How Should I Pray?

One of the many questions I had when I first became a believer is how do I pray to God? What do I pray for? Matthew 6:5-13 answers the question, and tells us how NOT to pray.

"And 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 men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."

“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. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him"

By the verse, here is what Jesus is telling us:

• Verse 5: We are to pray in secret, not the way people did in His day -- praying out loud publicly, primarily to just be seen, and heard.
• Verse 6: Jesus asks us to go to a private place since our Heavenly Father already knows what we are going to pray about.
• Verse 7: Jesus tells us not to ramble on and on, as people of other religions do, or be repetitious with words. God, our heavenly Father, would have us be specific about our prayer.
• Verse 8: Jesus reiterates that the believer is not to pray repetitiously like the heathen.

But then, He tells us HOW to do it:

• Verse 9: Jesus says we should give honor to God and His name.
• Verse 10: We are to pray for His Kingdom to come, and for His will to be done, that there would be a heavenly or godly presence here on earth.
• Verse 11: We are to pray for daily provision.
• Verse 12: We are to pray and ask for forgiveness for our sins, and for others who have wronged us.
• Verse 13: We are to pray and ask God to keep us from being tempted, and to deliver us from Satan and his power.

This is where the Lord's Prayer originates from: Our Father who are in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins (trespasses), just as we forgive those who have sinned (trespassed) against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for thine is the kingdom and the glory, forever and ever, Amen.

By reciting the Lord's Prayer, you prepare yourself to commune with God and open your mind and heart to the Holy Spirit so you might better understand the written Word, or to petition God for special requests. Next, thanking Him for your blessings (you have more than you think!) keeps you mindful of how God has provided for your basic needs already.

I always had a hard time imagining the Israelites forgetting what miracles they had seen to deliver them from Pharoah, including manna and water every day except the Sabbath. They had their needs covered every day, yet would follow the wicked in a moment with little hesitation.

Today, we are surrounded my much more wickedness and compelling things to pull us away from God. You must pray for strength and guidance to be a good witness and to be pure of heart.

The prayers you seek must be in your personal life must fit in your purpose. For example, I could pray all day every day to be a professional baseball player, but until I can throw a 95+ mile/hour fastball, I won't be in the majors any time soon. Why not? It is not in God's plan for my life. He has something else in store, so I pray to not miss what He would have me to see and learn.

And it needs to be relevant. Before a game, many players pray to be blessed with a win. I ask "Really?" Do you think God REALLY cares WHO wins this game? I say rather pray to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat so you may be a better witness.

Okay, okay, but when it comes to something real, like a job opportunity, what should I do? What should I pray?

This is difficult as every situation is different, and God frequently speaks very softly (He has not used a burning bush with me and I wish he would because I am a little slow!) so you must listen carefully to what he says. I am challenged by this because if there is a job I think I would do well with and want it, I have to ensure I am not talking myself into it in the guise or direction of God. This can get really tricky.

Don't be afraid to be specific. Pray for a signal. For example, if I am supposed to take this job, I will hear from them by 12:45 tomorrow, for example, and the offer will be for this, this and this, and this person is the one who will contact me. The more specific you become, the less likely it is you will miss the miracle God gives you with whatever you are praying for.

You must pray often, and be patient, for today, the answer maybe "no", "maybe" or "not yet". Remember, His will be done, not mine, and not yours.

And of course, when the blessing comes, all thanks and praise goes to Him.