Day 2: Praying Scripture — Turning God’s Word Into Prayer
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
— John 15:7
Prayer Is Not Always About New Words
Sometimes, the most powerful prayers you’ll ever pray are not your own.
They’re borrowed. Inherited. Received from God's Word.
The Psalms.
The Gospels.
The prophets’ cries.
The prayers of Paul.
You don’t have to invent the language of prayer.
God has already given it to you—in Scripture.
What Is Praying Scripture?
Praying Scripture means taking the words of the Bible and turning them into living conversation with God.
It’s not just reading the Bible.
And it’s not just praying with your Bible nearby.
It’s letting His words become your words—
your prayer, your petition, your worship.
This isn’t Bible study.
It’s communion with the Father.
Why It Matters
Because God’s Word is alive—not symbolic, not poetic, but spiritually living and powerfully active.
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword..."
— Hebrews 4:12
When you pray Scripture, you’re not reciting history—
You’re entering a living conversation with the Eternal.
You are speaking words that never expire, never fade, never fail.
Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God…”
The Greek word is theopneustos—Θεόπνευστος.
It means God-breathed.
That’s not a metaphor.
It means every word of Scripture carries the breath of God Himself.
So when you open your mouth and pray Scripture—
you are breathing in what God has breathed out.
You are letting His Spirit shape your spirit.
You are aligning your voice with the very voice of Heaven.
It shapes your desires.
It filters your emotions.
It clarifies what is true, and what is false.
It teaches you how to pray when your own words are empty or tired.
And best of all:
You’re praying God’s will—when you pray God’s Word.
Jesus said:
“The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
— John 6:63
The Ancient Church Knew This
The Desert Fathers meditated daily on the Psalms,
often repeating a single verse aloud for hours
until it pierced through distractions and stirred the heart.
Benedictine monks structured their entire day
around praying the Word—reciting Scripture seven times daily,
anchoring every moment in sacred rhythm.
In the 17th century, Madame Jeanne Guyon taught thousands of believers
to slow down and pray Scripture as a pathway into the presence of God.
She instructed people to take even a single phrase,
read it slowly, pause, linger, and turn it into union with Christ.
This gentle, Spirit-filled practice became so influential
that the French church authorities imprisoned her in the Bastille
for teaching that ordinary men and women could encounter God directly
through the Word—without priests or rituals.
Yet from her prison cell, her writings burned with even greater clarity:
“Make use of the Scriptures to quiet your mind. Let it lead you into His presence.”
In more recent times, George Müller prayed God’s promises back to Him—
filling orphan houses without asking for a penny.
Corrie ten Boom, in the horror of Ravensbrück concentration camp,
clung to hidden pages of Scripture,
praying them daily to survive and forgive.
This is not a modern technique.
It’s ancient nourishment for the soul.
The Spirit still speaks through the same Word.
And when you pray it,
you are not alone—you are standing in a long, holy line
A Personal Testimony
I began praying Scripture in my daily walk with God about 18 months ago.
At first, it felt unfamiliar—even a little awkward—but that quickly faded.
What started as an experiment quickly became one of the most meaningful parts of my life with God.
Now, it’s a daily rhythm—woven into my mornings, evenings, and even quiet moments throughout the day.
I’ve built a personal list of Scriptures—specific verses and chapters that I read as prayers every day.
They’ve become like living stones, placed along the path of my walk.
Certain Psalms have become anchors for particular needs:
- Psalm 91 when I’m facing spiritual warfare or fear
- Psalm 1 when I need clarity and hunger for spiritual growth
- Psalm 23 when my heart longs for rest and peace
- Psalm 51 when I’m repenting and returning to Him
- Psalm 27 when I need courage in the face of opposition
Over time, I’ve begun to see these words literally come to life—
not just as text on a page, but as truths that shape my thoughts, guide my choices, and rise up in my spirit exactly when I need them.
It’s as if God uses the very Scripture I’ve hidden in my heart
as building material to shape me, teach me, correct me, and comfort me.
The Word has become my prayer language.
It flows back to Him, and He sends it forward into my life.
It’s alive. It breathes.
And in praying His Word back to Him,
I’ve drawn closer to His heart—and learned to recognize His voice.
Today's Prayer Challenge
Choose a short, focused passage. Suggestions:
- Psalm 1 (verses listed in full below)
- Jeremiah 9:23-24
- Joshua 1:8
- Daniel 2:20-23
- Psalm 139: 23-24
- Read it aloud slowly—twice.
- Let one phrase or word grip you.
- Turn that phrase into a prayer.
- Speak to God from it. Use your own words.
- Linger there.
- Throughout the day, return to that phrase. Let it become breath prayer, meditation, or quiet worship.
Psalm 1
Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Jeremiah 9:23–24
Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom,
let not the mighty man boast in his might,
let not the rich man boast in his riches,
but let him who boasts boast in this,
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love,
justice, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.
For then you will make your way prosperous,
and then you will have good success.
Daniel 2:20–23
Daniel answered and said:
“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
Psalm 139:23–24
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
