How to Personalize &
Pray the Scriptures

First, let's agree - God's Word is alive and powerful (Heb 4:12). Because of this, there are literally no greater words we can pray. 

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There are many scriptures that can be turned into prayers but in the New Testament there are about 40 prayers prayed by the Apostles (mostly Paul) over the church and believers. The cool thing about these prayers is that they are focused on God, not Satan...they are positive, not negative.

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There is power for our lives when we take those prayers and personalize them.

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Let me give you an example (I'll do this for us...but it works just as well to pray it for someone else specifically):

 

The red is where I personalized the prayer.​

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Ephesians 3:14-20: 14 For this reason I bend my knees before You, Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that You would grant me, according to the riches of Your glory, that You would strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner self, 17 so that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith; and that You would root me and ground me in Your love, 18 that I would be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19 and that I would know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, and that I will be filled to all the fullness of You. 20 Now I know that You are able to do far more abundantly beyond all that I ask or think, according to the power that works within me because of my Savior, Jesus Christ, 21 I give You all the glory, God the Father and Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen.

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As you pray, think through what you are saying.

Ask Holy Spirit what it means.

Imagine that actually happening in your life (or whoever you are praying for.)

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The Psalms

There are hundreds of verses in Psalms that are powerful when personalized. Many of them are already personalized by David (like Psalm 23 - The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.)

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But imagine they are true, pray them like you mean them and believe them and expect them to be true for you. Because they are if you are a child of God! God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So the same God who took care of David will take care of you.

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I encourage you to find ways to pray the scripture back to God as you do your daily Bible reading. Even write down your personalized prayers so you have them handy when you need them.

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Here are a few more from the New Testament to get you going:

• Ephesians 1:17-19

• Philippians 1:9-11

• Colossians 1:9-11

• Acts 4:29-31

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