Look at how Jesus prayed in His life:

This paper looks at how crucial prayer was to Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. I am not looking so much as what Jesus had to say about Prayer, but how and when He prayed.

It was as Jesus was praying that the heavens opened and Holy Spirit descended on Him - that was the context:

"When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove." Luke 3:21

Time and time again you find Jesus going to a "solitary place" to get time with His Father. Here it happens after Jesus had healed all kinds of sickness and delivering people from demonic spirits:

When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!"... At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. Luke 4:40

Luke clearly tells how Jesus often left all the action to go spend time with God:

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:15

Notice that Jesus spends all night in prayer before He picks the 12 disciples:

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew... Luke 6:18

Notice what happens as Jesus is in the middle of prayer:

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God." Luke 9:18

As Jesus is praying He asks the disciples a question. Peter answers with remarkable Revelation.... and Jesus clearly tells him (and us) that this deep understanding of who He (Jesus) is did not come from some person explaining but pure revelation from God the Father. Jesus goes on to say that the Church will be built on this very revelation!

"Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, an on this rock I will build My church...." Matthew 16:17

Isn't it significant that Jesus has this revelation just after Jesus was praying. I think it is highly probably that this is what Jesus was praying for, specifically because of the question that He asks them.

Consider the mount of transfiguration with Peter, James and John. It was as Jesus was praying that His face changed and His glory and splendor was revealed to the disciples!

As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Luke 9:29

It was right after a time of prayer that the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, and He gave us "The Lord's Prayer."

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say:
"`Father, hallowed be your name... Luke 11:1

Jesus clearly said that His house would be a house of prayer. And Isaiah 56:7 says that this is supposed to be enjoyable prayer, not the dull boring sort.

"It is written," he said to them, "`My house will be a house of prayer" Luke 19:46

Jesus tells Peter that Satan is desiring to sift him. But Jesus says that it will be ok because He has PRAYED for Peter. Isn't it interesting that the whole defense system in this Satanic onslaught is prayer?

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death." Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me." Luke 22:32

Once again Jesus' answer to a horrible temptation is nothing less than prayer! Jesus knows that Peter is going to be intensely tempted to deny ever knowing Him. Jesus says the answer is engaging with Father God!

In reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." Luke 22:40

This next passage is incredible. Jesus settles the struggle of doing the Father's will right off the bat, during the 1st of 3 prayers. Right after He does this it says that an Angel from heaven appears to give Him more strength. But strength for what? Strength to suffer? Strength to fight? Well, yes, but the text says Strength to pray!

He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:40

Notice that the text says that after the Angel strengthened Jesus that He was in anguish and prayed even more earnestly! The strength was used for intense prayer!

Conclusion

Prayer is not only significant but crucial. Jesus makes major decisions and works miracles out of the context of prayer. Prayer is not just a good idea but is the fabric of His connection with the Father.