The Biblical How-To Guide To Prayer
We will start off our study today with this very important question: What is prayer? Prayer is simply talking to Heavenly Father Yahweh. It can be done out-loud, though it is often silent. Prayer is a very important part in the worship of the Great Creator of mankind and the whole universe, that is, all of the heavenly realm and the earth. Prayer gives us a great opportunity to express love towards Almighty Yahweh and our Master Yahshua Messiah. Prayer also gives us an opportunity to express love towards others, explain our circumstances to Yahweh and Yahshua, and give thanks to both the Father and the Son for the many blessings we are given. Almighty Yahweh speaks to people through His Word (the Bible), and people speak to Him through prayer. We also have an opportunity in prayer to ask Father Yahweh for help, for guidance, for strength, and for His support of our mission to accomplish His work on earth. But know that Almighty Yahweh will listen to us only if we talk to Him in the way He approves. How can we do that? Let’s see what the Bible says about prayer.ย As always, we will ask the Holy Spirit to help and guide us in teaching you our vital topic for today, the biblical how-to guide to prayer.
Compared to the universe, the earth is very small. When Heavenly Father Yahweh looks at the earth, all the people in all the nations seem like just a tiny drop of water from a bucket (Isaiah 40:15). Even though we are so small when compared to the universe “Yahweh is near to all those calling on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He satisfies the desire of those who fear Him; He hears their cry for help, and He rescues them” (Psalms 145:18,19). What an amazing privilege people have! Yahweh, the Almighty Father in heaven, wants to be close to us, and He wants to listen to our prayers, as it is a special gift that He has given to every human-being! Prayer helps us to have a close relationship with Almighty Yahweh. Through the Bible, He has shared his thoughts and feelings with you, and He tells you what He will do in the future. You can share even your deepest feelings with your Creator by talking to Him regularly. Think about that kind invitation. The Ruler of this universe is deeply interested in you and wants you to tell Him how you feel and about your problems (Philippians 4:6,7). As you do this, your friendship with Heavenly Father Yahweh will grow much stronger when you draw near Him (James 4:8).
At this point, you maybe asking yourself: Does Almighty Yahweh listen to all prayers? No, He does not! This was very clear and evident when He told the Israelites: “Although you offer many prayers, I Am not listening; your hands are filled with blood” (Isaiah 1:15). This means that we must live according to Yahweh’s will in order for Him to hear our prayer. So if we are not careful, we could do things that would distance us from Yahweh, causing Him to ignore our prayers. If we want Heavenly Father Yahweh to listen to our prayers, we must have faith in Him (Mark 11:24). The apostle Paul explains: “Without faith it is impossible to please Yahweh well, for whoever approaches Yahweh must believe that He is and that He becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking Him” (Hebrews 11:6). But it is not enough just to say that we have faith. We need to prove our faith clearly by obeying Almighty Yahweh every day. “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). We should also be humble and respectful as we pray to Yahweh. Why? If we were to speak to a king or a president, we would do so in a respectful way. Shouldn’t we show even more respect and humility when we speak to our Heavenly Father Yahweh? (Genesis 17:1; Psalm 138:6). We should be sincere and pray to Yahweh from our heart, not just repeating the same words over and over again (Matthew 6:7,8). It’s very important that we should pray to Yahweh in the name of Yahshua! We don’t need any “religious” person as a kind of intercessor, for we already have the greatest High Priest in Yahshua! (Hebrews 4:14). Notice what Yahshua said: “Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My Name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24).
Furthermore, when we pray to Yahweh about something, we must do everything we can to work at what we are praying for. For example, if we pray to Yahweh for our daily needs (Matthew 6:11), then we can’t be lazy and expect Him to give us everything even though we are able to work for it. We must work hard and accept whatever job we are able to do. Don’t always expect for a “free lunch” every time! The apostle Paul writes: “Nor did we eat anyone’s bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you” (2 Thessalonians 3:8). He further states: “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Or if we pray to Yahweh for help to stop doing something wrong, we must avoid any situation that could tempt us. Again, the apostle Paul writes: “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). This means not to kill people, but to put to death your sins, or stay away from committing sin!
What should be most important in our prayers? Heavenly Father Yahweh and His will be done! We should thank Him from our heart for everything he has done for us (1 Chronicles 29:10-13). Yahshua Messiah taught His disciples how to pray (Matthew 6:9-13) during His earlier ministry on earth 2,000 years ago. Yahshua said that they should first pray for Yahweh’s Name to be sanctified, that is, treated as sacred or holy. Then Yahshua showed that we should pray for Yahweh’s Kingdom to come and for Heavenly Father Yahweh’s will to be done all over the earth. It was only after praying for those very important things that Yahshua Messiah said that we should pray for our personal needs! When we put Almighty Yahweh and His will first in our prayers, we show and tell Him what is most important to us! We must pray that His will be done first before our own will! The Bible clearly tells us “No matter what we ask according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).ย This is the exact reason why your prayer is not answered because you’re putting first your own will before His! A self-centered prayer will not work with Almighty Yahweh ever!
Besides above, what are additional things that we can pray for? We can pray for Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). We can pray for wisdom to make good decisions ((James 1:5). We can pray for strength to endure (Philippians 4:13). We can pray for forgiveness for our sins (Ephesians 1:7). We can pray for others (Acts 12:5). And how does Almighty Yahweh answer our prayers? Our Heavenly Father Yahweh can use angels or humans to help us (Revelation 14:6). His Holy Spirit gives us the help we need (2 Corinthians 4:7). He gives us the peace and strength we need to endure (Philippians 4:6,7,13). He gives us wisdom through the Bible and the congregation (Galatians 6:1; 2 Timothy 3:16,17). And to Whom should we pray? To our Heavenly Father Yahweh! (Matthew 6:9). We also pray in Yahshua’s Name to come to Yahweh (John 14:6). Do we need to be in a special position to pray? (1 Chronicles 17:16; Nehemiah 8:5,6; Daniel 6:10; Mark 11:25). How long should prayers be? (Luke 20:46,47). How often should we pray? (Romans 12:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Why do we say “amen” at the end of a prayer? (1 Chronicles 16:36; 1 Corinthians 14:16).
In closing, Yahweh, the Almighty Creator, wants to be close to us, and He wants to listen to our prayers! And He would, if you obey His Law and do your prayer according to His will for you! Know that prayer is a two-way conversation between Almighty Yahweh and humans. Our Heavenly Father Yahweh speaks to us through His Word (Bible), and we speak to Him through prayer. We are all commanded by Him to pray sincerely and wholeheartedly at all times. Notice the following verses about it: “For Yahweh is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of You always in my prayers” (Romans 1:9). “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “I thank Yahweh, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember You in my prayers night and day (2 Timothy 1:3). Our Heavenly Father Yahweh grant that you will learn to pray as Yahshua Messiah did! We hope and pray that you now understand how to use one of the most powerful tools in the entire universe, and that is, prayer! Put to mind that Yahshua Messiah prayed (Matthew 14:23). He taught His disciples to pray (Matthew 6:5-15). The apostle Paul prayed (2 Corinthians 13:7-9) and taught about prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17), as did the apostle James and others (James 1:5; 5:13-18). The fervent effectual prayer of the righteous avails much (James 5:16). You’ve now been given the biblical how-to guide to prayer. How about you? Are you praying to the true Elohim of the Bible? Are your prayers solely based on the Bible as we have just presented with you today? We pray that you’re enlightened and blessed by this true and faithful message. Help us spread the genuine and full-Gospel of Almighty Yahweh and Yahshua Messiah to the peoples and nations by sharing this website to many others. Shalom, Halleluyah!