Praying
HOW SHOULD WE PRAY
Jesus gave us instructions in how we should pray in Matthew chapter 6 verses 5 through to 15.
Matthew 6
Prayer
5 “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 others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
6 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.
7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
The disciples wanted to know how to talk to God in prayer.
Notice what Jesus gave them when they asked this question. Look at Jesus words again
"THIS THEN IS HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY"
"OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME.”
So to begin we recognise that God is to be adored, given his place, Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name.
So before anything we should give him praise & He should be honoured as holy.
YOUR KINGDOM COME
We need to remember that for God’s kingdom to come here on earth then we must share the gospel.
It is not something we have a choice about, our lives must show that we are different, that we belong to Gods kingdom. We need to share our faith in what we say and how we live.
People should know we are Christians who profess
Jesus is Lord?
YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
God loves everyone, and his will is that no one should perish, no one should go to hell.
So if that is His will then its up to us to stand up and do His will.
He declares equal justice for all.
He cares about every person, every aborted baby, every unfair decision.
And as we are His voices, His hands, it is up to us to do His will here on earth.
GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD
These are for our physical needs.
One of the promises that should give us hope for each day is that God does Indeed supply what we need.
Notice NOT what we WANT but what we NEED.
When we pray we need to ask the Father for the things that we need to make it through each day and we should never hesitate to ask for what we need.
You might say "what about starving people around the world".
Again this is total injustice. There is enough food to feed everyone but some people are corrupt and even leaders do not share equally.
FORGIVE US OUR SINS
AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SIN AGAINST US
This is one of the principle verses that you can find.
It is in other places in scripture. We must forgive others as God has forgiven us.
There is not a day that goes by that we should not be mindful of the forgiveness, grace, and compassion of God.
There are many people who have never really grown in their Christian faith.
Often they think they have forgiven say their parent, their teacher, their friend etc., but they haven’t really.
Once you have truly forgiven, then you are set free.
DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL
The word temptation can also refer to our faith in God being tested.
We know God will not test us beyond our ability in Christ to bear it and will always provide a way out.
If the temptation in the Lords Prayer refers to being tested, then it means
"Do not afflict or try us."
It's recognizing that we naturally want things we don't need and God knows what we need and He delivers us from evil.
In all things, God is our deliverer, and we are wise to seek His power to help us over sin.
It is not wrong to pray that we may be delivered from tests and suffering, as long as we submit ourselves to the will of God, no matter what it is.
FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM THE POWER AND THE GLORY
FOR EVER AND EVER.
AMEN
This is a verse which was added later on but it still means God is
King over all.
Some Bible Verses about Prayer
Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Mark 11:24 - Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Romans 8:26 - Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Matthew 6:6 - But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
James 5:16 - Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Matthew 26:41 - Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Colossians 4:2 - Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
When Two or More People Pray Together
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
Prayers For Different Circumstances
Prayers before study time, training, tests and interviews
O powerful God,
You are the God of all the universe.
I pray to you that the knowledge I need enters into my heart and mind,
Bless me with the ability to use this knowledge wisely,
Let me excel in all my endeavours.
Bless me with the stamina and perseverance so that I accumulates all the knowledge and skills that I need.
Help my memory, so that I remember the things I learn.
Make me recall perfectly what I learn and memorize.
Guide me while I am reading.
Guide me while I am writing.
Guide me when I am listening to my tutors and trainers.
Guide me when I am completing any test.
Guide me during my time at an interview.
Fill my mind with the correct answers and enable me to express them.
Amen.
Prayers before any Game/Sport
O heavenly God,
You are the God of the heavens, earth and universe.
You have created me in the best physical condition.
I thank you for all the strength that you have given me.
Let me be at my best during this game/match.
And enjoy every moment of it.
Protect me from all harm and injury.
Fill my heart with a true spirit of sportsmanship.
And provide me with the endurance and stamina that is required for me to achieve my goal.
Amen!
Prayers for a child
Dear God,
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The God who created all things in the universe.
You are the one who given to me this child.
You have been my saviour, be his saviour too.
You have been my guide to doing what is right, guide him to do the right things too.
Supply in me whatever I am lacking, to take responsibility and foster this child with love.
Strengthen my child to face the world with determination.
Build his skills so that he makes his own way and follows his passion.
Make him mentally strong and physically powerful.
Protect him from the bad eyes of the enemy.
Let him be a good example of love.
Let him live his life in the way that Jesus has guided us.
Amen
We pray for many different reasons.
We pray for forgiveness, thanks, protection, healing, for other people, for ourselves and many other things.
A Prayer for PROTECTION The Soldier’s Prayer
Psalm 91
1 Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honour him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”
Psalm 91 Testimony from a Nazi Prison of War Camp
Many people came to know and trust the Lord during World War II. One was an Englishman who was held in a German prison camp for a long period of time.
One day he read Psalm 91.
' Father in Heaven, ' he prayed, ' I see all these men dying around me, one after the other. Will I also have to die here? I am still young, and I very much want to work in Your kingdom here on earth.'
