'I don't know how to pray' it's not just you, in fact none of us can! God knows all our limitations, so he has already provided everything we would need.

"In the same way, 

the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not 

know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God."

Romanos 8:26,27 NIV.

How should I pray? Well, be honest and straightforward. You don't need to say a long prayer with fancy words, God looks for sincerity.

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words."

Matthew 6:7 NIV.

Just talk to Him, say how you are, what you need, say thank you for all He has done for you and finish with it in the name of Jesus, Amen. This is the example of prayer that Jesus himself gave us:

9 “This, then, is how 

you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come,

your will be done, on 

earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts,

    as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

    but deliver us from the evil one.’

Matthew 6:9-13 NIV.

This is a standard prayer, simple and direct. Does that mean we can only do this prayer? No, it was left as a basis for knowing how a prayer should be done. You can and should pray in your own words. God hears you and loves you, talk to Him without pressure to make mistakes - He is our perfect father.

Be you, speak your way with honesty and respect. Your prayers can be short, like these:

'Thank you for protecting and sustaining me, because if I have life and health it's because the Lord gave it to me.

Give me strength and wisdom to face this new day. In the name of Jesus, amen.'

_______________________ ///_________

'Help me to do good because without you I can do nothing.

Don't let me fall into temptation,

deliver me from evil and the evil one.

In the name of Jesus, amen.'

_______________________ ///_________

'Thy will be done

in my life and not mine, because only the Lord knows

what is best for me.

Use me to do as you please, thank you for listening to me, in Jesus' Name, amen.'

_______________________ ///_________

Is it mandatory to use the Name of Jesus at the end of each prayer? The answer lies behind the meaning, why we use the Name of Jesus. 

"And I will do whatever you 

ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 

You may ask me for 

anything in my name, 

and I will do it.".

John 14:13,14 NIV.

Before accepting Jesus, I said some very short prayers without asking in the Name of Jesus, yet God answered me. One day, I don't even know why I asked for it, on the way to school, I prayed (in my mind).

God, use me! But don't let me know.

I entered through the school gate, it didn't take long for me to forget what I had asked for.

That day, after class, when I was leaving, a girl thanked me for something I said (I don't really remember anymore, it's been a long time ). I never forgot how surprised I was when I heard that, because I immediately remembered the prayer I had done before.

After that, I was so scared that God really used me that I never asked to be used again. Yes, even I am disappointed with that... but I go easy on me, at the time I was still on the fence - trying to find out whether I believed in God or not. This and others were some of my attempts to discover God.

Though a part of me doubted His existence, there was a thread of hope, something in me wishing and hoping to be true. Today I know that it was my spirit and its yearning for the Presence of the Lord.

There were times when I didn't even ask, things that only I knew and wanted in my mind, after a few weeks or months I received.

In those moments, while I was trying to understand "how", I remembered God, or rather, He himself reminded me of Him.

So, I can't say with absolute certainty that only prayers made in the Name of Jesus are answered, because as I've told you, some of mine have already been answered. My instruction is: never stop praying, whenever you remember, pray in Jesus Name.

"Ask and it will be 

given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 

 For everyone who 

asks receives; the one 

who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Matthew 7:7,8 NIV.