Prayers from the word

The Power of a Word

John 1:1 says, «In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.»  There’s definitely something majestic about God’s Word.  God’s living Word is Jesus, and God’s written word is the Bible.  Both have glorious power in the life of the believer.

God created the universe by speaking it into being.  Every created thing was made by a word from God.  God made humanity in His image, giving us the capacity not just for speech, but for the creative word.  Throughout the Bible, believers speak words of blessing over other people, places, and things.  In the Bible, curses are very real, generating evil by the power of the spoken word.  Tell a child she’s a blessing often enough, and watch how much of a blessing she becomes.  But tell a child he’s lazy and worthless and watch how lazy and worthless he becomes.  The spoken word has great power to create or destroy.  That is why our prayers should be carefully prayed—not the haphazard ramblings of our own desires.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 says, «Guard your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know that they are doing evil.  Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.  for a dream comes with much business, and a fool’s voice with many words.»

I’m convinced that we tend to talk too much when we pray.  Prayer is better when we let our words be few—when we simply sit in God’s presence and listen to what His Spirit has to say to us.  When we do use words, sometimes it’s best to stick to just one word.

One carefully chosen word can be all it takes to make a whole prayer.  For example, think of a time when you were in danger, and you only had a split second to pray.  You might have uttered a prayer like, «God!» or «Jesus!»  Prayers like this, meant with sincerity, aren’t taking the Lord’s name in vain.  They are an entire prayer, encapsulated in one word.  You may also have prayed prayers like «Help!» or «Patience!» or maybe just «Aaarrggh!»  Romans 8:26 says that in times like this, «the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray
for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words
cannot express.»  So a one-word prayer may be better at times than a lengthy prayer.

Below, I suggest some one-word prayers that are all in the original biblical languages.  Sometimes praying a one-word Logos prayer in another language can help you get past all the mental babble that you bring to your prayer time, and help you focus on just one word.  Perhaps there’s something in the words themselves in their original forms that made the biblical writers choose not to translate them.  All we know is that they are left in their original languages for us, and not translated, for some reason.  As you pray these one-word prayers, trust the Spirit to take that single sound you’re making, and translate it into a detailed prayer as it goes before God’s throne.


«Abba»
In Mark 14:36, Jesus calls God «Abba,» or «Father.»  This was unusual for Jews of His day, who thought of God more as «King of the Universe» than as «Daddy.»  This word «Abba» was the most tender name that children had for their fathers in Jesus’ mother tongue, Aramaic.  It evokes feelings of warmth and acceptance.  Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6 say that Christians have the right to call God by this most endearing name.  

When you pray the one-word prayer, «Abba,» you invoke the presence of the One who loves you the most.  As you repeat this word, feel the warm embrace of the Father, who forgives you and accepts you and will never let you go.






«Amen»

Amen is a word that transcends linguistic barriers.  Found in its various forms in ancient Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, it has also made its way into modern languages such as Arabic, Spanish, and English.  This word has been translated as «verily» or «truly,» and often indicates agreement in phrases such as «Amen to that!»

This word has been used for thousands of years as the concluding word of prayers.  It’s meaning, «Let it be,» or «So be it» is a prayer of resignation to God’s will.  «Amen» says, «I have just prayed my heart out to your, Lord, asking you for the things that I think are best.  But in the end, I recognize that it’s Your will that matters, and not mine.  So I rest myself in Your perfect wisdom and will.»

Jesus prayed something like this when He said, «Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42).»  He also taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, «Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).»

The next time you pray, try to think of amen not as the word that you tack onto the end of your prayer—as if it means, «Ok, I’m done.  I’m hanging up the phone now, Lord.»  Try to actually pray your amen with meaning.  Maybe you’d like to sit and repeat amen until it finally sinks in, reinforcing your attitude of submission to God’s will.  Or, you could let amen be the entire prayer.  In Revelation 5:14, the four living creatures kept saying, «Amen.»  It was their whole prayer.  What could be simpler—what could be better to repeat?

«Eloi»

Jesus used this name for God in Matthew 27:46.  Hanging from the cross, he cried out in Aramaic, «My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?»  This word simply means, «My God,» but the context in which we find it indicates a sense of separation from God—very different from Jesus’ tender relationship with his Abba.  

Praying this word is an indication that you feel lost and hopeless, guilty of sin and unable to feel God’s presence.  This is a one-word prayer of lament.  Sometimes, when you’re feeling abandoned and forsaken, one word is all you can muster.  Maybe that’s all you need.






«Ephphatha»

When Jesus used this Aramaic word in Mark 7:34, He was healing a man who was deaf and mute.  Jesus took the man aside by himself, away from the crowd.  He put his fingers in the man’s ears, spat on his fingers, put them in the man’s ears, spat, and touched the man’s tongue.  Looking up to heaven, he signed deeply and said, «Ephphatha!» (that is, «Be opened!»).  

This secret ceremony is lost on the modern reader.  It’s difficult to explain the symbolism of what appeared, by all accounts, to be a magical act worked by the Master.  Yet it was not magic that healed the man—it was a miracle of God.  The very word itself, «Ephphatha» sounds the rush of wind that might have entered the man’s ears as the first sound he ever heard.

When you pray, «Ephphatha,» you are asking God to open you up, just as He opened this deaf man’s ears and speech.  Maybe your love feels stopped up.  Or maybe your compassion has been sealed off.  Or forgiveness is bottled up inside you, but you just can’t release it.  Do you have something in your spirit that needs to be opened?  Why not try this one-word prayer of Jesus: «Ephphatha.»  Keep on praying it, and see what stuck thing begins to shake loose in your life.

«Hallelujah» or «Allelujah»

This word is found twenty-four times in the Hebrew Bible (primarily in the book of Psalms), and four times in the New Testament (all in the book of Revelation).  It is actually a compound word, combining hallel and Jah (or Yah).  

Often translated as «praise,» hallel literally means a wild, ecstatic, crazy kind of praise—the kind of whooping and hollering you may give to God while jumping around happily or dancing as David did before the Ark.  Hallel is sometimes used to describe someone who acts foolishly—and as our praise should indicate reckless abandon to God, it’s a good description of exuberant worship.  The form hallelu is the second-person imperative masculan plural form of hallel (which is more Hebrew grammar than most people care to know).


Jah or Yah is the shortened form of Yahweh, the Name of God.  Because the full name of God was often thought too sacred to be pronounced, it was often abbreviated.  The word hallelujah reflects this abbreviation.


