The Jesus Prayer: extraordinary power. Hieromonk Anatoly (Kyiv) about the Jesus Prayer

In the Orthodox religion, there are a huge number of prayers and akathists, read in a variety of life situations. But the Jesus Prayer occupies a special place among them. It is pronounced, wishing to secure mercy from the Creator through his Son. The Jesus Prayer should be read according to a set of rules that cannot be neglected.

A little bit of history

A Christian who considers himself a member of the Orthodox faith must know the text of the Jesus Prayer by heart. It exists in different variations, but its essence remains the same. An interesting fact: over the course of history, the mentioned prayer book has acquired a mystical aura, which does not always present it in a positive light. Where do these mysterious superstitions come from regarding what is Jesus prayer and how it works is difficult to say. But studying the chronicles reveals interesting facts.

The history of the prayer text dates back to the 17th century. The Great Moscow Council took place once again, the purpose of which was the trial of Patriarch Nikon, who adopted reforms that led to the formation of the Old Believers in Rus'. Along the way, the participants of the Council adopted a charter on how to correctly pronounce the Jesus Prayer. From that moment on, it was forbidden to call Christ “Son of God”: the accepted version established the only norm - “Our God.” The established text of the Jesus Prayer was declared canonical, but today it is considered a variant of the publican's prayer. The difference is in the following line:

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

What were the contradictions? The main disputes arose due to a separate part of the heretics who did not recognize Jesus as God. They called him exclusively “Son of God,” which the canons of the Orthodox Church do not approve of.

In the process of prayer, we communicate with Heaven, ask him for mercy or offer gratitude. The Jesus Prayer is a means of appealing to the mercy of the one who freed humanity from sins, taking them upon yourself. But there is a belief that the pronunciation of prayer by the laity is not encouraged, since it is intended only for church ministers. Bishop Ignatius (1807 - 1867) refuted this point of view. He mentioned the words of the Apostle Paul, who taught that prayers are an appeal to both monastics and ordinary believers.

Religious leaders note some difficulties that accompany the moments when the Jesus Prayer is read: how to pray correctly so as not to fall into the sin of self-delusion? The Church claims that when pronouncing holy words, one must accept complete humility and show meekness, the highest possible. But you cannot give up prayer completely, otherwise you will rob yourself of the chance to partake in the fundamentals of spiritual achievement.

Variations of the Jesus Prayer

There is an opinion that the Jesus Prayer should be considered one of the hesychasm - an ancient mystical movement, based on the tradition of ascetic practices. It was in this context that the Optina elder Barsanuphius represented her.

He identified 4 steps in the structure of the Jesus Prayer:

Oral– assumed a person’s complete concentration on the feat of prayer;
Smart-hearted– constant proofreading process, without interruptions;
Creative– is beyond the control of the majority, since it involves going through a special spiritual path, which only a few are capable of;
High Prayer– this level is achievable only by angels and human saints.

According to Barsanuphius, overcoming all stages of the Jesus Prayer presupposed the renunciation of all earthly goods and complete immersion in heavenly spiritual life.

This religious text has several variants. As already mentioned, this is due to the official verdict of the Great Moscow Council and subsequent changes over time. The main differences are observed in the question of how to pronounce the names of the Lord, the Mother of God and how to formulate a petition.

Options for pronouncing the Lord's name:

Lord Jesus Christ;
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God;
Jesus Christ;
Jesus Christ, Son of God;
Lord Jesus Christ, Son and Word of God;
Jesus Christ, the Son and Word of God;
Jesus, Son of God;
Jesus, the Son and Word of God.

Types of wording for requests:

Have mercy on me;
Save me;
Have mercy on me, a sinner;
Have mercy on me, a great sinner;
Have mercy on us;
Be merciful to me, a great sinner;
Get rid of such and such (name passion) passion;
Protect from enemies visible and invisible;
Protect me from demons;
Save from the snares and snares of demons;
Help with this (name specifically);
Heal my soul, etc.

How can we mention Our Lady:

Mother of God have mercy on me;
Prayers for the sake of the Mother of God, have mercy on me;
For the sake of the Mother of God, have mercy on me.

