12 Impactful Scriptures to Use When Praying

I’m excited to invite my blog moderator, Trish from KJL Co., to share 12 scriptures to use when praying, which you can add to your prayers today. 

The Bible is a treasure full of words that instruct, convict, correct and train. So, it’s no surprise that God’s word can strengthen our prayer life. When we’re talking to God, we can (and should) include scriptures to pray.

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Scriptures to Use When Praying

Trish, from Kara J Lovett Co.

From my days as a young corporate professional to being a wife, mom, bible teacher, mentor and now a “Gigi” – prayer has been a good and very necessary work in my life. 

However, persevering in prayer is hard – at times. The words don’t flow easily. And I often wonder if the words I am praying are the “right” ones.

God in His infinite wisdom has shown me over the years that His word is a precious gift. It has been given to guide us as we approach His throne with our prayers and petitions.

When I am praying God’s words back to him, my heart aligns with God’s heart. And I am filled with hope and confidence. 

That being said, I’m excited to share the following 12 scriptures to pray, which I have used to strengthen my faith and prayer life. I hope you will be encouraged to open God’s word as you talk with God.

1. Matthew 6:9-13
2. Colossians 1:9-14
3. Isaiah 54:17
4. Psalm 103:1-19
5. Joshua 1:9
6. Psalm 141:3-4
7. Psalm 19:14
8. 2 Chronicles 20:12
9. Romans 15:13
10. Nehemiah 1:11a
11. 2 Corinthians 9:8
12. Ephesians 3:20-21

1 – Matthew 6:9-13

First in this list of scriptures to use when praying is the Lord’s Prayer. It is also one of the first passages of scripture I memorized as a child. I would recite it each night before going to bed well into my teen years.

A few years ago, I discovered this version of the Lord’s Prayer and began to recite it again. This prayer includes praise, thanksgiving, confession and intercession. It provides the perfect framework to open or close out my day.

2 – Colossians 1:9-14

Paul’s letter to the Colossian church contains these beautiful words, in which he expresses great care and concern for his fellow believers’ spiritual growth. 

For me, this was (and still is) my go-to prayer to pray over my children (who are now young adults). My desire is that they are equipped to make Biblically based decisions.

These scriptures to pray ask for knowledge, wisdom, understanding, endurance, and patience. They also recognize God’s faithfulness to His children. Together, this set of bible verses to pray is great when praying for all believers, especially those new to the faith.

3 – Isaiah 54:17

Spiritual warfare is all around us, but God has promised to protect and defend His children. Many of the battles we face, internal or external, are rooted in the enemy’s attempt to “steal, kill and destroy” (John 10:10 NIV). 

We need to fight the enemy vigilantly using God’s words as Jesus did in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). These verses will quickly become your battle verses.

You can personalize these bible verse through prayer like this: 

Father, I am under attack (name the specific area), but I trust your word that no weapon forged against me will prevail. I will refute every tongue that accuses me. 

Thank you that this is my heritage as your servant and my vindication in this situation (name it) will come from You. Help me to wait expectantly for you to act according to Your promises in these verses.

4 – Psalm 103:1-19

Are you feeling particularly thankful today? Or maybe you don’t feel thankful at all. Either way, these bible verses to pray will lead you into the presence of a caring Father who loves you completely and unconditionally. 

The first thing that stands out to me in these scriptures to pray is David’s heart: full of gratitude to God for who He is and all He has done for us. I’ve only included verses 1-5 above, but you can use verses 1-19 to praise God for His goodness in your life and to recall His faithfulness. 

Along with Psalm 103, other bible verses about thankfulness are great content for our prayers. Additionally, these scriptures about God’s love for us help us express gratitude in our prayers for God’s amazing love. 

5 – Joshua 1:9

Feeling nervous about starting your first job, leaving your parents home, moving to a new city, or seeking a promotion at work? Pray these words over any situation that causes fear.

God commands you not to be frightened. Because He is with you, you can overcome fear. 

You can also use these short prayer for young adults to pray for a variety of situations you may face in your adult life. 

6 – Psalm 141:3-4

7 – Psalm 19:14

I have used many verses over the years to pray over my mouth and heart. But the previous two scriptures to pray are my favorites. 

There are warnings throughout the bible about the danger of our words (James 3:6-10) and the deceitfulness of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9). Be diligent in fighting against these temptations by asking God to protect your mouth and heart. 

8 – 2 Chronicles 20:12

King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20) found himself in a situation where he was surrounded by armies much more powerful than his army. He and his people were in imminent danger. 

There was no way out – at least not one that they could see. But King Jehoshaphat wisely asked his people to pray and fast and then he inquired of God. He verbally acknowledged his dependence on God to intervene and God did. 

Is there a situation at home, work or even church that seems hopeless? Take your situation and do as King Jehoshaphat did. Let God know that your eyes are on Him.

9 – Romans 15:13

People are hurting all around us. Maybe you are hurting today, too. When life gets hard, God is (still and always) our source of hope. The definition of hope is the belief that things will get better. 

These verses can be easily personalized by replacing “you” with a name. Pray for those hurting to have confident hope in God for better days. In addition to prayer, here are more ways to seek comfort in God and show God’s love to others.

10 – Nehemiah 1:11a

To completely appreciate these scriptures to pray, here’s a bit of context. Nehemiah wanted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, but he needed permission from the King (his employer) (Nehemiah 1). 

So, Nehemiah petitioned God to put it in the King’s heart to be kind to him. The King granted Nehemiah’s request. He was relieved of his duties and allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls.

This verse is easily personalized, and I would recommend doing so. I have prayed this verse over and over again when family or friends were going on a job interview, starting a new job, applying for a promotion or pursuing a God-given dream. 

Whose favor and kindness do you need? What God-honoring situation are you seeking help with?

11 – 2 Corinthians 9:8

The college years and the first few years after college can be lean years financially. But God has promised to provide all that His children need. 

So, next time you find yourself worrying about money, take a moment and remind God of this promise. And trust Him to keep it. I have prayed this promise so many times, and He has always been true to His word.

12 – Ephesians 3:20-21

What do you need God to do? Are you convinced that He has the power to do it? God is able – He is beyond able – we can’t even imagine what He can do! 

No matter what scripture you use when praying, make it a habit to end with these verses. By praying these Bible verses, you are acknowledging God and His word as truly powerful.

How to Pray Scripture

So how can these verses be used to start a conversation with God?  Here are some tips on how to pray scripture. You can begin by:

• Reading and meditating on these verses using your favorite translation (or try several different translations)
• Personalizing the verses by adding names or specific circumstances as you pray the words back to God
• Using the verses as an outline to follow as you pray, or 
• Simply praying the verses directly as written. 

If you’re unsure where to start, here are some powerful lessons about prayer to take into your next conversation with God. Praying for others and intercessory prayer are important qualities of a prayer warrior, too.

Powerful Scriptures to Pray 

Developing and maintaining an effective prayer life requires time, energy and commitment. We must be intentional about doing it. 

Scripture was given to guide us in connecting to God through prayer. So, we can be confident that when God’s words become our words they are always the “right” words. Additionally, God has promised that His words always accomplish what he desires (Isaiah 55:10-11 NIV). 

So, start praying scripture over yourself and others using these 12 scriptures to use when praying. As a result, you will experience a more confident prayer life and stronger faith for the journey.

What are your favorite bible verses to pray? 

Leave me a comment below!

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