How To Pray:  Through Scripture

STEPHEN DERGES

We've probably all prayed The Lord's Prayer on many occasions but I believe if that's the only passage of the Bible we pray for ourselves or other people we're missing out on a great resource.

Over the years I've found using specific Bible passages has enabled me to focus my prayer life on what God wants rather than my personal desires. Declaring the Bible's Holy Spirit inspired promises and inspirational assurances invariably means we can be confident we're praying in line with God's will.

There are numerous ways in which we can use Scripture in prayer.

Pray prayers recorded in the Bible, for example:

  • Paul's prayers at the beginning of many of the Epistles
  • The doxologies of 2 Corinthians 13:14 or Jude 1:24-25

Find yourself a life verse. I have two that I regularly pray over my life:

  • ‘Only let us live to what we have already attained' (Philippians 3:16).
  • ‘The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love' (Galatians 5:6b)

Focus on specific promises or relevant Scriptures on a particular subject, e.g.

  • ‘...the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one' (2Thessalonians 3:3)
  • ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you' (Isaiah 26:3)
  • ‘My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest' (Isaiah 32:18) - I love praying this blessing over people who have moved home

Have an ‘aide memoire' - using the 9 letters in scripture as an acrostic pray to develop personal qualities such as:

Self-discipline: ‘For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline' (2 Timothy 1:7)

Compassion: ‘As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him' (Psalm 103:13)   

Righteousness: ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God' (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Integrity: ‘May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you' (Psalm 25:21 NLT)  

Patience: ‘Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love' (Ephesians 4:2)

Thankfulness: ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful' (Colossians 3:15)

Unity: ‘Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace' (Ephesians 4:3). 

Revelation: ‘I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better' (Ephesians 1:17).

Endurance: pray for the ability to ‘run with perseverance the race marked out for us' (Hebrews 12:2).

We read in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all God's people  may be thoroughly equipped for every good work'. Praying Scripture not only helps us remember what God has said but we are able to retain His Word for use in sharing with other people.

Go on give it a try!


Stephen Derges is Pastor of Bridgnorth Baptist Church and Chairman of the annual Shropshire Prayer Breakfast.  He co-ordinates a prayer written by local church leaders each week in the local newspaper, and writes for various Christian and other publications. More details on www.bridgnorthbaptist.co.uk and www.prayer-community.co.uk (Shropshire Prayer Breakfast).


Source:  Prayer for Today