I think that we have all questioned at some point, “how do I pray?”. The truth is there is no rule book on how to pray.

 

But I don’t know what to say….

 

That’s okay. When we are getting to know someone, it is hard to know exactly what to say. As we get to know God, it may be a little challenging to talk to him like our father or friend.

 

God gives us a guideline of how to pray and not babble on in Matthew 6.

 

Matthew 6:9-13 says, “‘Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation but rescue us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’

 

Do I have to pray like that?

 

He doesn’t say “pray like this or else God will ignore you.” It’s a stepping stool and outline to get you started praying.  

 

Why do we stress ourselves out so much with knowing how to pray? Why do we think that our filler words and stutters aren’t good enough for God? The truth is God is so excited to hear from you and speak to you! You don’t have to pray like this, but I think there some important things to be learned from the guide that Jesus gives us.

I will give you three simple steps that you can take from Jesus’s example on how to pray. 

1. Greet
1. Prayer is a conversation. Just like any the start of any conversation, you greet the person you’re talking to. Why would God be any different? Greet God and let him know how grateful you are for your life before you even go into your request.

1. Speak
1. This step is where we put Jesus’s example into action the most. When you read Matthew 6:9-13, there is a clear outline that he gives us in his prayer.
2. First, he Invites God in. “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom comes. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:13) He asks that God’s will be done. He is inviting God in to take control.
3. He then he repents or asks for forgiveness. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)
4. Finally, he asks in verse 13, “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.” He asks God to meet his needs. Ask God for whatever is on your heart and know that he is ready to work on your behalf.

1. Hear
1. Just as much as you speak, you should also take the time to hear. Prayer isn’t just about taking God’s ear off but listening what God has for you and what he wants to download to you. It is easy to get caught up in our questions and ask God for whatever we need, we forget that prayer isn’t a monologue, but it is dialogue. We pray to receive guidance, directions, and answers from God. How can we know what God is saying to us if don’t take a moment to stop and listen? 

Prayer is just like having a conversation with God; You greet, speak, and hear what he has to say. If you put these three steps into action, you’ll be a prayer warrior in no time! I challenge this week to create a prayer list and put these steps into action. Maybe you need to create a script or recite Jesus’s prayer word for word; do whatever you need to do to become the most confident in prayer you can be.

 

If you would like an additional scripture to recite to help you open up to God, Check out our prayer bookmark tab on our website! We have three bookmarks with three different scriptures that can help your prayer life. The best part is that they come in packs of 25 that you can share with your friends, family, coworkers, and your congregation.