It is not recommended to mention the word “forgive” often: prayer itself is forgiveness for the atonement of sins. Among believers, the short Jesus Prayer is widely used, the Russian text of which consists of only two words: “Lord, have mercy.” It is read in any life situation, but it is not capable of replacing full-fledged prayer.

How to pray correctly for the laity?

What should an Orthodox believer know about this prayer first?

To begin with, you should accept it with your heart and not perceive it as some kind of mystical secret or occult practice. If you want the prayer to be effective, read it when there is a strong need, but do not use it for magical purposes (for example, to remove the evil eye or damage). The Church negatively perceives such rituals, since the one who performs them thus questions the power of God in protecting all things.

It is quite short, so learn it by heart so that you can pray whenever the opportunity arises. Reading a prayer book presupposes that a person knows about its purpose.

Saint Theophan (the recluse of Vyshensky) developed a set of rules for the Jesus Prayer:

The main strength lies not in the text, but in the spiritual mood with which it is read, whether the believer is in proper religious awe of the Lord;
When turning to the Savior, remember that his image is inseparable from the Holy Trinity;
Repeating words mechanically is wasted work. Thought must come first;
Do not take the name of God in vain without need: frequent repetition dulls the fear of God, because of which the believer deprives himself of salvation;
Reading a prayer correctly means doing it as naturally as possible, connecting it with breathing.

Theophan also said this: “Start small: after each morning and evening prayer, if nothing interferes, say: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (the prayer is given in full below in the text without abbreviations).”

Text of the Jesus Prayer

In the life of every person, no matter how strong his faith, there comes a moment of despair. For some, this experience is sent as a blessing, others see it as a sign for serious changes. Whatever the reason, it is not easy to survive moments of despair without help from above.

The Jesus Prayer, the text of which is given below, makes it possible to cry out for mercy from the One who is truly capable of this:

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son and Word of God, prayers for the sake of Your most pure Mother, have mercy on me, a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me. Lord have mercy".

To protect against negative influence, read the extended version (it cannot be considered canonical):

“Son of God, Lord Jesus Christ! Protect me with Holy angels, holy helpers, prayers of the Mother of God, Mother of all, and the Life-giving Cross. Protect me with the power of Saint Michael and the holy Prophets, John the Theologian, Cyprian, Saint Nikon and Sergius. Deliver me, the servant of God (name), from the slander of the enemy, from witchcraft and evil, crafty ridicule and sorcery, so that no one can cause harm. With the light of Your radiance, Lord, save me in the morning, evening and day, By the power of grace, turn away all that is bad from me, Remove wickedness at the direction of the Devil. Whoever did evil to me, looked with envy, wished for bad things, let him return everything back, let him dash away from me. Amen!"

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” only monks can do, and this spiritual work is not useful for the laity. Is it so? Is it possible for lay people to pray the Jesus Prayer? And how to do this with the greatest spiritual benefit? What does the Jesus Prayer really mean to us?

The Jesus Prayer can and should always be with us

– The Jesus Prayer is given to everyone – both monks and laity. A Christian is one who is always with Christ, and this is what the Jesus Prayer serves. Through the Jesus Prayer, we are with Christ everywhere - in the subway, on snowy streets, in the store and at work, among friends and among enemies: the Jesus Prayer is a golden connection with the Savior. It saves us from despair, does not allow our thoughts to fall into the abyss of worldly emptiness, but, like the light of a lamp, it calls us to spiritual wakefulness and standing before the Lord.

Usually our mind is occupied with the most disordered thoughts, they jump, replace each other, and do not give us peace; in the heart there are the same chaotic feelings. If you do not occupy your mind and heart with prayer, then sinful thoughts and feelings will be born in them. The Jesus Prayer is a medicine for a soul sick with passions.

The Ancient Patericon gives such a comparison. When a cauldron is heated by fire, not a single fly with its bacteria will land on it. And when the boiler cools down, various insects run around it. So the soul, warmed by prayer to God, turns out to be inaccessible to the evil influence of demons. The soul is tempted when it cools down, when the flame of prayer goes out. And when he prays again, the temptations dissipate. Everyone can check this from their own experience: in a moment of sorrow, when problems are oppressive or the heart is torn from bad thoughts, you just need to start praying to the Lord, saying the Jesus Prayer - and the intensity of your thoughts will subside.

