Do you sometimes feel like God doesn’t hear your prayers? Are you praying the same hackneyed supplications over and over again? Do you lack confidence when you pray? Are you sometimes unsure what or how to pray in certain situations? Are your prayers mainly about your family, friends, health, work, or wealth? Would you like your prayers to be more effective? Do you want to pray in line with God’s will? Do you want to release the power of Scripture into your everyday life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then maybe it’s time to broaden the scope of your prayers and discover how your prayers can be renewed and revived through praying the Scriptures.
Praying the Scriptures is using God’s words to form our prayers. It’s praying His Word back to Him. Specifically, praying the Scriptures is using the words, phrases or themes of a Scripture passage to guide, shape, and give language to our conversations with God. It’s done by praying a Scripture text word for word as one’s prayer, by personalizing a Scripture text, or by turning our thoughts and feelings about a topic/theme of a Scripture passage into prayer.
Reading the Scriptures and praying the Scriptures should happen together. When we pray the Scriptures, we know we’re in alignment with God’s will. When we align with God’s will, His Spirit directs and informs our prayers. Here’s an example of how one might read and pray Psalm 23 in a personalized way:
Scripture – The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Prayer – Lord, thank you for being Jehovah-Raah, my Shepherd. Because you’re my Shepherd, I don’t need a thing. You intimately take care of everything. Please watch over my life and the lives of my family members today.
Scripture- He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
Prayer – Lord, thank you for giving me opportunities to rest. Sometimes, I’m too busy for my own good and too preoccupied to see your beauty around me. Help me be still and know that you are God. Please rejuvenate me today.
Scripture – He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Prayer – Thank you, Lord, for your guidance. You steer me along the path of righteousness. True to your name, you keep me on the straight and narrow road that leads to life. And you do it all for your glory.
Scripture – Even though I walk through the darkest valley, l fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Prayer – Lord, even in the bleakest circumstances, you are by my side. What a relief to know that when I’m down, you are with me. So why am I anxious? There’s no need for me to be afraid because I’m safe and secure in you.
Scripture – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Prayer – Thank you, Lord. I’m never forsaken. You faithfully provide for me, even in difficult times. It’s remarkable. You serve and honour me when I should be serving and honouring you! And more, you do it in front of my enemies.
Scripture – You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Prayer – Who am I that you are so mindful of me? I’m blessed from the tip of my head to the soles of my feet! Thank you, your blessings aren’t limited, day in and day out, they keep on coming.
Scripture – Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Prayer – Your love is amazing! You keep chasing after me wherever I am and wherever I go. You are good, and your love endures forever. Your grace and mercy are with me today, tomorrow, and throughout my life. And when I leave this life, you’ll still be there, loving me forever. Thank you; you truly are my Shepherd. Because of your great love, I have everything I need. Amen.
Reading the Scriptures and praying the Scriptures should be a continuous cycle in our daily devotions. Why not do it now? The Psalms are a great place to begin, or go to a portion of Scripture you’re presently reading and pray it back to God.
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