The Proper Way of Praying
1. Question: To whom should we pray?
Answer: We should pray to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(II Corinthians 13:7, NIV) Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
(Philippians 4:6, NIV) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
(John 14:13-14, NIV) "And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. (John 14:14) You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."
(John 15:16, NIV) "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name."
(John 16:23, NIV) In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
2. Question: How should we pray?
Answer: The proper ways of praying are the following:
2.1 Pray to your Father who is unseen.
(Matthew 6:6, NIV) "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."
2.2. Pray what comes from your heart
(Matthew 6:7-8, NIV) "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. (Matthew 6:8) Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."
(Matthew 7:7-8, NIV) “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
2.3 Ask and have faith that it will be given to you without doubt.
(Matthew 21:22, NIV) “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
(Mark 11:24, NIV) Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
(James 1:6, NIV) "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."
2.4 Pray with the spirit of forgiveness. Because how can the Lord forgive you when you have not forgiven those that have sin against you?
(Matthew 6:12, NIV) "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."
(Mark 11:25, NIV) And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
3. Question: What is the guide that our Lord Jesus Christ gave to us regarding praying?
Answer: Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us a guide on how to pray to God, as follows:
(Matthew 6:9-13, NIV) This, then, is how you should pray: “`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (Matthew 6:10) your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:11) Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:12) Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Matthew 6:13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ [Or from evil; some late manuscripts one, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever. Amen.]
4. Question: Are all the prayers or the things that we ask from God are answered?
Answer: Not all the prayers or the things that we asked for are answered by God.
(James 4:3, NIV) "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."
Summary:
We should pray to God the Father (II Corinthians 13:7; Philippians 4:6) and He will give to you whatever you ask in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:13-14; 15:16; 16:23).
Let us pray to God the Father who is unseen (Matthew 6:6). We can do this by closing our eyes while praying. Pray what comes from our heart (Matthew 6:7-8; 7:7-8); with faith that it will be granted to us without doubt (Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; James 1:6); and with the spirit of forgiveness to those who have sinned against us (Matthew 6:12; Mark 11:25). Because how can God forgive our sins if we are not going to forgive those who have sinned against us?
The Lord Jesus Christ gave us guide on how to pray to God (Matthew 6:9-13). Please remember that God does not grant the prayers if the motive is wrong (James 4:3).
Finally, pray and not give up, this is the proper way of praying to God. It is important to know and The True Meaning according to the Holy Scriptures!
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