Lesson 12: How to Pray According to the Bible
The disciples had watched Jesus pray.
They had heard His teaching and witnessed His mighty works. Yet they recognized that they still needed instruction in prayer.
“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray…”
— Luke 11:1, KJV
That is a worthy request for every disciple:
“Lord, teach us to pray.”
Prayer is not something we should shape according to human imagination, religious custom, or whatever feels spiritual to us. God has spoken about prayer in His Word, and Jesus gave His disciples a clear pattern.
No believer needs to be ashamed to admit that he needs help learning to pray.
The first disciples needed instruction.
So do we.
Prayer Is Coming Before God
Prayer is more than reciting religious words.
It is deliberately turning toward God and speaking to Him with faith, reverence, dependence, and sincerity.
When you pray, you are not speaking into empty space.
You are coming before the living God.
The One who hears prayer is the Creator of heaven and earth. He knows every thought, sees every motive, understands every need, and possesses all wisdom and power.
That truth should produce both reverence and confidence.
God is too holy to be approached carelessly.
Yet through Jesus Christ, believers are invited to come near.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
— Hebrews 4:16, KJV
Notice both sides of that invitation.
It is a throne, because God is King.
It is a throne of grace, because mercy and help are available through Jesus Christ.
We do not come proudly, as though God owes us something.
We do not stay away fearfully, as though there is no mercy for those who belong to Christ.
We come reverently and confidently because Jesus has opened the way.
We Come to the Father Through Jesus Christ
Jesus taught His disciples to begin:
“Our Father which art in heaven…”
— Matthew 6:9, KJV
Believers do not approach an unknown power. Through Christ, they come to God as Father.
This privilege does not rest upon our goodness.
We cannot enter God’s presence by presenting our religious efforts, moral achievements, emotions, or personal worthiness.
Jesus Christ is the Mediator.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
— 1 Timothy 2:5, KJV
To pray in Jesus’ name means more than attaching the words “in Jesus’ name” to the conclusion of a prayer.
It means that we come to the Father through the Son.
Our access rests upon Christ.
Our confidence rests upon Christ.
Our requests are brought under the authority of Christ.
Our desires should agree with the character and will of Christ.
We are not asking God to honor us because of who we are. We are approaching Him because of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.
That should humble us, but it should also encourage us.
You do not need to invent a way into God’s presence.
Come through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Gave Us a Pattern for Prayer
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He gave what is commonly called the Lord’s Prayer:
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
— Matthew 6:9–13, KJV
Jesus said, “After this manner therefore pray ye.”
He gave His disciples a pattern that teaches the order and spirit of prayer.
The words may certainly be prayed sincerely. But they should not become an empty recitation that the heart repeats without thought.
This prayer teaches us to begin with God, submit to His will, depend upon Him, seek mercy, ask for protection, and end with confidence in His kingdom, power, and glory.
Let us examine that pattern carefully.
“Our Father Which Art in Heaven”
Prayer begins by remembering whom we are approaching.
God is Father to His people, but He is also “in heaven.”
He is near, yet exalted.
He is loving, yet holy.
He welcomes His children, yet He must never be treated as common.
Some people think reverence means remaining distant from God. Others think closeness allows them to approach Him casually.
Jesus teaches both closeness and reverence.
We come as children who need their Father.
We also remember that our Father is the Lord of heaven and earth.
This protects prayer from becoming cold and distant on one side or careless and self-centered on the other.
“Hallowed Be Thy Name”
To hallow God’s name means to recognize and honor Him as holy.
Prayer should not begin with the assumption that our needs are the greatest matter in the universe.
God comes first.
His name matters.
His honor matters.
His glory matters.
Before rushing through a list of requests, pause and remember who He is.
He is holy.
He is righteous.
He is faithful.
He is wise.
He is merciful.
He is sovereign.
He is worthy of trust.
You do not need to use a long list of divine attributes every time you pray. The purpose is not to make the prayer impressive. The purpose is to bring your heart into proper recognition of God.
Beginning with God helps move prayer away from self-centeredness.
It reminds us that He is greater than the problem we are bringing before Him.
