[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.]

Jesus taught how to pray in “the Lord’s Prayer”

When Jesus’ disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray,” He provided an answer in what is called “The Model Prayer” (Luke 11:1-4 and Matthew 6:9-13).

In this prayer are five easy, essential keys showing:

1. Who to pray to
2. What to pray for
3. When to pray
4. Where to pray
5. How to pray

These are important because, as the Bible also explains, there are wrong ways to pray, and even superficial forms of prayer we need to avoid.

So this is something every Christian needs to know.

In this video, we’ll go over all five keys to show how Jesus taught us to pray.

But before we get into it, if you are new to this channel, we make these videos to explain Bible topics in an easy to understand way. We believe the Bible is the foundation of truth, and everyone can benefit from it. So give us a like, and help spread the word.

1. Who should we pray to?

The first question Jesus answered regarding how to pray was who should we pray to?

In Luke 11:2, Jesus said:

“When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.”

Jesus told His disciples to follow His example in praying to God the Father, just as He did (Luke 10:21, Luke 22:42, Luke 23:34, John 17:1).

Jesus directs us to pray to the Father because, He said, “...My Father is greater than I” (John 14:28). And “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me” (John 12:44).

The Apostle John also explained that “truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).

Additionally, Jesus taught His followers to pray to the Father in His name. He said:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23–24).

So the first key is to acknowledge our Father in heaven. He is the greatest being in the universe, and we are to primarily direct our prayers to Him.

We pray to the Father in Jesus’ name.

The Apostle Paul also followed this example, writing in Ephesians 3:14,

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14–15).

And in Romans 1:8, he says:

“I thank my God through Jesus Christ...”

2. What should we pray for?

Now, the second key outlined in the model prayer answers: What should we pray for?

Luke 11:2 goes on to say:

“Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Luke 11:2).

Jesus taught His disciples to pray for God’s will to be done and for His Kingdom to come. This statement is significant because it pinpoints where His disciples’ main focus should be.

God wants His followers to sincerely desire God’s Kingdom to come to earth as soon as possible. He also wants them to live by the laws of that Kingdom now. Jesus said:

“Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33).

Also, in praying for God’s will to be done on earth, Jesus is teaching His followers to align their will with God’s.

This means studying His Word and making sure that any request in prayer agrees with His will.

As it says in the book of James:

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).

And 1 John 5:14 says:

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”

And putting God’s will first means being willing to yield to whatever answer He provides, even if our loving Father answers a prayer with a “No” or “Not right now” (Luke 22:42).

So when we pray, we should first seek God’s will in our lives, and always be looking toward His Kingdom.

We pray with this in mind first, and then we can make requests for daily needs, forgiveness, deliverance from temptation, and other important concerns (Luke 11:4, Matthew 6:12-13).

3. When should we pray?

We know Who to pray to, and what to ultimately pray for, now when should we pray?

Luke 11:3 goes on to say:

“Give us day by day our daily bread.”

This shows that Jesus wants His followers to be praying daily. But does it matter how many times we pray each day?

Well, the Bible provides examples of other faithful individuals and their prayer habits. For example, it was Daniel’s custom to pray and give thanks before his God three times a day (Daniel 6:10).

David, also, writing in Psalm 55 says:

“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray…” (Psalm 55:16-17).

Jesus “often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

And the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians to “pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).

So the Bible shows that it is important to keep continual contact with God in prayer throughout the day. And setting apart three times each day for longer, focused prayer follows the “best practice” pattern set by Biblical examples.

So, the third key for effective prayer is to make personal prayer a part of our daily routine.

4. Where should we pray?

If we are to pray daily, then where should we pray?

When Jesus introduced the model prayer in Matthew 6, He taught something quite different about where we should conduct our personal prayer.

Public, open, personal prayer was often practiced in His day. But Jesus taught His disciples not to pray for the purpose of recognition, saying to them:

“...when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” (Matthew 6:5).

Rather, Jesus explained that prayer is about having genuine and sincere communication with our Father in heaven. He told his disciples:

“...when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6).

Jesus taught that when we engage in personal prayer, we should do so in private. It is in a private setting where we can talk sincerely to our Father. Jesus would even do this Himself.

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35).

5. How should we pray?

Now the fifth key answers: How should we pray?

There is a specific component of prayer that is at the heart of how we should pray. That is, our heart must be in our prayers.

In Matthew 6:7-8, Jesus stated:

“And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. ‘Therefore do not be like them...’”

Jesus taught that we should not repeat words over and over, in some sort of ritualistic rehearsal.

If we desire to pray effectively, we are to pray fervently.

As it says in the book of James:

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

God even condemned the halfhearted state of ancient Israel, saying of His people through the prophet Hosea:

“They never put their heart into their prayers” (Hosea 7:14, Moffatt).

And when Jesus prayed “in the days of His flesh… He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death…” (Hebrews 5:7).

So how should we pray if we want to pray effectively?

As Jesus taught and exemplified, we should pray with all our heart.

Biblical examples show that heartfelt prayers are passionate, sincere, earnest, and can certainly involve emotion and tears.

You Can Know Who, What, When, Where, and How to Pray Effectively

These five keys, outlined in Jesus’s teaching of the model prayer, are simple and available for anyone to follow if they want to pray effectively.

When we pray as Jesus taught, we develop a real bond with our heavenly Father—a bond we can lean on when times are hard, and one for which we can be thankful in times of blessing.

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And to see what Jesus taught about the second greatest commandment, watch our video, “The Four Ways to Love Other People.”