He received this answer:
' Rely on what you have just read and go home!'
Trusting in the Lord, he got up and walked into the corridor toward the gate. A guard called out,
'Prisoner, where are you going?'
' I am under the protection of the Most High,'
he replied. The guard came to attention and let him pass, for Adolf Hitler was known as ' the Most High.'
He came to the gate, where a group of guards stood. They commanded him to stop and asked where he was going.
' I am under the protection of the Most High.'
All the guards stood to attention as he walked out of the gate.
The English officer made his way through the German countryside and eventually reached England, where he told how he had made his escape.
He was the only one to come out of that prison alive.
The Living Word: The Soldiers’ Psalm or Soldier's Prayer
“During World War I, the 91st Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Expeditionary Army was preparing to
enter combat in Europe. Most of the men were ‘new or novice’ soldiers who had never seen combat.
Its commander, a devout Christian, called an assembly of his men where he gave each a little card on which was printed the 91st Psalm.
They all agreed to recite the Soldiers’ Psalm daily.
The 91st Brigade was engaged in three of the bloodiest battles of World War One: Chateau Thierry, Belle Wood, and the Argonne
While other American units similarly engaged had up to 90% casualties, the 91st Brigade DID NOT SUFFER A SINGLE COMBAT RELATED CASUALTY!”
Colonel Jack Mohr
Colonel Jack Mohr who won four Purple Hearts wrote about his time in the army,
In Korea, he was the first American wounded and the first to be decorated, winning a Silver Star during the opening hours of that war.
When the war began in Korea on June 25, 1950 he was working as an Advisor with a South Korean Regiment. He was what you might call a ‘nominal Christian,’ or as he liked to put it, an ‘Alka Seltzer Christian,’ one who goes to church and ‘fizzes’ for an hour on Sunday morning, when it is convenient, then lives for the devil most of the rest of the week.
Four times during that war, he went through the terrifying experience of being millimetres from death or serious injury, and four times a miracle occurred.
He had seen Korean soldiers falling like flies all around him, but It had not come to him.
He could not understand at that time, why YAHWEH GOD would spare an old reprobate like him, who had deliberately ‘spit in His face’ so many times.
One day, during the early days of the Korean War, as he casually looked through his Bible, which wasn’t too often, he came across the 91st Psalm.
He thought that it was written especially for him.
Just the day before, he had stood in the school yard of a little town as the enemy shelled them with heavy mortar fire.
He saw a mortar round drop less than ten yards away, the explosion knocking him to the ground and deafening him for a week.
He did not get a scratch, yet several Korean soldiers, over 75 yards away, were killed or wounded.
Why?
Then when he read Psalm 91, he understood why it was written for him, and for any other Christian who has been in, is, or will be in a position of danger.
It is a promise from YAHWEH, the Almighty God, as well as eternal hope to those who love Him and seek to serve Him.
He starts every day by reading it.
Can we expect our prayers to be answered?
For many, prayer is luck, but for Christians it is faith.
We must believe that god is there.
In Hebrews 11 it says "Whoever would come to God must believe that he exists."
How does God reply to us.
There are many ways and here are a few examples.
First, he can reply by vibrating the air so that your physical ear can hear his voice. He really can, but when he does people say it sounds like a clap of thunder.
God can make the air move.
On a number of occasions in the Bible when he spoke, people said that was what it sounded like.
He can speak to us through our reading the Bible. There are times when a verse seems to leap out, as if it is written in shining letters with your name and address on it.
He can speak to you through an inner voice which is so clear that you can even think that you heard it with your ears.
Sometimes, after a sermon, people have said , ‘You know, it was as if God was speaking directly to me.’
It was actually God who had spoken so clearly within their heart that they heard him, and were open to listening to him.
There are many other ways that God speaks to us.
Each person will have their own story of how God has spoken to them.
More Prayers for Different Situations
Prayer for Healing.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come before you in the name of Jesus,
on behalf of our anonymous friend who is seeking
healing, peace, guidance, and strength.
Lord, you are the ultimate source of all comfort and renewal.
We ask that you pour out your healing touch upon them,
both physically and emotionally.
May you bring relief to their pain
and grant them the strength to face the challenges and heartaches they are experiencing.
Amen
Prayer for a Friend.
Dear Heavenly Father,
we pray that you would surround our friend
with godly and supportive individuals
who will uplift and encourage them in their journey.
Surround them with people
who fear you and who will walk alongside them,
providing love, support, and wisdom.
Help them to find a community of believers
who will strengthen their faith
and help them grow closer to you.
Amen
Prayer for a Friend
Lord,
we also ask for guidance and discernment.
Help our friend to let go of the things that are not meant for them,
whether it be relationships, situations,
or desires that are not aligned with your will.
Grant them the wisdom to recognize what is best for their life
and the courage to surrender those things into your hands.
