Oração: o que é, como fazer e o que Jesus ensinou

A oração é a conversa direta e sincera entre a pessoa e Deus. Na Bíblia, ela não é uma fórmula mística para dobrar a vontade divina, mas o meio pelo qual expressamos confiança, dependência, gratidão e pedidos ao Pai celestial.

Como Jesus ensinou a orar

Jesus alertou contra dois desvios comuns: a hipocrisia de orar em público para impressionar os outros e o uso de repetições mecânicas, achando que Deus responde pela quantidade de palavras. O Pai já sabe do que você precisa antes mesmo de pedir. No modelo da oração do Pai Nosso, Jesus estabeleceu as prioridades da fé: honrar o nome de Deus, submeter-se ao seu Reino, pedir o sustento diário, confessar pecados e buscar proteção contra o mal.

5 And when you may pray, you will not be as the hypocrites, because they cherish to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the broad places, that they may be seen of men; truly I say to you that they have their reward.(Matthew 6:5)

6 But you, when you may pray, go into your chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who [is] in secret, and your Father who is seeing in secret will reward you.(Matthew 6:6)

7 And—praying—you may not use vain repetitions like the nations, for they think that in their speaking much they will be heard, 8 therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows those things that you have need of before your asking Him;(Matthew 6:7,8)

9 therefore pray thus: Our Father who [is] in the heavens, hallowed be Your Name. 10 Your kingdom come, Your will come to pass, as in Heaven also on the earth. 11 Give us today our appointed bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. 13 And may You not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one], because Yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory—for all ages. Amen.(Matthew 6:9-13)

2 And He said to them, "When you may pray, say: Our Father who is in the heavens, hallowed be Your Name; Your kingdom come, Your will come to pass, as in Heaven also on earth; 3 be giving us daily our appointed bread; 4 and forgive us our sins, for we also ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us; and may You not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil [one]."(Luke 11:2-4)

O convite a pedir com insistência e fé

Deus convida seus filhos a trazerem pedidos com liberdade e insistência. Os verbos que Jesus usa — pedir, buscar e bater — indicam persistência contínua, não uma tentativa única. Ele compara o cuidado de Deus com o de pais humanos: se pais imperfeitos dão coisas boas aos seus filhos, com muito mais generosidade o Pai acolhe quem recorre a Ele.

7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; 8 for everyone who is asking receives, and he who is seeking finds, and to him who is knocking it will be opened.(Matthew 7:7,8)

11 If, therefore, you being evil, have known to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who [is] in the heavens give good things to those asking Him?(Matthew 7:11)

9 and I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you; 10 for everyone who is asking receives; and he who is seeking finds; and to him who is knocking it will be opened.(Luke 11:9,10)

1 And He also spoke an allegory to them, that it is always necessary to pray and not to faint, 2 saying, "A certain judge was in a certain city—he is not fearing God, and he is not regarding man— 3 and a widow was in that city, and she was coming to him, saying, Do me justice on my opponent, 4 and he would not for a time, but after these things he said in himself, Even if I do not fear God, and do not regard man, 5 yet because this widow gives me trouble, I will do her justice, lest, continuously coming, she may bruise me." 6 And the LORD said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says: 7 and will God not execute justice to His chosen ones, who are crying to Him day and night—bearing long in regard to them? 8 I say to you that He will execute justice to them quickly; but the Son of Man having come, will He find faith on the earth?"(Luke 18:1-8)

24 Because of this I say to you, all whatever—praying—you ask, believe that you receive, and it will be to you.(Mark 11:24)

22 and all—as much as you may ask in the prayer, believing, you will receive."(Matthew 21:22)

O que significa orar em nome de Jesus

Orar em nome de Jesus não funciona como fórmula mágica ao final de uma frase. No contexto bíblico, o nome representa a autoridade, o caráter e a vontade da pessoa. Pedir em nome de Cristo significa aproximar-se do Pai fundamentado nos méritos de Jesus, alinhando desejos e propósitos àquilo que Ele mesmo ensinou e viveu.

