Introduction
In the last article, we talked about why Christians should pray. In this article, we’ll talk about how Christians should pray. The Bible is a great source of information on prayer – the Lord’s Prayer is a great framework to follow. The Bible also talks about different types of prayer as well as some cautions about prayer we should watch out for as we pray.
The Lord’s Prayer
In Luke 11:1, the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, as John the Baptist taught his disciples. Jesus then taught them this prayer, which we now call the Lord’s Prayer:
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 forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen
(Matthew 6:9-13)
Let’s discuss each part of the Lord’s Prayer.
Our Father in heaven
In this statement, we acknowledge God is our Father in heaven.
Hallowed be your name
Here, we acknowledge God is holy and should be revered (hallowed means revered). Holy means exalted, worthy of complete devotion (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/holy, accessed 6/11/22)
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Our prayers must be submissive to God’s will. His will is perfect and is far better than anything we can think of. God is omniscient and knows far better what we need and how to give it to us than we can possibly know.
Give us this day our daily bread
This is a petition to God asking for provision of food for the day
Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors
In this verse, debts are sins. Even though we are saved by the blood of Jesus, we still sin, and need to ask for forgiveness. We are also to forgive others who have wronged us.
Do not lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
Even though God does not tempt us, He sometimes allows trials which include temptations – examples are Job and Peter. This request is to avoid the dangers of sin, which is the eventual result of temptation if we give in to it.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever
A final acknowledgment of who God is – His kingdom will last forever, His power is ultimate and lasts forever, and He gets the glory forever, as He deserves.
The Lord’s Prayer is a model for us to follow as we pray. In this prayer, we acknowledge who God is, we praise Him for His holiness and who He is, we ask for His will to be done, we make our requests to Him, either for ourselves or for others, we ask for forgiveness for sins, and we ask for protection from the Evil One.
Types of Prayers
Adoration, praising God, acknowledging who He is
Thanksgiving for God’s provision for us
Confession of sin, request for forgiveness
Petitions – asking for what we need
Intercession – asking on behalf of others
Cautions About Prayer
Don’t do flowery, eloquent prayer for show. Right before He gave the disciples the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus told us about this with respect to the Pharisees:
And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (Matthew 6:5)
Jesus called out the Pharisees because they prayed out in the open so men would see them. It was all about pleasing people and impressing them with their prayers. Prayer isn’t about drawing attention to yourself – it’s about talking to God as we discussed in the last article. In fact, in Matthew 6:6, Jesus says we should go into our room – someplace private and quiet, and pray there. God sees you in that private place and hears your prayers.
This is not meant to be prohibiting prayer in public or as a group. Churches often have a time of corporate prayer. The Bible gives an example of corporate prayer in Acts 4:23-31.
Jesus also cautioned His disciples about repetitive prayers in Matthew 6:7:
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
Prayers aren’t supposed to be just recited or thoughtlessly repeated. Prayers are not just formulas: if you pray these words you get what you ask for. You need to think about what you’re saying and your heart must be in the prayers. Remember, you’re talking to God, praising Him for who He is, thanking Him for providing for you, and letting Him know your needs.
Question and Answer
Q: Do I have to pray out loud?
A: The short answer is no – God knows what you’re thinking. So if you pray silently, God still knows what you’re saying. However, praying out loud with other believers allows others to know what’s on your heart, pray in agreement with you, and may remind them of something they wanted to pray about.
Q: I don’t know how to pray correctly; I listen to others who speak so much better than I do. What do I do?
A: One thing to think about: the person you’re listening to may be a seasoned Christian who’s been a believer for many years, and who has prayed for all those years. As you pray more, it gets more comfortable. Another thing to consider: once upon a time that person was a new believer and was timid about praying too. Pray what is on your heart, what God is leading you to pray. God’s concern is that you’re praying from your heart – you don’t have to quote scripture or say exactly the right words. Listen to the experienced believers and follow their example. Keep reading your Bible – there are a lot of examples of prayer in the Bible, especially in Psalms.
Q: I don’t pray as long as other people. Is that okay?
A: First of all, there is no correct length of time for a prayer. Start where you’re at. One of the shortest prayers in the Bible is in Luke 18:13-14, where Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee said a very long prayer and sounds like he’s glorifying himself, but the tax collector simply said ”God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus said the tax collector’s prayer was acceptable but the Pharisee’s prayer was not. The tax collector’s prayer was short and to the point – likewise, you don’t have to pray a long prayer. As you pray more and more, you’ll start seeing your prayers getting longer.