Praying Scripture Back to God

God wants us to come to Him in faith and sincerity. In Spirit and Truth.  Praying scripture back to God has been one of the most powerful ways I have found in transforming my prayer life and strengthening my faith.

Prayer is a crucial part of a strong relationship with the Lord. Prayer connects God’s kingdom power and resources to our experiences and circumstances. It’s also a way for us to approach His throne. Praying the scriptures is a powerful way to pray.

• What does the Bible say about praying scripture?
• How do you pray the Word of God?

These are a couple of important questions to consider as you learn to strategically pray in this way.

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What Does the Bible Say About Praying Scripture Back to God?

The following are just a few of the reasons why praying scripture is a powerful way to pray. 

Praying Scripture Helps Us Pray According to God’s Will

When we pray scripture we can be confident that we are praying according to God’s will. God’s Word is truth. When we use the Bible as a foundation for our prayers we can pray with assurance! This is important because God wants us to come to Him in full assurance of faith.  

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let’s approach God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful – Hebrews 10:19-23 NASB

Praying the Word of God Keeps Our Prayers Focused On the Kingdom

So often I feel like my prayers are very ‘me’ focused – my fears, my needs. 

Don’t get me wrong, these are important things to pray for. However, Jesus tells us in Matthew chapter 6 to seek first His kingdom. He also instructs us to pray for “His kingdom to come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. His Word is full of principles and promises that focus on the kingdom.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you. – Matthew 6:33

So, praying the word of God over your life helps to keep first things first.

Also, the things that we pray about often become the things we care about.  I believe this is why God tells us to pray for our enemies. As we pray for them our hearts and attitude towards them begin to change.

In the same way, as we pray scripture, our hearts are molded to care more for the things of God’s kingdom.

Praying Scripture Helps Us to Memorize Scripture

As we pray the Word of God back to Him we are hiding these truths in our hearts. I’ve found that the scriptures I pray are the ones the Lord will place in my mind throughout my day and interactions with others.

Scripture is much easier to memorize the more we meditate on specific verses and allow them to renew our minds.

This brings me to my next point…

Praying Scripture Back to God Transforms Us

We are transformed by the renewing of our minds. We renew our minds as we meditate on and memorize His word. When we pray the Word of God not only are we engaging in that which brings God’s power and resources into our circumstances, but we are also allowing His Word to renew, change, and transform our minds!

Practical Tips for How to Pray the Word of God

Here are some practical steps you can take to pray scriptures to the Lord. It’s also helpful to have a prayer strategy. Have specific verses that you use to pray over the different areas of your life that require the grace and resources of God’s kingdom resources.

Find Applicable Verses

Ask God to show you some scriptures which apply to the situation or circumstances you are praying for. Then, use those verses to form specific prayers for the different people and circumstances in your life.

Pray With Understanding

As you search and find scriptures to use in your prayers, make sure you understand the context in which those verses were written. Read a few verses before and after the passage you plan to use. This will help you to interpret the scripture accurately so you can apply them to your prayers appropriately.

Pray in Faith

I love this Psalm of David…

In the morning, Lord, You will hear my voice; in the morning I will present my prayer to You and be on the watch. – Psalm 5:3

We see that he lifts his prayer up to the Lord and then watches for how the Lord will respond. This is how the Lord desires that we approach Him. He wants our prayers to be covered in the fragrance of faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. – Hebrews 11:6

Personalize Your Prayers

Where can you insert your name or the name of the person you are praying for into the verse? Are there any promises you can claim for yourself or others? Is there a command you need to obey?

Are there any principles of the verse that can be applied to a specific situation – again for yourself or for someone else?

Does the verse reveal anything about the character of God that you can praise Him for?

Make your prayers personal.

Examples of Praying the Scriptures

Here are some scriptures to use when praying. Feel free to use these or search the Bible to find your own that apply to your specific area of need.

Praying Scripture for Others

Here are a couple of examples of verses you can use to pray for others.

• Lord, I pray that you would work in the hearts of my children to love you with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Luke 10:27
• Lord, I pray for Sally’s salvation. Make an everlasting covenant with her and count her among your people. Put your law on her mind and write it on the tablet of her heart. Hebrews 8:10

Praying the Psalms

The psalms are full of Bible verses about praise and thanksgiving. They are also full of prayers from men who experienced great trial and triumph as they followed after the Lord. 

• Psalm 5 is a prayer for protection
• Psalm 6 is a prayer for mercy
• Psalms 8 and 9 are prayers of praise
• Psalms 12 and 13 are prayers for help
• Psalm 27 is a prayer of trust and adoration

Famous Prayers in the Bible

Here are a few examples of praying scriptures back to God from the Bible that would be great to include in your prayer strategy.

The Lord’s Prayer

The most famous prayer in the Bible is the Lord’s Prayer found in Matthew chapter 6.

Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. – Matthew 6:9-13

Paul’s Prayer for the Ephesians

One of the main themes in the book of Ephesians is our identity in Christ. There are multiple passages in this book we can use to pray for a deeper understanding of who we are in Him.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. – Ephesians 1:18-19

Paul’s Prayer for the Philippians

I love the book of Philippians! There are many scriptures we can use for prayer in this epistle also. 

And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:9-11

More Resources for Praying Scriptures Back to God

Here are some more resources for learning how to pray scripture in a way that is simple and effective.

Praying the Scriptures PDF:

• Free Printable Scripture Cards
• Free Printable Prayer Journal

Related Posts:

• Tips for Creating a Powerful Prayer Strategy
• 5 Important Things to Pray for Every Day

Other Resources:

• 40 Days of Praying the Promises of God – by Arabah Joy
• Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan to Serious, Specific and Strategic Prayer – by Priscilla Shirer
• Let Go and Let God Prayer Journal – by Kingdom Bloggers

This post contains affiliate links. For more details please see my affiliate disclosure.