Lesson 16 will teach worship more fully. Here, the foundational principle is simple:
Do not begin prayer as though God exists only to fulfill your requests. Begin by honoring Him for who He is.
“Thy Kingdom Come”
Jesus taught His disciples to desire the advancement of God’s kingdom.
Prayer should enlarge our concern beyond our personal comfort.
God’s kingdom concerns His rule, His truth, His purposes, and the honor of His Son.
When we pray, “Thy kingdom come,” we are acknowledging that this world does not belong to us. History is moving toward the fulfillment of God’s purposes, not ours.
We are also asking that His rule become evident in our own lives.
It would be inconsistent to pray for God’s kingdom while resisting His authority personally.
Therefore, this request searches the heart:
Do I want God to rule only in other people?
Or am I willing for Him to rule me?
Do I want His purposes only when they agree with my plans?
Or do I truly desire His kingdom?
Biblical prayer is concerned with more than getting through the day comfortably. It seeks the honor and rule of God.
“Thy Will Be Done”
This is one of the most important principles of prayer.
Prayer is not a method for forcing God to approve our plans.
It is not the use of religious language to make our will supreme.
Jesus Himself prayed in Gethsemane:
“Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
— Luke 22:42, KJV
Jesus expressed His desire honestly, yet He remained perfectly submitted to the Father.
A believer may bring a sincere request to God.
You may ask for healing.
You may ask for provision.
You may ask for an open door.
You may ask for protection.
You may ask for a circumstance to change.
But beneath every request must remain the conviction:
God is wiser than I am.
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
— 1 John 5:14, KJV
Submission to God’s will is not unbelief.
It is faith in His wisdom.
We can ask boldly while still saying sincerely:
“Father, You know what I do not know. Your will be done.”
Lesson 77 will address the difficult experience of prayers that seem unanswered. The foundation established here is that biblical prayer trusts God’s wisdom rather than demanding that He follow ours.
“Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread”
God invites His children to bring their needs before Him.
Jesus included daily provision in His pattern for prayer.
That tells us our ordinary needs matter to God.
We may ask for food, shelter, employment, wisdom, strength, protection, and whatever is genuinely needed to fulfill our responsibilities.
The request is for daily bread.
It expresses dependence.
We often prefer to feel completely secure in ourselves. We want enough strength, money, knowledge, and control to avoid depending upon anyone.
Prayer brings us back to the truth:
We need God.
Every ability we possess ultimately comes from Him.
Every breath is a mercy.
Every opportunity is under His authority.
Every day must be received from His hand.
Bringing needs before God does not excuse laziness or irresponsibility. A person should work faithfully, use wisdom, and fulfill his duties.
Yet even while working, the believer remembers that God is the ultimate Provider.
Prayer keeps responsibility from turning into self-sufficiency.
“Forgive Us Our Debts”
Prayer requires honesty before God.
We cannot come sincerely while knowingly hiding, excusing, or defending sin.
Jesus included the need for forgiveness in His pattern because disciples continue to need mercy and cleansing.
When you become aware that you have sinned, do not pretend.
Do not rename the sin.
Do not blame someone else.
Do not attempt to hide what God already sees.
Come honestly through Jesus Christ.
Lesson 18 will teach confession and returning to God after sin in greater depth. For now, understand that prayer must be truthful.
God does not require you to approach Him as though you have never failed.
He calls you to approach Him without deceit.
Prayer is not a place to protect appearances.
It is a place to walk in the light.
“As We Forgive Our Debtors”
Jesus connected receiving mercy with our willingness to extend mercy.
That does not mean every offense is unimportant. It does not eliminate justice, wisdom, accountability, or appropriate boundaries.
However, a person cannot rightly ask God for mercy while proudly cherishing revenge.
Lesson 56 will teach biblical forgiveness fully. At this stage, the point is that prayer should search our attitude toward others.
When you come before God, ask whether bitterness, hatred, or a desire for revenge is being protected in your heart.
The person who knows how greatly he needs mercy should not become unwilling to show mercy.
