Within the first few years of our marriage, Skip and I hit a really rough patch. Neither of us thought we were going to make it. During that time, God began to do a deep work in both of our lives. One of the things He convicted me about was my prayer life. I hadn’t been consistently praying for Skip–our marriage–or me for that matter. We got counseling from a precious Godly couple, and through that counseling, Mrs. Terry shared her prayer journal with me. She had specific verses she had written down that she prayed over her husband and children every day. As new struggles arose, she added more verses.

So I went out and bought a prayer journal and started writing down specific scriptures to pray over both Skip and myself. And when I had my daughter several years later, I added scriptures to pray over her too.

Praying scripture has had a profound effect on my life. 

The other day, as I was praying those scriptures over Skip, it dawned on me. God has answered so many of my prayers for him through the years. It was such a sweet moment. I am so incredibly thankful for the grace of God in our lives.

 

Lately, I have been very burdened for a friend who doesn’t know the Lord. Honestly, her situation seems hopeless. As I was praying for her the other day, I asked the Lord what else I could do. Then I had the thought to find some scriptures to pray over her. So that’s what I did. Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that praying scripture is some magic prayer formula. But I believe in the power of prayer. And I believe in the power of God’s Word. So why not join the two together?

I also strongly believe that praying scripture will do these three things:

1. Praying scripture helps us take prayer seriously and aligns our prayers with truth from God’s Word.
2. Praying scripture helps us to meditate on verses and hide God’s Word in our hearts.
3. Praying scripture changes US. When I started praying scripture over Skip, God began to use His Word to soften my own heart and break down walls. He helped me see and love Skip in a whole new way.

Aren’t the greatest battles we fight fought best from our knees? Isn’t it wise to have a battle plan when we go to battle? Didn’t God say that our sword is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17)? So seems like using scripture in prayer might be a pretty powerful warfare strategy. 

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  Hebrews 4:12

So I thought I would share the following scripture prayers I put together for unbelievers. If you think of other scriptures, please share them with me. I would love to add them to the list.

I wonder. What would God do if we really got down to business to consistently pray and seek Him for the lost people in our families, communities, and world?

2 Chronicles 7:14 says,“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

No time to waste! Get your battle plan together and start praying!

Scripture Prayers for Unbelievers

Lord, I pray that You will call her out of darkness and into Your wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Please open the eyes of the blind, free this captive from prison. Release from the dungeon this person who sits in darkness. Isaiah 42:7

The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. But You have come that she may have life, and have it to the full. Give her life! True life! Life that she can only have in You. John 10:10

Lord, help her to know the truth, and that the truth will set her free. John 8:32

I pray that she will not love this world or anything in the world. Help her to love You, God! For the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, come not from You, but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the woman who does Your will shall live forever. 1 John 2:15-17

Help her to be a lover of God and not a lover of pleasure. 2 Timothy 3:4

God, I pray against Satan and his hold on this person. Loosen his grip. I pray that You will set her free from the lies of Satan. Take the blinders off her eyes. I pray that his lies will be exposed by the light of Your truth. 2 Corinthians 4:4

Lord, replace her heart of stone for a heart of flesh. Put a new spirit, Your Spirit, within her. Ezekiel 11:19

I pray that You would give her a brokenness over her sin. Help her see her sin for exactly what it is–SIN. That she would be miserable in her sin, like the prodigal son. Help her to get out of the pigsty to run home to You! Luke 15

Make her heart restless until she finds her rest in You. ~Saint Augustine

Draw her heart to Yours. Woo her to Yourself. John 6:44

I pray that the power of the enemy would be broken in her life and she will be set free.

Help her to hate her sin. Plant in her a desire to be set free. That she would want to know YOU more than anything in this life.

Lord, fill my heart with a strong love for this person. Help me to love her the way that You love her. Help her to see You in my life! John 13:35

And I pray for an opportunity to share Your truth with her. Put Godly people in her path who will share Your truth with her. Position her around Godly influences. Mathew 5:16

Give me a brokenness and burden, not only for this person, but for other unbelievers in the world. They desperately need You, Lord. YOU are the answer they are searching for! You say in Your Word that the harvest is plentiful, yet the laborers are few. Lord, here am I. Send me (Isaiah 6:8). Help ME to BE one of the laborers You send into the harvest. Matthew 9:37-38

Finally, I pray that she will bow her knees in full surrender to Your Son, Jesus Christ. That she would stand up, a fully devoted follower of Christ, a woman after Your own heart. That her family would be different because she leads them to the things of God. That she would be close to You, daily taking in truth and reading Your Word. That her family, friends, enemies, and even generations would become Christ followers because her heart fully belongs to You. ~adapted from a prayer by Craig Groeschel