Standing on His Word (How-to Pray the Word)

In taking up the sword of the Spirit (God’s Word, Ephesians 6:17), it is helpful to reword scriptures into mini-prayers for yourself – truths to stand on. The Bible tells us “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction” (Proverbs 16:23). Personalizing scriptures can be an effective method for retraining your own thoughts and eliminating ungodly beliefs – it also helps close any entry point satan might try and use to bring harm to you (for more on ungodly beliefs see the teaching Changing your world… taking thoughts captive).

Once you’ve reworded the verses and personalized them – it is helpful to read/pray them multiple times until you have truly retrained your thinking in that area. What I’ve done is recorded them so that I can listen to them on my long daily commute – perhaps you have a tape player in your kitchen where you could listen to them while fixing dinner. You can get creative and find the time – when something is important, you can always find the time.

Below are some examples of ones that I did for myself. The verses are shown in grey with my reworded truth in blue following the verse(s). You’ll notice a trend through the verses – that is intentional – it is good to get an understanding for what God says about a certain topic throughout His word. This is an area I’m currently focusing on.

Scriptures

Psalm 34
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
I have tasted the Lord and He is good – I rejoice in all His blessings.

Ecclesiastes 10
17 Blessed are you, O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes eat at a proper time- for strength and not for drunkenness.
I am blessed by God because I eat at the proper time, for nourishment – not gluttony.

Luke 21
34“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.
Lord, when I look to You as my strength You protect me from being weighed down both physically and emotionally.  Thank You for being my strength!

Romans 13
13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.[1]
I clothe myself with Jesus Christ.  He delivers me from sinful desires and keeps me from pride, gluttony, and lust.

1 Peter 4
3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do–living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
Lord, I live according to Your spirit – Your word.  I do not live like the pagans do – their abuse falls on deaf ears for my life is in You, Lord!

Genesis 25
30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom. [1] )
31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”
32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?”
33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.
34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.
Lord, Your blessing is far greater to me than all else!  What else could ever compare?

Hebrews 12
16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
I fix my eyes on Your blessing and make choices according to Your word so you might continue to bless me.

Numbers 11
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat!
I choose to feast on You, Lord – on Your word.  I drink deeply from You – the fountain of everlasting life!

Psalm 78
18 They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved.
Your blessing is sufficient for me Lord, what You choose for me I am grateful to have and content with.

1 Corinthians 3
16Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
My body is Your temple Lord.  I offer it to You as a daily sacrifice.  Strengthen me to make each choice in accordance with this understanding.

1 Corinthians 6
15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Lord, I treasure Your Holy Spirit which lives inside me – use Him to strengthen me and prompt me to make wise choices in accordance with Your word.

1 Corinthians 15
53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[1]
You are my victory oh Lord!  You supernaturally transform my body into Your very own temple.  Lord, help me to act in accordance with that knowledge.

Genesis 9
3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
Lord, I thank You for the variety of food You’ve created for us!  Help me to enjoy the variety in a way that is pleasing to You.

Psalm 103
5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Only the Lord can satisfy my desires and He does so with good things – things better than I can even imagine.

Psalm 111
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
Matthew 6
11Give us today our daily bread.
I fear You, Lord – I revere You.  Thank You for providing for my every need.

Romans 14
14As one who is in the Lord Jesus, I am fully convinced that no food[1] is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.
Lord, thank You for the delicious treats I enjoy so thoroughly – help me to enjoy them in a way that is honoring to You.

1 Timothy 4
3They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
Lord, I thank You that You have not put rules on what foods I may enjoy!  Help me to enjoy them without going into excess – lead me from such temptation.

Matthew 4
4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[1]
Lord, it is Your word that sustains me – no bread could do so without You from whom all blessings flow and who has provided all that I have!

Proverbs 16
26 The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.
Lord, help me to do great things for You in Your kingdom.  Help me to work up an honest appetite.

Isaiah 55
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Lord, I feast on You for You are the richest of fare!  No food could satisfy me the way You do!

John 6
32Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34“Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.”
35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
Thank You, Lord, that I will never go hungry because I will continue to feast on Your word!  Thank You that You quench my thirst and fill me up.  You are the true bread and only You give true life.

Romans 12
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual[1] act of worship.
I give You all of me and ask that You receive me as a living sacrifice – I want my body to be dead to things that dishonor You

Hebrews 13
15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Lord, I offer my life to You and a sacrifice of praise – my lips will continually bless Your name!

