Head Dump: Prayer 10

Praying scripture.

Acts 4:23-31. NASB95.
23 When they had been released, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
25 who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said,
‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
And the peoples devise futile things?
26 ‘The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
30 while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

The passage that the disciples were quoting in vs 25-26 is Psalm 2:1-2.

Question: Why pray the word of God? Or why use the word while praying?

1. Praying scripture is a simple way of praying that God's will be done.
2. Praying scripture promises and prayers are an easy way to bless someone.
3. Praying scripture is a good way of praying for situations where it is not clear what to pray for.

Some personal examples:
For a person in church, one of the pastors has encouraged us to pray I Corinthians 3:16 (“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”).

I have frequently prayed Galatians 5:1 (“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”) for myself and for others.

Our pastors have been on extended series rooted in Ephesians 5:15-23 (5:18 - “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened....”). We have been encouraged to pray this for ourselves and for each other.

In general, I frequently find myself praying scripture, both in private and in group prayer.

Over the years, there are a number of people that I have walked with as Christians that have left fellowship unrepentant over some sin. For these, I pray any number of blessings (the three passages above for example). Many Bible verses, even some very “hard” ones, can be prayed as promises or blessings.

For example, I have prayed John 16:8 (“And He [the Holy Spirit], when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment...”) for myself and for others as a blessing. This is possible because I know (experientially) that the conviction of the Holy Spirit is gentle, clear, and to the point. It is not condemnation (which is general, oppressive, often vague, and usually insulting).

Praying scripture is a lot easier to do if one has read/studied/memorized a lot of verses. (Hint: this is an encouragement to memorize the word.)

I would also like to note the relationship between doing what I have described above and the "prayerful reading" of "lectio divina" described below. As I am prayerfully reading a passage, I have had things bubble to the surface related to the passage. Things that God would like me to deal with: sins to confess, people to pray for, etc.)