So hallelujah means to make wild praise to Yahweh.  When you pray hallelujah as a single-word prayer, you express wild praise.  You also ask God to make you a channel of praise—to transform you into a reckless demonstration of His mad glory.  What a wonderful prayer to pray! 






«Hosanna!»

On the day of our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people lined the streets to welcome Him.  Waving palm branches and spreading their coats in the road so that His donkey might not set foot on the cobble, they shouted «Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest (Matthew 21:9)!” Later, after He had cleansed the Temple, «the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant, and they said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise (vv. 15-16)’?”

When you pray the Hebrew word «Hosanna,» you’re really saying, «Save, we pray!»  In the Christian context is a recognition of two things:  First, that Jesus is Lord; and second, that He can save.  The people of Jerusalem thought that Jesus, whom they proclaimed as King, would save them from Roman oppression.  But God’s salvation is much more than that.  When you pray «Hosanna,» you’re asking for salvation in two ways.  You’re asking for eternal salvation (or thanking God for the salvation that He has already given, if you’re a believer), and you’re also pleading for God to save you from whatever situation you have in mind.  So, you might hold your financial or medical struggle in your mind and simply pray, «Hosanna» over that situation.  Or, you could rejoice over the eternal salvation that you enjoy by reciting «Hosanna» before the Lord.  It is both a word of celebration and petition, depending on your situation.

«Koum»


In Mark 5:41, Jesus has entered the home of a young girl who has died.  Sending the doubters and mourners away, Jesus gathers the faithful, takes her by the hand, and says to her, «Talitha, Koum!»   These Aramaic words mean, «Little one, arise!»  Immediately, she opened her eyes and got up.  

A friend of mine has a father who was the headmaster of a Christian school in the West Bank.  The name of the school was «Talitha Koum.»  I can’t think of a better name for a Christian school than, «Little one, arise!»

When you pray this one-word prayer, you’re asking God to help you rise above the mundane or difficult things in life.  You’re asking God to take your hand even as Jesus took the child’s hand.  You’re praying that something that has been dead inside of you might be brought to new life.  Simply repeat this word over and over steadily stretching the word out for the duration of your exhalation.  Then draw in a deep breath between each word, and repeat.




«Lama»


Along with «Eloi,» this word is found in Matthew 27:46.  As Jesus hangs on the cross, He cries out, «My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?»  This word, «lama» simply means «Why?»  
I have met a lot of people who said, «You’re not supposed to question God.»  Well—Jesus did it.  Wracked with pain and grief, He wanted to know why.  Sometimes, in the most difficult of circumstances, our hearts cry out with just one word—«Why?»

Praying this one-word prayer is a recognition that you don’t have all the answers.  It is a request to Almighty God for some understanding.  It is not a challenge, like a child who stamps her foot, crosses her arms and demands to know why.  It is a sincere question with a hopeful heart.  Maybe you’re having a tough time understanding why God is doing something, and you’d like to know why.  Pray this one-word prayer—and maybe God will tell you.






«Maranatha!»

Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means «Our Lord, come!»   It is found in 1 Corinthians 16:22 and implied in Revelation 22:20.  It is a prayer for the return of Christ, but may be used to invite Jesus’ presence in any situation.  It may have been used as a greeting among early Christians.  As you pray Maranatha, you’re asking Jesus to come into your life, come into your home, come into your troubles.  Maranatha is a prayer of invitation and expectation.

«Selah»

I know someone who owns a beautiful piece of property on rolling wooded hills that slopes down to the James River.  From his house, he can watch the river roll by and listen to the birds sing.  It’s appropriate that he named his estate Selah, because this Hebrew word means «Pause and reflect.»  Many Bible scholars believe that this word is a musical notation, while others think it is a call to contemplate the meaning of the preceding words of scripture.  Seventy-one times in Psalms and three times in Habakkuk, the word is used to indicate a time of quiet, in the middle of activity.  Just as a musical score needs rests in order to give meaning to the notes, our lives need periods of rest, reflection, and contemplation.  When you pray Selah, you are asking God to give you these much-needed times of quiet.  You are resting in His silence, between the notes of life.  You are pausing to consider, to breathe, to meditate.  These Selah moments give meaning to the otherwise jumbled notes of life.  Without them, we’d go from movement to movement without taking the time to savor the song.




«Shalom»


Shalom is a Hebrew word that means «peace,» but it means so much more than that.  Shalom is also a greeting, but it means much more than «hello.»  Shalom is a deep well of a word.  More than a wish for the absence of war, Shalom is a blessing that imparts wholeness and inner well-being, godly rest and satisfaction.  Shalom is a gift that you can give to others. In Matthew 10:12-13 (NASB), Jesus says, «As you enter the house, give it your greeting.  If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of [shalom].  But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of [shalom].»  This word has substance.  It has power.  It is the delivery of divine peace to all who will receive it.  This is the word that Jesus spoke when he told the wind and the waves, «Peace, be still (Mark 4:39)!»  Just as he calmed the elements and the hearts of his disciples with this simple word, Shalom, Jesus wants you to be at peace, to be still, and know that He is God. 


When Gideon built an altar to God, he named it Yahweh Shalom, or «The Lord is Peace (Judges 6:24).»  Praying Shalom invites God’s peace into your life.  As it flows through you, it radiates to others  As you pray this word, imagine yourself receiving God’s wholeness.  Then picture that blessing pulsating from you with every breath, spreading to your family, friends, neighbors, and even your enemies.  There is power in this word peace.




«Yahweh»


When Moses asked the burning bush who he should say sent him to Pharaoh, God said, «I Am that I Am (Exodus 3:14).»  Many titles of God are found throughout the Bible, but this is the only actual name that we find, besides Jesus.  Yahweh means «I am the self-existent one,» or «I am existence itself.»


The word «I AM» here is a form of the name Yahweh, which in Hebrew is called the Tetragrammaton because of its four letters, YHWH.  This name, prounced as «Yahweh,» is also transliterated into the Latin as «Jehovah.»  Many Bibles avoid giving the name of God, because some believe that this name is too sacred to be pronounced.  So instead of tempting people to pronounce the unspeakable Name, they replaced the word YHWH with LORD.  When you find the word «Lord» with a capital «L» and lower-case «ord,» then it is often another word, Adonai.  However, when you see it in all caps, this is the sacred name of God, Yahweh, rendered in such a way as to keep that name secret.   But is this name a secret?


