How are we supposed to pray?

TL;DR:

We pray the way Jesus taught—humbly, sincerely, and from a real relationship with God rather than empty routine. True prayer comes from the heart, trusting that our Father listens, cares, and responds according to His will.

what does the bible say?

Jesus most specifically guides us on how to pray in Matthew 6:9-13, commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer. The prayer shows us how God is a loving father, totally in control, giving us everything we need, forgiving and protecting us. In Matthew 6:5-6 Jesus makes it clear that praying should not be for show, but should be sincere. Additionally, we should not repeat words over and over again ritualistically as the religious leaders did at the time (verses 7-8). Instead of being anxious, we should continually lift up our supplications, thanksgivings, and requests to God (Philippians 4:6-7). Ultimately, we don’t have to follow a certain formula or method of prayer in order for God to hear us or care about us. As believers, we can have confidence that if we pray in accordance with God’s will, our request will be granted (1 John 5:14-15).

from the old testament

God has always wanted His children to approach Him in sincerity. Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord told His people who were exiled in Babylong, “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
We’re to pray in repentance so that God will attend to our prayers: “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer” (Psalm 66:18-20).

from the new testament

Jesus indicates that we should pray with sincerity, not like hypocrites who pray to be seen by others (Matthew 6:5-8).
Jesus' most popular teaching on the topic of prayer is Matthew 6:9-13 and is referred to as the Lord's Prayer. This prayer models what the content of our prayers should be: reverence for God and His will, supplication for our needs, forgiveness of our sins, protection from evil. The Lord's Prayer is a beautiful summary of how we can pray, and it conveys truth about who God is.
Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to bring our anxieties to God in prayer to gain “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” .
When we pray, we don't have to kneel before God to keep Him from getting angry. We don't have to recite the right words with the right tone to get Him to pay attention. We get to talk to God with confidence that He hears us (1 John 5:14-15).

implications for today

Jesus gives believers access to God through prayer (Hebrews 4:14-16; 10:19-23). Prayer is not a magical formula, but an outworking of our relationship with God. We learn from Jesus that we are expected to pray, but that we should be honest. Additionally, Jesus teaches that our prayers should never be to impress other people but to approach our Lord in humility. We should be genuine with God, approaching Him in humility.

Some may ask why we need to pray. After all, as Matthew 6:8 says, God already knows what we need before we pray for it. But God has ordained not only the ends but the means. Scripture is filled with situations in which God gives us a role in fulfilling His will even though He doesn’t need us to fulfill it. Prayer is one of those “means.” Praying to the Lord reminds us of who we are and who He is. God exists, listens, and cares. In prayer, each of us can come to God, like the old hymn says, jus as we are. Our ability to communicate with God is founded upon His grace received by faith in Jesus. God has invited us to approach Him in prayer gladly: "My heart has heard you say, 'Come and talk with me.' And my heart responds, 'LORD I am coming'" (Psalm 27:8, NLT).

understand

Believers are to pray with sincerity and humility.
Jesus’ model prayer guides us about what our prayers should include, such as reverence for God, asking forgiveness for sins, and praying for protection from evil.
God answers prayers in accordance with His will.

reflect

What practices do you have for your prayer life—e.g., kneeling, privacy, etc.—and how have they shaped your relationship with God?
How has Jesus’ model prayer, the “Lord’s Prayer,” influenced how you pray?
How do you avoid repetitive prayer while still addressing situations that you care about?

engage

How might someone’s understanding of God’s character shape the sincerity and humility with which they approach Him in prayer?
What can a person learn about themselves and their relationship with God when their prayers begin to drift toward performance or empty repetition?
How can exploring Jesus’ model prayer reshape the way we understand what healthy, biblical prayer looks like?