You can learn how to pray. Jesus' own disciples asked Him to teach them, and He answered with a pattern rooted in relationship with the Father. If you are beginning or returning to prayer, start here: understand whom you are speaking to, follow the pattern Jesus gave, and make room to hear from God.
What is prayer?
Prayer is conversation with God the Father. You speak to Him, and He speaks to you. It is how Christians stay close to the Father, bringing Him both daily needs and the desires of the heart. You do not need polished words before you can begin.
Apostle Guillermo Maldonado describes prayer in Jesus Is Coming Soon as “two-way communication with God.” That description invites you to do more than recite a request. Speak honestly to the Father, and give Him your attention. Learning to recognize His voice takes time, but the relationship begins when you come to Him.
Can prayer really be learned?
Yes. The disciples had seen Jesus' miracles, and they had seen Him pray. So one of them asked Him to teach them:
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. — Luke 11:1 (King James Version)
If you feel unsure, you are in the same place they were when they asked. Jesus did not turn them away. He taught them. And He can do the same for you.
How did Jesus teach His disciples to pray?
Jesus gave them the Lord's Prayer as a pattern. It begins with the Father, honors His name and seeks His kingdom and His will. Then it brings Him our different needs: daily bread, forgiveness and deliverance. The order helps us approach prayer as a relationship, with the Father's heart and purposes before our requests.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. — Matthew 6:9–10 (KJV)
The words “after this manner” (Matthew 6:9) matter. In his Prayer Series, Apostle Maldonado teaches that Jesus gave a principle and a pattern for prayer, not a formula or a vain repetition.
The invitation is personal. Jesus did not teach His disciples to perform for an audience. He told them to go into a private place and pray to their Father who sees in secret (Matthew 6:6). A room, a quiet corner, or even your car can become a place to meet with Him.
How do you pray to God as your Father?
The first words of the pattern are “Our Father” (Matthew 6:9). They tell us how to come to God. We do not approach Him as strangers trying to earn a hearing. Through Christ, we come as His children. Paul writes:
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. — Romans 8:15 (KJV)
Apostle Maldonado's teaching on praying from the position of a son or daughter begins here. The Father wants to hear your voice. You may come with gratitude, worship, repentance, seeking His face, needs and much more. The relationship gives you a place to begin and a reason to keep returning.
Go deeper: If you want to pray to the Father as His son or daughter, read Apostle Maldonado's Lord, Teach Us to Pray: Praying to the Father as Sons. Its title carries the very request the disciples brought to Jesus.
How can you begin today?
Set aside a few minutes in a place with no distractions or interruptions. Thank Him for who He is. Tell Him what is on your heart, ask for His will in the matter, and pause to listen. If you do not know what to say, tell Him that too. Romans 8:26 says the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness when we do not know what we ought to pray for.
There is no perfect length that makes a prayer valuable. Jesus warned against thinking that many words make a prayer heard (Matthew 6:7). Feeling nothing does not mean your prayer was wasted, and an answer that seems slow does not mean your Father has stopped listening. If you have failed, do not stay away. Return to the Father tomorrow, and continue to make room for Him every day. A life of prayer grows through those repeated moments of fellowship.
If you would like someone to pray with you, we would love to. Our Help and Prayer Support page gives our phone number and a way to send a message.
Frequently asked questions
How do beginners start praying?
Start with honesty rather than technique. You are not bothering God when you speak to Him: children do not bother a father who loves them. Pray on quiet, ordinary days too, not only in a crisis.
What is the correct way to pray?
There is no single correct wording. Jesus gave a pattern rather than a script, so a prayer is not measured by how long or polished it sounds. Come to Him as Father, put His name and His will first, and then bring your needs plainly.
What to say when starting to pray?
You can pray the words of the Lord's Prayer itself, meaning each line, and then go on in your own words. Asking His forgiveness and forgiving others belongs in prayer too (Matthew 6:12). If a request feels too small to mention, mention it anyway.
Related teaching from the store
- The Prayer Life of Jesus: Learning to Pray as Sons, a book by Apostle Maldonado, for readers who want to keep studying how Jesus Himself prayed.
- Prayer & Intercession collection gathers books and manuals on prayer, many of them by Apostle Maldonado, for anyone who wants to keep growing in a life of prayer.
Published by King Jesus International Ministry. This article draws on Scripture and on Apostle Guillermo Maldonado's book Jesus Is Coming Soon and his messages in the Prayer Series (2021) and “The Power of Prayer” (Sunday sermon, 2026). It is offered for study and encouragement. It is not medical, psychological, or financial advice.