One of the biggest aspects of living a Christian life is prayer time with God. For many Christians, especially new believers this is something that often sounds mystical or mysterious and many Christians have a lot of questions about prayer. In this article we want to explore how to pray to God, but also delve into other basic questions… what is prayer? Do you need prayer? Does prayer help? By the time we finish it is my hope you have a good understanding of how to pray to God, what is the right way to pray and how that daily discipline will change your life for the better.
Prayer Examples
We want to share with you a few simple prayers that can start you off on the path of a healthy prayer life. Keep in mind, it is more about you and your circumstances and God wants to know you on a very personal level. Yes, He knows everything there is to know already, but more importantly He wants you to freely join Him in communion and share your life with Him.
Dear Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for the blessings you brought into my life, for my family, for my church, for my friends and for my neighbors. Today I have a difficult decision to make and I want your wisdom in all of my choices. Please Father let the Holy Spirit guide me and show me the path that would glorify you. I love you and thank you. In Jesus name. Amen.
Jesus, my King of Kings, please give me strength. My heart is troubled and my body is stricken with illness. Give me comfort and healing if it is your will. Lift me up and give me courage in this difficult time and let people see your reflection when they look at me. I love you and need you. Be with me always. Amen.
Holy Spirit, thank you so much for all you do in my life! You have filled me with peace, joy, patience and have guided my decisions. Today I step out in confidence that you are with me, a lamp unto my feet, together we shall glorify our Father in Heaven. Amen.
Pray to God the right way – what is prayer?
So what exactly is prayer? We see people around the world in prayer, people of all nations, all cultures, all religions prayer is prevalent. In a generic sense prayer is a person communicating with a higher power. In the Christian faith prayer is our direct line to our Creator, the one True God. Prayer is bringing your petition to God no matter what it may be… healing, strength, encouragement, direction, thanksgiving… in all things we should go in prayer.
Prayer is also a form of worship the God for all that He has done in our lives and the world. We must pray in His name – Father, Son or Holy Spirit. You may be asking, which of the three should I pray to? The answer is all or any. Scripture is clear that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are ONE (Matthew 28:19), and personally I have said prayers to all three at different times.
The most important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to pray
Now let us take some time to discuss specifically how to pray to God the right way. The most important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to pray. We are all different and we will all connect with God in various ways. Some people like to find a quiet place where they can be alone with God, which I highly recommend. When there are no distractions and your environment is peaceful it will much easier to communicate clearly. It is a good idea to set an appointment with God, a time and place each day where you know you will spend some quiet time alone with Him. In my experience I prefer to start my day this way, as it helps to invigorate me as I walk out the door and into the world.
When to pray to God?
On the other hand we do not want to become so structured that we only pray to God when our calendar tell us it is time. When you are going about your day, say small prayers… ask for help, give thanks or just let God know how you are feeling in that moment. Often times we may not know what to pray for and in these times we must rely on the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26) to intercede for us in our weakness.
Prayer is about a relationship with God, very similar to the relationship between a father and son on Earth. If a man on Earth needs help, or comfort, or just wants to share a part of his life with someone, he will often turn to his father. When a father sees his child going through a tough time, He wants to hear about it, and help him if possible get through it. This is no different than our Father in Heaven, who loves each of us more than we can imagine.
How to pray to God to get answers?
People often ask: Should I pray on my knees? Should I pray out loud? Or other such details. There is no one correct answer to these questions. In my day I spend time on my knees praying, sitting at my desk praying and even praying while I am working. There are times when I pray quietly and times when I speak out loud. There are times when I cry, sing, laugh and shout out in prayer.
Now that we have discussed how and when to pray let us talk about how prayer can help us in our lives. How to pray to get answers from God? If you ever want testimony about the effectiveness of prayer just ask anyone who prays on a regular basis. Prayer is a life-changing practice that will bring you closer to God. The closer you come to God the more peace and joy will fill your heart. You will learn to trust and rely on God more because you will start to see answered prayers unfold in your life.
Don’t give up the prayer if you think your questions and petitions are not answered. God answers in His time, so trust and be patient and you get an answer. When Jesus Christ walked the Earth, He spent a considerable amount of time in prayer because He wanted to leave behind an example for us to follow as Christians. Let’s follow Jesus Christ and pray to God!
Also read: WORDS YOU HAVE PRAYED STAY FOREVER IN THE HEART OF GOD
