Why Jesus Prayed Before Crisis Came—And Why We Should Too
At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we’re learning a powerful truth this Easter season: Jesus didn’t start praying when life became hard. He prayed long before crisis ever came.
Prayer Was Jesus’s Ministry
One writer captured it perfectly: “Prayer was not preparation for ministry. It was his ministry.” Think about that. The Son of God—fully divine yet fully human—depended continually on the Father through prayer. In Mark 14:36, we read that Jesus cried out “Abba, Father”—the Aramaic word for “Daddy.” It doesn’t get more tender, more compassionate, or more relational than that.
If Jesus, in His darkest moment in the Garden of Gethsemane, depended on prayer, why do we think we can survive without it?
The Firefighter Principle
Consider this analogy: A firefighter doesn’t learn to use oxygen tanks during a fire. Training happens long beforehand so that survival is possible when necessity arrives. Yet too many Christians treat prayer like emergency oxygen instead of daily breathing.
Jesus went to the Father in His darkest moments only because He went there every single day. His custom was prayer. His habit was communion with God. When crisis came, He didn’t have to learn how to pray—He already knew the way to His Father’s heart.
Living “Just 3” at Lakeview
This is why our church’s mission—be the change as Jesus has changed us—starts with our “Just 3” commitment. When we Study to love and know God, we’re building the prayer habit that sustains us through every season. We’re learning to breathe spiritually, not just gasp for air when we’re drowning.
Our 40-day prayer journal isn’t just about getting you to pray for 40 days. It’s about helping you develop a lifestyle of daily communion with God. It takes 21 days to form a habit; after 40 days, it becomes part of who you are.
From Emergency to Everyday
Most of us wait until we’re at 1% spiritually before we think about recharging our faith. We treat God like a spare tire instead of the engine that drives our lives. But Jesus modeled something radically different—constant dependence, daily surrender, continuous conversation with the Father.
When we Share to know and love others and Serve as love in action, we’re operating from a place of spiritual fullness, not spiritual emptiness. We’re giving from overflow, not from desperation.
Your Next Step
This week, identify your “Mount of Olives”—your place of regular prayer. Maybe it’s your backyard, your car during your commute, or a quiet corner of your home. Make it your custom, like Jesus did. Don’t wait for crisis to drive you to your knees. Let daily prayer become as natural as breathing.
Because when darkness comes—and it will come—you’ll already know the way to your Father’s heart.
