The Power of Praying Scripture
God grabbed ahold of my heart when I was in college. I remember being on what felt to be a continuous spiritual high…until I wasn’t. After an initial jolt of holy adrenaline, I found prayer life to be dry and distracted. My prayers lasted about 30 seconds before I ran out of words. I didn’t know what to say or how to keep going.
On a Friday night, I walked into our church planning to “stop by” at our college ministry’s all-night prayer gathering. I was just hoping to make it an hour. I remember opening my Bible and praying through the Psalms. It completely changed the whole night for me — in fact it has completely transformed my prayer life.
One of the greatest ways to jumpstart your prayer life is to pray Scripture. It brings power, truth, and encouragement to your prayer time. When we pray God's Word, we turn promises into prayers and begin to align our prayers with God’s will in a new way.
Why Praying Scripture is Effective
It Aligns Your Prayers with God’s Will – When we pray God’s Word, we know we are asking for what He desires.
It Provides Encouragement – Scripture reminds us of God’s promises and helps us trust in His faithfulness.
It Gives Words When We Don’t Have Them – Sometimes, we don’t know what to pray. The Bible gives us prayers when our own words fail.
It Deepens Our Connection to the Church – The Psalms, for example, have been prayed by believers for thousands of years. When we pray them, we join in the prayers of the whole Church.
How to Start Praying Scripture
Pray Slowly, Line by Line – Read a passage and turn each verse into a personal prayer. Don’t rush it. Give God space to search your heart and respond to him in prayer.
Start with the Psalms – These prayers cover every human emotion and are a great starting point. In fact, many of them are written as songs and prayers already.
Pray for Others – Pray Scripture over the people in your life. As you read through the Gospels, pray and ask God to remove the blinders from your loved ones’ eyes.
Memorize Scripture – Hiding God’s Word in your heart allows you to pray anywhere, anytime. This allows you to pray Scripture when you feel stressed, lonely, afraid, angry, insecure, or even grateful.
If you feel stuck in prayer, don’t be discouraged. Open the Bible and let God’s Word guide your prayers. It changed my prayer life, and I know it can do the same for you!
Verses to Pray
Here are some great Scriptures to start praying:
1 Peter 5:6-7 – "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
Matthew 6:33 – "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Psalm 139:23-24 – "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Philippians 4:6-7 – "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Isaiah 41:10 – "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Psalm 23:1-3 – "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."
Romans 8:26 – "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans."
Ephesians 3:16-19 – "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith..."
Let these verses be a starting point for your prayers. God’s Word is alive and active—when we pray it, we allow His truth to shape our hearts and lives. What are some of your favorite verses to pray?