How Should We Pray?

How Should We Pray? A Simple Breakdown of the Lord's Prayer

If you've ever felt stuck when you sit down to pray — like you don't know where to start or what to actually say — you're in good company. Even the disciples, who literally watched Jesus pray every day, asked Him the same question: "Lord, teach us to pray."

His answer? What we now call the Lord's Prayer. It's not just something to recite — it's a model, a game plan for how to talk with God. As we keep going through our 30-for-30 challenge (30 minutes a day with God, for 30 days), this week's focus is learning to pray the way Jesus taught us.

Here's the breakdown, in six simple moves:

1. Start With "Father"

Not "my Father" — our Father. We're not doing this alone, and we're not orphans anymore. Through Jesus, we've been adopted into God's family. Before you ask Him for anything, just sit in that for a minute: you have a Dad in heaven who loves you.

Try this: Open your prayer time by simply saying "Father" a few times and letting that truth sink in.

2. Honor His Name

"Hallowed be Thy name" means setting God's name apart as holy — above everything else. This isn't just a nice phrase; it's what gives us access to real spiritual authority. The disciples once couldn't cast out a demon because they hadn't gone deep enough into who Jesus really is.

Try this: Spend a few minutes just praising God's name before asking Him for anything.

3. Pray for His Kingdom to Show Up

"Thy kingdom come" isn't a passive wish — it's an active declaration. Once you're grounded in who God is, you get to partner with Him to bring His kingdom into real situations: your family, your relationships, your struggles.

Try this: Pray specifically over a situation in your life or someone else's — name it, and ask God's kingdom to break in.

4. Ask for What You Need

"Give us this day our daily bread." God wants us to bring our needs to Him — but notice it comes after we've honored Him first, not before. He already knows you need it; He just loves it when you ask.

Try this: Bring one specific need to God this week — for yourself or someone in your life.

5. Ask for Forgiveness — and Give It

"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." This one has two sides. We need God to cancel what we owe, but we're also called to release others the same way. Holding onto bitterness blocks the very freedom we're asking God for.

Try this: Is there someone you're still holding something against? Ask God to help you let it go this week.

6. Pray for Protection

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Just like Jesus prayed for Peter before he was tested, we're called to pray for ourselves and for each other — covering one another in God's protection.

Try this: Pray protection over your own life, then send a text to a friend letting them know you're praying for them too.

This Week's Action Plan

During your 30 minutes with God each day, walk through these six steps in order:

A good rule of thumb: spend more time on the first few steps than the last few. The more time you spend soaking in who God is, the more everything else — provision, forgiveness, protection — starts to flow naturally.

Give it a try this week. Pray it slowly, out loud if you can, and watch what starts to shift.