The Jesus Prayer is extremely necessary for the laity. It is life-saving in many everyday situations. If you feel like you are about to explode, lose your temper, if you want to say some bad word or have unclean wishes, stop and begin to slowly say the Jesus Prayer in your mind. Say it with attention, reverence, and repentance, and you will see how the intensity of passions goes away, everything inside calms down, and falls into place.

To put it bluntly, a passionate person is a person who does not pray. Without prayer you will never be with God. And if you are not with God, what will you have in your soul? The Jesus Prayer is the most accessible, simple in words, but deep in content prayer that you can have anywhere and at any time.

The Holy Fathers also called the Jesus Prayer the queen of virtues, because it attracts all other virtues. Patience and humility, abstinence and chastity, mercy and love - all this is connected with the Jesus Prayer. Because it introduces Christ, the one who prays adopts the image of Christ, receives virtues from the Lord.

There are, of course, a number of mistakes that happen to those who pray. Under no circumstances should you say the Jesus Prayer for the sake of some kind of spiritual delight or imagine something in your imagination. The Jesus Prayer should be without images, with attention to words, filled with reverence and a feeling of repentance. Such prayer disciplines the mind and cleanses the heart; the soul becomes lighter, because extraneous thoughts and chaotic feelings go away.

The Jesus Prayer is salvation for any Christian, no matter what situation he finds himself in.

The Jesus Prayer - steps of the ladder to the Kingdom of God

– A lot has been said about the Jesus Prayer for the laity, both by the holy fathers and modern experienced confessors: it is necessary. But its whole “secret” is that there is no secret. And if we do not invent these “secrets” for ourselves, then a heartfelt and attentive appeal to the Lord in simplicity and contrition will undoubtedly contribute to our good progress on the path of Christian life. Here it is necessary to distinguish between “doing mental prayer” by a monk under the guidance of an experienced confessor (this is a separate topic that we will not touch upon now) and the repetition of prayer by a layman at any time and at any hour: out loud, if there is such an opportunity, or silently, if a person is in a public place. Simplicity and sincerity, awareness of one’s weakness and complete surrender of oneself into the hands of God are the main thing here, as in any prayer.

But here’s something else that seems to need to be said. Sometimes even this simple prayer is very difficult to pronounce, and St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), for example, defines in this case a “small measure” of what is necessary, that is, attention to the spoken words and the feasible application of your heart to them, even with compulsion. The Lord sees our struggle and struggle and good will. It cannot be easy all the time - this applies both to life in general and to prayer. Sometimes you need to force yourself, to work hard, “making your way” to the Lord through your own fatness and despondency and turmoil. And this doing already falls entirely within the sphere of our good will, because no one can take away this desire for God from us, as long as it (even if it weakens in us from time to time) does not stop. And the Jesus Prayer in this case is those simplest “knots” on a rope ladder, along which we, although with difficulty, can and must gradually climb mountains e , to the Kingdom of God. But the Lord, who gave us this “ladder,” will not help, support, strengthen? Of course, he will support, and instruct, and strengthen, as long as we make our ascent with trust and simplicity, “without dreaming anything for ourselves,” but with diligence and constancy.

Prayer is a bridge from earth to heaven, a way of communication between a person and his Creator. In Orthodoxy, one of the most famous is the Jesus Prayer. Its text is widely known; it is very short, but deep in theological content.

Origin

It is no longer possible to determine exactly who composed the text of the Jesus Prayer; it is attributed to Macarius of Egypt; he wrote many Christian maxims. In fact, this is not an ordinary petition or praise, but a short confession of the Christian faith:

Jesus Christ is called the Son of God;
Christ is confessed by God;
the believer asks for forgiveness of sins (pardon).

In a concise form (only 8 words) the entire gospel message is contained here. It has also long been believed that this particular prayer is capable of raising any believer to spiritual heights.