Amen
Prayer for a Friend
“Dear God,
I thank you so much for filling my life with a wonderful friend, Thank you so much for this friendship bond between us,
Lord, I pray this blessing of friendship flourishes like that of David and Jonathan,
Like that of Naomi with Ruth,
Lord, I pray that my friend’s life is filled with your grace, your love, your protection, and your blessings.
I pray that my friend grows in knowledge of our beloved Jesus, Knowledge of the hereafter, and knowledge of you.
Strengthen and keep us united always, and let us be increasingly rooted to Your glory,”
Amen
Prayer for the family
“Lord,
behold our family.
We thank you for this place in which we live,
for the love that unites us,
for the peace given to us this day,
for the hope with which we expect in the future;
for the health, the work, the food and the bright skies
that make our lives amazing;
and for our friends in all parts of the earth.”
Amen
Prayer for love
“Dear Loving Lord,
Fill my life with truth and love,
Help me recognize the helpless and needy,
Encourage me to help and love them,
Make me just to your people,
Make me love people for your sake,
Let me receive love from your people too,
Let me receive love from you!”
Amen
Prayer for any Game/Sport
“O heavenly God,
You have created me in the best body, I thank you for all the strength that you bestowed me,
Let me pursue excellence during this game,
And enjoy every moment of it,
Protect me from all harm and injury,
Fill my heart with true spirit of sportsmanship,
And provide me
with the endurance and stamina that is required to excel.”
Amen
Morning Offering
“O my Lord,
Thank you for this new day of my life,
I am offering you my prayers,
from the core of my heart,
From the depth of my soul,
I offer you my joys, my sufferings and my works, of this new day,
I am offering them for the reparation of my sins and for the salvation of my soul”
Amen
Evening Prayer
“O my God, O my Loving Lord,
Thank you for this day.
I pray to you to send your angels,
To guard our night,
So that we sleep and they bless our rest.”
Amen
Thankfulness Prayer
“Dear God,
We thank you for all the nice things you provide us every day,
We thank you for the food you gave us every day,
We remember those who don’t have even enough to fill their stomachs with one meal,
who suffer due to the greed of others,
We ask you to bless them,
Help us share our harvest with the world in a fair manner
so that there is no more hunger left in the world,
there is no more starvation in the world,
and our brothers and sisters of the world feed themselves like we do by your grace.”
Amen
Prayer When you Have to make a Life-Changing Decision
“O my Lord,
I beseech you for I am in a dilemma,
I tried a lot using the conscious mind you gave me to make this decision,
Yet I failed,
so I am turning to you,
and asking your favour,
to let Your holy ear be attentive for me
and Your holy eyes open to hear, my prayer
and help me out in taking the right decision at this moment”
Amen
Prayer When You Feel Helpless
“My Lord,
No one is besides You who can help me,
No one is besides you who can harm me,
Help me O my sustainer!
For I am feeling helpless now,
help me in this battle between those who have no strength,
and those who are powerful,
yet not powerful than you.
Your strength is greater than everything else in the universe
In you I put my trust,
Help me my Lord, you are definitely the best”
Amen
Prayer for Salvation
“My God, my creator, my sustainer,
I repent of all that I have done wrong in your eyes,
You know the secrets in the heart,
You knower the intention behind actions,
I repent for everything I have done wrong,
Knowingly or unknowingly,
I pray to you to make me holy,
And set me apart for you.
I seek to live this life that you have given me,
for you”
Amen
Prayer for Reconciliation
“My Loving Lord,
Make us your representatives of reconciliation,
Reconcile me to my loved ones,
Make us humble so that we don’t be selfish in relationships,
Make us gentle so that we don’t become over critical of each other’s mistakes,
Warm our hearts so that we become examples of love on this earth”
Amen
Prayers for the Poor and Needy
“O Lord,
Help our ears to listen to the cries of the needy,
Encourage us to help them from the gifts you have bestowed us with,
Help us raise our voice against injustice happening anywhere in your kingdom,
Help us speak out the words of love and acceptance,
Make us your feet to walk beside those who are in need,
Make us your hands to feed, shelter and clothe,
Hear our prayer so that there is no one hungry in this world,
Hear our prayer so that we create peace in the world!”
Amen
Prayer for the Sick
“Oh Lord,
You are merciful,
You are healer,
You are the one, who bestows good health,
You are the everlasting hope of those who have faith in you,
Restore the health of this sick servant of yours,
Clear away all the illness,
Heal away all the pain,
So that they might rise again and express their heart filled gratitude,
Because you are the one who deserves our thanks,
You are the one to whom we pray,
You gave Jesus the powers to raise dead and dying,
You make this sick servant rise again”
Amen
Prayers for the Distraught and Anguished
O Lord,
We are calling upon You In these bad times of sorrow,
That You grant us strength,
And make us feel the warmth of your love and affection
O lord, let us face these hardships easily and with a smile,
As it shows how much faith we have in you,
For after every hardship,
you have created ease, We trust in you,
We have faith in you,
Amen