How To Pray Scripture to Connect to God

Praying scripture is a powerful way to connect with God. It allows us to express our deepest thoughts and feelings, and it gives us a tangible way to engage with God’s word. when we pray scripture, we proclaim our faith and invite God into our lives in a very personal way.

When you pray scripture, you are praying the words of Scripture back to God. This is a powerful and effective way to pray because you are aligning your heart with the heart of God.

The basic premise of praying scripture is to start by reading the Bible verse that you want to pray, then ask the Holy Spirit to help you pray it back to God. You can use the same wording as the passage, or you can paraphrase it in your own words.

Below are some more specific ideas on how to pray scripture to get you started.

There are many different ways to pray scripture.

Pray the Psalms

One popular method is to pray the Psalms. The Psalms are full of beautiful prayers that express every human emotion, from joy and thanksgiving to sorrow and despair.

You can pray the Psalms for yourself, for others, or for the world. To pray the Psalms, simply read them aloud or silently, and let the words sink into your heart. You can pray them straight through, or you can choose a particular Psalm that speaks to your current situation.

If you’re not sure which Psalm to pray for, consider starting with Psalm 23. This beloved Psalm is comforting and reassuring, and it’s a great way to start your journey of praying the Psalms.

If you want to ask God for forgiveness, Psalm 51 is David’s prayer after He was confronted with his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah.

Promises of God

One helpful method is to make a list of a few of the promises of God that are found in the Bible that speak to you in this season of your life.

For example, you could compile a list of verses of the promises of God’s faithfulness, provision, and love. Once you have your list, you can then pray through each promise, asking God to live out those truths in your life.

This is an especially effective way to pray when you are feeling discouraged or struggling in some area of your life. By holding on to God’s promises, you can encourage yourself and remind yourself of His faithfulness.

Make it personal

One way to pray scripture is to insert your name (or a loved one’s) into the scripture. This ensures that you are really speaking to God, and not just reciting words on a page.

For example, if you are struggling with worry, you could pray Philippians 4:6-7. But instead of just saying, “do not be anxious about anything,” you could say, “Father, I am not anxious about anything because I know that You are in control.”

Another example: if you’re struggling with anxiety, you could pray Psalm 94:19, “When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.” In this case, you would pray, “God, when doubts fill my mind, your comfort gives me renewed hope and cheer.”

This small change can make a big difference in your prayer life. By personalizing the scripture, you’ll be able to more fully connect with the words and their meaning.

As you pray, take time to reflect on how the scripture applies to your life and what it means for you personally. Allow God to speak to you through his word and give you guidance and peace.

Meditate on the scripture

When it comes to praying scripture, one helpful approach is to meditate on the scripture. This simply means taking the time to reflect on the words, allowing them to sink in and really resonate with you.

To do this, find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted and read the scripture passage slowly, several times if necessary. Try to picture the scene in your mind, and imagine yourself in the story. As you pray, focus on the meaning of the words and what they mean for your life. Allow yourself to be open to whatever God might be saying to you through the scripture.

Take your time, and don’t rush the process. If you find your mind wandering, simply refocus on the words and let God speak to you through them.

Journal your thoughts and prayers about the scripture

Journaling can be a great way to prayerfully reflect on the scripture and deepen your relationship with God. This can be done in a notebook, on your computer, or even on your phone. The important thing is that you take the time to sit with the scripture and really think about what it means to you.

As you journal, be honest with God about your thoughts and feelings. Tell him what you’re struggling with, what you’re grateful for, and what you’re hoping for. prayer is a conversation, so don’t be afraid to listen as well as speak.

Take some time afterward to read over what you’ve written and see if there’s anything else you want to add or any prayer requests you want to make.

Lord’s Prayer as a Template

A great way to pray scripture is to use the Lord’s Prayer as a template. For instance, you can start by praising God and confessing your sins. Then, you can pray for God’s will to be done on earth and for your daily needs. You can also pray for forgiveness and for strength to resist temptation.

The Lord’s prayer is found in Matthew 6:9-13. Let’s look at the elements in the Lord’s prayer to see how you could use it as a template.

v9: This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Firstly, Jesus is showing us we can pray directly to God. We don’t have to pray through a mediator. While you can also pray directly to Jesus or the Holy Spirit, praying to the Father is a great place to start.

Praise the Father for how wonderful He is. Describe how much you love Him and give Him praise.

v10: your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Pray for God’s will to be done, and pray for your concerns for the world, your church, and others. Bring specific circumstances to Him.

v11: Give us today our daily bread.

Pray for the daily needs and concerns in your heart for yourself and others. Pray that you would seek Jesus (our daily bread) throughout your day.

v12: And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

As for forgiveness of anything that is weighing on your heart and bringing your unforgiveness to others to God.

v13: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Ask for the Lord’s help in anything that you’re struggling with, particularly any sin or potential sin in your life.

Why it works

Praying scripture is a powerful tool that can help us connect with God on a deep level. By praying the scriptures, we are declaring our faith and inviting God into our lives in a very personal way.

As you pray, don’t worry about getting the words perfect – just speak from your heart and let God do the rest.