Teach Me to Pray Family Bible Study | How to Teach Kids to Pray

Parents: Now that we know what prayer is, today, we will focus on what prayer is not, so we can pray correctly.

If you have ever observed when people pray in your church, you will see that many people have their own ways to coming before God in prayer.

As Christians, we must be careful that our prayers are not a show. Our prayers are not meant to entertain people, or to make ourselves look more holy. We don’t need to try to “out pray” someone else or be the loudest at praying so everyone can hear just us.

Jesus teaches us that when we pray to put on a show, for everyone to see us, we have our rewards. You can’t expect for God to answer that prayer. Matthew 6:5

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.”

Jesus wants us to come before Him with a sincere heart and with the right attitude!

Read Luke 18:10-14 (NLT)

¹⁰ “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a proud, self-righteous Pharisee, and the other a cheating tax collector. ¹¹ The proud Pharisee ‘prayed’ this prayer: ‘Thank God, I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don’t commit adultery, ¹² I go without food twice a week, and I give to God a tenth of everything I earn.’

¹³ “But the corrupt tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, but beat upon his chest in sorrow, exclaiming, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! For the proud shall be humbled, but the humble shall be honored.”

God doesn’t want us to have a self-righteous attitude when we are praying. We are to come humbly to Him. Praying on your knees, although not required, is a way of humbling (to lower yourself in dignity or importance) yourself before God, giving Him reverence (deep respect for someone or something).

This is why we see people praying on their knees with their hands up to heaven.

God doesn’t care about how long our prayers are, or how short. Then again, He also doesn’t want us rattling the same prayer so much, that it becomes a meaningless mantra (a statement or slogan repeated frequently). Rushing, just so we can be done with our prayers.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:7-8(NLT)

^7-8 “Don’t recite the same prayer over and over as the heathen do, who think prayers are answered only by repeating them again and again. Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!

Family Assignment:

Think about how you and your family pray. Does everyone get down on their knees, is there someone who walks around while praying, or sits upright, do you all close your eyes?

All of these are different ways to pray and there is nothing wrong with either. God is looking at our intentions, our heart.

Optional Family Discussion Questions:

1. According to the scriptures we read today, how should we NOT pray as Christians?

In Luke 18:10-14

2. How should we come before God to pray?

Answers Vary (humbly)

3. In Luke 18:10-14, why wasn’t the Pharisee forgiven of his sins?

Too proud, self-righteous

4. Why doesn’t God want us to keep reciting the same prayer over and over and over?

See Matthew 6:7-8

Student Bible Study Assignment:

Kids:

Complete the “When We Pray” Assignment for Day 2.

Teens:

Today, you will practice making a prayer journal.

Complete the “Daily Praying” Assignment for Day 2.

Look through today’s scriptures and decide on a memory verse for your family to repeat at the next family Bible Study. At the end of the study, if they learned all their verses, honor them with this reward.

Today’s Bible study will be all about how to pray to God. We will look to the Lords model prayer for us in Matthew 6:5-14.

Parents: If you feel like this Bible study will take a long time for your family, break it up into two days. Learning how to pray is the foundation of building a lasting relationship with Christ, and the starting of your children’s relationship with Him.

Ask your family: Have you ever drew a picture before? How did you know how to draw that picture? Or have you ever written a paper before? How did you learn how to write?

This leads us into our next lesson, just like you needed to learn how to do those things, and had many examples, we must learn how to pray in the same way.

God has given us an example of how to pray with The Lord’s Prayer, which is a model prayer Jesus told us to do. It is not the only prayer that God wants us to ever do, but this prayer is the beginnings of all our prayers to come, as it covers everything, we add the substance.

Let’s take a closer look at the Lord’s prayer and learn how we can apply it to our prayers.

First Jesus helps us to understand that we are to go into our prayer rooms to seek his face. To have a place where we can be quietly before the Lord, who will hear us, and we need to be able to hear Him speak to us.

⁶ But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:6

Open your Bibles to Matthew 6:9-13 to begin the study.

This template prayer is based on Gods will. When we pray like this, we can have confidence that we are praying according to the will of God, as His children. And because of this, He will hear us.

¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 john 5:14-15 NKJV

Optional Family Discussion Questions:

1. Which part of the Lords prayer focuses on worship?

Matthew 6:9

2. In which part of the Lords prayer are we asking for guidance?

“May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.”

3. Why is the Lord’s Prayer a model prayer for us to follow?

(Answers vary) It covers every aspect of prayer, from worship to spiritual warfare.

Family Challenge:

Find a good place to pray, where you can be alone before God away from others.

