Prayer is a way to communicate with God, express gratitude, seek guidance, and present our needs before Him. Jesus Himself gave instructions on how to pray:

1. Pray with sincerity and humility

God values sincerity over long or repetitive words. Jesus warned against praying to impress others:

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:6)

2. Follow the example of the Lord’s Prayer

Jesus provided a model prayer that covers worship, surrender, provision, forgiveness, and protection:

"This, then, is how you should pray: ‘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.’" (Matthew 6:9-13)

3. Pray with faith and expectation

God listens to those who pray with faith:

"And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." (Matthew 21:22)

4. Pray in all circumstances

Prayer is not limited to specific times but should be part of daily life:

"Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)

5. Pray according to God’s will

Not everything we ask aligns with God's plan, but He answers according to His wisdom:

"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14)

6. Pray with thanksgiving

Gratitude should always be part of our prayers:

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6)

Prayer is not about reciting formulas but about drawing closer to God, seeking His presence, and trusting in His answers.