Just as it is important attitude in prayer, the frequency of prayer and intensity of the sentence, it is also necessary to emphasize the contents of our prayer. The Bible is not silent on this. In the Our Father we have a lot of light regarding the model of daily prayer, in addition – for the benefit of the believer – there are other texts that also teach us about the content of our prayers.
The Bible instructs us
Although God is pleased by the mere fact that we get closer to Him, it is important to look at what the Bible says. Otherwise we will fall into the error of making sentences that do not conform to the biblical model. So here is a consideration of what the Bible teaches us regarding the structure or elements of our prayer:
- When Jesus wanted to highlight the correct attitude to pray, he used the example of the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple (Luke 18:9-14). Here, the publican limited himself to asking God – humbly – for a favor that he knew he did not deserve.
- In the Our Father prayer, prayer and petition are the forms of asking for divine provision, such as daily bread (Matthew 6:11) and the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 6:12).
- When the early church believers were intimidated by the threat of the Jews, they prayed for help from the Lord and confessed their confidence in God’s sovereignty (Acts 4:24-29).
- On the other hand, when believers who were being persecuted needed wisdom, James urged them to pray, asking God to grant it (James 1:5-6).
If we add to these texts the magisterial exhortation that the apostle Paul makes to the believers in Philippi, we will find a lot of help for the topic we are dealing with:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but let your requests be known before God in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7.
This statement, more than an order to follow, presents us with the spirit for prayer, and confirms what we have been reading in previous passages. The apostle invites Christians to make petitions to the Lord, to pray and to give him thanks. From these texts we can conclude that when praying for a particular problem or situation, the believer can observe three fundamental principles:
1) Ask God for what we need. Like a good Father, He knows how to give his children what they need. Prayer must include the request, since by asking God we are acknowledging our inability and insufficiency. Whatever our situation, we must present our need to the Lord – provision, protection, healing or direction – and ask him to help us.
2) We must express our trust in God. Trust in his power, his goodness, wisdom and sovereignty regarding what we are asking for. Our trust in Him is the assurance that He hears our prayers and that He will do so according to His eternal purposes. Our trust in Him also includes the conviction that God has the prerogative to respond in his way and his time (John 2:4). When we express our trust to the Lord, we are telling Him that we are going to rest in Him.
3) Prayer should lead to thanksgiving. After asking and expressing his trust, the believer should thank God. We give thanks for Christ Jesus. We give thanks that He hears our prayers. We give thanks that He is with us. We give thanks that He will do what is best for us. We give thanks that God is in control of our lives.
In summary, when the believer prays for a need, he must present his request to God, express his trust and thank him. When we observe these principles, we can rest assured that we have prayed according to the Scriptures, and in turn be sure that God will do according to his will. The effect of this kind of prayer will be that “…the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”, Philippians 4:7.