The name Yahweh occurs 6,807 times in the Bible, roughly three times more than the next-most-used title of God, Elohim.  God wants us to know who He is—and to call Him by name.  Why else would He tell us His name so often?  Praying the name Yahweh puts you in touch with the Self-existent one, the One who was, and is, and is to come (Revelation 1:8; 4:8).  I suggest repeating the name in time with your breath, pronouncing the first syllable, «Yah» as you inhale and the second syllable «Weh» as you exhale.  


In Exodus 34:5-6 (NASB), God declared His name to Moses:  «The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD.  Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slower to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.'»  Just as God revealed His name to Moses, He reveals it to us through His word.  So meditating on His name is ours by right, as believers.  It is no secret, but a sacred trust to be held and enjoyed.

From our archives, originally posted Good Friday 2007

Prayers based on the seven words on the Cross

Filed under: Meditations & Devotions, Lent 2007, Lent Prayers — Karen B.

Below, I posted a series of meditations from Project Canterbury based on Jesus’ Seven Words from the Cross.

Since the whole text is long, however, I thought it might be profitable to post the prayers or exhortations which conclude each of the seven meditations to aid in our Good Friday devotions.

First Word.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Blessed Jesus, as we behold Thee being nailed to the cross, and listen to Thy words, we pray Thee that we may evermore be unselfish, mindful of others in all our trials and afflictions, be they never so severe; ever ready to forgive and to seek forgiveness; and ever guided and governed by the Holy Spirit in striving to speak and to do only that which is right, and the influence of which may be for the good of others.

***

Second Word.

“Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.”

Merciful and adorable Jesus, Thou who when dying didst promise Paradise to the dying, penitent thief, kneeling at the foot of Thy cross this day, we ask Thee to look upon us just as we are; there is no sin that we would keep back from Thee, for we desire that all may this day be forgiven, and we desire that we may be willing here after to suffer and to have our faith tried even as Thou wilt; if so be we may at the last be with Thee in Paradise, it matters not through what we pass in going thither.

***

Third Word.
“Woman, behold thy Son. Behold thy Mother.”

O blessed Jesus, our Lord and our God, help us so to hear Thy words and the words of Thy Father, that we may be enabled to fulfill all the duties which Thou wouldst have us fulfill towards all those whom Thou hast given to us. Let us not love father or mother, husband or wife, brother or sister, child or friend more than Thee; but ever mindful of Thy word and example, let not even our love for Thee, nor any thing, make us forgetful of the love and duty which we owe to others.

***

Fourth Word.
“My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”

Let us then, brethren, while careful to check and control and put away, so far as possible, desponding thoughts, and watchful over our imaginations, not suffering them to fancy difficulties, obstacles, troubles, and failures, if like many saints before us and even like our Divine Master Himself, we have sometimes to pass through a cloud in the journey of life, not be afraid. If we sometimes have to feel that we are left, deserted, let us look up to Him and listen to His word which He has uttered for our consolation, our hope, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

***

Fifth Word.
“I Thirst.”

But the same lips that said “I thirst,” said also, “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.” And into those lips no doubt is it that David put the words: Like as the hart desireth the water-brooks, so longeth my soul after Thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God; so that as there was a longing for something to slake the natural thirst, so there was a thirst which was a longing for the souls of men, a hunger and thirst for righteousness and for the accomplishment of the perfect will of God. And, brethren, know we anything of this sort? Is there with us any desire for the higher life, for holiness, for attaining to the righteousness which God would have us reach; any desire for extending Christ’s kingdom for winning souls to Him; any desire to do all that in us lies for the missions and in the missionary work of the Church, answerable to the craving of the bodily appetite of thirst? O Blessed Jesus, that it might ever more be so! that we might be athirst for Thee, athirst for likeness to Thee, athirst for the saving of souls for which Thou didst hang this day upon the shameful tree.

***

Sixth Word.
“It is Finished.”

Let us then, dear brethren, now lift up our hearts to the Blessed Master and say: Hereafter may we strive, even in the very pettiest details of our daily life, and especially in all that we are to do in working out our own salvation, in the least as well as in the greatest of our secular duties, and in the least as well as in the greatest of our religious duties, to be more and more mindful, and more and more influenced by this Thy word upon the cross, “It is finished.”

***

Seventh Word.
“Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”

And as we look up to Him with adoring love and gratitude, and with the echo of these last words still sounding in our ears, what is the use that we shall make of them? What is the resolution that we shall form from them for the future, whereby to testify our love and gratitude for all that was accomplished for us as on this day, whereby to manifest our desire to be like in all things unto Christ our Master and example? Shall we resolve in all things hereafter to strive to be more resigned to the will of our Heavenly Father–to give up ourselves utterly and forever, body, soul, and spirit into His hands–to be content and to desire that He should rule and direct all that concerns us, from the least thing to the greatest–to see His hand in all things–living and dying to have no wishes and no will but His? Shall we resolve that our last words at night, as our eyes close in sleep, shall be none other than Thine, Blessed Jesus–Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit? That ever as we draw near to the altar to commemorate Thy most precious death, we will repeat them, as Thy saints of old have been wont to do? And that, with our expiring breath, when we too shall be dying, we will strive to make them our last utterance! All this may we indeed do. But may we not fail our life long to do that which we doubt not will be most honorable, most acceptable unto thee–even that which Thou by the mouth of thine apostle Peter hast bidden us, viz.: daily in well-doing to commit the keeping of our souls to God as unto a faithful creator. Be this our resolution, at Thy cross this day, daily hereafter, in well-doing, in daily striving to follow the blessed steps of Thy most holy life, to commit the keeping of our souls to God as unto a faithful creator.

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Prayer

What is Prayer?

Prayer isn’t a ritual that depends on closing our eyes and putting on holy faces. We don’t have to kneel or sit. We can pray while walking, driving, or working. God responds to a two word cry for help in the middle of a busy afternoon, just like He does to a focused prayer time after reading Scripture in the morning. Praying doesn’t have to be complicated. God delights in any simple words we offer Him.