Why is it necessary?

There is an opinion that the text of the Jesus Prayer can only be practiced by monks. But this is a mistake - the laity also needs exercises for the soul. If left without education, she will be fueled only by her own passions. Prayer practice will give her many benefits.

Revitalizes and strengthens the spirit.
An accessible tool to eventually make your heart a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.
Prayer allows you to find grace and accept God and the Gospel with your whole being in order to begin to serve Him on earth.

The benefits are innumerable, and there is no need to find additional time - you can recite the text everywhere, during any activity.

Text of the Jesus Prayer

Cautions

Many experienced spiritual fathers have left instructions for believers on how to read the Jesus Prayer. The main thing to be wary of is pride and the search for special mental states. Why are they dangerous? Pride can be invisible to a person and gradually surround him with many other sins. As the Scripture says, the Lord turns away from the proud.

Climbing

The path of those who have known the sweetness of prayer is very long and difficult. God does not immediately bestow the highest reward; He cultivates the gifts gradually.

How to pray correctly

You can pray the Jesus Prayer at any time of the day or evening. It is permissible for her to replace the rule - repeat for 10-15 minutes. (that’s how much it usually costs).

However, it is better to start small - a dozen repetitions are enough. An untrained mind will be distracted all the time. Human nature is so affected by sin that it takes a lot of time to bring soul and mind together.

Over time, these words should permeate the entire human consciousness so much that during any activity they will sound in his heart. Some monks managed to reach transcendental heights in “smart work”; they saw Angels at their service. But there are very few such people on earth.

Spiritual barriers

There is no need to try to “read” the Jesus Prayer in Russian as much as possible. It’s not a matter of numbers; the Lord doesn’t need any “records.” It is important to maintain composure, humility of spirit and not look for some spiritual joys. Over time, it will become clear how to move forward - the Holy Spirit himself will lead the ascetic.

Temptations can begin at the second stage, so an experienced confessor is already needed at this stage, who will not let you go astray. If foreign images come to mind, there is no need to try to drive them away, just continue to say the prayer.
It happens that some people find it difficult to say certain words. Then we need to treat them more carefully, try to delve into the very depth of the theological meaning.

Sometimes it happens that the Lord gives an ascetic consolation and then takes it away. In this case, there is no need to despair. This is done for the benefit of the person and means that he needs to devote more time to the fight against sins.

The necessary conditions

Realize why the prayer is being read; delve into the meaning.

Show consistency.
Seclude yourself (at least mentally).
Be in a calm state.
Call upon the Holy Spirit for help and participate in the life of the Church.
Do not try to pray for a long time - you should stop when spiritual fatigue occurs.

Here's the text again:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

Lord, Son of God, have mercy on me.

Jesus Prayer - how to pray correctly, text in Russian was last modified: July 7th, 2017 by Bogolub

Great article 0

The Jesus Prayer is given to everyone - both monks and laity. A Christian is one who is always with Christ, and this is what the Jesus Prayer serves. Through the Jesus Prayer, we are with Christ everywhere - in the subway, on snowy streets, in the store and at work, among friends and among enemies: the Jesus Prayer is a golden connection with the Savior. It saves us from despair, does not allow our thoughts to fall into the abyss of worldly emptiness, but, like the light of a lamp, it calls us to spiritual wakefulness and standing before the Lord.

The Holy Fathers also called the Jesus Prayer the queen of virtues, because it attracts all other virtues. Patience and humility, abstinence and chastity, mercy, etc. - all this is connected with the Jesus Prayer. Because it introduces Christ, the one who prays adopts the image of Christ, receives virtues from the Lord.

Under no circumstances should you say the Jesus Prayer for the sake of some kind of spiritual delight.

The Jesus Prayer is salvation for any Christian, no matter what situation he finds himself in.

