Can you teach me how to pray?

[HoneyBee]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

 

[Daniel9v9]

It may perhaps be a little too obvious, but this is how Jesus taught us to pray in Matthew 6:9-13:

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil

We don't need to use many words, for God knows what we need even before we ask. Apart from this (though somewhat a repetition), I would give thanks to God for the forgiveness of sins, His constant provision, His goodness, kindness, love and grace. I would pray that our love, faith and trust in God may increase, likewise, that the love for our neighbour may also increase. And that we may come to learn of our sins, that we may repent through God's mercy and help, and be turned to hate sin. Above all, that in all things, God may be glorified, and that His kingdom come and His will be done.

You can also look at the Great Litany (Kyrie Eleison) which is quite extensive and includes many good intercessions.

God bless

 

[mukk_in]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

Sometimes it's as simple as "God please help me." You can also pray the Lord's prayer, which is technically correct. Prayer is more of a conversation with your Heavenly Father and doesn't have to be precise in the early stages of your walk with God. God bless .

 

[Bro. Daniel]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

Blessings,

In addition to those above, there's many different ways to pray depending on what you're asking Him but repent first prior to your supplication. (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Example Repentance:
Father God Yahuveh please forgive me of any known or unknown sins I committed today, if I was in agreement with the enemy and created any soul ties or covenants, or sinned and transgressed against You, ImmaYah Ruach HaGodesh (Holy Spirit), Yahushua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ), Your Elohim Angels, myself and others, and please wash my sins and myself under the Blood of Yahushua and remove the heaps and curses over my head and destroy the soul ties and covenants with the Holy Spirit Fire and Blood of Yahushua in Yahushua's name.

Ask God what you would like to know or do and end your prayers in Yahushua's (Jesus) name then (John 14:14)

Some example prayers:

Father God please teach me how to pray in Yahushua's name.
Father God please help or teach me to see and hear You spiritually in Yahushua's name.
Father God please teach me how to know you better in Yahushua's name.
Father God please remove anything sinful from me that isn't of You in Yahushua's name.
Father God please bless me with the knowledge, wisdom and understanding to read Your word better in Yahushua's name.

Blessings and shalom,

 

[St_Worm2]

Hi S_f_G, there is the prayer that Jesus gave us as a pattern for prayer, the "Our Father", which can be found in Matthew 6. (edit: which I see a couple of other members have already mentioned above. Sorry for making a blind post everyone!)

Matthew 6
5 When you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
7 And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.
8 Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him.
9 Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day 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 evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
.​

14 For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
.​

Personally, except in times of immediate need, I usually keep the ACTS pattern of prayer in mind when I pray. It's an acrostic that will help remind you of the things that should be included in most of your prayers.

A - Adoration
C - Confession
T - Thanksgiving
S - Supplication
​

Here is a short explanation of ACTS if you are interested.

I also like to read the Bible and respond back to God in prayer about what I've just read, sometimes verse by verse or even thought by thought. Such a response can be a praise or thanksgiving for something I've just read, or a question to God if I do not understand or wish to understand more, etc. It is one of the best ways to have a "conversation" with Him on a regular basis.

Yours and His,
David
p.s. - a couple of books that might serve you well are these: Growing in Christ by Dr. J I Packer (which does an excellent job of explaining what the Lord had in mind when He taught us the "Our Father" in Matthew 6, breaking down each part of His prayer for us to give us deeper insights into it), and Teach Us to Pray by Dr. Carson (which is an outstanding and very thorough look at prayer throughout the Bible, expensive but definitely worth it ). Both books, while very informative, are meant to help us with the practical application of praying in our daily lives.

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

I would suggest that you talk to Him as a loving Father.After all, that is who He is.God bless

 

[frater_domus]

Philippians 4:6. Give thanks to God and make your request be known to Him. Above, there is some really good advice. Let me add two things. Make sure it comes from the heart. Rehearsing is great and all, but an honest plea for help or thanksgiving is guided by the Spirit. Second, be clear that you are not talking into think air or with a vague concept. You are talking to the person of God. He is your heavenly father. Talk to Him as such. It will feel far more natural.

 

[Serving Zion]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

It is quite helpful to take a pen and paper, in a quiet place with nobody watching you, and remember who He is, then write to Him. In this way you can show your whole heart to Him without constraint, and you can also examine your heart. Also to spend time with other believers who pray with genuine heart of love, reverence and without judgement - you will recognise a unique gracefulness in their speech (Romans 8:26, John 14:17).

 

[ViaCrucis]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

Others have wisely pointed out that the Lord Jesus teaches us how to pray in the Our Father,

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.
Keep us from temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.
Amen."

This is the archetypal Christian prayer. Indeed, if you find it difficult to pray, praying the Our Father is a very good way to start.

Further, not all prayer is spoken. There is the prayer of silence, St. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans,

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27)

Even if no words come to mind, even in silence there is prayer. So do not stress too much. God, in His loving kindness and wisdom knows our hearts and minds, and cares deeply for us. He who knows each and every sparrow most certainly knows you better than even you do.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Brotherly Spirit]

A great question you asked. Long as I've been a Christian it's difficult to know what to say. All the advice above is solid and reliable.