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How do you pray? Prayers that are rooted in Scripture are guaranteed to be aligned with the heart of God. Here is a list of 15 powerful prayers from the Bible that you can use word-for-word or to spur on your own prayers:

Romans 5:1-11

Father God, we thank you that your amazing unfathomable love has been poured out for us at the cross and poured into us by the Holy Spirit. We want to taste and experience more of the depth and breadth and length and height of your amazing love. Help us to walk by faith. Help us to endure in suffering. Help us to own our need of you. Help us to fully embrace your Son, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. So, pour out your love into our hearts, in increasing measure by the power of your Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is in his name that we pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Father God, we praise you for the wonderful future that you have prepared for us through the death and resurrection of you Son, Jesus Christ. We eagerly await the day when we will enter into your presence for all eternity with holy bodies untainted by sin. Please help us to not lose heart when we face the many pressures, anxieties, and troubles of life in this fallen world. Let us take great courage in the knowledge that you’ve given us the Holy Spirit to prepare our souls for our kingdom dwelling with you. Thank you for letting Jesus live in us. It is in his name that we pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

Father God, we praise you for using us to bring joy to your Son, Jesus Christ. In the midst of all the struggles, pressures, and discouragement we face while in our frail, failing bodies, please continue transforming us into servants who are always of good courage. Lead us by your Holy Spirit to find rest in the grand promises that you’ve revealed to us in your Word. We confess that we are weak and that we need your help. Prepare us for the day when you will judge an account of all our works and offenses. Though we do not deserve your grace, we cannot even begin to express our gratitude for nailing our guilt and shame upon the cross through your crucified Son. Lord, we earnestly long to experience the moment when you will declare to us, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master.” Help us this week as we continue our walk of faith looking forward to the day when our faith will become sight. It is in the name of Jesus that we pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:11-13

We praise you God for your infinite wisdom. We know so little, and yet we are so grateful to serve the one who knows all things. We confess that our hearts have been shattered by our sinful desires, and that we have tried to hide our shame from you. Please forgive us for the ways we’ve slandered other people in our lives. Our hearts are broken and we cannot save ourselves. We thank you for knowing our own hearts better than we do. We thank you for saving us through your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you for bringing our dead hearts to life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Please guard our hearts from a critical spirit, and help us to not lose heart when we feel pressures leading us into doubt. Renew our minds and give us confidence with the truth found in the words of the Bible. It is in the name of Jesus Christ that I pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Father God, we praise you for the confidence you give our hearts through the love of your Son. We look forward to the day when we will not pass from this world into condemnation, but instead will enter into your presence of everlasting celebration. Father, we confess that we are tired of living for ourselves. We thank you for sending Jesus to die in our place to deliver us from the misery of a self-centered life. No matter what struggles, temptations, or tragedies we face this week, please help us not to lose heart. Through the Holy Spirit, guard us from ever doubting your great love for us. Help us to remember the good news that you have made us your own and that you have forgiven our sins. Lead us to live our lives for Christ’s sake at our workplaces, with our friends and families, and wherever else we may go this week. We pray all this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:16-17

Father God, we praise you for making us new creations in Christ! We are grateful for the good news that you do not regard us by our flesh. We are thankful that unlike us, you know and judge us rightly by our hearts. We are sorry for the ways that we have let our shallow, worldly judgments of others become barriers to our proclamation of your gospel. Thank you for overcoming our weakness and partiality to bring life to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. Please help us to see people more like you do so that we would grow in our boldness to share the gospel with others. We pray all this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

Father God we thank you for reconciling us through Jesus Christ, and we praise you for choosing to make redeemed sinners like us your gospel ambassadors to this broken world. Please continue to equip us and use us in your redemptive mission as you graciously bring peace to sinners. Sanctify us for your glory as we confess, repent of, and remember the trespasses that we’ve committed against you. Keep us all humble as we seek reconciliation with other people we’ve wronged. Protect us with the Holy Spirit from our spirit of pride whenever we serve our families, our church, our coworkers, or strangers in need. Though we don’t deserve your forgiveness, we praise you for the unfathomable love and grace that you demonstrate at the cross. Please nourish our hearts daily this week with the words of the Bible and give us courage to proclaim your gospel boldly to all. We pray all this in the name of Jesus and for his sake. Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Father God we praise you for your perfect righteousness. There is no fairer nor more merciful a judge than you, and we confess that we do not deserve your forgiveness for the sins we’ve committed. Though we have wronged you, betrayed you, and hated you in so many ways, we thank you for the unbelievable gift of freedom from the power of sin in our lives. Help us to always remember the cost of our freedom and to never forget how Jesus has dealt with our sins at the cross. Help us to also grow in our awareness of the sins that taint our lives so that we would learn to hate our sins like you do. Shine the light of your Holy Spirit into the dark places of our hearts so that we might better know and repent of our sins for your glory. Thank you so much for reconciling us through the gospel to make us your righteous servants. Use us to proclaim your good news boldly to others this week. We pray all this in the name of Jesus and for his sake, Amen.

Luke 2:8-20

Father God, we bow before you, and recognize our great need of a Savior. Today we want to lift our hearts and give thanks for Your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. We lift our hearts in praise to our Savior, and as your loved children and your redeemed servants, we lay our lives before you in worship. Forgive us our sins, guide us by your Spirit into repentance, and make us bold proclaimers of your Word. We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Luke 2:22-35

Father God we praise you for the ultimate gift of love in your Son. What a marvelous light of hope you have given to our dark world. We thank you for fulfilling your law perfectly in Jesus Christ when not one of us could. We confess that we cannot save ourselves, and we are grateful for the good news of salvation in Christ alone. Please embolden us with the Holy Spirit like Elizabeth, Simeon, and the shepherds to bear witness to Jesus. It is in his name and for his sake that we pray, Amen.

Genesis 37:1-11

God we thank you for the love and favor you extend to us who believe in Jesus Christ. We confess that we do not deserve your overwhelming grace towards sinners like us. We praise you though for choosing to make us new creations through our union in Christ’s death and resurrection. Please turn us from evil thoughts and worldly distractions diverting our attention from you. Allow the Holy Spirit to open up our eyes to clearly see your revelation in the Bible every day. Help us to learn from the examples of men and women that you have given us in your Word so that we might live more holy lives for your glory. Use your Church here and around the globe to shine brightly for our dark world. We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ and for his sake, Amen.

