How do I pray?
Have you ever wondered exactly how to go about praying? Prayer is just communicating (talking) with God and there is no right or wrong way to do it, but Jesus does give us some tips himself.
Many times when Jesus was with the disciples and he wanted to pray, he would go off by himself. Luke 11: 1 says, “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.”
Picture this possible scenario from that verse: The disciples are watching Jesus as he fervently prays to God. One says to another, “What exactly do you think he is doing over there all by himself?” Another probably answers, “He’s talking to God, the
usual.” Then another may think to himself, “When I talk to God, it does not feel that great. I feel so small and awkward and inadequate. The way Jesus does it, he must really get something from it, or he would not do it so much. I sure would like to talk to God the way Jesus does.” So after Jesus finishes praying and joins back up with the disciples, one of them says, “Lord, will you teach us to pray?”
Matthew 6:5-8 (NIV) tells us what Jesus said: “5And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
So the first thing Jesus said to do was go off and be alone. That is such an important part of prayer. Another thing that is important is to remove all distractions. Turn off the TV and cell phone and remove anything else that may try to get your attention away from your prayer. Truly be alone with God.
Whether you kneel, bow, sit or stand is up to you. God will hear you no matter what, so just choose whatever position helps you stay focused on the prayer. What you pray about is also up to you: You can thank God for his blessings, confess and ask for forgiveness for something you have done, pray for a sick friend, praise God just for being who He is, pray for comfort during a troubling time, or ask for help for a special need you may have. You can pray about anything you want or need to pray about.
The second thing is to earnestly pray to God, basically just talk to him, from the heart. There is no point in babbling on and on. The more words you say does not make for a better prayer. In fact, a short prayer that is sincere and to the point is all it takes for God to hear your prayer. Didn’t Jesus say God knows what we need even before we ask him? Yes, he did, but that does not mean we should not pray. Praying is what builds our relationship with God, he wants us to talk to Him!
Lastly, Jesus gave the disciples this sample prayer. Matthew 6: 9-13 (NIV) reads as follows:
9 This, then, is how you should pray:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, y
our will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”
Is that not a beautiful prayer? Jesus tells us how to go about praying then he shows us what to pray for. Now Jesus is just giving us the basics here, he is giving us a starting point. This sample prayer is more of a general prayer, and Jesus never intended for us to use this prayer only. It is just a guide. Your prayers should be more specific to your needs. And since you have an endless supply of prayers, you never have to feel like you are “wasting” your prayers. You can pray all throughout the day, anywhere, anytime, and about anything you feel the need to pray about.
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Here are several verses that may help you understand that God really hears your prayers:
1 Peter 3:12 (NIV) --For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
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Psalm 34:17 (NIV)--The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.
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1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)--Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
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Mark 11:24 (NIV)--Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
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Philippians 4: 6-7 (TLB)-- 6 Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. 7 If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.
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And last but not least, here is a verse that says God will answer us even before we are finished with our prayer:
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Isaiah 65:24 (TLB)-- I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
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Is that not an awesome thought to know we have a God who hears and understands our pleas before we even finish getting it out of our mouths! Remember that the whole point of prayer is building a relationship with God. You cannot have a strong friendship or relationship with someone if you never talk to them. The more you pray, the easier it will get and the more natural it will feel. Prayer is what brings us to the throne of God and saves us from drowning. It gives us the spiritual nourishment we need, and it allows us to feel God’s presence and love. Start building your relationship with God today!