honest with Him. He loves us, and He already knows what we are going through!
4) Illumination
“And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36 ESV).
Even though Jesus was honest about His feelings regarding going to the cross, He did not allow His hesitations to hold Him back from obedience: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Amazingly, when we follow in the footsteps of Jesus and choose to be radically honest with the Father, our hearts are better postured to hear what He wants to speak to us. It is in these moments that He equips us through His Spirit and gives us divine direction for what is ahead. Hearing God’s authentic voice often begins with using our own authentic voice.
5) Activation
“And he came the third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.’” (Mark 14:41-42 ESV).
When God speaks to us, He almost always calls us to take action. From this moment, Jesus would be arrested, falsely accused, wrongfully sentenced, and brutally murdered—all of which He could have avoided if He had chosen to. However, driven by deep love for us, He put action to His words and decided to pay the ultimate price. In His footsteps, our prayers are meant to develop clear pathways of obedience that we can walk on in pursuit of sharing truth with others. The activation of prayer is the choice to turn our words from being directed at God to being directed at others, fulfilling our mission as wordsmiths of His message!
Conclusion: Speaking With The Wordsmith
Prayer is not just a discipline; it is a lifeline that connects us to the heart of God. In Gethsemane, Jesus modeled a rhythm of prayer that prepared Him for the most difficult moment of His life, reminding us that true strength is found in communion with the Father. When we prioritize preparation, separation, confrontation, illumination, and activation in our prayer lives, we align our hearts with God’s will and experience His guidance more clearly. Like Jesus, we must be willing to bring our honest emotions before God, trusting that He will provide clarity and strength for what lies ahead. Let us embrace this rhythm, seeking God in moments of both pressure and peace, knowing that He is always near. In doing so, we become not only hearers of His Word but also doers, living out His truth in a world that desperately needs it.