Genesis 37:12-36

God we praise you for your compassionate heart. Give us the relentlessness of the good shepherd who goes after wandering sheep and never gives up. Protect us by your Holy Spirit from being easily discouraged and grant us the spiritual strength to endure the hardships we face. Please deliver us from a sour compulsive nature to envy others and resist your will. Save us from a life of pretense and guard us from using religion as a mask to cover up our resistance to the claims of Jesus Christ on our lives. Father God, please help us during the seasons of grief and loss that we may endure to know that your Son lives, and that in him sorrow can never have the final word. We pray all this in the name of Jesus and for his sake, Amen.

Genesis 39:1-6

Father God we are grateful for all that you’ve lavishly blessed us with through our union with Jesus Christ. We praise you for sealing us as your adopted children and making us rich inheritors of your everlasting kingdom. We thank you for comforting us in our moments of weakness and tribulation with the assured knowledge that like Christ you will raise us to life after death. We glorify you for the success that you have given to the Church as the Holy Spirit leads us to proclaim the good news to every tribe, every tongue, and every nation. Lord, we confess that we have often wasted and squandered your blessings. Please forgive us and help us to invest every blessing we have for your kingdom so that you might use us as blessings to others. If it be your will, we ask that you help us to win the favor of our family, friends, and co-workers by unashamedly living out our lives for the gospel and the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray all this in his name and for his sake, Amen.

Genesis 39:6-12

Father God we praise you for your absolute goodness, perfection, and holiness. We thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, who was tempted in every way as we are and yet did not sin. We confess that in our weakness, we have shamefully enjoyed sins of the mind and body that we ought to have resisted. Please forgive us for our unholy failures. Teach us to truly mourn our offenses against you and lead us by the Holy Spirit into faithful repentance. We are grateful for the overwhelming grace that we continue to experience each day because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thank you for giving us the power of the Holy Spirit to face future temptations. Continue to sanctify us in our frail bodies as we eagerly await the return of your glorified Son. In a world full of darkness, make us your holy lights and gospel witnesses this week. It is the name of Jesus Christ and for his sake that we pray, Amen.

Genesis 39:13-23

Lord, we praise you for your righteousness and perfect judgments, for you are an incorruptible judge far greater than any corruptible government or sinful man. You are infinitely wise, truly knowing the thoughts, intentions, and hearts of every being that you have ever made. We thank you promising to one day vindicate every lie, every betrayal, and every injustice that your Church endures. Please deliver us from a bitter spirit that so easily becomes resentment and hate when we feel wronged by others. Help us to see your divine purpose and trust in your goodness even in our own suffering and loss.  Forgive us for the times when we suppress the truth of your promises and turn to go our own way. By your Holy Spirit, lead us into repentance, guard us from temptation, and sanctify us for your kingdom work among our family, friends, and co-workers this week. Teach us more of the love of Christ that goes on loving even when it is slighted. It is the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus that we pray, Amen.

Genesis 41:1-43

Father God, we praise you for the Holy Spirit who grants us wisdom, fills us with life, guards our hearts, and illuminates our mind to comprehend the good news of Jesus Christ. Let us settle for nothing less than the pure unadulterated truth that you have revealed to us in your Holy Word. For we confess that apart from you we can do nothing. So please forgive us for the ways in which we have disobeyed your Word to put our own selfish desires before the needs of others. By the Holy Spirit we ask that you lead us into repentance and a life that glorifies you. Help us to resist the allure of this world’s deceitful philosophies promising hollow pleasures that ultimately lead to death and destruction. Put a deep desire in our hearts to know the wisdom of the Bible and use it to transform and renew our mind. Use each one of us to exemplify your holiness and love to this world as we aspire to follow Jesus and put his commands into action. Make us your gospel lights this week to those wandering in darkness among our families, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Embolden us as well as our brothers and sisters across the world to unashamedly proclaim our faith in Jesus Christ. Use our testimonies for your glory to help save souls. All this we pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Isaiah 53:6

God we praise you for your unfathomable grace. Though we deserved punishment for our sins, you were lavishly merciful to the world. In love and justice you gathered our iniquities, and you laid them upon your Son so that we might be forgiven. Enable us now by your Holy Spirit to turn from our own way in order to follow the way of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Guard us from conceited, self-righteous acts and from apathetic obedience to your commands. For those of us struggling with a spirit of rebellion, resistance, resentment, or doubt, we pray that you would grant them a spirit of peace. Thank you God for sharing with us your overwhelming victory over death. In the name of Jesus Christ and for his sake we pray, Amen.

Pray the Bible: A Free Course on Prayer

Go deeper on the topic of prayer by taking the free course Pray the Bible on Open the Bible for Leaders. 

Course description: We all face obstacles in prayer. Some are theological; we forget why prayer matters or don’t feel heard by God. Other obstacles are practical; we don’t know what to say or we simply can’t focus for prayer. Author Kevin Halloran believes that if we pray the Bible, we can bypass many of our struggles and go straight to fruitful prayer and deeper communion with God.

The course Pray the Bible will introduce you to the benefits of praying the Bible as well as several tools for doing so.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. Thrice, each with the sign of the cross and a bow.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for thy name’s sake.

Lord have mercy. Thrice.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

And the celebrant says the exclamation. If there is no priest a layman sayeth:

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and save us, amen.

Troparia – 6 ^th Tone

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us; for at a loss for any defense, this prayer do we sinners offer Thee as Master; have mercy on us.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Lord have mercy on us, for we have hoped in Thee, be not angry with us greatly, neither remember our iniquities; but look upon us now as Thou art compassionate, and deliver us from our enemies, for Thou art our God, and we, Thy people; all are the works of Thy hands, and we call upon Thy name.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The door of compassion open unto us 0 blessed Theotokos, for hoping in thee, let us not perish; through thee may we be delivered from adversities, for thou art the salvation of the Christian race.

Lord have mercy. Twelve times.

Prayer I, of St. Macarius the Great

O Eternal God and King of all creation, Who hast vouchsafed me to arrive at this hour, forgive me the sins that I have committed this day in deed, word, and thought; and cleanse, O Lord, my lowly soul of all impurity of flesh and spirit, and grant me, O Lord, to pass the sleep of this night in peace; that, rising from my lowly bed, I may praise Thy most holy name all the days of my life, and thwart the enemies, fleshly and bodiless, that war against me. And deliver me, O Lord, from vain thoughts and evil desires which defile me. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Amen.

