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How to pray?
Are you seeking for answers on questions like: 'how to pray', 'with what words', 'praying to whom', 'in what way' and 'where'? Well, we are and we went for a quest in our Bible and what we found on that quest is right on this page under here for you to read!

Are you anxious to pray? God's Spirit will help you!
God knows who you really are. He knows your heart; whether you are friendly, patient, mercyful for others, just etc. And God wants to help you -with the little you have- in your prayer.

Praying means talking, asking, thanking, worshipping, praising etc. according to the wil of God.

Romans 8:26-28 learns us this:
'Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered'.

And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 'And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose'.

But how can you really start praying?!
When I think back to the moment I started to pray I think praying starts with the urge to pray. I realized I was not 'a great guy' and didnot have all the answers and therefor I made mistakes and my way of handling things didnot give the results in matters of love, friendship, family, truth or justice that were satisfying... Not satisfying at all. And as a result I felt really empty and alone and...I knew I needed help. And at that moment I knew I wanted to pray.

I started to pray to Jesus by telling him I needed him to do things right. I told him I needed his help in my life and I asked for his hand to guide me.

And this was my first 'real prayer'... but with enormous consequences I know now! Whatever your occasion to start praying is: just do it and start praying, because you now know the Spirit of God really wants to help you! So: no more excuses ;-))

Praying out loud or in mind to...whom?

Pray to God; the Father
 In the Bible Jesus teaches us to pray to God; 'our Father (also the Father of Jesus!) in heaven. In Luke 11:2-4 we can read the following: 'And He said unto them, "When ye pray, say: Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in Heaven, so on earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'

We also know from Matthew 7:11, that the Father will give us what we need, when we ask him in prayer, because this Bible verse tells us the following: 'how much more shall your Father who is in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him?' [in prayer].

Praying in the name of Jesus
Everyone that has been baptized in the name of Jesus will stand up in the Body of Christ Jesus. And when they pray they are automatically praying in the name of Jesus, because they are in Jesus.

You may think...'well, I have not been baptized yet... Can I pray without being baptized?'. The answer is: YES! All people that have not been baptized yet can and may pray to God and the Spirit of God will help and enable them. The Spirit of God will lead you to Jesus and baptism; to both loving, truthfull and formal 'starting points'.

John 16:15-27 - Praying in the name of Jesus
'These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs; but the time cometh when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. In that day ye shall ask in My name, and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me and have believed that I came out from God.'.

Pray to Jesus
And yes! Praying to Jesus is definately one of the options and not 'just one of the options' either!

When you have done things that you really shouldn't have -going against Gods Wil- then you need forgiveness in order to continue with God in your life; transgressing Gods Wil causes a total seperation between you and God. And that is why we need forgiveness of Jesus. When you ask Jesus for forgiveness with remorse and the sincere wish to never repeat the hurting action again Jesus will forgive you gladly. Always!

But not only for forgiveness, but also when you want to tell him that you think he is great, that you really adore and worship him or that you just think he is awesome. This is called 'worshipping'. And of course you can also ask Jesus everything as you can ask God or ask God in the name of Jesus.

In what posture?

Generally accepted: with closed eyes and folded hands
When you look around you at the table or in a church when people are praying you will find out, that most people are standing or sitting with the heads pointed towards the ground with folded hands in the lap or under the chin. In this way people tend to 'close up and concentrate being busy talking to God'. This way is allright, but not the only way and certainly not 'the biblical way', because the Bible provides us with a quite different way of praying:

Biblical posture: standing with hands or arms in the air
The Bible learns us ways of praying that deviate from 'the accepted ways of praying'. The biblical way of praying is more 'open', more 'relaxed', more directed to God, more expressive to the occasion- ánd content of prayer.

Biblical prayer is about standing or sitting and raising arms or hands instead of folding hands (=closing), kneeling or sitting. Besides that the Bible shows us, that the posture of prayer should be 'in line' with the occasion and content of the prayer... Please, read with me!

  • Mark 11:25 - Praying while standing
    '    'And when ye 'stand praying, forgive if ye have aught against any, that your Father also who is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses'.

  • Exodus 9:29 - Praying while spreading your hands to the sky
    'And Moses said unto him, 'As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD''.

  • Psalms 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
    'Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD!'

  • 1 Timothy 2:8 - Praying everywhere with hands lifted up
    'It is my will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting'.

  • Daniel 6:10 - Prayer while kneeling
    'Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did formerly'.

    In short: thé biblical way of praying in the Bible is standing up with the hands or arms raised towards the sky. Both in the Old- and New Testament. This is the way people pray to God when praising God, asking God or telling God. Only when people transgressed Gods Law in a most severe way and/or when people are desperately pleeing God they kneel or even lay down and bow their heads to the ground.

    Posture during prayer: depends on content of- and occasion
    So, what we learn from the Bible is, that people assume a different praying-posture when the content of the prayer and the occasion of the prayer vary. For example:

  • Psalms 134:2 'Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD!'
  • 1 Kings 8:54 'And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
  • Psalms 119:170 'Let my supplication come before Thee; deliver me according to Thy word'.

    Remaining striking biblical things about 'praying'...

  • Do not pray with many words or repetitions

    Matthew 6:7 'But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking'.

  • Find a quiet and suitable place to pray

    Matthew 14:23 'And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up onto a mountain apart to pray. And when evening had come, He was there alone.'

  • Continue asking God in a praising prayer and expect an answer!

    Colossians 4:2 'Continue in prayer and watch therein with thanksgiving'
    Daniel 9:23     'At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth; and I have come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved'.
    Daniel 10:12     'Then said he unto me, "Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard; and I have come for thy words.'

  • God listens and He wants to forgive our transgressions and bless us!

    2 Chronicles 7:14 'if My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land'.

    Praying to God: with all your heart, feelings and actions...
    My experiences with prayer are such, that I have to think and feel, that the content of my prayers has to agree with my posture, language and feelings. Only then the prayer seems to be 'right'. This may sound strange to you, but this is the way I feel it.

    For me this means, that I usually pray sitting or standing up, but always with hands raised -sometimes my arms raised as well- towards God. And depending what I bring to God more or less raised.

    Only when my prayer is a prayer of pleeing or asking for forgiveness I make myself small and humble. And then I fold my hands, bow my head and sometimes I kneel down. And this way of praying is very biblical and álso feels very 'suitable'.

    Whatever the way you pray is: know that praying is all about your heart and your attitude towards God and Jesus and...about your actions! And now you also know: God can hear you in heaven and...he wants to bless and help you!

    Praise the LORD [in your prayer] !

    By: Hein Kuipers dd. 14 March 2004
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