How can I know what to pray for?

Answer

From the Old Testament to the New, God commands people to pray. When we are facing a crisis, we have no trouble knowing what to pray for (see 2 Chronicles 7:13-14). We ask the Lord for help, deliverance, provision, or healing. At other times, we know we should pray, but we are not sure what to pray about.

Various prayer structures have been suggested, and they can be helpful: the five-finger prayer, the ACTS acronym, and more. Jesus gave us a model prayer in Matthew 6:10–13, and if we follow it, we have no shortage of prayer topics:

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today 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.”

We can design our prayers around this model prayer. It is a template over which we can lay our own requests. So let’s look at each section of Jesus’ model and see how we can apply it to our prayer lives.

1. “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” It is to God alone we pray, and a primary thing we pray for is that we would “hallow” God’s name. That is, we pray that we would make God’s name and reputation holy, that we would sanctify it. God is holy and worthy of all honor, and our first priority is to pray that the world would see how holy and glorious He is.

2. “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Before we start listing our needs, we must remind ourselves that it is God’s will we desire, not our own «And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. »

(Matthew 26:39,42) «He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. », (Matthew 26:39,42). The main purpose of prayer is to align our will with God’s. We must ensure our hearts are in the right relationship with Him; otherwise, our prayers are merely lists of tasks we expect God to complete. Therefore, we pray for God’s will to prevail in our hearts and lives, regardless of our other requests.

3. “Give us this day our daily bread.” We are encouraged to request what we need. In Matthew 7:7–8, Jesus said, “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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” One of the things we pray for is our daily essentials.

We typically dedicate the most time to this aspect of prayer because these concerns motivate us to pray. Whatever is troubling our hearts, whatever fears, needs, or anxieties are troubling us, we are instructed to cast them on the Lord «casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. », (1 Peter 5:7). Job problems, family conflicts, rebellious children, financial stress, or the quest for purpose are all part of “give us this day our daily bread.” Whatever is weighing on our hearts can be placed at the feet of Jesus and left there.

4. “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Another aspect we pray for is personal forgiveness. This is where prayer can be challenging. If our hearts are sincere before God, He will reveal those areas where we are holding onto sin or living in unforgiveness. We are encouraged to confess our sins and anticipate complete forgiveness «If we confess our sins,He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). However, God also requires us to pay it forward. We must be ready to forgive those who have sinned against us (see Matthew 18:21-35). As we seek forgiveness for our own transgressions, we must prepare our hearts to forgive those who have hurt us.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” God does not lead people into temptation (see James 1:13-14). Instead, Jesus is teaching us to recognize the presence of an evil tempter, and to ask God for protection from his schemes. Every temptation we encounter is common to humanity, and God will always provide “the way of escape” so that the temptation is bearable. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NASB). Acknowledging our vulnerability to temptation, we call upon the Lord for protection. We pray for the strength to actively seek “the way of escape,” whether it involves changing the channel, altering a relationship, or shifting our thoughts.

[“For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”] Some translations enclose this final phrase in brackets as it is not original to the text, but it can still be beneficial in guiding our prayers. After we have presented our “requests known unto God” “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6, KJV).In (Philippians 4:6), it is beneficial to recall the nature of God. Worship plays a crucial role in prayer, yet we frequently rush into making requests and swiftly say “Amen” without taking a moment to reflect on God’s magnificence. By ending with a summary of all that God deserves, we are expressing, “Lord, You are the only one deserving of all worship and praise. Your will, not mine, should be done, and I will cooperate with You. You alone merit my adoration and obedience, and I willingly offer it.”

While this framework is valuable, we are not confined to it. Prayer is a dialogue with God. We ought to pray continuously, about everything «Pray without ceasing. », (1 Thessalonians 5:17). The more we familiarize ourselves with Scripture, the more we can pray it back to God when it aligns with our circumstances. The Psalms contain verses suitable for prayer that often feel tailor-made for our situations. When we are unsure of what to pray, we can turn to the Psalms and recite them to their Author (try it with Psalms 6, 23, 27, 73, and 131).