I was never taught how to pray correctly growing up. Interestingly, I grew up in church, and I don't remember being taught how to pray. The way I understood prayer is when I'm in need of something I will go to YAHUAH (God). Although, many verses telling us that we don't need to ask our Father for anything because he already knows what we need. Matthew 6:8 "Be ye not, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knows what things ye need of before ye ask him." That's why many of us end up praying amiss and repeating vain words causing our prayers not being answered the way it should. The four questions you need to ask are When should you pray? What should you pray for? Why should you pray? How should you pray? Let's cover the four questions with scriptures, so you get a better understanding of prayer. I'm going to focus mainly on Matthew 6:1-34. Isaiah 28: 9-10 "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precepts; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little."
The first question was When should you pray? Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints." You see here in verse above that you should always be praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Meaning, you should constantly be praying. Not when you remember, when you need something or when you are in church. You should be in prayer every minute because your life depends on it. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of YAHUAH (God) in YAHUSHA HAMASHIACH (Jesus Christ) concerning you." Paul is saying to pray without ceasing meaning constantly. When you're awake, eating, walking, working before you sleep, and when you're sitting. You get the picture. Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer." These verses are to show you that you are to pray continually without ceasing. Not when it's convenient for you or when you feel like it.
The second question is What should you pray for? For start Matthew 6:8 "Be ye not, therefore, like unto them: for your Father knows what things ye need of before ye ask him." This verse already telling you that you don't need to pray for things because he already knows what you need before you ask him. What things is it talking about? What is it that the majority of us pray on a daily basis to have? Material things such as job, wealth, home, children, wife, husband, car that we desire to have etc. Matthew 6:19 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal." All of this material stuff that I mentioned are treasures on earth that all of us seeking for and asking in our daily prayer. Believe it or not, thieves have access to all of these things. Matthew 6:20 " But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Treasures in heaven are what you need to pray for in your daily prayer. what are the treasures of heaven that thieves can't steal? YAHUAH's Commandments, Law, and Statutes when it's written on the table of your heart no thieves, no moth or rust will corrupt.
Psalms 19:7-11" The law of the YAHUAH is perfect, converting the soul. The statutes of the YAHUAH are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of YAHUAH are right, giving joy to the heart. The commandment of the YAHUAH is radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the YAHUAH is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the YAHUAH are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is a great reward." In your daily prayer, you should be asking YAHUAH to teach you his Law, Statutes, Commandments, to do His will, to be obedient, and to Fear Him. Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of YAHUAH (God), and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Therefore, when you seek YAHUAH's Law, Statutes, and Commandments you will have everything that you need which is the basic necessity of life to survive. Such as food, water, shelter, and clothing. All of the other stuff you do not need because when you die you will take nothing with you. Ecclesiastes 5:15 "Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands."(Other references Job 1:21, 1 Timothy 6:7, Genesis 3:19). Ask yourself this if wealth was all you need why are the Hollywood stars committing suicide? addicted to drugs? Why are they so miserable when they seem to have it all?
The third question is Why should you pray? First, is to have a personal relationship with the Father. Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." These are the reason why you should be praying without ceasing. People, the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms, powers of this dark world, all of them are real. Get this; you cannot fight these things naturally. The only way for you to win over your struggles is through prayer, keeping YAHUAH's law, statutes, and commandments. You should pray so you can take your stand against the devil's schemes as it states in Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of YAHUAH, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." His armor is the word, his law, commandments, and statutes. Luke 21:36 "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." These are the reason you should pray.
The fourth question is How should you pray? Like I mentioned before, in the beginning, many of us don't know how to pray. We all have the instructions available to us in the Bible. However, we don't bother to read the scriptures like we are supposed to read them to get understanding. It's not the pastor's fault if any of us go to hell. It's our fault because we decided not to read the instructions in the Bible. We love the Matrix so much that we purchase our front seat ticket straight to hell. Listen, we choose to drive our car to a congregation every Sunday to listen to someone reading the very same scriptures that you could have read at home. The difference with most pastors is they tell you what they think not what the word says. The question remains how you should pray? Well, the first step of praying is in Matthew 6:6 " But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father which in secret; and your Father which see in secret shall reward you openly." Some of us do the opposite of it. Let see how not to start your prayer in Matthew 6:5 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward." Some of us do it all the time trying to show off, and all we do is repeating a bunch of gibberish. No one needs to hear what you're saying because you're not talking to anyone but your Father. It should be a private conversation between you and your Father in heaven. The second step of praying is in Psalms 100:1-2 "Make a joyful noise unto YAHUAH, all ye lands. Serve YAHUAH with gladness: come before his presence with singing." Once you shut your door, you start making a joyful noise unto Him singing hymns. You start worshiping him, giving thanks and praising His name. The third step of praying in Matthew 6:9 "After this manner there pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever. Halleluyah!"
After you shut your door, come before his presence with singing than you start praying still giving the honor. Asking for His will to be done, asking for forgiveness because you know that we all fall short daily, and make sure before you come before him that you have fogginess in your heart. Meaning, you forgive others who offend you. Ask Him not to let temptation overcome you and deliver you from all wickedness. In closing your prayer give Him glory. Here is an example of how you should not pray in Luke 18: 11-12 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, YAHUAH, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortionist, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess." Believe it or not, this is how some of us pray, and that's a big no, no. It is not that difficult people to read the word for yourself. All it takes is a willing Spirit. Psalms 51:12 "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit." You want answers to all of your problems and live eternally pray without ceasing, get in the word, keep YAHUAH's law, statutes, and commandments. You want to know how to pray correctly use the scriptures in Matthew 6:1-34 from this day forward. This chapter has everything you need to know about praying.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 -14 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Yah, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For Yah shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
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