The Jesus Prayer - steps of the ladder to the Kingdom of God

Both the holy fathers and modern experienced confessors have said a lot about the Jesus Prayer for the laity: it is necessary. But its whole “secret” is that there is no secret. And if we do not invent these “secrets” for ourselves, then a heartfelt and attentive appeal to the Lord in simplicity and contrition will undoubtedly contribute to our good progress on the path of Christian life. Here it is necessary to distinguish between “doing mental prayer” by a monk under the guidance of an experienced confessor (this is a separate topic that we will not touch upon now) and the repetition of prayer by a layman at any time and at any hour: out loud, if there is such an opportunity, or silently, if a person is in a public place. Simplicity and sincerity, awareness of one’s weakness and complete surrender of oneself into the hands of God are the main thing here, as in any prayer.

But here’s something else that seems to need to be said. Sometimes even this simple prayer is very difficult to pronounce, and St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), for example, defines in this case a “small measure” of what is necessary, that is, attention to the spoken words and the feasible application of your heart to them, even with compulsion. The Lord sees our struggle and struggle and good will. It cannot be easy all the time - this applies both to life in general and to prayer. Sometimes you need to force yourself, to work hard, “making your way” to the Lord through your own fatness and despondency and turmoil. And this doing already falls entirely within the sphere of our good will, because no one can take away this desire for God from us, as long as it (even if it weakens in us from time to time) does not stop. And the Jesus Prayer in this case is those simplest “knots” on a rope ladder, along which we, although with difficulty, can and must gradually climb the mountains e , V . But the Lord, who gave us this “ladder,” will not help, support, strengthen? Of course, he will support, and instruct, and strengthen, as long as we make our ascent with trust and simplicity, “without dreaming anything for ourselves,” but with diligence and constancy.

The Jesus Prayer is very important for any Orthodox believer. It can be called one of the initial steps in the formation of faith. The power of the Jesus Prayer is enormous. Its essence lies in the fact that a praying person asks for mercy from God through his Son. This powerful prayer can be used for any difficulties in life and become a daily amulet for the believer.

Who is Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is the central person of the Christian faith. The Old Testament predicted the appearance of the Messiah, who would become an atoning sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. Information about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ is contained in the Books of the New Testament. The fact that Jesus Christ was a real person is also evidenced by the works of non-Christian authors.

According to Christian teaching, Jesus Christ is the consubstantial Son of God incarnate in human flesh. The doctrine states that Jesus Christ died to atone for the sins of men, after which he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. In addition, there is a statement that the Messiah will definitely come again in order to administer judgment over the living and the dead.

Jesus Christ was born in an extraordinary way. An Angel descended to the Virgin Mary, who had vowed to remain virgin in the name of serving God, but was betrothed to Joseph, and said that she would soon give birth to a son who would be the Son of the Lord. And although Mary was surprised, she accepted God’s decree that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and she would conceive by the power of the Most High. Joseph wanted to let his pregnant wife go because he knew that he was not intimate with her. But an Angel, appearing to him in a dream, said that Mary would give birth to a son from the Holy Spirit. His name should be Jesus, he will come to earth to save people from their sins.

When Jesus was thirty years old, God the Father called Him to His ministry. From this time on, Jesus walked the earth for approximately three years. He preached the Kingdom of God and performed various miracles. He managed to heal terminally ill people and cast out demons. His earthly ministries were almost always accompanied by a variety of miracles. According to God's preached teaching, Jesus called people to repentance and said that all sins would be forgiven. He talked about eternal life and the mercy of God. He also said that everyone will have to face judgment and that a righteous life is the truth that grants salvation. Jesus taught how important it is to be sincere before God and that all people should live in peace.

Jesus gained many followers. Most sought to learn wisdom from him, as well as deeply accept and understand Divine Truths. Jesus told his followers that he would be killed, but then he would definitely be resurrected. This is what happened, although it was beyond the understanding of many.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God in the form of a man, voluntarily appeared on earth. He lived a sinless life, endured terrible suffering and suffered death on the Cross, paying for the sins of every person. After which, as a sign of justification and forgiveness of the human race, he was resurrected. This suggests that sincere faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior will allow us to receive forgiveness for known and unknown sins and eternal life.

Sometimes there is an opinion that the Jesus Prayer should only be read by monks. For lay people, reading it is useless. Actually this is not true. This prayer should always be present in the prayer practice of the laity, as an auxiliary prayer means of communication with God. Moreover, the value of this prayer lies in its brevity.