Family Assignment:

Find a prayer place for your family to gather during family Bible study. This helps everyone get into the mood of Bible study and prayer. Encourage members in the family to bring a small list or at least one thing, that they would like the family to agree with them in prayer for.

Student Bible Study Assignment:

Kids: Using the Memory Verse of The Week Sheet, write the Lord’s prayer from Matthew 6:9-13 as copywork and learn it.

Teens (parents can do this too): Using the Prayers to Memory Sheet, write the Lord’s prayer from Matthew 6:9-13, and understand the important parts of His prayer, as you construct your own prayers.

So far, we’ve talked about what prayer is, is not, and how to pray. Today, we will talk about worship in prayer and its importance.

Parents: If you’ve ever experienced a church service whether online or in person, you might have noticed that the service always starts off in praise and this is usually before the main prayer. Why? Because when we worship, we allow the spirt of God to move us in our prayers.

Praising God before we start praying, sets the atmosphere for prayer.  The Spirit of The Lord helps you to remember those things that you need to pray for, it moves you to let it all go before the Lord. Praise helps you develop that intimate relationship with Jesus!

In our family, we like to start off our family prayers with asking God’s forgiveness of our sins, then we jump right into worship. We make it a habit to sing one song that we all take turns choosing, but sometimes we enjoy praising so much that we end up singing another.

Parents: There’s just something about praise that really ignites prayer. David says it best,

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
² Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
³ Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100

In this song of praise, we see the importance of worshiping God as we come before Him. Remember that one of the first things Jesus instructs us to do is praise God, in the Lord’s Prayer. See the previous lesson.

Praising God is also thanking Him. Letting the Lord know how thankful we are helps us to find contentment and what He has already given us. Many times, we can go to God with a shopping list of wants and desires, but when we take the time to praise and thank God for what we have, we get a peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7).

When you worship God before praying, consider thanking Him, praising His name, and honoring Him. Praise is what makes the enemy (satan) flee. Satan cannot stand praise, so go for it! Give it to the Lord!

Family Assignment:

If you haven’t already, start your prayers off with praise from here on out. Locate a worship song that moves your family, and everyone just praise Him together!

Optional Family Discussion Questions:

1. Why is praise important?

Answers vary

2. What are two things praise before prayer helps us do?

Sets the atmosphere and develops our intimate relationship with God.

3. Who cannot stand our praise?

Satan or the enemy.

4. What are some things we can do in our praises?

Answers vary

Student Bible Study Assignment:

Kids: What does praise look like to you? Compleate the worksheet for Day 4.

Teens: This week, look for a song that you can sing before praying. Compleate the worksheet for Day 4

Look through today’s scriptures and decide on a memory verse for your family to repeat at the next family Bible Study. At the end of the study, if they learned all their verses, honor them with this reward.

Today we will talk about our family and prayer.

Parents: ask your children why you have been gathering to have prayer and Bible study.

There is this old saying,

“A family that prays together, stays together.”

While this might sound good, it is not Biblical. Meaning, you will not find this quote in the Bible. However, when you pray together as a family, you are setting a standard on which your family can stand on. You are creating a foundation that will build your family up, inspire, bless, and strengthen your family in the most difficult of times.

Parents: When we come together as a family of believers to pray, we can be sure that the Spirit of the Lord is among us.

Jesus says,

¹⁹ “I also tell you this—if two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. ²⁰ For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I will be right there among them.” Matthew 18:19-20

This means that our very own family can move God to get whatever we ask or agree upon in prayer, that’s in accordance with Gods will. Our family constitutes a local church with Gods presence assured in Christ. Therefore, we can pray for healing among each other, we can bring prayer requests to family prayer, and effectively do Bible study together.

In fact, what our family is doing is essentially “corporate prayer.” Which is a gathering of people to pray. The Bible says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” James 5:16 ESV

Our prayers as a family are stronger than if we prayed alone. This is how God designed prayer among His people. Open your Bibles to read Acts 12:5-18

 ⁵ But earnest prayer was going up to God from the church for his safety all the time he was in prison.

⁶ The night before he was to be executed, he was asleep, double-chained between two soldiers with others standing guard before the prison gate, ⁷ when suddenly there was a light in the cell and an angel of the Lord stood beside Peter! The angel slapped him on the side to awaken him and said, “Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists! ⁸ Then the angel told him, “Get dressed and put on your shoes.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow me!” the angel ordered.

⁹ So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a dream or vision and didn’t believe it was really happening. ¹⁰ They passed the first and second cell blocks and came to the iron gate to the street, and this opened to them of its own accord! So they passed through and walked along together for a block, and then the angel left him.