Prayer II, of St. Antiochus

O Ruler of all, Word of the Father, O Jesus Christ, Thou Who are perfect: for the sake of the plenitude of Thy mercy, never depart from me, but always remain in me, Thy servant. O Jesus, Good Shepherd of Thy sheep, deliver me not over to the sedition of the serpent, and leave me not to the will of Satan, for the seed of corruption is in me. But do Thou, O Lord, Worshipful God, holy King, Jesus Christ, as I sleep, guard me by the Unwaning Light, Thy Holy Spirit, by Whom Thou didst sanctify Thy disciples. O Lord, grant me, Thine unworthy servant, Thy salvation upon my bed. Enlighten my mind with the light of understanding of Thy Holy Gospel; my soul with the love of Thy Cross; my heart with the purity of Thy word; my body, with Thy passionless Passion. Keep my thought in Thy humility, and raise me up at the proper time for Thy glorification. For most glorified art Thou, together with Thine unoriginate Father, and the Most Holy Spirit, unto the ages.

Amen.

Prayer III, to the Holy Spirit

O Lord, Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, show compassion and have mercy on me Thy sinful servant, and loose me from mine unworthiness, and forgive all wherein I have sinned against Thee today as a man, and not only as a man, but even worse than a beast, my sins voluntary and involuntary, known and unknown, whether from youth, and from evil suggestion, or whether from brazenness and despondency. If I have sworn by Thy name, or blasphemed it in my thought; or grieved anyone, or have become angry about anything; or have lied, or slept needlessly, or if a beggar hath come to me and I disdained him; or if I have grieved my brother, or have quarreled, or have condemned anyone; or if I have been boastful, or prideful, or angry; if, as I stood at prayer, my mind hath been distracted by the wiles of this world, or by thoughts of depravity; or if I have over eaten, or have drunk excessively, or laughed frivolously; if I have thought evil, seen the beauty of any other and been wounded thereby in my heart; if I have said improper things, or derided my brother’s sin when mine own sins are countless; if I have been neglectful of prayer, or have done some other wrong that I do not remember, for all of this and more than this have I done: have mercy, O Master my Creator, me Thy downcast and unworthy servant, and loose me, and remit, and forgive me, for Thou art good and the Lover of mankind, so that, lustful, sinful, and wretched as I am, I may lie down and sleep and rest in peace. And I shall worship, and hymn, and glorify Thy most honorable name, together with the Father and His Only-begotten Son, now and ever, and unto the ages.

Amen.

Prayer IV, of St. Macarius the Great

What shall I offer Thee, or what shall I give Thee, O greatly-gifted, immortal King, O compassionate Lord Who lovest mankind, for though I have been slothful in pleasing Thee, and have done nothing good, Thou has led me to the close of this day that is past, and established the conversion and salvation of my soul. Be merciful to me a sinner, bereft of every good deed, raise up my fallen soul which hath become defiled by countless sins, and take away from me every evil thought of this visible life. Forgive my sins, O Only Sinless One, in which I have sinned against Thee this day, known or unknown, in word, and deed, and thought, and in all my senses. Do Thou Thyself protect and guard me from every opposing circumstance, by Thy Divine Authority and power and inexpressible love for mankind. Blot out, O God, Blot out the multitude of my sins. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me from the net of the evil one, and save my passionate soul, and overshadow me with the light of Thy countenance when thou shalt come in glory; and cause me, uncondemned now, to sleep a dreamless sleep, and keep Thy servant untroubled by thoughts, and drive away from me all satanic deeds; and enlighten for me the eyes of my heart with understanding, lest I sleep unto death. And send me an angel of peace, a guardian and guide of my soul and body, that he may deliver me from mine enemies; that, rising from my bed, I may offer Thee prayers of thanksgiving. Yea, O Lord, hearken unto me, Thy sinful and wretched servant, in confession and conscience; grant me, when I arise, to be instructed by Thy sayings; and through Thine angels cause demonic despondency to be driven far from me: that I may bless Thy holy name, and glorify and extol the most pure Theotokos Mary, whom Thou hast given to us sinners as a protectress, and accept her who prayeth for us. For I know that she exemplifieth Thy love for mankind and prayeth for us without ceasing. Through her protection, and the sign of the precious cross, and for the sake of all Thy saints, preserve my wretched soul, O Jesus Christ our God: for holy art Thou, and most glorious forever.

Amen.

Prayer V

O Lord our God, as Thou art good and the Lover of mankind, forgive me wherein I have sinned today in word, deed, and thought. Grant me peaceful and undisturbed sleep; send thy guardian angel to protect me from all evil. For Thou art the Guardian of our souls and bodies, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Amen.

Prayer VI

O Lord our God, in Whom we believe, and Whose Name we invoke above every name, grant us, as we go to sleep, relaxation of soul and body, and keep us from all dreams, and dark pleasures; stop the onslaught of the passions and quench the burnings that arise in the flesh. Grant us to live chastely in deed and word, that we may obtain a virtuous life, and not fall away from thy promised blessings; for blessed art Thou forever.

Amen.

Prayer VII, of St. John Chrysostom

May be done in an Antiphonal manner

1. O Lord, deprive me not of Thy heavenly good things.

2. O Lord, deliver me from the eternal torments.

3. O Lord, if I have sinned in mind or deed, forgive me.

4. O Lord, deliver me from all ignorance, forgetfulness, faintheartedness, and stony insensibility.

5. O Lord, deliver me from every temptation.

6. O Lord, enlighten my heart which evil desire hath darkened.

7. O Lord, as a man I have sinned, but do Thou, as the compassionate God, have mercy on me, seeing the infirmity of my soul.

8. O Lord, send Thy grace to my help, that I may glorify Thy holy name.

9. O Lord Jesus Christ, write me Thy servant in the Book of Life, and grant me a good end.

10. O Lord my God, even though I have done nothing good in Thy sight, yet grant me by Thy grace a good beginning.

11. O Lord, sprinkle into my heart the dew of Thy grace.

12. O Lord of heaven earth, remember me Thy sinful servant, shameful and unclean, in Thy Kingdom, Amen.

13. O Lord, accept me in penitence.

14. O Lord, forsake me not.

15. O Lord, lead me not into temptation.

16. O Lord, grant me good thoughts.

17. O Lord, grant me tears, and remembrance of death, and compunction.

18. O Lord, grant me the thought of confessing my sins.

19. O Lord, grant me humility, chastity, and obedience.

20. O Lord, grant me patience, courage, and meekness.

21. O Lord, implant in me the root of good, Thy fear in my heart.

22. O Lord, vouchsafe me to love Thee with all my soul and thoughts, and in all things to do Thy will.

23. O Lord, protect me from evil men, and demons, and passions, and from every other unseemly thing.

24. O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou doest as Thou wilt: Thy will be done also in me a sinner; for blessed art Thou unto the ages.

