Are we supposed to pray to the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?

TL;DR:

God welcomes our prayers whether we call on the Father, the Son, or the Spirit—because every prayer reaches the One Triune God. What matters most isn’t which person we address but that we’re praying to the God who alone hears, helps, and saves.

what does the bible say?

When we pray to any member of the Trinity, we are still praying to the Triune God. Some instances in the Bible show all three persons of the Trinity are either addressed or are involved in prayer. For example, in Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus teaches His listeners to pray and addresses the Father specifically, whereas in Acts 7:59 Stephen cries out as He is being persecuted to death, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." However, the Bible doesn’t record the Holy Spirit being the addressee in prayers though He is the Helper of our prayers (Romans 8:26; Jude 1:20). What is more important than which specific member of the Trinity we address is that we pray to God instead of some other deity, saint, or person. As our Creator and the author of all good things (Genesis 2), He alone should be the recipient of our prayers. A balanced perspective on the topic of which member we address our prayers to is Ephesians 5:18-20, which clarifies that we are filled with the Spirit in prayer, and we address God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, through Jesus, we can confidently approach God’s “throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:14-16).

from the old testament

What we should not do is to pray to a mysterious, unknown god, or to a higher power of some sort, to supposed saints, or to angels. Rather, our prayers should be directed to none other than God alone. God is knowable and has expressed His desire to be known from the very beginning (Genesis 2).

from the new testament

Jesus taught us the Lord's Prayer, which begins "Our Father" (Matthew 6:9-13).
Stephen cried out in prayer to Jesus as he died at the hands of the enemies of Christ (Acts 7:59).
The Holy Spirit is the person of the Trinity who helps us pray (Romans 8:26; Jude 1:20).
Some theologians put it this way: We pray to the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is similar to what we see in Ephesians 5:18-20: "… be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Hebrews 4:14-16 says, "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

implications for today

The mystery of the Trinity—how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God yet One God—sometimes causes Christians to wonder about whom to address their prayers. Though each member of the Triune God is distinct, they are One (thus the mystery). When we pray to one member of the Trinity, all three are involved. Whether we address our prayers as "Dear Father" or "Jesus" or "Holy Spirit,” it doesn't matter, really. We can begin our prayer "God," "Abba," "Lord," or any number of acknowledgements of the God of the Bible. Our prayer is ultimately addressed to our Triune God, regardless of which aspects of His character we choose to focus on during our prayers.

understand

God hears believers’ prayers, regardless of which member of the Trinity they’re addressed to.
We should pray to the Father and the Son in the power of the Spirit.
Our prayers should be addressed solely to God, not any other person or symbol.

reflect

When you pray, how do you decide whom to address, and why does it matter?
How does knowing that the Holy Spirit helps you pray change the way you approach God?
How does praying “in Jesus’ name” shape your confidence as you draw near to God’s throne of grace?

engage

What are the most important aspects that impact the way we pray?
How can we explain the importance of praying to God alone when interacting with people who pray to saints, angels, or other mediators?
What does it mean to pray “in Jesus’ name,” and how should that shape our worship and dependence on God?