“Lead Us Not Into Temptation”
Jesus taught His disciples to recognize their need for divine help.
A disciple should never assume he is too strong to fall.
Prayer acknowledges weakness before the moment of danger arrives.
This request does not accuse God of tempting people to sin. Scripture says:
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”
— James 1:13, KJV
Rather, we are asking God to guide us away from paths where we would yield to sin and to keep us watchful under pressure.
Lessons 23 and 48 will teach the use of Scripture and faithful resistance when temptation comes. The prayer foundation is humility:
“Father, I need Your help. Do not let me walk carelessly into spiritual danger.”
“Deliver Us From Evil”
The Christian life is lived in a world where evil is real.
We need God’s protection from sin, deception, and the work of the enemy.
This request reminds us that prayer is not merely about comfort.
We need spiritual preservation.
We need help remaining faithful.
We need protection from influences we may not recognize in our own wisdom.
Later lessons will teach spiritual warfare, resisting the devil, and putting on the whole armour of God. Here, the disciple simply learns not to live as though spiritual danger does not exist.
Ask God to keep you.
Ask Him to expose deception.
Ask Him to prevent you from wandering into evil.
Depend upon Him rather than trusting your own strength.
“Thine Is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory”
Prayer returns to God.
His is the kingdom.
His is the power.
His is the glory.
This protects us from ending prayer as though everything now depends upon us.
The request has been made.
The need has been expressed.
The burden has been placed before God.
Now we remember who reigns.
We may not possess the power to change the situation, but God is not powerless.
We may not know what will happen, but the kingdom still belongs to Him.
We may not receive the glory for the answer, because all glory belongs to God.
Biblical prayer begins with God and ends with God.
Pray Sincerely, Not to Be Seen
Jesus warned against prayer performed for human attention:
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.”
— Matthew 6:5, KJV
Public prayer is not wrong. Jesus and His disciples prayed with others.
The warning concerns motive.
A person may speak to God while inwardly seeking the approval of people.
He may choose words for their effect upon listeners rather than because they express his heart before God.
Private prayer helps expose this temptation.
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret…”
— Matthew 6:6, KJV
The point is not that every prayer must occur inside a literal closet.
The point is that prayer should have a private reality before it has a public appearance.
Who are you when no one hears your prayers?
Do you seek God when there is no audience?
Prayer is not a stage.
Speak to God.
You Do Not Need Impressive Words
Some believers hesitate to pray because they do not know how to sound spiritual.
They hear someone pray eloquently and conclude that their own words are inadequate.
Jesus warned:
“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”
— Matthew 6:7, KJV
Long prayer is not automatically wrong, and repeating a request sincerely is not automatically vain. Jesus sometimes prayed for extended periods, and He repeated His prayer in Gethsemane.
The warning concerns empty speech—the idea that many words or a special formula will compel God to listen.
God is not impressed by religious vocabulary.
A short, sincere prayer may be entirely appropriate:
“Father, give me wisdom.”
“Lord Jesus, help me obey.”
“Father, thank You for Your mercy.”
“Lord, protect me from sin.”
“Father, Your will be done.”
Prayer should be reverent, but it can also be plain.
You do not need to imitate someone else’s speaking style.
God already knows your vocabulary.
Speak honestly.
Pray With Faith and Humility
Faith in prayer does not mean believing that God must grant every request exactly as we presented it.
Faith means trusting the One to whom we pray.
We trust His character.
We trust His power.
We trust His wisdom.
We trust His Word.
We trust that He hears His children.
Humility recognizes that we remain dependent upon mercy.
Jesus described a publican who prayed:
“God be merciful to me a sinner.”
— Luke 18:13, KJV
He did not present his accomplishments.
He asked for mercy.
Even after many years of following Christ, a believer never outgrows dependence upon God.
You still need wisdom.
You still need grace.
You still need correction.
You still need strength.
You still need the Lord.
Pray believing that God is able.
Pray humbly because you are dependent upon Him.
A Simple Biblical Prayer Pattern
The following pattern is not a formula that must be followed mechanically. It is a guide based upon the prayer Jesus taught.