13 and whatever you may ask in My Name, I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; 14 if you ask anything in My Name I will do [it].(John 14:13,14)

7 if you may remain in Me, and My sayings may remain in you, whatever you may wish you will ask, and it will be done to you.(John 15:7)

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you might go away, and might bear fruit, and your fruit might remain, that whatever you may ask of the Father in My Name, He may give you.(John 15:16)

24 until now you asked nothing in My Name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.(John 16:24)

A certeza de que Deus ouve o clamor

A Escritura não esconde momentos de angústia e cansaço. De Davi perseguido no deserto aos profetas no cativeiro, a Bíblia registra clamores sinceros de quem não via saída humana. A resposta nem sempre vem no tempo ou na forma desejada, mas a promessa das Escrituras é que o Senhor não despreza a oração humilde dos que o buscam.

3 Call to Me, and I answer you, indeed, I declare to you great and inaccessible things—you have not known them.(Jeremiah 33:3)

12 And you have called Me, and have gone, and have prayed to Me, and I have listened to you,(Jeremiah 29:12)

13 and you have sought Me, and have found, for you seek Me with all your heart;(Jeremiah 29:13)

6 In my adversity I call YHWH, || And I cry to my God. He hears my voice from His temple, || And My cry comes into His ears before Him.(Psalms 18:6)

24 For He has not despised, nor detested, || The affliction of the afflicted, || Nor has He hidden His face from Him, || And in His crying to Him He hears.(Psalms 22:24)

15 And call Me in a day of adversity, || I deliver you, and you honor Me.(Psalms 50:15)

2 Hearer of prayer, all flesh comes to You.(Psalms 65:2)

17 I have called to Him [with] my mouth, || And exaltation [is] under my tongue.(Psalms 66:17)

18 Iniquity, if I have seen in my heart, || The Lord does not hear. 19 But God has heard, || He has attended to the voice of my prayer.(Psalms 66:18,19)

17 He turned to the prayer of the destitute, || And He has not despised their prayer.(Psalms 102:17)

1 I have loved, because YHWH hears My voice, my supplication, 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, || And during my days I call.(Psalms 116:1,2)

18 YHWH [is] near to all those calling Him, || To all who call Him in truth.(Psalms 145:18)

19 For the people in Zion dwell in Jerusalem, || Do not weep—weeping, || Pitying, He pities you at the voice of your cry, || When He hears He answers you.(Isaiah 30:19)

6 Seek YHWH while He may be found, || Call Him while He is near,(Isaiah 55:6)

24 And it has come to pass, || They do not yet call, and I answer, || They are yet speaking, and I hear.(Isaiah 65:24)

A atitude do coração diante de Deus

A oração bíblica exige sinceridade interior. O apóstolo Tiago adverte que pedir motivado por egoísmo ou orar com o coração dividido impede a comunhão com Deus. O Senhor acolhe quem se achega com quebrantamento, disposição para perdoar e desejo sincero de obedecer à sua palavra.

5 And if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who is giving to all generously, and not reproaching, and it will be given to him; 6 but let him ask in faith, doubting nothing, for he who is doubting has been like a wave of the sea, driven by wind and tossed; 7 for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the LORD— 8 a soul-split man [is] unstable in all his ways.(James 1:5-8)

2 You desire, and do not have, [so] you murder; and you are zealous, and are not able to attain, [so] you fight and war; and you do not have, because of your not asking;(James 4:2)

8 draw near to God, and He will draw near to you; cleanse hands, you sinners! And purify hearts, you split-souled!(James 4:8)

16 Be confessing to one another the trespasses, and be praying for one another, that you may be healed; very strong is a working supplication of a righteous man;(James 5:16)

9 Whoever is turning his ear from hearing the Law, || Even his prayer [is] an abomination.(Proverbs 28:9)

3 And know that YHWH || Has separated a saintly one to Himself. YHWH hears in my calling to Him.(Psalms 4:3)

7 Be silent for YHWH, and stay yourself for Him, || Do not fret because of him || Who is making his way prosperous, || Because of a man doing wicked schemes.(Psalms 37:7)

8 Trust in Him at all times, O people, || Pour forth your heart before Him, || God [is] a refuge for us. Selah.(Psalms 62:8)

Confiança e submissão à vontade divina

A confiança na oração não significa receber garantias de que todo pedido pessoal será concedido. O próprio Jesus, diante da cruz no Getsêmani, pediu para afastar o sofrimento, mas concluiu submetendo-se à vontade do Pai. Paulo pediu três vezes para ser livre de uma aflição física e recebeu como resposta que a graça divina era suficiente. A fé madura descansa no fato de que Deus sabe o que é melhor, mesmo quando a resposta é diferente da nossa expectativa.

