Have you ever sat down to try to pray to God, but you couldn’t seem to find the words? Have you ever felt like your prayers just weren’t as effective as they could be? Well, I believe that some of the most effective and powerful prayers come straight from praying the scriptures.
I remember when I first became a Christian, I cringed during group prayer.
What could be more vulnerable and potentially embarrassing than praying in front of a group of people?
Was there a right way to pray? What words should I be saying? Is there a method that I am supposed to follow?
These were all thoughts that came running through my mind when a group of university-aged young adults came together on a Wednesday morning at 6:30 am to pray together. My body would be filled with sweat when I knew it was my turn to pray out loud. Now, I get to see friends who are new to the faith go through the same thing. But regardless of where you are in your faith journey, you can transform your prayer life through praying the scriptures.
Praying the scriptures is not only one of my favorite ways to pray, but it is also one of my favorite tools to share with other believers. I really believe that whether you are a new believer or have been in the faith for thirty years, praying the scriptures will bring so much power and authority into your prayers. After all, you are using God’s very own Words and welcoming your Heavenly Maker’s very own promises into your life. No longer are you focused on your own immediate private concerns, but by learning how to pray scripture, your eyes are set upon God’s larger purposes.
How beautiful is that?
What Does it Mean to Be Praying the Scriptures?
To sum it up lightly, praying the scriptures means using the words of God to guide our prayers. This means, that when we are praying scripture, we are praying God’s word back to Him. We see this done throughout scripture, with men such as King David and even Christ Himself on the cross when He prayed Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
Why Should We Be Praying the Word of God?
Praying the Word of God gives us an even bigger overview and appreciation of the Bible as we slow down and begin to really ponder over it. It keeps us grounded in theology and it allows us space to reflect on the Word of God as it dwells deeply within our hearts. Learning how to pray scripture helps us to set our minds on the good and beautiful promises of God, His everlasting truths, and not on the whimsy of our fluctuating feelings.
Usually, when we pray without the help of scripture, we are at the mercy of vain repetitions of our own immediate fears, longings and wants. The main issue isn’t that we don’t pray persistently enough. The true problem is that we often get stuck in praying only for ourselves and our own personal desires.
However, when we are praying the Word of God, not only does scripture give us the beautiful words to express our emotions, but it also helps to lead us in truth. And, it serves as a gentle reminder for us to pray for other people – the believers in prison, the poor, and injustices around the world. Rather than simply praying for ourselves and the things that we bear witness to, we are encouraged to pray for God’s glory and the global mission through the vantage point of scripture.
Finally, when we are praying the scriptures, we are remaining in God’s word by praying through it. When we are praying God’s word, we remain in His Word and our hearts become more in line with His heart. So rather than being led by the world, we start to live out our lives more like how God intended us to.
Now onto how to pray scripture…
How to Pray the Scriptures | Praying God’s Word
If you have never ever learned how to pray scripture before, the book of Psalms is an excellent place to begin.
This is because the Psalms were originally penned as songs and prayers to God.
But, you can pray the Word in any chapter, verse or passage of the Bible.
And here is how to pray the scriptures…
How to Pray the Scriptures Tip #1: Pick a Psalm or a section of Scripture to pray through and do your in-depth Bible study on it.
While you do this, read and re-read it a couple of times and really let the words sink in. Search up any words that you do not understand, and make sure that you know what the passage really means. that means, trying to understand the context of what you are reading. Otherwise, you might just end up not praying the scriptures, but rather, praying for your own personal desires. So before you pray the Word of God, be sure to do your in-depth study of what it means and what the Holy Spirit wants you to take away from it.
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When you are letting the Holy Spirit speak to you through the passage, you can simply ask the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayer. Oftentimes, the answer is revealed in areas of your life where you feel convicted, passionate, encouraged or motivated to take action. For example, is there any area in your life where you have not been submitting to your Heavenly Father?
How to Pray the Scriptures Tip #2: Take a Pause After Each Section or Verse and Let the Words Guide Your Prayer.