Proverbs 2
3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
Lord, I cry out to You for wisdom and discernment – I thank You for hearing my cry and answering me.

Isaiah 55
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
Lord, You are the Living Water from which I drink deeply and Your word is the food that fills me.  You sustain me and give me life!

Matthew 5
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
I hunger and thirst for righteousness oh Lord and You fill me and bless me.

Luke 6
21Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
I hunger for You, Lord and You freely satisfy me and richly bless me.

1 Peter 2
2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
No earthly food can taste a sweet as You oh Lord!  I crave You and desire to have more of You – nourish me Father, strengthen and revive me.

Psalm 42
1As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
I am addicted to You oh Lord my God – I cannot live without You!  I thirst after You and hunger for Your word.  I want to continually commune with You.

Psalm 63
1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
I long to be closer to You, Lord – I long to remain in Your presence.  Nothing can quench my thirst as You do or feed me as does Your word.

Psalm 143
6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
I lift my hands to You and soak You in – drinking deeply the Living Water.  No matter what I do Lord, I cannot get enough of You.

John 4
14 “whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
I am satisfied in You, Lord – You sustain me and fill me to overflowing that I might overflow You into the lives of those around me.

John 7
37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
I come to You, Lord to drink – nothing else can quench my thirst – only Your living water.

2 Corinthians 10
5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
I take captive every thought that comes to mind and make it conform to You.  I reject any thought that undermines Your word, Your holiness, or Your grace.

Ephesians 4
22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
Lord, I shed my fleshly desires and clothe myself in Your will for my life.  I fix my eyes on You and You renew my mind and heart.

Psalm 22
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him- may your hearts live forever!
Lord, I perpetually seek You and my lips are filled with praise for You – in You I am satisfied.

Psalm 33
20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
I wait on the God that waits on me.  He is my hope, my strength and my shield. He is forever faithful.

Psalm 27
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD .
The Lord gives me strength as I wait for Him.

Psalm 34
10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Thank You Lord, that You bless me because I seek Your face!

Psalm 37
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
I delight in You oh Lord!  I thank You that You faithfully give me the desires of my heart!

Psalm 40
8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
I have hidden Your word in my heart oh Lord and I desire to do Your will.

1 Chronicles 22
19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.
Lord, I seek You with my whole heart and soul and mind.

Deuteronomy 11
13 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today-to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul- 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil.
Lord, I love You and serve You with my whole heart and soul – thank You for blessing me!

Philippians 3
14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Lord, I press on to do more for You – through You – enlarge my territory and may Your hand be with me.

2 Peter 1
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
Lord, help me to become more and more like You.

Hebrews 6
10God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.
Lord, help me to stay active and move forward in faith.  I know You are just and will pass on Your blessing.

Proverbs 10
4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.
Lord, help me to be diligent and generous with the blessings You share with me.

Proverbs 12
24 Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.
Lord, give me wisdom that my diligent hands might work within Your will.

Proverbs 13
4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.
Lord, as I stay in Your will You satisfy my desires.  You bless me continually!

Proverbs 14
23 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
Lord, give me strength to labor for Your kingdom and share Your blessings.

Proverbs 21
25 The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him
26 All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.
Lord, keep me from foolish cravings – only You can truly satisfy.

Ecclesiastes 4
5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
Lord, help me to desire physical activity and use that activity to increase my body’s strength.  For my body is Your temple.

Matthew 19
26Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Lord, You make all things possible.  I ask that You would increase my health and my desire to be healthy.

1 Chronicles 29
12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
Lord, all that I have has come from Your hand – thank You for Your rich blessings!

Psalm 68
35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Lord, You strengthen me and give me power – You are awesome!

Psalm 106
8 Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, to make his mighty power known.
Lord, You have set a purpose in my life – to make Your kingdom known.

2 Corinthians 13
4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.
O land whose king is of noble birth and whose princes

Ephesians 1
18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Lord, You have mighty strength – and You share that strength with Your children.  Help me to see and comprehend the hope that You have given me.

Ephesians 3
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Lord, work in me.  Search me – show me what needs changing.  Keep me humble and honest, satisfied and pure.

Ephesians 3
16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Your pour Your strength into me as I use my strength to do Your will.  Your power lives in me.  Thank You for the Holy Spirit who You sent to be with me, guide me, and teach me.

One Reply to “Standing on His Word (How-to Pray the Word)”

  1. Pingback: Meghan W » Blog Archive » How-to Pray the Word

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