Amen.

Prayer VIII, to our Lord Jesus Christ

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of Thy most honorable Mother, and Thy bodiless angels, Thy Prophet and Forerunner and Baptist, the God-Inspired apostles, the radiant and victorious martyrs, the holy and God-bearing fathers, and through the intercessions of all the saints, deliver me from the besetting presence of the demons. Yea, my Lord and Creator, Who desirest not the death of a sinner, but rather that he be converted and live, grant conversion also to me, wretched and unworthy; rescue me from the mouth of the pernicious serpent who is yawning to devour me and take me down to hades alive. Yea, my Lord, my Comfort, Who for my miserable sake wast clothed in corruptible flesh, draw me out of misery, and grant comfort to my miserable soul. Implant in my heart to fulfill Thy commandments, and to forsake evil deeds, and to obtain Thy blessings; for in Thee, O Lord, have I hoped, save me.

Prayer IX, to the Most Holy Theotokos

O good Mother of the Good King, most pure and blessed Theotokos Mary, do thou pour out the mercy of thy Son and our God upon my passionate soul, and by Thine intercessions guide me unto good works, that I may pass the remaining time of my life without blemish, and attain paradise through thee, O Virgin Theotokos, who alone art pure and blessed.

Prayer X, to the Holy Guardian Angel

O Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all wherein I have sinned this day, and deliver me from all opposing evil of mine enemy lest I anger my God by any sin. Pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that thou mayest show me forth worthy of the kindness and mercy of the All-holy Trinity, and of the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ, and of all the saints.

Amen.

Kontakion to the Theotokos

To thee the Champion Leader, we thy servants dedicate a feast of victory and thanksgiving, as ones rescued out of sufferings, O Theotokos; but as thou art one with might which is invincible, from all dangers that can be, do thou deliver us, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, thou Bride unwedded!

Most glorious Ever-Virgin, Mother of Christ God, present our prayer to thy Son and our God, that through thee our souls may be saved.

All my hope I place in thee, O Mother of God: keep me under thy protection.

O Virgin Theotokos, disdain not me a sinner, needing thy help and thy protection, and have mercy on me, for my soul hath hoped in thee.

My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son, my protection is the Holy Spirit: O Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.

It is truly meet to bless thee, the Theotokos, ever-blessed and most blameless and Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the very Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord have mercy. Thrice.

O Lord, bless.

Daily Confession of Sins

I confess to Thee, my Lord, God and Creator, to the One glorified and worshipped in Holy Trinity, to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all my sins which I have committed all the days of my life, at every hour, in the present and in the past, day and night, in thought, word and deed; by gluttony, drunkenness, secret eating, idle talking, despondency, indolence, contradiction, neglect, aggressiveness, self love, hoarding, stealing, lying, dishonesty, curiosity, jealousy, envy, anger, resentment, and remembering wrongs, hatred, mercenariness; and by all my senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch; and all other sins, spiritual and bodily, through which I have angered Thee, my God and Creator, and caused injustice to my neighbours. Sorrowing for this, but determined to repent, I stand guilty before Thee, my God. Only help me, my Lord and God, I humbly pray Thee with tears. Forgive my past sins by Thy mercy, and absolve me from all I have confessed in Thy presence, for Thou art good and the Lover of men. Amen.

The dismissal:

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, for the sake of the intercessions of Thy most pure Mother, the God-bearing fathers and all the saints, have mercy on us.

But a layman sayeth:

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and save us.

Amen.

We all experience times when we feel weak — whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. The unexpected happens, and we feel at a loss for what to do. In these times of need, pausing to pray can provide powerful relief. God is waiting for us to call out to Him and ask Him for strength.

«Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.» Isaiah 41:10

God tells us to come to him when we are burdened and will provide rest. When we come to God with humility and honest faith to request physical and spiritual strength, we can begin to experience the power of prayer. Here we have gathered some of the best prayers for strength for you to use as inspiration. You are welcome to personalize these prayers for your own situation and requests for strength. Trust in God, and you will be strengthened! 

«But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.» Isaiah 40:31

Here are 20 prayers for strength from God to pray from your heart, asking Him to uplift you.

A Prayer in the Storm

When the storms rage around me, I can always run to You and rest, Lord. In turbulent times, in trials and temptations, in weakness or in fear, You are my strength, and Your hiding place is secure. Bless You, Lord, for being my refuge. — by Rebecca Barlow Jordan

More Strength, Less Stress

Heavenly Father, You are my Strong Tower, Deliverer, and Shelter. I’m running to You now. Please renew my strength. Please lead me with Your Holy Spirit and guide my day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — by Gwen Smith, Girlfriends in God

Prayer for Strength in Adversity

Lord, I pray not for tranquility, nor that my tribulations may cease; I pray for your spirit and your love, that you grant me strength and grace to overcome adversity; through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Source of this version: Modified from https://www.hymnary.org/hymn/UMH/531

For Guidance and Strength

Dear Lord, I am calling upon you today for your divine guidance and help. I am in crisis and need a supporting hand to keep me on the right and just path. My heart is troubled but I will strive to keep it set on you, as your infinite wisdom will show me the right way to a just and right resolution. Thank you for hearing my prayer and for staying by my side. Amen.

When I’m Overwhelmed

Lord, You have shown me that falling is not always failing. You pick me up and rescue me when I am overwhelmed. You are Jehovah-sabaoth, the Lord of hosts, a tower of strength for me. I have no other place to run to, no other shelter in which to hide. I depend on You, Lord. — by Rebecca Barlow Jordan

A Prayer for God’s Power

Oh, God, help us to live with faith. May it not be said of us that our faith is too small, or to help us to look to You, to see in You, Your infinite power. Your infinite glory, greatness, grander, majesty, and unlimited ability. Keep us, oh God, from trusting in our power. Help us to trust in Your power. Help us to pray accordingly as we pray, even right now. God, help us realize we’re talking to You, the king of the universe that has all authority and all power, sovereignly ruling and reigning over all things. Help us not to underestimate You in our praying. As we pray for others and serve others, help us to do that cognizant of Your power.

