When a passage speaks to you, it’s time to pray God’s word

Adam and Eve had no Bible, but they did have direct communication and communion with God. However, through willful disobedience, they forfeited this personal relationship and were separated from God’s presence due to their sin. This breach of fellowship so grieved God that He immediately began to offer a means of access into His presence for anyone who desired to commune with Him. The Bible is a record of God’s restoring to humanity the relationship that was lost in Eden.

Genesis 4:26b NKJV says, “Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.” The origin and root of everything we are doing today began with people calling on God.

Jeremiah 33:3 NKJV says, ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ God’s Word says, When you don’t know what to do, I’ll tell you what to do! When you’re ready to throw up your hands, throw them up to Me and call on Me – and I will help you!

We all know we are supposed to pray. In fact 79% of people in America say they have prayed at least once in the last 3 months according to Barna Research. But sometimes, one of the most frustrating aspects of prayer is not being able to find the right words to express what dwells deep within your heart. What can we pray about? How should we pray about it? The reason we have these questions is that we really don’t understand what prayer is. We think of it as a religious duty instead of an ongoing, daily relationship which – like every other relationship –it requires conversation!

The Bible was given, not just so we could have head knowledge but so we could return to a personal relationship with God. Such a relationship requires communication, and prayer is a conversation with God.

The Bible is a textbook on prayer. It teaches us the need to pray, the nature of prayer, and the rewards of prayer. But what seems to have been forgotten is that the words of the Bible can also become the very prayer that we need to pray!

Isaiah 55:11 NKJV says, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. God says that His word will not return to him void. Whatever God says he will do, he does it. Praying God’s word simply means speaking his language. God’s word is true. God's word is reliable, he is not going to let you down.

The first step to praying scripture is to find something that speaks to you! Finding the scriptures is quite easy. Start by reading your bible!

WHEN A PASSAGE SPEAKS TO YOU, IT’S TIME TO PRAY GOD’S WORD. You can re-word the passage into a prayer in any way God leads you. I intend these examples to help get you started in praying God’s Word.

When you personalize the scripture, you put yourself in a place to receive the blessing. It makes your prayer more specific. If it is a scripture where God is speaking, change the I’s to you’s, and the you’s to I’s. Or if you are praying for someone else, simply put their name in there. If it is a scripture where someone else is speaking, and you don’t need to change the words, just make sure your mind and heart are focused on God as you pray the scripture. Here are some examples!

“Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will come near to you.” James 4:7

"God, according to your word, help me submit to you. Help me to resist the devil and come near to me. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2

"God, according to your word, help me to not fear. For you have redeemed me. You have summoned me by name; I am yours. When I pass through the waters you will be with me; and when I pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over me. When I walk through the fire, I will not be burned; the flames will not set me ablaze. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Be Blessed and Pray God's Word!