In Jesus' Name预览

Praying God's Word

“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep ....” I think almost everyone prayed that prayer as a child, but as we got older, it became repetitious and lost some of the meaning it once had. Sometimes we feel that way about our prayers as adults. We’ve been praying about something for a long time and realize we’re saying the same thing over and over, but maybe without the same conviction and faith we once had.

Several years ago, I started feeling like I wasn’t hitting the target with my prayers. I was praying for people who were desperate for breakthroughs and miracles, but it seemed like my prayers weren’t having any impact—for them or for me. Why did I feel so useless and ineffective? I asked the Lord to show me what to do, and His answer was already on its way. A few weeks later, my daughter-in-law gave me the book Prayers That Avail Much for Christmas. It was written to teach Christians how to pray powerfully and effectively using Scripture. As I looked through it, I noticed it was divided into subjects: forgiveness, victory over depression, overcoming fear, overcoming discouragement, even persevering in prayer ... there were more than 150 chapters! As I read some of the chapters, I realized every chapter was comprised of Scriptures written in a way that we could pray them over ourselves and others.

The day after Christmas, I sat down with my Bible and opened up my new book. Which one should I start with? It was actually hard to decide as most of them applied to me or someone I was praying for. I picked a chapter, then read another and then another! It was incredible! I was learning how powerful my prayers could be! I was praying God’s pure Word over myself, my family and situations others were dealing with, and I felt so excited because I knew I had found a key to praying effective prayers. Every day, like a kid on Christmas morning, I couldn’t wait until it was time to be in the Word and pray. I had found hidden treasure, and I wanted to dig for more!

Not only did God answer my cries about praying effectively, He had something else in mind for me, too. I discovered that words of declaration and faith from Scripture, which I never believed could be true about me, became so real and alive when I read them aloud. I started speaking Scriptures out loud like “Today I shall be transformed by the renewing of my mind” (1 Corinthians 2:16), “I am an overcomer” (Romans 8:37), “I am accepted” (Ephesians 1:1) and “Whatever I bind on earth is bound in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). I began to pray over myself and others with confidence and authority. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” I always thought that was talking about hearing someone preach, but wasn’t that exactly what I was doing ... “preaching” to myself when I spoke God’s Word out loud? Month after month, as I prayed His Word, I saw breakthroughs in my life and in other peoples’ lives. Prayers that people had been needing answers to for a long time were answered. But I was also amazed to see that as I repeatedly spoke His Word over myself, it took root deep in my heart. God had sown strength, faith and peace and had worked out areas of weakness and doubt that had taken hold of my heart. I was speaking over myself what He had been saying all along.

Each one of us can experience the same excitement and renewed confidence in our prayers as we pray His Word over ourselves and others. Get ready to reap the benefits of a new level of joy and peace as you daily hear His life-giving words of promise that bring healing, strength, freedom and hope.

We must meditate on Scripture and allow it to become part of us. Only then will we see things happen in our prayer lives, because the Spirit’s intercession is tied to God’s will, which is tied to His Word.
~ Tony Evans

Prayer

Father, You are so loving and compassionate. When I have times where I feel weak and inadequate, You show me a new facet of what You have provided for me to be victorious. Thank You for giving me Your Word. Thank You that I can know our prayers will be answered because they’re Your words—full of power and effectiveness. And thank You that I can pray Your heart, Your promises and Your will and they will be done! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Activation

• Read the Word out loud.
• Look in your Bible’s concordance or on a website and find subjects related to what you need to pray about or speak over yourself, your family and those you’re praying for.
• Read books on praying God’s Word, such as Prayers That Avail Much by Germaine Copeland.
• Pray Scriptures over your situation knowing that His Word is powerful and effective.

Memory Verse

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12–13 (NIV)