«We don’t want to lead our lives to minister to others in our own power, strength, or ability. Forgive us, oh God, for our tendency to do that. Lord, help us to trust in You. Help us to seek You. Help us to believe You. God, give us greater faith, we pray. Lord, help us live with trust in Your power to do what would be impossible otherwise. We think about things that we’re praying for, I’m guessing and supposing, in each of our lives right now. That we know if You don’t come through, if You don’t do it, it won’t happen. We trust, oh God, that You have the power to do it. You have the power to answer these prayers, so we pray that You do it in a way that displays Your glory. Give us faith like that. «We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (from Pray the Word, Back to the Bible)

For the Weary

Lord, I need You. Please help me sift through the things in my heart, my mind, and even the things on my calendar. Thank you for being the source of all the strength I ever need. Lead me with Your Spirit today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — by Gwen Smith, Girlfriends in God

For Strength and Wisdom

Thank you, Lord, for being there for me and allowing me to cry out to you in my times of need. It is amazing to me that the Lord of the Universe would take time to listen to me and to care about what I say. God, things are happening around me right now that I do not understand. Some of these things make me feel weak, helpless, and afraid. Even in this, I know that you are the Lord. I know the situation is in Your hands, and I trust You. I beseech you for strength and wisdom that I would be able to endure this situation and handle it in a way that would bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In My Weakness, You Are Strong

Lord Jesus, You are my strength and my defense. I humble myself before You, and I declare in my weakness, You are strong. There is no other like You. Thank You for clothing me in Your power and righteousness. I am enough because of You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — Arlene Pellicane, Encouragement for Today

Prayer for Strength against Sin

O God, in beautiful ways, you created and redeemed mankind. Give us steadfast minds to resist the allurements of sin so that we may attain the joys of eternal life. Hear us, O Lord. Amen.

Source: Gregorian Sacramentary

Pray and Listen to A Prayer for Strength below:

Prayer For Divine Strength

O mightiest King, co-eternal with the Father, by your might you vanquished hell and trodden death under foot, you have bound the strong man, by your miraculous power and the radiance of your unspeakable Godhead you arose as the second Adam from the tomb. Send forth your invisible right hand, which is full of blessing, and bless us all. Pity us, O Lord, and strengthen us with your divine power. Take away the sinful and wicked influence of carnal desire. Let the light shine into our souls and dispel the surrounding darkness of sin. Unite us to the all-blessed assembly that is pleasing to you; for through you and with you, all praise, honor, power, adoration, and thanksgiving are due to the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

Source: Liturgy of St. Mark, third century.

The Yoke of Christ

Jesus we come to You. We find rest in You. We need You. We need the pardon You give for our sin, we need the forgiveness You provide for our sin and we need You to help us walk with God. To obey God, to experience the delight of obedience to His commands. God, we need Your help through Christ to live this Christian life. We cannot do it on our own today. We couldn’t do it yesterday, we can’t do it tomorrow, we can’t do it today. Please help us, we pray. Help us in such a way that we find rest for our souls as we abide in Jesus, as we walk in the yoke with Jesus, as we learn what it means to follow Jesus we pray that our souls will grow into greater and greater rest with You. Enjoyment of You, delight in You because of the work of Christ in us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. (from Forward, Back to the Bible)

The Strength to Survive

God, I thank You for providing everything we need to face difficulty with grace. I thank You for being present with me in pain. Please strengthen all the brothers and sisters who are persecuted for Your sake today. Help them to know they’re not forgotten in their suffering. Provide them with everything they need to stand strong. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — Rebekah from Sri Lanka, Encouragement for Today

Hope in the One Who Doesn’t Grow Weary

Dear heavenly Father, I praise You for who You are, the Eternal God. Forgive me for the times I’ve placed my hope in anything other than You. There is no substitute. I pray You realign my heart to Yours, and grant me strength for this day in You and You alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. — by Corrie Gerbatz, Encouragement for Today

Strength In Spiritual Warfare

Heavenly Father, each day is a struggle against sin and temptation. Give us the strength to overcome cruelty with grace, and hatred with love. God, remind us that our actions matter. We do not fight a physical battle but a spiritual one, and with each act of compassion we build your kingdom. Help us to be kingdom-builders today. Amen. — by Pastor Jack Graham

Prayer for God’s Strength

Dear God, We thank you for the Power of your Word and your Presence over our lives. We thank you that no weapon formed against us will prosper, for greater are You who is in us, than he who is in the world. We pray that you will cast down every threat and accusation, every abusive word and cruel attack hurled our way. We praise you that nothing is impossible with you, that You are loving and gracious, full of mercy and might. We trust in you alone, to rise up strong on our behalf. Thank you that you are our Defender and Strong Tower, our Refuge and our Strength. Thank you that you fight for us today, and in our weakness, you make us strong. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. -by Debbie McDaniel

For Unfailing Strength

Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow; the same everlasting Father who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then. Put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginations, and say continually: “The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart has trusted in Him and I am helped. He is not only with me but in me, and I in Him.

Refresh Us, Strengthen Our Faith

We thank you, almighty Lord God, that you have refreshed us through the body and blood of your dear Son. We pray that through this, you would make us prosper with strong faith toward you and with fervent love among us all, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Source: Coburg Agende

God Guide Me

God guide me with your wisdom, God discipline me with your justice, God help me with your mercy, God protect me with your strength. God fill me with your fullness, God shield me with your shade, God fill me with your grace, for the sake of your Anointed Son. Jesus Christ, the Son of David, visiting Boy in the Temple,
sacrificial Lamb in the Garden, who died for me.

Source: Unknown, Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations…, Vol. I, p. 65. English translation modified.

Bible Verses about Strength

«I can do all things through him who strengthens me.» ~ Philippians 4:13

«Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand» ~ Isaiah 41:10

«Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:6

«But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.» ~ Isaiah 40:31

«The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.» — Exodus 15:2

Sources

Strength Prayers ~ acollectionofprayers.com

Prayers for Strength — Finding Comfort and Hope ~ Crosswalk.com

Prayers For Strength And Guidance ~ Praywithme.com

photo credit: Unsplash

This article is part of Christianity.com’s prayer section including famous, topical prayers and information about how to pray. Find more related articles in the collection of prayers below:

The Serenity Prayer, The Lord’s Prayer, Morning Prayers, Prayers for Healing, Thanksgiving Prayers, Advent Prayers, Christmas Prayers, Prayers for Peace, Prayers for Protection, Prayers for Strength, Praying in the Spirit.