Prayer to God

Prayer to God is a commandment. 1 Why would Heavenly Father make prayer a commandment? Because, as with all commandments, he loves us and wants us to become happy and to progress. Prayer to God opens the door to heaven. Church leaders have spoken about the importance of prayer to God. Here are some examples:

• “Sincere prayer [to God] is the heart of a happy and productive life. Prayer strengthens faith. Prayer is the preparation for miracles. Prayer opens the door to our eternal happiness.”
  -- Elder H. Burke Peterson 2



• “…nothing [except prayer] can make a greater difference in our lives as we come to know and understand our divine relationship with God”
  – Elder James E. Faust 3



• “Through prayer, impressions, inspiration, revelation, God does communicate with his children. The need for continuous revelation would seem to be obvious. There is infinitely much our Father hasn't yet told us. There is infinitely much that no man knows” -- Elder Richard L. Evans 4

Prayer to God: Pray Always

Prayer to God is available to us at any time and in any setting. The Lord has taught us to kneel and pray at least in the morning and in the evening; we should offer both individual and family prayers. Not all prayers to God need be formal. Thoughts, quick conversations and expressions of gratitude qualify as prayers to God.

Because asking precedes receiving, 5 and because God is the source of all good things, 6 we must continually ask him for his blessings. The Book of Mormon gives these examples of praying often wherever we are and for every need:

• Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.
• Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your flocks.
• Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household, both morning, mid-day, and evening.
• Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
• Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all righteousness.
• Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may prosper in them.
• Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.
• But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
• Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you. 7

Prayer to God: Pray Sincerely

Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers to God that are offered with real intent. This means we are committed to act on the answer we receive. In other words, acting upon the answer we seek from God is our real intention.

For example, to receive a sure testimony of the Book of Mormon, we are instructed:

“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” 8

Because God cannot lie, 9 he will keep this promise to everyone who prays with the real intention of repenting, making and keeping the covenant of baptism, and enduring in the covenant to the end of his life. Through such prayers of real intent we receive the Lord’s constant guidance, blessings, and divine help to face and overcome life’s difficulties.

Prayer to God: Pray to Father in Heaven

We pray in faith to our Heavenly Father. We address him as Jesus taught: “Our father which art in heaven.” Because he is our father and we are his children, he will hear and answer our prayers.

“As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them….” 10

Prayer to God: Pray Giving Sincere Thanks

We thank Heavenly Father for his blessings, which are many and continual. The Book of Mormon teaches that Heavenly Father is the source of all good things, 11 a sobering idea once we begin to enumerate all the goods things that we enjoy in our lives.

On the other hand, God condemns ingratitude.

“And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments.” 12

The Book of Mormon prophet, Alma, said, “…live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.” 13

Identifying and gratefully acknowledging the good things that God has given you is a principle of mighty prayer. First we express gratitude then we make our request. Do you see the principle and the sequence? It is like a formula:

Gratitude + Request = Response.

Taking the time to give sincere thanks firms up our relationship with God. We remember that he is the Giver of all good things, and the motivation for his constant giving is love. “God is love.” 14 God gives because God loves us.

Prayer to God: Pray for Your Needs and Wants

Prayers to God are most effectual when they are in accordance with God's mind and will. We should ask Heavenly Father for what to ask for, then he will send the Holy Ghost to help us form our request. The Holy Ghost is our teacher and guide; he instructs us how to pray according to the will of the Father. 15

The Holy Ghost is the “Spirit which teacheth a man to pray.” 16 If we will ask Heavenly Father for the Holy Ghost’s help and take the time to ponder our request in our minds, the Holy Ghost will help us with our request. 17

Prayer to God is not a wasted effort. Heavenly Father is interested in every facet of our lives. Too often, we limit our prayers to pleadings for his help to see us through life’s crises. But prayer is so much more. Once we recognize that God is our loving Heavenly Father, we realize that he is as involved and interested in the details of our lives as earthly parents are for their children. Jesus taught that Heavenly Father is anxious to bless us with all good things that are right. 18

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son as bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask? 19

The Savior's words have profound implications as they relate to prayer to God. If we are hungry and plead for food, receiving a stone would be cruel and a serpent would be dangerous. Heavenly Father’s gifts are neither cruel nor dangerous. His gifts are responses to our heartfelt wants and needs that he deems ultimately good for us.

Furthermore, we should pray for the needs and wants of others. Because asking opens the door to receiving, someone somewhere must ask. Therefore, we are commanded to ask Heavenly Father to bless and comfort those in need. “…pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” 20

Questions about 'Prayer to God'

• Why is prayer to God a commandment?



• Prayer to God should be continual. Formal or informal, how and in what settings can prayers to God be offered?



• Prayers to God with real intent means what?



• To whom should we address our prayers? What relationship should we keep in mind when we pray to him?



• In our prayers to God we express thanks. How many good things in our lives come from God?



• Can you explain why gratitude + request = response?



• Prayers to God are most effectual when they are in accordance with God's mind and will. Who can teach us how to pray for our needs and our wants?



• In our prayers to God if we ask for bread will he give us a stone? Or if we ask for a fish will he give us a serpent? What is the Savior trying to teach us about God from these examples?



• Because asking preceeds receiving, someone somewhere must ask. Do you understand why prayers to God in behalf of others can have a powerful impact on their lives?

References for 'Prayer to God'

1. 2 Nephi 32:8-9 – and now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning this thing. For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.
2. H. Burke Petersen, Prayer, p.108
3. James E. Faust, To Reach Even unto You, p.108
4. Elder Richard L. Evans, Conference Report, April 1970, First Day-Morning Meeting, p.15
5. 3 Nephi 27:29 – Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
6. Moroni 7:12-13 – Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually. But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
7. Alma 34:18-27
8. Moroni 10:4
9. Ether 3:12 – And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.
10. LDS Bible Dictionary, Prayer, p. 752
11. Moroni 7:12-13 – Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually. But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.
12. D&C 59:21
13. Alma 34:38
14. 1 John 4:16 – And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
15. D&C 46:30 – He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh.
16. 2 Nephi 32:8
17. Romans 8:26 – Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
18. D&C 9:8 – But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.
19. Matthew 7: 7-11
20. James 5:16