It is known that lay people have to spend a lot of time on public transport, on walks, in queues, and doing household chores. And this time should not be spent in vain, namely, saying the Jesus Prayer, which has both a short and a long form. This prayer applies to those who repent. Therefore, if you read it with heartfelt attention, sincerely and constantly, it will cleanse even people with low morality from many sins.

The history of prayer

The tradition of including words in prayer with the help of which one turns to the Lord and Savior of people, Jesus Christ, has its roots in evangelical times. When Christ walked the earth talking about his teachings, many people turned to him with their own requests. And only the disciples of Jesus Christ understood the effectiveness of such verbal appeal.

That is, already the first Christians called on the name of Christ, both in private prayer and in church. It is believed that the prayer, which is now called the Jesus Prayer, took shape at a time when the followers of Christ began to go into the desert to pray. It was in such a secluded place that the call to the name of God became a vital necessity for them. The modern text of the Jesus Prayer was written down for the first time in Crete by the Orthodox Saint Gregory of Sinai.

How often should you say a prayer?

When recited in church, the Jesus Prayer is limited to a certain number of times depending on the type of service being held. But when reading independently, each believer decides for himself how many times he needs to say the prayer text, listening to his subconscious and inner feelings. If calmness spreads in your soul and joy appears, everything small and insignificant in the world around you fades into the background, which means that the Jesus Prayer has been read a sufficient number of times.

The peculiarity of the Jesus Prayer is that it opens up new possibilities in faith. This allows the believer to climb the steps and get closer to the true understanding of God. It is only very important to recite the prayer text while fully concentrating on your spiritual world.

Is it possible to read it using the rosary?

It is recommended to read the Jesus Prayer using the rosary. This allows you to create a reliable prayer shield. In some cases, clergy recommend saying prayer words using the rosary until you feel that prayer can be done independently without internal compulsion. This is what indicates that a protective barrier has been created.

It is important to always carry these rosary with you. They will be a reminder to pray. Before you start praying the rosary, you need to ask the priest for a blessing. It is he who will tell you how many times you need to recite the text of the Jesus Prayer.

Does it help protect against damage and evil?

The Jesus Prayer is the surest way to get rid of damage and witchcraft. But only for this you need to use a long version of the prayer.

In addition, when reading the prayer, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

The prayer must be learned by heart so as not to get confused when listing the names of the Saints. Words must come from the depths of your soul, so you need to understand what you are asking God for. To do this, you should get to know those Saints who are mentioned in the prayer;
If for some reason you cannot learn the text of the Jesus Prayer, then you can copy it onto a white sheet of paper and read it;
Prayer phrases must be spoken clearly and confidently;
It is important to read the Jesus Prayer in complete solitude, taking care that no external problems arise.

Listen and read 100 times a day

In order to get rid of external negativity, it is recommended to listen to or read the Jesus Prayer at least 100 times a day. When praying, it is better to use a rosary for the right mood. It is necessary to understand that removing damage or the evil eye takes a long time.

As a rule, the first positive results become visible only after a month. Moreover, not a single day should be missed; prayer should be done daily.

Psalm 26 – prayer of protection

Psalm 26 can be read along with the Jesus Prayer. This is a very powerful protective appeal to God. In this combination, prayers can very quickly remove damage and provide reliable protection for the future. You can pray either in Old Church Slavonic or use translated texts.

Psalm 26 reads as follows:

