How do I pray?
“Every Christian has the ministry of prayer. No matter your age or your abilities, you can pray and move mountains”
Does prayer change God and His will?
The answer is no.
God is the Alpha & Omega, and He knows all things from beginning to end. His ways are in no way manipulated by our pleas. We offer prayers to our Heavenly Father as an offering that is pleasing to him. Our prayers serve to deepen and enrich our relationship with Him.
What prayer does do is change us! Prayer can change our hearts, our marriages, our children, our nations, our churches, everything! All according to the perfect will of God.
First, we should ask WHY do we pray?
When Jesus gave His life for us on the cross, bearing the complete cost of our sin, the veil in God’s temple tore from top to bottom. This sacrifice opened the way for sinful man to enter God’s presence—no human priests, no rituals, no rites required, only faith.
Through belief in His death and resurrection, Jesus covers us with His righteousness, granting us audience with the Father. Because of Jesus, we can boldly come to God with requests. We can have a closeness with God like never before, and we can trust that He listens to us.
“Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything
according to His will, He hears us.” 1 John 5:14 (HCSB)
When to Pray
Although Scripture doesn’t give us exact routines for prayer, it emphasizes the importance of consistency and persistency.
We can pray throughout the day as needs arise, but there it is a special rest found in pausing and seeking Him in a quiet place, as well as in praying in fellowship with other believers.
Luke 18:1-8
-Colossians 4:2
Romans 12:12
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Ephesians 6:18
There are no rules for prayer! Scripture encourages us to pray urgently and regularly.
What to Pray
Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer, and it is a powerful template for us. It teaches us much about what should be on our minds and lips when we pray.
Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6
To give Him honor - v. 9
With surrender - v. 10
For your needs - v. 11
With confession and for forgiveness - v. 12
For a heart of obedience and for deliverance from sin and struggles - v. 13
How to Pray
As a believer in Christ, God loves to listen to you. At the same time, the Lord is the King of Kings. We ought to come before Him with humility, respect, honor, gratefulness, and praise. This is a posture of the heart, but it shows itself with our words.
We can freely share our heartbreaks and frustrations with God, but ultimately our prayers should esteem His authority and express our trust in Him.
Our prayers should come from a heart of worship and wonder, not entitlement.
Let ACTS Help You Recall
A – Adoration
Praising God for who He is
C – Confession
Laying before Him your sins
T – Thanksgiving
Giving gratefulness for Christ, His blessings, His work in your life and others
S – Supplication
Asking for help and interceding for others
Prayer Tips from the Pastor:
Writing down prayers is a wonderful way to grow in prayer, especially if it’s hard to concentrate or be consistent.