How to pray
Maybe you’ve never prayed. Maybe you used to, and it feels awkward now. Maybe you pray but it feels like talking to the ceiling. You are not behind. Everybody starts somewhere.
Prayer is talking with God honestly, the way you would talk to a father who loves you. There are no magic words. Jesus gave a simple pattern, the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9–13): honor God, ask for His will, ask for what you need today, ask for and give forgiveness, and ask for help against temptation. Start with a few minutes, out loud or in your heart, and keep showing up.
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The disciples didn’t know how either
The men who walked with Jesus every day still had to ask Him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). They had watched Him slip away early in the morning to pray alone (Mark 1:35), and they wanted what He had. He didn’t give them a long ritual. He gave them a short prayer and told them to talk to God as their Father.
A simple way to start: PRAY
Praise: thank God for who He is and one thing He has done. Repent: tell Him honestly where you’ve fallen short. Ask: bring Him what you need, and what the people you love need. Yield: tell Him you want His will, not just yours.
Two minutes is enough to start. What matters is coming back tomorrow.
When you don’t have the words
Pray a psalm out loud; they are prayers people have prayed for three thousand years. Or just say, “God, I don’t know what to say, but I’m here.” The Bible says the Holy Spirit helps us when we don’t know how to pray (Romans 8:26).
When it feels like nothing is happening
Prayer isn’t a vending machine. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes wait, sometimes something better. Keep a short list of what you prayed for and look back after a month. Many people are surprised by what they find.
What the Bible says
- 01
The prayer Jesus taught.
“So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’”
Matthew 6:9–13 - 02
What to bring to God.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6 - 03
When you don’t know what to say.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.”
Romans 8:26 - 04
God’s invitation to call on Him.
“Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
Jeremiah 33:3 - 05
Prayer as a way of life.
“Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 - 06
Ask, seek, knock.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7–8
Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.
Before you sleep tonight, pray for two minutes using PRAY: one thing to thank God for, one thing to own, one thing to ask, and “Your will be done.”
Common questions
Do I have to pray out loud?
No. God hears your heart. Many people find praying out loud, even quietly, keeps their mind from wandering.
Do I have to close my eyes or kneel?
No. People in the Bible prayed standing, kneeling, lying face down, walking and sitting. Posture can help you focus, but God is listening either way.
How long should I pray?
Start with a few minutes a day. Consistency matters more than length. As it becomes a habit, you will want more time.
Does God hear my prayers if I’m not a Christian yet?
God hears anyone who sincerely seeks Him (Jeremiah 29:13). A prayer as simple as “God, if You’re real, show me” is a real prayer.
Pray with people, not alone.
Become’s prayer house walks you through prayer one step at a time, and the Watch is a prayer room that never closes. Start tonight.