“Lord Almighty, my Savior, my Enlightener: whom do I fear? Lord Almighty, You are the reliable protector of my entire life: whom will I fear? When terrible villains approach me to harm my flesh, when my enemies and my insulters try to bring me evil, then they themselves will fall from it. If a whole regiment comes against me, my heart will not tremble with fear, and if my enemies raise their weapons against me, then I will trust only in God. I will ask only one thing from the Almighty Lord: that He grant me a calm and joyful life in the House of the Lord, that I constantly contemplate the beauty of the Lord and visit His holy temple. For I know that He will hide me under His cover in the day of my misfortunes and calamities. And at the moment of my salvation he will raise my head above my enemies, I will exclaim his praise and exclamations. All my life I will sing and glorify the Lord. Hear, Lord Almighty, my prayer and have mercy on me. My heart says to me: I will call on the Lord. I ask you not to turn Your face away from me and do not refuse me, do not reject me and do not leave me, Almighty Lord of Heaven, My Savior! Even my father and my mother will leave me, but the Lord God will accept me. I ask You, guide me, Lord Almighty, guide me in my path and on the righteous path for the sake of victory over my enemies. Do not betray, Lord Almighty, deliver my oppressors from me, for I was subjected to their unrighteous attack. I sincerely believe that I will see the blessings of the Lord on the land of the living. I trust in the Lord Almighty, I take courage and stock up on patience, in endless rapture in the Lord. Amen".

How to Pray to Jesus Christ, the Son of God

For the Jesus Prayer to be effective, it is necessary to pray correctly. The main obstacles in this case are absent-mindedness and everyday fuss. It is unlikely that you will be able to learn the Jesus Prayer if a person is addicted to TV or the Internet. A person whose main pastime is listening to music and communicating on social networks will not be able to pray correctly. All everyday hobbies fill the mind and heart and at the same time do not allow a person to correctly and purposefully turn to God with prayer.

To pray to Jesus Christ correctly, it is important to set yourself up accordingly. Prayer to the Lord is practically meditation. During the prayer appeal, you need to completely renounce the events of the surrounding world. Only in this way can one draw closer to God and count on effective communication.

For our prayer to be heard by God, it must be filled with a person’s inner energy. Before performing a prayer, it is necessary to free the soul from sinful thoughts, anger, hatred, and envy. It is necessary to mentally ask for forgiveness from your loved ones, and also forgive them.

The success of a prayer appeal depends on how well you understand the spoken text with your mind. Before you pray, you need to understand and feel every word of prayer, delve into the meaning of the spoken phrases and convey your knowledge to your soul.

Degrees of perfection in the Jesus Prayer

The Jesus Prayer is a very complex spiritual prayer. It is divided into four stages.

Understanding them makes the believer stronger in his faith:

The first stage is physical, oral prayer. This is a very difficult step that requires strong concentration of thoughts. As a rule, a believer feels that his thoughts are running away, and his heart does not feel the prayer words. During this period, a person needs to show great patience and put in a lot of work during prayer. This step is very important, as it gives a person a repentant attitude.
The second stage involves the unification of reason and feelings. During this period, a person can already pray continuously and at the same time feel how his soul is filled with new feelings. A believer needs to pray in every free minute.
The third stage is a creative prayer appeal, with the help of which you can already bring what you want closer. At this stage, prayer is very effective.
The fourth stage is high prayer, which only Angels can perform, and the ability for which is awarded to only one person in all of humanity. During the process of prayer there are no barriers to communication with God.

All Orthodox Christians know the Jesus Prayer. The clergy explain to believers that this prayer has enormous power, which can lead a person to heaven. Of course, it should be understood that this prayer can only be effective for righteous people. Reading the Jesus Prayer, they will feel how their soul is filled with joy, and peace and love come into their lives.

The Jesus Prayer is a powerful weapon for saving a person. But everyone who is going to do it must understand that demons do not like this prayer and are trying to harm the person who is learning to turn to God with it. Therefore, you should expect many temptations in life that you will have to resist.

For women and men (saving your soul and praying for children)

It is useful to read the prayer for both women and men. Believers, first of all, pray for the salvation of their souls. Moreover, it is not at all necessary to recite the prayer text. You need to accustom yourself to having prayer sound in your soul every minute and hourly, when an internal need arises.

Prayer will also be very effective if mothers pray for their children. It can be used in combination with special protective prayers. But you just need to remember that this is a secret prayer, you should not let anyone know when you are praying.

It is very important to remember that in order to save the soul, prayer must be done with a feeling of repentance. You need to drive out envy and anger from your soul. In addition, there should be no egoism in the heart.

Jesus Prayer in Church Slavonic

The Jesus Prayer is a prayer that comes from the depths of the heart: Watch the video prayer “Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God”