If you have recently approached Christianity, read this article to learn how to pray and show your gratitude.
Steps
Step 1. The presence of God will have to mark your faith and your daily life
It is essential to develop prayer habits to welcome the Holy Ghost.
Step 2. You can begin your prayer by addressing Jesus with the title "Lord"
Thank him specifically:
Example: "Lord, thank you for giving me this beautiful family, for helping my father feel better and for giving me the determination to win the volleyball game."
Step 3. Prayer should be appropriate for your situation
You can thank him or ask him something, but you don't have to say any particular words. Let yourself be guided by what you hear.
Step 4. Ask him to forgive your sins, but also those of others
Confess your actions that don't make you proud, such as hurting someone, lied to, cheated on, stolen, or disobeyed your parents.
Step 5. Pray to the Holy Spirit to access Jesus
Step 6. Name the sins you have committed and ask forgiveness for those forgotten or omitted
Confessing means admitting your mistakes before God and, above all, taking a first step to run for cover. You will demonstrate your humility, with the aim of getting closer to what the Lord's will is.
Step 7. Express your love for God
If you have just started practicing, this step may be difficult for you: it is normal to feel uncertain at first. You could sing a hymn and thank him for saving you every day and for sacrificing himself for humanity.
Step 8. Ask him to help you change aspects of your life or that of those around you that you don't like
Remember that praying for good grades in school, for money, and for frivolous things is considered selfish. Everything is achieved if you have good motivation and are diligent.
Step 9. Ask him to guide and protect you and thank him for your days
You will learn to recognize his blessing in daily achievements.
Step 10. Ask him to help you be wise and have the ability to discern
The Bible says, “If any of you lack wisdom, ask God who gives to all freely without reproaching, and it will be given to him. But ask in faith, without being doubted; because whoever doubts is like a wave of the sea, shaken by the wind and pushed here and there. Do not think that such a man will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1: 5-8). If you don't understand his word, the Holy Spirit will support you. Contextualize the Bible but don't forget to understand its true meaning.
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Conclude your prayers by saying “Thank you God, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen,” “In the name of Jesus, Amen,” “Thank you,” or any other phrase that seems appropriate. God will listen to you anyway, no matter how you end the prayer. Always take a moment to pray.
Pray to Jesus Step 11
Step 11. Talk to God as you would talk to your father:
He is the creator of all things and therefore knows each person and can achieve what he wants.
- Don't try to convince non-believers, but share positive aspects of Christianity, such as forgiveness, with others.
- Do not confuse God with the genie of the lamp: he will not grant your wishes.
The keywords for a believer are Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Show him your faith, confess your sins, thank him and pray for others.
Advice
- Pray in a quiet place, away from distractions but, if you can't, don't neglect the act of prayer.
- Have faith and thank him in advance for the good things that will happen to you.
- Don't use too many words or repetitions - get straight to the point. The Bible says "Do not be hasty in speaking, and your heart does not hurry to utter a word before God; because God is in heaven and you are on earth; your words are therefore few; for with the multitude of occupations come dreams, and with the multitude of words, senseless reasoning”(Ecclesiastes 5: 2-3).
- Always pray for God's will to be done and thank him for saving you from torment.
- If you have nightmares or suffer from insomnia, pray to bless others but don't ask them to make you sleep peacefully. Believe in your faith and everything will turn out for the best.
- Closing your eyes and kneeling is not necessary, but do not get distracted, give your full attention to God.
- God hears all your prayers and answers.
- If you are in a noisy place, focus on praying.
- "For I know the thoughts I have for you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11).
- “So having a great high priest who passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, we hold firmly to our confession of faith. In fact, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our infirmities, but one who has been tempted in everything like us, without however committing sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with full confidence, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to receive help at the opportune time”(Hebrews 4: 14-16).
- If you are Catholic or Orthodox, take a rosary with you to pray alone or with other faithful.
- The prayers of Protestants, in general, are more informal and address Jesus as a friend who is closer than a brother.
Warnings
- God's ways are mysterious and incomprehensible at first. Your prayers are always heard but, as Jesus said, "Do not test God."
- Replace bitterness and fear with hope.
- God answers prayers, but the answer is not always affirmative, it could also be "no" or "wait". Don't stop praying or believing just because you didn't get what you wanted right away.
- Always pray with your heart, soul and every fiber of your being.
- Don't beg, have faith. Thank him and ask him to bless others.
