APPENDIX 2: How to Pray? P-R-A-Y

An excellent guideline for prayer is the P-R-A-Y acronym. This helps our prayers to be Biblical and balanced. This balance is modeled to us by Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15).  Please don’t see this guideline as some “rote”, or “mechanical” system to follow legalistically, but use it to strengthen and focus your prayer life.

P – Praise

Some examples of ways to praise God are the following:

  • Adoration, complimenting and boasting to and about the Lord

  • Thanks at all times

  • Singing

  • Review our amazing identity and victory in Christ

  • Review his amazing love for us

  • Read and pray a Psalm

Psalm 145:1-3, “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.  Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

R – Repent 

Take some time and confess all known sin to the Lord.  Tell God you want to turn from it and turn to Him.  Ask Him to reveal any areas/sins in your life that you are not aware of, to bring to repentance.  We are already forgiven of all sin because of what Jesus has done for us, so we should thank Him for that forgiveness we already have received and ask Him to keep our hearts pure and soft before Him.

Ps 139:23-24 - Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. 

Proverbs 28:13 - He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us … and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

A – Ask

One of the great privileges of prayer is to ask God.  He desires us to come to Him with a childlike confidence with all our requests and believe that He will answer according to His perfect will.  Some examples of things to ask for:

  • Holy Spirit to fill and control you moment by moment

  • Holy Spirit to guide you in this prayer time (What do you want me to pray for?)

  • Other’s needs (family, friends, leaders, unbelievers)

  • Our own personal needs

  • Leaders in our lives and society (government, church, workplace, school, etc.)

  • Any other requests as the Holy Spirit brings them up

Matt 7:7-8 - "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "

James 4:2 - “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” 

Y – Yield 

One of the most important aspects of prayer is to daily and regularly offer our lives back, again, to Jesus in surrender. This is called “dying to self”.   Some ways we can do this is to…

  • Daily surrender – at the beginning of the day, end of the day, and all throughout the day.

  • Commit to silence and really listen to the direction of the Holy Spirit.

  • Read and reflect on the Word in an attitude of humility and be teachable. 

  • Commit to obey whatever you read in the Word.

  • Accept God’s will, direction and sovereignty over yourself and your circumstances.

Rom 12:1 - Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.