Session 4 is about prayer—learning to talk with God honestly and regularly as part of your new life with Him.
What prayer is (and isn’t)
Prayer is simply coming to your Father in heaven to worship, thank, confess, ask, and listen. It is not a performance to impress God or other people; it is real conversation with the God who already knows you and loves you.
Look up and read this:
- Philippians 4:6–7
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
God invites you to bring everything to Him—fears, needs, joys, doubts—with a thankful heart, and He promises a peace that guards you on the inside. Prayer is how you trade anxiety for communion with God, over and over again.
Learning from the Lord’s Prayer
Jesus not only tells His followers to pray; He gives them a pattern. This is often called “the Lord’s Prayer.”
Look this up and read it slowly:
- Matthew 6:9–13
“In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” (NKJV)
This prayer teaches a rhythm: start with God (His name, kingdom, will), then bring daily needs (bread), forgiveness (both receiving and giving), and protection in temptation. You can pray these exact words and you can also use them as headings in your own words.
God welcomes bold, trusting requests
The New Testament repeatedly encourages believers to come to God with confidence—not because we are worthy, but because Jesus is.
Look up these verses:
- Hebrews 4:16
This verse urges us to come boldly to the throne of grace so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - 1 John 5:14–15
Here John says that our confidence is this: if we ask anything according to God’s will, He hears us, and if He hears us, we know we have the petitions that we asked of Him.
God does not promise to grant every wish exactly as we phrase it, but He does promise to hear, to give what is truly good, and to meet us with mercy and help. Prayer is not twisting God’s arm; it is aligning your heart with His will while asking for real help.
One simple rhythm to start this week
Here is a small, realistic way to grow in prayer over the next seven days.
- Pray once a day using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide.
Open to Matthew 6:9–13.- Read the prayer slowly.
- After each line, pause and add your own sentence. For example:
- “Our Father in heaven” – thank Him that you are His child.
- “Give us this day our daily bread” – tell Him your specific needs today.
- “Forgive us our debts” – confess any known sin and receive His forgiveness (see 1 John 1:9, NKJV).
- Turn worries into prayers.
Each time you feel anxious this week, remember Philippians 4:6–7 and quietly turn that worry into a request “with thanksgiving.” Even a one‑sentence prayer—“Lord, You know this. Please help me and give me Your peace”—is a real step of faith. - Keep it honest and simple.
God already knows your thoughts; He invites you to bring them to Him. You do not need special language—just keep coming, every day, trusting that your Father hears and cares.
In the next session, you will look more closely at the Holy Spirit—who He is, how He lives in you, and how He helps you pray and grow.
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