The Right Way to Pray

​Prayers can be powerful, particularly a righteous person’s earnest prayer (James 5:16). Let’s understand some attributes of prayers.
 
Prayers are not for informing God what we or other people need. God knows what we need even before we ask (Matthew 6:8, 31-32). Prayers are not primarily for making requests. Parents do not like their children to talk to them only when they have needs.
 
Prayers should not be artificial, and they’re not for impressing or influencing others (Matthew 6:5). Prayers are to God.
 
Prayers should not be meaningless repetitions to fill time (Matthew 6:7). We should be conscious of what we say. Prayers can be long if we are alert and genuine. Typically, a long prayer starts with a burden.
 
In prayers, we must communicate sincerely and open our hearts to Him. God wants to have fellowship with us and wants us to speak freely and intimately to Him, like children talking to their warm and loving father.
 
Pray alone often. Christ often withdrew to the wilderness to pray alone, sometimes praying all night (Matthew 6:6; Luke 5:16, 6:12).
 
Asking for things in our prayer is fine, particularly valuable things, such as the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 7:11, Luke 11:13, James 4:2). Though God knows what we need before we ask, God wants us to express our needs and experience the joy of Him filling it. In asking, we should be persistent. We can even ask with shameless audacity. (Luke 11:5-13, 18:1-8).
 
We should learn from the Lord’s prayer. It is not self-centered. It uses the word our but not words like my, I, or me.
 
The Lord’s prayer starts with “Our Father in heaven.” The Old Testament never addresses God as “Father.” We can because through Christ’s death and resurrection, we can be God’s children (Romans 8:16). Addressing Him as our Father implies that He loves us and wants to help and bless us (Romans 8:32).
 
The term “in heaven” implies at least power, wisdom, and glory. After all, God is the Creator of heaven and earth.
 
Know the significance of praying to our Heavenly Father. This is the foundation of our faith and the basis of our prayer.
 
Summary of a sermon by Zac Poonen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP5R-ZSms-U
 


正确的祈祷方式

祷告可以很有威力的，特别是义人的恳切祈祷 （雅各书5:16）。 让我们了解祷告的一些属性。
 
祷告不是告诉上帝我们或其他人的需要。在我们祷求之前, 上帝已经知道我们需要什么 （马太福音6：8、31和32）。 祈祷不应该主要是为了索求东西。父母不喜欢孩子只在有需要的时候才和他们说话。
 
祷告不该是造作的，如像对上帝演说。我们正在和爱我们的天父交谈。
 
祷告不是为了给他人留下深刻印象或用来影响人 （马太福音6：5）。祈祷的对象是上帝。 
 
祷告不应是毫无意义的重复来填补时间 （马太福音6：7）。要知道我们正在与可畏的上帝说话。要注意我们所说的话。只要我们保持警惕及真诚，祈祷是可以漫长的。通常漫长的祷告是始于负重担。
 
在祷告时, 要与上帝真诚沟通, 向上帝敞开心扉。上帝希望与我们相交, 与我们自由而亲切地交谈, 就像孩子与仁慈的父母交谈一样。
 
经常独自祈祷。基督常常撤回旷野独自祷告。有时祂甚至整夜地祈祷（马太福音6：6；路加福音5:16; 6:12）。
 
请求在祈祷中是没关系的，特别是对有价值的事情，例如请求赦免罪孽(马太福音7:11; 路加福音11:13; 雅各书4：2)。尽管上帝在我们问之前已经知道我们需要什么，但上帝仍然希望我们表达我们的需求，并经历得到祷告实现后的喜乐。 在请求时, 要坚持不懈，不要放弃。甚至无耻地大胆请求 (路加福音11：5-13; 18：1-8)。
 
我们应向主祷文学习。 主祷文不是以自我为中心的。 主祷文只有“我们”而没有独自“我” 这个字。
 
主祷文始于“我们在天上的父”。
 
旧约从未将上帝称为“父亲”。 通过基督的死与复活，我们可以成为上帝的儿女 (罗马书8:16)。 称呼祂为我们的父亲意味着祂爱我们，想帮助和祝福我们 （ 罗马书8:32）。
 
使用“在天上” 这个词语至少意味着充满能力, 智慧和荣耀。 毕竟祂是天地的创造者。
 
了解祈祷是向天父的重要性。 这是我们信仰和我们祈祷的基础。