¹¹ Peter finally realized what had happened! “It’s really true!” he said to himself. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jews were hoping to do to me!”

¹² After a little thought he went to the home of Mary, mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for a prayer meeting.

In this passage, we see Peter who has just escaped from prison by a miracle that only God can perform, all because there were believers gathered in a home praying for him. The Bible calls it “earnest prayer.” It was God’s will that Peter be saved, earlier in the chapter, the Apostle James didn’t escape his fate.

Our family prayers can move mountains, they can shift the atmosphere. We are to NEVER stop praying as a family!

This is one thing that even your children will never forget as they age and start a family of their own. They will have been able to see God move on behalf of their family and have the confidence to start family prayer and devotion in their own homes.

Optional Family Discussion Questions:

1. Why are your family prayers so important?

Answers Vary

2. What is corporate prayer and how can it help your family?

Matthew 18:14-20

3. Why was Peter able to escape from prison?

Acts 12:5

Family Assignment:

Create a corporate family prayer with the template provided. More instructions are in the curriculum assignment package.

Look through today’s scriptures and decide on a memory verse for your family to repeat at the next family Bible Study. At the end of the study, if they learned all their verses, honor them with this reward.

Prayer is coming humbly before our God, seeking His face and being attentive to the voice of God. We are to seek God in our private places, giving Him praise and worship before entering His courts. We can move bigger mountains when we come together as a family to pray.

Today, we will discuss making prayer a daily habit for our lives.

Parents: Ask your family, “What are some habitual things that you love to do? How did you develop this habit?” i.e., brushing teeth every day and night, exercising, self-care. (Encourage, but time the conversation, if time permits, elaborate more.)

As you get used to setting a time and place for your prayers, you will find it increasingly easy to make a habit of talking to Jesus. You might be running an errand, doing homework, or laying in your bed, when suddenly you just feel like talking to Jesus, giving Him your highs and lows.

One of the best ways to make prayer a daily habit is by planning. Think about the best times in your day, when you are alone. When is the home the quietest, or where can you find a quite space, and at what time? Planning out your prayer life will help you get into the habit of taking time out for Jesus.

As a family, when planning our Family prayers and devotions, we think about the same things: When is everyone at their best for prayer and devotion, when is it a suitable time, where should we pray and sit to have devotions? Planning your family prayers and Bible time will help you as a family make a habit of praying and reading your Bibles together.

We again look to the example that Jesus left us when it comes to prayer.

He often went out to a desolate place to pray; this was his habit (Luke 5:16). Jesus would get away to spend time in prayer with the Father. He often did this in the morning while it was still dark (Mark 1:35). Praying at night or early in the morning, on a mountaintop or in a desolate place, allowed Jesus to give his full attention to God.

Turn your Bibles to the book of Luke 11:1-13

“Once when Jesus had been out praying, one of his disciples came to him as he finished and said, “Lord, teach us a prayer to recite just as John taught one to his disciples.”

² And this is the prayer he taught them: “Father, may your name be honored for its holiness; send your Kingdom soon. ³ Give us our food day by day. ⁴ And forgive our sins—for we have forgiven those who sinned against us. And don’t allow us to be tempted.”

^5-6 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this illustration: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You would shout up to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit and I’ve nothing to give him to eat.’ ⁷ He would call down from his bedroom, ‘Please don’t ask me to get up. The door is locked for the night and we are all in bed. I just can’t help you this time.’

⁸ “But I’ll tell you this—though he won’t do it as a friend, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you everything you want—just because of your persistence. ⁹ And so it is with prayer—keep on asking and you will keep on getting; keep on looking and you will keep on finding; knock and the door will be opened. ¹⁰ Everyone who asks, receives; all who seek, find; and the door is opened to everyone who knocks.

¹¹ “You men who are fathers—if your boy asks for bread, do you give him a stone? If he asks for fish, do you give him a snake? ¹² If he asks for an egg, do you give him a scorpion? Of course not!

¹³ “And if even sinful persons like yourselves give children what they need, don’t you realize that your heavenly Father will do at least as much, and give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him?”

Jesus encourages us to keep praying and keep asking. He wants prayer to be a habit in our lives because prayer makes us strong against the enemies tactics. We don’t stand a chance against our enemies without prayer, it gives satan the foothold he needs into our lives. Our spirit craves that time with God, we can’t survive without prayer!

We are to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” For “the earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, James 5:16)

Family Assignment:

Spend at least one minute on your knees before God in silence, prior to praying today or tonight. Consider doing this once a week alone and as a family.