Sometimes as women we tend to be so task focused. We are used to multi-tasking or rushing through one thing to get to another. But the beauty about praying the scriptures is that we can use this time to meditate, slow down, and really spend some time thinking about the Bible verse. Search for ways in which the verse encourages you – to worship God for who He is, genuinely repent for your sins, and to pray for the needs of those around you. Lift your heart up in gratitude and thanksgiving for the multiple blessings He has provided in abundance for you in Scripture.
When we use scripture to guide our prayers, we are using His words to speak back to Him. Our Heavenly Father has promised that His Word never fails, and praying the Word of God is a beautiful way to know the author’s heart and pray according to His great will. It helps to ensure that our naturally wandering hearts remain firmly anchored and guard our theology. So as you learn how to pray scripture, take the time to seek after His will and His purpose.
How to Pray the Scriptures Tip #3: Have Others in Mind During Your Prayer
The beautiful thing about praying the Word of God is that we are naturally reminded to pray for others. But regardless of the passage you are praying God’s word through, it is important to always have others in mind during your prayer. And the only way to know how to pray for your friends and family is through good conversation and actually asking them.
When you get to know your friends and family on a deeper level, look at what they need prayer for and try to find scripture that addresses their particular set of needs and concerns and start to pray over them. But if you truly don’t know what someone needs, you can let the Holy Spirit to lead you as you pray for them.
The beautiful thing about praying the scriptures is that even if you don’t know what you have to pray for, God does. And the Holy Spirit will always provide the words and intercede on your behalf.
How to Pray the Scriptures Tip #4: Prayer Journal Your Prayer
Sometimes simply the act of penning down your prayers allows you more time to really sink deep into the word. This is because it allows praying the word of God in a way where you are truly taking the time to meditate slowly on scripture. It is a great avenue when you are praying God’s word to carefully think about each word as you write them down.
Sometimes getting into a prayer routine can be hard. Work gets in the way. School gets in the way. Kids get in the way. LIFE gets in the way. That is exactly why sometimes staying practical and creating new systems to keep you on track can help with a well-disciplined prayer life. This is where the Daily Prayer Journal printable comes in handy. Deepen your relationship with God through regular prayer by making use of the practical accountability of a prayer journal.
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How to Pray the Scriptures Case Study | Praying God’s Word
Here is a case study on using Psalm 23 as our example. We will start off by reading the Psalm, ensuring that we really understand the words, ideas and context. From there, we will go back and read it more slowly, stopping regularly to pray.
v1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing
Dear Father, thank you for your provisions. I am grateful that no matter the season I am in, I am abundantly fulfilled by your glory and goodness to me. I know that you guide me. With you, I am sufficient on my own and with your love and care, I know all my needs will be met.
v2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters
I praise you that you are a Father who knows when to give me rest and care for me. I don’t always know what is best for myself, but you, my shepherd does.
v3 He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Thank you that even on the weariest of days, you refresh my soul. Rather than letting the things in my life chipping away at my heart, making it colder and harder, you restore it, nurture it and revitilize it with your grace, promises and truths. I will never have to fear because you are my shepherd who will lead me in the right direction for your own sake.
v4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Father, I feel comforted because even if I were to walk through the darkest season of my life, I can be brave, feel strong and calm because you are with me. You in all your power and might and steadfastness bring me unconditional comfort. You are a God that has firm control over every situation and even though following you does not mean that there will not be dark valleys to journey through, I feel secure knowing that when there are difficult roads ahead, you have your firm hand over it. If there is anyone in my life who is going through a difficult time, I pray that they may also come to know you, the one with the rod and staff that brings a sense of peace.
v5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
I pray for grace for those who do not know you (my enemies). I give praise that you celebrate with us not just when our enemies are defeated, but when we are in the middle of the dark valley as well. You are truly a God of good humour and grace. You always seek to rejoice and laugh along with us even when we are surrounded by our troubles.
v6 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.
My heart is full with the joy that comes with knowing that you will follow, chase and pursue me for all the days of my life. I pray that others who do not know you may come to know you one day and experience that exact same joy!