1. Approach the Father Through Jesus Christ
Remember that your access rests upon Christ, not your merit.
“Father, I come to You through Jesus Christ.”
2. Honor God for Who He Is
Recognize His holiness, faithfulness, wisdom, mercy, and authority.
“Father, You are holy, good, and worthy of my trust.”
3. Submit to His Kingdom and Will
Ask God to rule your heart and accomplish what pleases Him.
“Let Your will be done in me and through me.”
4. Bring Your Needs
Ask for what is necessary with honesty and dependence.
“Please provide what I need and help me fulfill my responsibilities.”
5. Walk Honestly Before Him
Acknowledge known sin instead of hiding or excusing it.
“Father, I was wrong. Have mercy upon me and help me obey.”
6. Ask for Help Against Spiritual Danger
Recognize your need for protection and guidance.
“Keep me from deception, temptation, and evil.”
7. Remember Others
Bring the needs of family, fellow believers, leaders, suffering people, and others before God without allowing your prayer to revolve entirely around yourself.
“Father, please work in the lives of those You have placed around me.”
Specific instruction about praying for lost souls will come in Lesson 67.
8. End With Trust
Entrust the request and outcome to God.
“Your kingdom, power, and glory are greater than this need. Your will be done.”
When You Do Not Know What to Say
There may be times when you sit down to pray and your mind feels empty.
Begin with what Jesus taught.
“Our Father…”
Remember who God is.
Thank Him for one specific mercy.
Bring one genuine need.
Ask for help to obey.
Pray for one other person.
Submit the day to His will.
You do not need to manufacture an emotional experience.
Come sincerely.
Prayer is learned partly by praying.
As you continue reading Scripture, your understanding of God will deepen, and His Word will increasingly shape your prayers. The next lessons will teach how to read, receive, obey, and meditate upon Scripture.
For now, begin where you are.
Ask as the disciples asked:
“Lord, teach us to pray.”
Discipleship Questions
- Why can believers approach God confidently without approaching Him carelessly?
- What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name?
- What priorities are revealed in the prayer Jesus taught His disciples?
- Why is “Thy will be done” an expression of faith rather than unbelief?
- What has most often made prayer difficult for you?
Closing Exhortation
Prayer is not a performance.
It is not a competition.
It is not a collection of impressive words.
It is not a method for making God obey human will.
Prayer is coming to the Father through Jesus Christ.
Begin with God.
Honor His name.
Desire His kingdom.
Submit to His will.
Depend upon Him for daily needs.
Walk honestly before Him.
Ask for protection from spiritual danger.
Remember others.
Entrust the outcome to His wisdom and power.
You may feel that your words are simple.
Come anyway.
You may recognize how needy you are.
That is a reason to come.
You may not understand what God will do.
Trust Him enough to pray and humble yourself enough to say:
“Thy will be done.”
A Prayer for Learning to Pray
Father in heaven,
Thank You for allowing me to come before You through Jesus Christ.
Teach me to pray according to Your Word.
Keep me from empty words, pride, carelessness, and selfish demands.
Help me remember that You are holy, wise, merciful, faithful, and worthy of all honor.
Let Your kingdom rule my heart, and let Your will be done in my life.
Provide what I need to fulfill the responsibilities You have given me.
Help me walk honestly before You and depend upon Your mercy.
Keep me from temptation, deception, and evil.
Teach me to remember the needs of others and not to pray only for myself.
When I do not know what to say, help me come sincerely.
When I do not know what You will do, help me trust Your wisdom.
May my prayers honor You and draw me into deeper dependence upon Jesus Christ.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Next Step
Use the simple biblical prayer pattern for the next seven days.
Each day:
- Approach the Father through Jesus Christ.
- Honor God for who He is.
- Submit yourself to His kingdom and will.
- Bring your daily needs.
- Walk honestly before Him.
- Ask for protection from spiritual danger.
- Remember at least one other person.
- End by entrusting the outcome to God.
Do not concentrate on making the prayer long.
Concentrate on making it sincere.
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Next Lesson: Lesson 13 — How to Read the Bible With Faith and Understanding