Quality and sincerity are what matters. Nowhere is that made more clear than when Jesus told his followers not to be like the hypocrites who pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by men who will think they are religious, pious and worthy of their respect. Jesus also told his followers not to pray like the pagans who babble and make lengthy prayers, thinking they will be heard because of their many words.
No, we are to pray in privacy. The 'model prayer' as taught by Jesus places God as our priority. We are to worship Him in our prayers, to earnestly seek to do God's will and then to make our requests. We also ask God to forgive us for our sins, always remembering that first we must forgive those who have sinned against us. We seek God's divine guidance and blessing as we face temptations and battle against our sinful nature. Finally, what we pray for must be in harmony with God's will. (Matthew 6:5-15)
Far too often, prayer is viewed as a “magic formula.” Some believe that if we do not say exactly the right things, or pray in the right position, God will not hear and answer our prayer. This is completely unbiblical. God does not answer our prayers based on when we pray, where we are, what position our body is in, or in what order we word our prayers. We are told in 1 John 5:14-15 to have confidence when we come to God in prayer, knowing He hears us and will grant whatever we ask as long as it is in His will. Similarly, John 14:13-14 declares, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” According to these and many other Scriptures, God answers prayer requests based on whether they are asked according to His will and in the name of Jesus (to bring glory to Jesus).
So, what is the proper way to pray? Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to pray without being anxious, to pray about everything, and to pray with thankful hearts. God will answer all such prayers with the gift of His peace in our hearts. The proper way to pray is to pour out our hearts to God, being honest and open with God, as He already knows us better than we know ourselves. We are to present our requests to God, keeping in mind that God knows what is best and will not grant a request that is not His will for us. We are to express our love, gratitude, and worship to God in prayer without worrying about having just the right words to say. God is more interested in the content of our hearts than the eloquence of our words.
The closest the Bible comes to giving a “pattern” for prayer is the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13. Please understand that the Lord’s Prayer is not a prayer we are to memorise and recite to God. It is an example of the things that should go into a prayer—worship, trust in God, requests, confession, and submission. We are to pray for the things the Lord’s Prayer talks about, using our own words and “customising” it to our own journey with God. The proper way to pray is to express our hearts to God. Sitting, standing, or kneeling; hands open or closed; eyes opened or closed; in a church, at home, or outside; in the morning or at night—these are all side issues, subject to personal preference, conviction, and appropriateness. God’s desire is for prayer to be a real and personal connection between Himself and us.
Key to Jesus' words is the fact that God knows our needs and can read our hearts and minds. God knows when people are sincere, and it is that earnest and heartfelt plea of the sinner who seeks forgiveness that God that will hear.
No person can claim to be righteous, and all our deeds are like filthy rags before a holy and righteous God. The only way to approach the Father is through the Son. Only He can mediate on our behalf. If the believer has entered into the new covenant and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, when God looks at the believer he sees only the righteousness of Christ Jesus.
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