How To Pray The Scriptures
So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
Being in the Word and praying are the primary methods we use to develop a personal relationship with God. So how powerful do you think it will be when you combine the two practices?
What do we mean when we say to “pray Scripture?” It simply means to order your prayer around a particular passage in the Bible. Praying Scripture uses the words of a Bible verse or passage to guide your prayer. It’s a powerful way to pray for several reasons.
- His Word is truth. – When we pray the Word, we are praying truth. In John 17:17, we are told to, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” These are the very same words Jesus prayed to God regarding His disciples! Even Jesus prayed the scriptures.
- God is bound by His Word. – By praying God’s Word back to Him, we are repeating God’s truth and promises about any situation. We are “reminding” God about what He’s already written in His Word. His Word will never return void but will accomplish whatever He pleases, desires, and wills. His Word prospers wherever it goes! (Isaiah 55:11)
- It helps us understand Scripture and how to apply it to our lives. – Learning to pray Scriptures has broadened and deepened my prayers. It helps me stay focused on my prayer and teaches me Scriptures. As I turn Scripture into personal prayer, I am learning more about God and growing closer to Him.
So, how can we learn to pray Scripture?
Read the passage through a few times, paying attention to what words stand out to you. It is helpful to read the passage in more than one translation to see how different wordings will trigger different responses in you. I like to write out the passage and my prayers in a journal.
Reflect on what the passage is saying to you. What did your thoughts turn to when you read the passage? What felt need did it trigger in your heart?
Respond to God in prayer. Pray the passage back to Him. Bring the ideas of the passage into your conversation to God.
Finding the right Scripture.
The place I most often find the Scriptures to pray is in my daily Bible Study. Whether reading a devotion or doing an in-depth study of God’s Word, I often find a Scripture that is deeply meaningful to me and ignites a desire to connect with God from the inspired Word.
The book of Psalms is a great place to find verses to pray. Here we find a vast collection of songs and prayers that cover a wide range of human experiences!
Another place I like to look for Scriptures to pray is the promises of God. I wrote in the devotional series on Nehemiah, about remembrance prayers. This is where we pray God’s promises back to Him. The idea of reminding God of something may sound audacious to us; after all, He is God. But reminding God of the promises He has made helps us remember He is the God who can be trusted to keep His promises.
There are so many ways to pick out Scripture to pray. If you are looking for a particular topic to pray about, I suggest using Bible Study Tools website.
Another place to look is Bible Gateway; one of the things I love about this site is that you can look up the passage in any of the different translations.
The Psalms were originally songs, so why not sing your prayers? I recently found this site: THE PSALM PROJECT, which has put the psalms into song.
Let’s practice.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Heavenly Father, as the God of hope, I pray you would fill my heart with joy and peace. I put all my trust in you and the power of the Holy Spirit. Fill me to overflow with your presence that my heart would swell with your joy and peace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14
Heavenly Father, still my heart in my distress. Teach me to be still in your presence as you fight for me. Help me in my unbelief to trust you. I love you, Lord, and rest in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Heavenly Father, I delight in you and, above all else, praise your holy name in all the heavens. My heart desires for you and your will in my heart. Teach me to pray bold prayers, that I don’t miss out on the blessings you long to give me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Are you ready to start praying the scriptures?
Praying Scripture is a useful and valuable discipline for Christians of any age or maturity level. We need to engage Scripture to the fullest extent of its power. Praying the God-breathed words of the Bible is a fascinating way to engage with our Creator and Lord.
Let’s close by praying our key Scripture back to God!
Heavenly Father, we rejoice in the fact that your Word never returns void. Your Word is so powerful and full of purpose. We pray your purposes are accomplished with our prayers as we learn the Word and develop a deeper prayer life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you are looking for another way to deepen your prayer life, check out my Prayer Binder! This resource is what I use every day in my prayer time.
