How to Pray using the Scriptures

Using Scriptures in praying is one of the most powerful and effective ways to pray because you speak God’s very words. His Word is His will, and when you pray and declare His will, it manifests. Praying by using the Scriptures must be Spirit-led because in all things we do we are called to be led by the Holy Spirit (see Romans 8:14). You don’t just pray the Scriptures because you feel like it, but because the Holy Spirit leads you to do this, and it makes the prayer effective because the Holy Spirit opens up the meaning of the Scripture, its context, revelations, and insights. 

For instance, Proverbs 3:5-6 says, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

You can pray that scripture in this manner:

Lord, even though I may not understand everything, I trust in You with all my heart. Your hand of guidance, protection, and blessing is directing my path. I don’t have to worry or doubt about anything because I know You are trustworthy and faithful in Jesus’ name. Amen.

There are many ways to pray using the Scriptures: 

1. When going through challenging situations in life, find a scripture for it and see what God has done.

It can be overwhelming when life throws you rocks instead of lemons. Situations like a sudden financial crisis, health problems that arise in a loved one, a dark secret from the past exposed into the open, and so many other situations can suddenly throw you off guard. So, find a scripture or a context in the Bible that pertains to what you may be going through. Find scriptures on healing, God’s provisions, assurance of your new identity in Christ, and so on.

2. When praising and magnifying the LORD, you can use the Scriptures as a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.

The Book of Psalm, for instance, has many scriptures that can be great for praying unto the LORD. As you pray and declare the Scriptures, you will overflow with more things to say to God to revere Him, honor Him, and worship Him.

3. When in doubt, fear, and worry, pray using the Scriptures.

God’s Word is the most effective and powerful weapon against the enemy’s schemes such as doubts, fears, and worries. The moment you read God’s Word, it brings you His peace, comfort, and security. And the moment you speak it out and declare the promises of God, hell trembles. 

4. When spiritual attacks are heightened, run to the Word of God.

Spiritual attacks such as sudden anxieties, confusion, division breaking out in the family, ministry, business, conflicts, and the like may sometimes cause you to panic and pray out of fear instead of faith. So, when you experience moments like these, hold your peace and run to the Word of God. Read about God’s promise of peace and presence and encouraging scriptures for courage and faith. Meditate upon them and declare God’s promise. His peace will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus no matter what the situation may be. 

5. When interceding for others, you may also use the Scriptures.

In the same way, you can also use the Scriptures to pray for others. For instance, if you know someone who is sick, you can find a scripture that speaks of God’s healing power, such as Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

As you partner with the Holy Spirit in praying the Scriptures, you will begin to see God moving powerfully in the areas you’ve been praying for.

How do I pray to God using the Scriptures?

Praying to God using the Scriptures is when you take the message of a particular Bible verse and make it into your own prayer. For instance, John 14:27 says, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. To make this a prayer to God, you can say:

Lord, thank You for the gift of peace. You secure my heart. Even though I may face troubles and challenges in this world, I don’t have to be afraid because you give me peace unlike anything else in this world. Thank You, Jesus, and I praise You! Amen.

In the same manner, when interceding for others, you can also pray the Scriptures like this (based on 1 Corinthians 13:4):

Heavenly Father, thank You that (NAME) is kind and compassionate. He is forgiving and merciful toward others just as You are merciful and forgiving to him. He is also patient and kind because he walks in Christlike love every day. Bless him in Jesus’ name. Amen.

You can combine scriptures as the Holy Spirit leads you. You don’t have to stick to a single verse every time because sometimes the Holy Spirit may put into your mind many Bible verses that you need to pray and declare about specific things. Just come as you are before God. Don’t be afraid, for He is a good, kind, loving, and compassionate Heavenly Father. 

Moreover, praying the Scriptures can also come in the form of a declaration. Declarations are short, direct, powerful prayers. For example, 2 Timothy 1:7 says, For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

You can declare the scripture by saying:

In Jesus’ name, God has not given me the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind! I am victorious in Christ, and I walk in His victory every day!

How should a beginner pray?

Sometimes, being new to the faith makes you want to think in a formulaic manner, which makes people think that God requires a lot of things when praying. However, Jesus meets us in our current state and then helps us walk through the process of sanctification, Christlikeness, and so on. God already took us when we were still in a mess. So, praying is just like talking to a person dear to your heart, and the Scriptures can be helpful if you don’t know what to say to God in prayer. 

You can look through the Book of Psalm and find scriptures about thanksgiving, praising, magnifying the LORD, and blessing His name. You can begin Your prayer with these words. Then you can add more as the Holy Spirit impresses more things on you that you may need to pray for, such as protection, wisdom, the fruit of the Spirit, and many others. 

It is important that as you begin your new journey with God, you invest your time in reading and meditating on the Word of God, making every effort to study it as well as learning from other godly leaders who are teachers of God’s Word. The Scriptures are the basic foundation of the Christian faith. It is our guideline and the ultimate authority that speaks of God’s wisdom, principles, and ways to the Kingdom, aligning every heart to the will of God. 

The more you know and understand the Word of God, the deeper your understanding and knowledge of Who He is. You won’t get easily deceived because the Holy Spirit can speak the truth using God’s Word. As a result, you can also pray biblical prayers that are effective and get answered because you are in alignment with the heart of the Father. 

If you want to know more about what you can pray for daily, you can check out this article that may be helpful for you: A Daily Prayer for Every Day and A Daily Prayer for Christians.

Here is a simple prayer for today:

Heavenly Father, I praise and glorify Your name. Thank You for Your faithfulness, grace, and fresh mercies every morning. The moment I awake, you fill my empty cup and bless me with favor and kindness. I pray that Your will be done today, and may heaven come on earth through Your presence in me in Jesus’ name. Amen.

May the LORD bless you and give you more revelations and insights to the Word of God as you seek His Word for prayer, guidance, and wisdom in Christ Jesus.