If you liked what you’ve read so far and you want to FULL in-depth Bible Study of Psalm 23 and the associated Bible study questions, simply click on the image below! I will send the beautifully designed Bible study straight to your inbox!Lots of love.
Final Word About Praying the Word of God
I love praying the Word of God. If I am reading a passage that stands out, I think it is an excellent idea to slow down, and simply dwell in his word. You can opt to keep a designated list of passages to pray regularly or you can opt to pray as you read every day. There is no need to have to abide by a set rule, and you may use the Word of God as a helpful means to pull you in closer to your Heavenly Father. You never have to worry about being perfector doing it perfectly, you just have to do it!
Hopefully, this blog post has encouraged and motivated you to begin praying the Word of God. Praying God’s Word is amazing because it is so beautiful, so great and so powerful. So I hope the next time you pray, you will be able to have this wonderful tool of how to pray scripture at your disposal to grow in your faith, lift up others, and bravely conquer the world one prayer at a time!
What are some of your favourite prayer tips and tricks? Drop them in the comments section below. I would LOVE to hear from you!
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How to Pray the Scriptures | Praying The Word of God
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Just your 27 year old dental surgeon, writer and creator of Truthfully, Michelle & Girls After Truth. I love creating printables to help encourage, uplift and propel women to take charge of their faith. I hope you leave this space feeling more joy than when you first came in today Xx
Lovely article – what I read of it, but I’m a senior woman and the font is so teeny tiny it was too much of a struggle. Any way to enlarge it for those of us with older eyes?
Hi thank you for the tips of how to pray the word of God i really enjoyed reading this its so helpfull. I write every tip down to start doing it. Once agian thank you.
I am a dental surgeon, small printables business owner, former graphic design freelancer and a budding pilates enthusiast.
I love creating printables that help encourage, uplift and propel women who want to take control of their faith and live a set-apart life for the Maker who knows their heart.
I adore tea, all shades of pastel and watching the sunset. I hope that you will relish in the beauty of every moment and find joy in the smallest of things. I pray that you will be able to find true satisfaction in Christ alone and that you will be able to rejoice in the goodness of the Lord whatever season of life you are in.
MEET THE BLOGGER
Before you get any further... Hey! I'm Michelle!
I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
Thank you for taking the time to check out my site! I am so excited to share more with you about this passion that the Lord has placed upon my heart and get to know a little more about who the Lord lovingly made you to be!
Cinnamon spiced lattes, puppies with bows and watercolour paintings are just some of my favourite things. However, above all, I’m just a lover of Jesus and people. So let’s live with joy that set-apart life that God has created us purposefully for together. For He is the One who calls you by name and has loved you from the beginning of time! ❤️
hey girl!
Hey,
I'm MichellE.
I am a dental surgeon, small printables business owner, former graphic design freelancer and a budding pilates enthusiast.
I love creating printables that help encourage, uplift and propel women who want to take control of their faith and live a set-apart life for the Maker who knows their heart.
I adore tea, all shades of pastel and watching the sunset. I hope that you will relish in the beauty of every moment and find joy in the smallest of things. I pray that you will be able to find true satisfaction in Christ alone and that you will be able to rejoice in the goodness of the Lord whatever season of life you are in.
Friend. Dental Surgeon. Small Printables Business Owner.
Encouraging the modern twenty-something girl to boldly spark His beacon of light in this oft-dark world and inspiring them to A. seek biblical truth through scripture and B. stand for biblical truth in the midst of a culture-driven world.
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Statement of Faith.
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MY FAVOURITE: AREN'T THESE WHITE FLOWERS SO LOVELY?!
We believe in one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit
We believe that we are all sinners and all sins need to be paid
We believe that Jesus died to pay for our sins
We believe that it is only by grace through faith that we're saved
I have so enjoyed reading this and I will save it and read it again. Thank you so very much. I want to learn how to pray.
Lovely article – what I read of it, but I’m a senior woman and the font is so teeny tiny it was too much of a struggle. Any way to enlarge it for those of us with older eyes?
Hi thank you for the tips of how to pray the word of God i really enjoyed reading this its so helpfull. I write every tip down to start doing it. Once agian thank you.