.png)
There are two things every Christian needs in their lives, one is the Word of God and the other is prayer. Without these two things, the Christian walk, no, actually, life in general, becomes harder than it has to be. Life without God's Word and talking to God can be a hopeless, scary place. Therefore, it is important to include them both in our daily lives.
Reading the Bible is beautiful and informative. Praying is powerful. But combining the two is life-changing and we can do that by praying Bible verses.
Should We Pray Bible Verses?
The short answer is, yes! Jesus did it, other people in the Bible did it, and we are supposed to do it too. This is because praying the scripture not only honors God but also aligns our lives with His will, which is something we all want.
Prayer is powerful on its own, there's no doubt about that. Whether we use God's words or ours, He will always listen and respond. However, the benefits that come with praying God's Word back to Him cannot be denied.
These prayers carry the full weight and power of God's own words.
Pin It
What Does It Mean To Pray Scripture Back To God
The Bible contains the promises, decrees, and truth of God. This means that when we pray the scriptures, we are praying God's words back to Him. We are reminding both Him and ourselves of everything He has promised us as well as everything He has said about us.
We can pray scripture back to God by adding scriptures to our prayers or we can pray a whole passage or verse. It takes a little more time than only thanking God for what He has done and asking for what you need, but it's worth it. It's worth it for a number of reasons.
7 Reasons Why We Should Pray the Scriptures
One verse can summarize why we should pray the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reads, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." When you pray scripture there are the below additional benefits.
1. Praying The Word Glorifies God
God is glorified when we read His Word and spend time with Him. When we pray the scriptures, we're doing both. This shows God that we don't pray just to ask for things but also to have a conversation with Him that requires knowing what He says as well.
2. Praying The Word Reminds Us Of God's Promises
The Bible is filled with God's promises for us, His children. Praying the scriptures reminds us of those promises. And they're important to learn because every promise God has ever made still stands today.
3. Praying The Word Helps You Pray More Confidently
Because you know that God's promises still stand and you're praying His words, you become more confident in your prayers. You're confident that you're asking for the right things and even more so that God will answer.
4. Praying The Word Aligns Your Wants With God's Will
Oftentimes we pray for things that aren't good for us without even realizing it. Praying Bible verses will stop us from doing that. When you pray the scripture, you're not just praying for what you want. You are praying for what God wants for you.
5. Praying The Word Helps You Focus While You Pray
Falling asleep or realizing your mind has wandered while you were praying can make you feel really guilty, but it shouldn't. Peter, James, and John fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane too. We're human and it can happen to the best of us especially when we're thinking of stuff to pray about. Praying the scripture helps you focus because you already know exactly what to pray for.
6. Praying The Word Helps You Be Specific
Speaking about knowing exactly what to pray for, praying the scriptures helps you be specific. When you're praying God's word back to Him, you're specific about what you're saying. There's no beating around the bush or being unsure, you confirm with God that you want what He wants for you.
7. Praying The Word Helps You Understand The Bible Better
You can't pray the scripture if you don't know scripture. Therefore, praying the scriptures pushes you into learning and understanding the Bible better. You learn what God's promises are and then you declare them over yourself with confidence.
3 Ways To Pray Scripture Back To God
There are many ways to pray scripture back to God. Jesus Christ promised us that the Holy Spirit will teach us everything (John 14:25-25). Below are my favorite three ways to pray scripture over my life and the lives of those I love.
1. Read a Bible Verse in Your Prayer
This seems too simple to make a difference but it does. When you're just getting started you may not know Bible verses at the top of your head. You might also get overwhelmed trying to create a prayer from a scripture. In this case, all you have to do is pause at some point in your prayer and read out a scripture.
Example: "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" (Psalm 23)
This will make you wiser in the Word while showing God that you're willing to learn what He says.
2. Pray Prayers from the Bible
The Bible has many prayers that you can pray to God. When you pray prayers from the Bible, you are literally praying the scripture.
Example: The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) or the Psalms
The Lord's Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught us to pray. The Psalms are a collection of mostly David's prayers to God but many of them align with our lives today. This one is also simple as it's just about finding the prayer and reading it. Still, it's just as effective as the previous way, and the next one.
3. Rephrase the Scripture to make it a Prayer
The Bible was written to guide us and help us through this journey of life. We may read many stories about other people in it, but it’s important to remember that they aren't just stories. Every book and story in the Bible has lessons and promises that apply to us today.
So one way of praying the scripture is to rephrase it and apply ourselves to it. You can do this by first finding a scripture you want to pray, and then rephrasing it to sound like a prayer for yourself.
Example:
Scripture: “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Prayer: Dear God, please help me to not be afraid, for You are with me. Remind me not to be discouraged, for You are my God. Strengthen me and help me. Hold me up with your victorious right hand. You said in your word that you would do this Lord, so I will go about my day in confidence that it is already done. Amen.
Do this with any scripture that applies to your life or that you want to be applied to your life. It takes a little more effort but it can work wonders in your life both spiritually and mentally.
Praying Scripture Examples
The Bible has many people who prayed the scriptures, here are 3 examples.
The Israelites
Prayer: They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them. Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed great blasphemies. (Nehemiah 9:17-18)
Scripture used within prayer: Exodus 34:6 - The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Jonah
Prayer: He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. (Jonah 4:2)
Scripture used within prayer: Exodus 34:6 - The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Jesus
Prayer: And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)
Scripture used within prayer: Psalm 22:1 - My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
You may have noticed that both the Israelites and Jonah prayed the same scripture. This goes to show that the Word can apply to different people at different times, but it is effective for all of us to use in prayer. Even Jesus prayed the scriptures and this example shows that we can be totally honest with how we feel in our prayers.
So today, whether you want to pray for God's promises to come to pass in your life or you want to find the words to express to Him how you feel. Look in the Bible. Find scriptures that speak to your situation and pray them back to God. The Bible is the God-breathed living Word of God, so you can never go wrong by using its scriptures in your prayers.
Check out our series of articles on using the Bible to pray through different issues.
 |  |  |  |
Before you leave, we would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word by sharing, tweeting, pinning, etc. this post.
About the Author:
Corine Williams, Ph.D. is Clinical Psychologist that is currently seeing clients in the States of Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. You can find out more about her practice by visiting www.therapyforchristians.com/corinewilliams. In addition to providing individual therapy, Dr. Williams is also passionate about writing books and designing merchandise that educate, uplift, and normalize mental health subject in the Christian community. You can find out more about her at www.booksbycorine.com or by visiting her amazon profile here: https://www.amazon.com/Corine-Hyman/e/B00AWZ5FL2
Help us increase mental health awareness in the Christian community by donating through our paypal link here: www.paypal.com/therapyforchristians, joining our mailing list by clicking below, or join our provider list here: Provider listing
Disclaimer: the information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this article are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are looking for a Christian counselor near you, please check out our directory located here: Christians Therapist Near Me