Optional Family Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it important to make prayer a daily habit?

Answers vary

2. What are some ways you can make prayer a daily habit?

Answers vary, the main thing is planning.

3. What stories did Jesus give us, to teach us to pray always?

Starting from Luke 11:5

Student Bible Study Assignment:

Today’s assignment is for both kids (with the help of a parent) and teens.

Plan to pray! Using the assignment sheet included for todays lesson, make a daily plan to pray.

Look through today’s scriptures and decide on a memory verse for your family to repeat at the next family Bible Study. At the end of the study, if they learned all their verses, honor them with this reward.

King David was known for his love of songs and prayers to God. He mostly wrote the entire book of Psalms.

If you look at it the way King David did, this was sort of like his prayer journal. He would talk to God about everything in his life, writing songs, and telling his highs and lows. David would also keep prayers as psalms.

One of the most powerful prayers, is a prayer to protect yourself and your family. We call this prayer, the prayer of self-deliverance.

Parents: Today, we will focus on learning how to pray scripture in our prayers, as we pray for our family, and our family’s protection.

One of the greatest ways to pray for anyone is by using Biblical scripture, because it never runs out. When you write a prayer, try using the Bible as your source for the prayer.

Open your Bibles to  Exodus 20:12

“Honor you

r father and mother, that you may have a long, good life in the land the Lord your God will give you.”

Parents: How can you use this in a prayer? (Wait while your children give a few examples.)

Great! You can easily say, “Dear Lord Jesus, help me to honor my mother and father today, so that I may have the good life you have chosen for me. In Jesus name, amen.”

Let’s try this again!

Read Galatians 6:10

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

We can use this in a prayer by saying, “Heavenly Father, help me to see the opportunities where I can do good to those around me, especially my brothers and sisters in Christ, and my family. In Jesus name, amen.”

Use scripture when praying over the sick:

Read Isaiah 53:5 and James 5:14-15

“But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; he was lashed—and we were healed!

And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

We would pray, “Lord, I pray healing over (in put name), in Jesus name, for you said my prayer of faith will save the sick, and you yourself will raise them up. If any sins were committed, they are forgiven. For you were wounded and bruised for our sins, you were beaten that we may have peace, and you were lashed that we may be healed. I ask this in your holy name, Jesus. Amen.”

Now that we see how we can use scripture to make our prayers more effective, todays assignments will help you develop those skills and give you practice. You will also make a prayer journal today using the included Prayer Journal Printables.

This Journal is also sold in our shop for purchase if you are not using the curriculum and assignment pack.

*Feel free to end the family Bible study here, with prayers and the assignments for the week. The remainder of this study is for the parents.

Parents, when praying for yourself and your family, especially when you feel as if your family is under the attack of the enemy, its wise to have a special prayer that wards off the enemy, and that will help you get the peace you desire.

The Bible teaches us to “put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day…” Ephesians 6:11-13

So having a prayer of self-deliverance is like taking up your armor. Because we live in such a dark time, we need a little more ammo while fighting spiritually. This prayer is meant to be prayed aloud, and at least once a day. Feel free to mix it with your own prayers, make it yours!

See the Prayer of Self-Deliverance poster, in the assignments section of the curriculum, ready to be printed and hung where you can access it to war in prayer!

Pray this prayer over you, your family, and your place of dwelling. Hear this prayer on Podcast here.

Family Assignment:

Make a prayer list for all those who need prayer. Your teen should have already started something like this on day two. So, they might have a list to read off to you. Jot down some of theirs as the family thinks of who is in need. Start with your family right in front of you and on.

Next, think of scriptures that you can pray alongside your prayers. If you need help locating scriptures, you can try searching keywords on Bible gateway, or Bible Verses for You, where you can use their search boxs. As you pray often, these scriptures will be committed to memory.

Here is a sample template:

(If the prayer was answered and you don’t know the date, just input the day you noticed.)

Family Assignment:

Create prayer journals with the prayer journal Printables included in the assignment pack.

Student Bible Study Assignment:

This ends our Bible study on teaching you to pray. Now you will put everything you learned into practice.

Kids: This week, learn and memorize Ephesians 6:10-20  See more in the accompanying assignment pack.

Teens: This week, write a prayer in your new prayer journals, using Ephesians 6:10-20. See more in the accompanying assignment pack.

Look through today’s scriptures and decide on a memory verse for your family to repeat at the next family Bible Study. At the end of the study, if they learned all their verses, honor them with this reward.

Sold Seperatly for those families choosing to not get the Curriculum and Assignments for the Bible Study.