14 And this is the boldness that we have toward Him, that if we may ask anything according to His will, He hears us, 15 and if we have known that He hears us, whatever we may ask, we have known that we have the requests that we have requested from Him.(1 John 5:14,15)

22 and whatever we may ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commands, and we do the things pleasing before Him,(1 John 3:22)

16 we may come near, then, with freedom, to the throne of grace, that we may receive kindness, and find grace—for seasonable help.(Hebrews 4:16)

6 and apart from faith it is impossible to please [Him], for it is required of him who is coming to God to believe that He exists and [that] He becomes a rewarder to those seeking Him.(Hebrews 11:6)

25 from where also He is able to save to the very end, those coming through Him to God—ever living to make intercession for them.(Hebrews 7:25)

39 And having gone forward a little, He fell on His face, praying, and saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You."(Matthew 26:39)

8 I called on the LORD three times concerning this thing, that it might depart from me, 9 and He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness"; most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast in my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may rest on me:(2 Corinthians 12:8,9)

O que fazer quando faltam palavras

Em períodos de perda, exaustão ou ansiedade extrema, formular pensamentos pode parecer impossível. O apóstolo Paulo ensina que o Espírito Santo intercede por nós em nossa fraqueza com gemidos que as palavras humanas não conseguem traduzir. Entregar a Deus o que aflige o coração, sem máscaras, substitui a inquietação pela paz de Cristo.

26 And in like manner also, the Spirit helps our weaknesses; for what we may pray for, as it is necessary, we have not known, but [this] One—the Spirit—makes intercession for us with unutterable groanings, 27 and He who is searching the hearts has known what [is] the mind of the Spirit, because according to God He intercedes for holy ones.(Romans 8:26,27)

6 be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer, and by supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, that is surpassing all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6,7)

19 and my God will supply all your need, according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus;(Philippians 4:19)

17 Evening, and morning, and noon, || I meditate, and make a noise, and He hears my voice,(Psalms 55:17)

1 A PSALM OF DAVID, IN HIS BEING IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH. O God, You [are] my God, earnestly I seek You, || My soul has thirsted for You, || My flesh has longed for You, || In a dry and weary land, without waters.(Psalms 63:1)

Orar sem cessar no dia a dia

O mandamento de "orar sem cessar" não exige isolamento do mundo nem repetições intermináveis. Trata-se de cultivar uma atitude contínua de dependência, integrando Deus nas decisões do trabalho, na vida em família e nas tensões cotidianas. Essa oração também se expressa em comunidade, sustentando uns aos outros em intercessão, gratidão e louvor.

16 always rejoice; 17 continually pray; 18 give thanks in everything, for this [is] the will of God in Christ Jesus in regard to you.(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

18 through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in this, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones—(Ephesians 6:18)

2 Continue in the prayer, watching in it in thanksgiving,(Colossians 4:2)

12 in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering;(Romans 12:12)

8 I intend, therefore, that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, apart from anger and deliberation;(1 Timothy 2:8)

18 Truly I say to you, whatever things you may bind on the earth will be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever things you may loose on the earth will be having been loosed in the heavens.(Matthew 18:18)

20 for where there are two or three gathered together—to My Name, there am I in the midst of them."(Matthew 18:20)

27 But I say to you who are hearing, love your enemies, do good to those hating you, 28 bless those cursing you, pray for those maligning you;(Luke 6:27,28)

14 these were all continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication, with women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.(Acts 1:14)

25 And at midnight Paul and Silas praying, were singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were hearing them,(Acts 16:25)

7 Now the end of all things has come near; be sober-minded, then, and be sober in [your] prayers.(1 Peter 4:7)

20 and to Him who is able to do exceedingly [and] abundantly above all things that we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us,(Ephesians 3:20)