Nothing I can add but my own experience and opinion. When I pray it's trying to be honest and not vain; not being too strict and holy but speak from the heart, but also have the seriousness and holiness of God in mind. The examples given by Jesus and referenced by others are great examples for us to think about; not only how they're structured but what is said with meaning and purpose.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

Believe that God is within earshot of your voice, and just start talking to Him just like you would talk to a friend, except you are speaking to someone you can't see, but it is your faith that tells you that God is hearing what you are saying to Him. You don't have to be formal. He enjoys hearing you speak to Him from your heart. You can ask Him all the questions you want to know about Him. You can introduce yourself to Him. The Scripture says that he who comes to God must believe that He is there and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The beauty about talking with God is that you can say things to Him that you would never tell another living person.

We have have fellowship with God, the Scripture says "Truly our fellowship is with the Father and His Son Jesus Christ." What does that mean? You can talk freely to God. I have found my best times with the Lord is walking along a lonely beach with my hands in my pockets just chatting with God about whatever comes to mind that is important to me. I have discussed Scripture with God. I have found that suddenly new insights come into mind and I realise that even while I was talking, He was putting the answers into my mind.

When you diligently seek God with all your heart, he will be found of you. That is His promise. What is seeking God? Studying the Bible, then getting by yourself and chatting to God about what you are reading. Talking about your dreams and desires. The problem is that some think that because God is almighty that we have to be formal with Him. He is not like that. If you study Jesus in the Gospels, you will find that He enjoyed just being with and chatting with His disciples. Jesus said that if they have seen Him, they have seen the Father. If we try speaking to Him in formal, KJV language, He will come back at us and say, "Why are you talking like that to me? I'm not the Prime Minister or the President. I am your Father. Would you talk to your own father like that? Of course not. So talk normally, honestly, openly to Me."

I say things to God that I would not say to anyone else. He knows my heart. If I think that someone is behaving like a plonker, I will tell God so, and I will tell Him that I am supposed to love that guy, but that guy is such an idiot, it is too difficult and I need His help to love him as Jesus does." It is amazing how God loves that kind of honesty before Him and how He does come to our aid in times like that. I told God that I was afraid to really be myself before Him because of my shortcoming and failure, but He said, "If I don't like you, I will change you."

So, if you want to pray effectively and enjoy it, then relax, be yourself, and talk to God as you would talk to anyone else, except you are talking to your Friend who sticks closer than a brother. In fact, Jesus is your Brother. Hebrews says that Jesus is not ashamed to call us brethren. So you can relate to Him as brother to brother, and you can share your secrets with Him, and He will share insights into God's ways and His Word that will greatly enhance your experience with Him.

 

[Catherineanne]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

You came to the right place to ask a question, and you asked it.

Exactly like that.

Find the right place (preferably somewhere quiet) and ask.

Prayers suitable for any and every occasion:

'Lord, have mercy,' and 'Thy will be done.'

 

[DW1980]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

I thought I would chip in - you have some great suggestions above, I love the ACTS model, and the passages where Jesus' disciples asked him the same question, so you are in good company!

There is no "right" and "wrong" way to pray. God is interested in intimacy with you - a real relationship, not a formula. Nothing is off limits to him. Whatever you have, things to be thankful for, concerns, even if you are angry with God - tell him. Be honest (he already knows anyway!). And spend some time listening too, in the silence God speaks to us. Just check anything you think you hear with Scripture and other Christians, especially if it's directive.

 

[R. Hartono]

Matt 5:44 pray for those who speak evil about you, and persecute you
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

 

[frater_domus]

By the way, I have often heard that the psalms are great to be prayed (read) back to God. After all, many of them are, in essence, prayers. If you like that idea, find something that speaks to you in the Book of Psalms and pray it, or even about it. That'll get you started, especially if speaking your heart to God feel unnatural to you.

 

[Johnny4ChristJesus]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

The prayer talked about in response #2 is a great place to start and even continue. But, prayer is really about talking to God. Share what you have learned about Him, share what concerns you about your life and others, ask Him for His help, recognize that He is fully able to help you, and then ask Him for help. And trust Him to do what is best, even if it doesn't look like what you wanted. When we have a moment to complain, we should go to Him first, not everyone else. When we feel tempted to do something we know isn't right, we should go to Him. The idea is that if we are in a relationship, we would communicate with our partner. In this case, we are in a relationship with The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Prayer is how we communicate. Prayer (and a whole lot of it) is how Jesus communicated with the Father when He set the example for us to follow.

If nothing else in this life, you are filling up the golden bowl of incense of the prayers of the saints!

The more time you spend in Scripture, the more transformed you will find yourself, and the more you will be able to share with God about what you learned about Him (and now can trust about Him).

 

[tulipbee]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

pick a time and day . get prepared to make that appointment . then when that time comes, pray away.

 

[Halbhh]

Does anyone know how to correctly pray to God? And, if so, how exactly would one pray to Him?

I was a seeker and actually prayed to God this way one day: "God....make a way from me to you. Bring me to you."

I really took a leap of faith, and truly prayed that.

For that moment, I really opened my heart, and I believed, just for that while. I didn't know at that moment I was doing as Christ Jesus said to us to do:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?"
"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

For me that was the most important prayer I've ever made. So many have been answered since, including impossible seeming things, but that was the key one for me.

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

pick a time and day . get prepared to make that appointment . then when that time comes, pray away.

Paul says to “pray without ceasing”. I suppose there is nothing wrong with set times and places for prayer—— I just never understood it.I talk to God from the moment I wake until the time I go to sleep....kinda like a constant companion through the day,whether I am in the shower, cutting grass,unclogging the sink or riding my Harley.Anybody else out there have this experience?

 

[Thisis Thend]

Here are a couple prayers you might make, which I believe would be a good place to start; "Father, how should I correctly pray to You?" And; "Lord, exactly how should I do it?"