How to Pray According to the Bible

Part 1 of the TreasureTop Prayer Series

Prayer is one of the greatest privileges God has given His children. Through prayer we worship Him, confess our sins, present our needs, and submit our lives to His perfect will.

Many Christians ask, “Am I praying the right way?”

While the Bible does not give us one rigid formula for prayer, it does provide a wonderful pattern that helps us approach God with the right heart.

One easy way to remember that pattern is the acronym P.R.A.Y.

• P – Praise
• R – Repent
• A – Ask
• Y – Yield

Let’s look at each one.

P – Praise

Begin your prayers by praising God for who He is.

Thank Him for His holiness.

His love.

His mercy.

His grace.

His faithfulness.

His power.

His sovereignty over every circumstance in your life.

Jesus taught His disciples to begin prayer by honoring the Father:

Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. 
– Matthew 6:9 (LSB)

Prayer begins with God before it focuses on our needs.

When we praise Him, our perspective changes. We remember that the One to whom we pray is the all-powerful Creator who loves His children.

R – Repent

Before bringing your requests, confess your sins to God.

Ask Him to search your heart.

Reveal attitudes that need to change.

Confess specific sins.

Thank Him for His forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

The Bible says,

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
– 1 John 1:9 (LSB)

Confession restores our fellowship with God and keeps our hearts humble before Him.

A – Ask

God invites His children to bring every concern before Him.

Pray for wisdom.

Pray for strength.

Pray for your family.

Pray for those who are hurting.

Pray for open doors to share the gospel.

Pray for God’s will to be accomplished in your life.

Jesus said,

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
– Matthew 7:7 (LSB)

God delights in hearing the prayers of His children.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you truly belong to Christ, I encourage you to read How Do I Really Know If I Am Saved? That article explains the biblical basis for genuine assurance of salvation.

Y – Yield

Finally, surrender your will to God’s will.

Prayer is not about persuading God to agree with us.

It is about bringing our hearts into agreement with Him.

Jesus demonstrated this perfectly when He prayed,

…yet not My will, but Yours be done.
– Luke 22:42 (LSB)

Sometimes God says yes.

Sometimes He says no.

Sometimes He says wait.

Faith trusts His answer because His wisdom is always perfect.

Prayer Changes More Than Circumstances

God certainly answers prayer.

But often His greatest work is changing us while we pray.

As we spend time with Him,

• our fears become confidence
• our anxiety becomes peace
• our priorities become more like His
• and our faith grows stronger.

Prayer deepens our relationship with the Lord.

Continue the Prayer Series

This article explains how God teaches us to pray.

In Part 2, we’ll examine another important question:

Why are some prayers not answered?

Understanding what Scripture says about unanswered prayer will help you pray with even greater confidence and biblical wisdom.

Treasure Truth

Prayer is not about getting God to agree with us. It is about bringing our hearts into agreement with Him.

Key Takeaways

• Begin your prayers by praising God.
• Confess your sins honestly before Him.
• Bring every need to God with confidence.
• Yield your will to His perfect plan.
• Prayer changes both our circumstances and our hearts.

Learn More

Continue growing in your walk with Christ through these related resources:

How Do I Really Know If I Am Saved?
https://treasuretop.com/how-do-i-really-know-if-i-am-saved/

What Does It Mean to Be Born Again?
https://treasuretop.com/born-again-according-to-the-bible/

Can You Lose Your Salvation?
https://treasuretop.com/can-you-lose-your-salvation/

What We Believe
https://treasuretop.com/treasure-top-ministries/

You can also listen to additional biblical teaching on the TreasureTop Podcast:

https://treasuretop.com/podcast/

If you have questions about the Christian faith or would like someone to pray for you, we’d be honored to hear from you through our Prayer Request page:

https://treasuretop.com/contact/

Thank you for visiting TreasureTop. It is our prayer that these biblical resources encourage your faith, strengthen your walk with Christ, and point you to the hope found only in Jesus Christ.

May God richly bless you and your loved ones.

Pastor John Haggard