There is something you want to ask God for, but you don't know how to ask. God hears your prayers, but He doesn't always give you exactly what you ask for. Praise and ask forgiveness for your sins before you ask Him to give you what you want. Ask God to work according to His will. Also, be honest and be specific about your request. Be patient and trust that God will act.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Connect with God
Step 1. Build a relationship with God
God will hear your prayers whether you follow Him or not, but He likely answers the prayers of those close to Him. If you've never started reading God's Word and following Jesus, this is a good step before you ask Him for anything. Learn to listen and obey what He asks of you.
- This does not mean that He will not grant your request if you are not a follower of Him. It only means you can communicate better if you have a relationship with Him.
- Imagine the difference between a stranger and a best friend. If a friend borrows money or there is a stranger on the street asking for money, you are more likely to give to your friend. It's not a perfect comparison, but it's similar.
Step 2. Praise God and express gratitude
When you go to God in prayer, don't make a request right away. It is better to praise Him and give thanks for what He has done. Praise Him for being loving and almighty. Give thanks for guiding and blessing you. Starting in this way will show God that He is not the ordinary person you are asking for.
- Express sincere praise and gratitude. Don't use this as a ploy to curry favor with God so you can make a request. You must pray earnestly.
- Start by saying, “O Allah, how wonderful Your care and care for me is. I thank You for being powerful and never turning your back on me.”
Step 3. Go to confession and regret your sins
Once you have a relationship with God, it is important to make sure you are friends with Him. If you continue to live in sin, or have recently sinned, you are separated from God. You must confess your sins and forsake them. By doing so you repair the broken relationship with God.
- Why this is important is because sin is the opposite of what God wants of you. When you sin, you are separated from God.
- Confessing and regretting your sins means telling God that you are aware that you have sinned, are sorry, and want to change.
- Pray to God, “I regret being rude to my neighbor. I know you love him too, and I should treat prayer the way you want him to. I will try harder to be patient and be nice to him.”
Step 4. Ask Allah for forgiveness
In addition to confessing and regretting sins, ask God to forgive them. Asking forgiveness is the step after confessing sin. Once God has forgiven you, the lines of communication will be more open between you and God.
- There is no specific prayer for forgiveness that you should pray for. Tell God that you are sorry and want Him to forgive you for doing something wrong.
- Pray, “O Allah, I apologize for lying about what I did last night. I shouldn't have done that. Forgive me for my dishonesty.”
Step 5. Improve relationships with other people
If you are angry or have hurt someone else, it will be difficult to pray honestly to God. Think for a moment about your misaligned relationship, and try to fix it first. Resolving problems with other people will pave the way for your petitions to God.
- It is not enough to just reflect on your mistakes without trying to correct them. Build relationships with other people and reconcile before facing God.
- Forgive or forgive them, depending on the faults between you.
Step 6. Pray to be able to fight the demons around you
If you live for God, there may be a demon against you, preventing you from getting close to God. Pray that God will remove the spirits that keep you away and ruin your relationship with God. Spiritual battles will keep you from communicating effectively with Him.
- You need to take the time to learn more about spiritual battles and how they impact your prayer life and the life you live for God.
- Pray, “God, I feel the devil around me. In the name of Jesus cast out the spirits. Don't let them come among us. Tell them that they have no power over me."
Part 2 of 3: Praying for Your Request
Step 1. Be honest with God about your feelings
Allah knows everything you think and feel, so nothing is hidden. When you make a request, be honest about your thoughts and feelings. That honesty will make God open an ear to your prayers.
Step 2. Be specific about what you want
Tell God what you want or need and ask Him to provide it for you. State the specifics of your request. Even though God knows what you want and need, He wants you to tell Him what it is. God may answer prayers that are unclear, but if you make a specific request, it will create closeness between you and Him.
- A specific request does not guarantee that God will answer the request the way you want it to. He may have other plans for you.
- Say to Allah, “I'm having a hard time paying my rent because of the doctor's bill. Please give me extra hours so I can pay my rent.”
- Remember, God will not fulfill your wishes, if it is not according to His will. Research your heart and open your Bible to see if what you are asking for is not against His will.
Step 3. Invite God to work according to His will
While you may have many specific things that you want from God, another thing to pray for is for His will to be done in your life. Ask God to move and use you according to His will, not just what you want. Ask Him to help you want what He wants for you.
- There are many benefits to praying this way. Even if you know exactly what you want, God may have more than you ask for. If you only say something you want, you can miss an even bigger blessing.
- Say to God, “Lord, I really want to start a new job this month, but I know You may have a lot more in store during this time. I pray that You will show You Your plan, even if it is not exactly what I want it to be.”
Step 4. Ask God to answer your prayers quickly
If you ask God for something, you may want Him to act quickly. Being honest with God means telling Him that you want Him to work quickly. He has his own time, so things may not go at your desired pace. It's okay to ask Him to work quickly because you are honest with your desires.
Step 5. Close the prayer by saying, “In the name of Jesus
“The Bible teaches that the name of Jesus Christ has great power. Every time you pray, especially if you are asking for something, end by saying, “I pray in the name of Jesus.” This is an acknowledgment that God works through Jesus and that Jesus is truly powerful.
This is not like saying magic words, and you should not use it to exploit God's grace. This is a way of showing that you surrender to God through Christ
Part 3 of 3: Waiting for God to Answer Prayers
Step 1. Patiently waiting for God to work
Remember, God works at a different time than you. If He doesn't answer prayers as quickly as you'd like, don't despair of Him. Wait for God's timing and remember that there may be a reason why He doesn't answer as quickly as you want.
Step 2. Keep praising Him
As you wait for God to answer your prayers, you need to continue to honor and praise Him. It is better to be grateful and give praise to Him even though your request has not been granted. If you only praise Him when He acts the way you want him to, your praise is not sincere.
Step 3. Trust that God will work according to His will
If you don't believe that God has the power to act, your prayer loses its power. You have to be sure that He hears you and will act according to His will. If your request goes according to His plan, He will grant your wish, but remember, God doesn't always answer your wish.
