Why Pray Scripture?
It’s hard to communicate in words what lies in our hearts and what stews in our minds, isn’t it? Sometimes we just cannot put into words the depths of our griefs and joys, the details of our worries and fears. Oftentimes, in speaking to the God of the Universe, we realize our smallness, our limitations, our insufficiencies…and we should. We are fragile, limited, and insufficient…but we are the children of the King! We are sons and daughters of the Most High God and He stoops to hear us.
Psalm 116:1-2 says “I love the LORD because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (NLT)
God bends down to listen to us. Just like a father would get down to listen to his little child who has a need or something to share, God leans towards us to hear what we’re asking, understand what we’re telling Him, and gives us His full attention because He loves us.
So, why should we pray Scripture? God’s word is so complete that it can put into words what we cannot. Speaking God’s words back to Him demonstrates we value His Word, we understand the power that it holds, and shows our submission to its authority.
Hebrews 4:12 “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.”
Meditate on that. God’s word is living, not dead, not antiquated, not ‘yesterday’ but alive and working. The Greek word is ‘energes’ and means “active, working, effectual, operative, powerful” (1) The Word of God is active and powerful! And isn’t that what we want our prayers to be?!
Scripture is also sharp, ‘tomos’, meaning it can cut by a single stroke. It’s not dull, requires no hacking, sawing, or repeated blows. The double-edged sword was a prized weapon in battle because you could swing back and forth, taking out your enemies with each swing. A sharp, double-edged sword was to be feared and could not be competed against. Scripture imparts fear in the enemy, friends! Our own words do little. God’s word pierces and divides. When we pray, we want to pierce the darkness and evil, we want to divide error from truth, we want to separate those we are burdened for from the oppression and evil that would seek to bring them down. God’s word is powerful to do that.
Scripture separates and brings distinction between things as well. Hebrews mentions joints and marrow. We might question, “Why did God talk about that?” Consider what a joint does, it connects things and allows for movement. Yet, sometimes our connections are unhealthy and our movements are in the wrong direction. We can use scripture to pray that any movement is God-led and that our sons and daughters remain closely connected to Him. Psalm 1:1-2 is a wonderful passage to pray: “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night.”
But what about the marrow? Ah, the marrow is life-generating. We can live without joints, but we cannot live without marrow. The Greek word for marrow is ‘myelos’ and means blood. Marrow allows for life, generates new blood cells that fight infection, carries oxygen, and helps stop bleeding. A bone marrow transplant can restore life. Death of the marrow brings death to the body.
Finally, scripture discerns the intentions of the mind and heart. It is decisive to address each aspect of the individual’s thought life and heart attitude. Scripture is the all-inclusive remedy to every situation, challenge, attack, and need. Psalm 19:7-8 “The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
When we pray Scripture over our sons and daughters, we’re praying the very words of God that are effectual and life-giving, protective and sustaining. We need to form a habit of opening our Bibles and praying back the words we read. If we do, we are praying words that are alive, active, discerning, penetrating, and effective to fight spiritual battles with the double-edged sword of scripture, battling principalities and powers that would seek to harm and destroy. We can pray a spiritual hedge of protection around our sons and daughters. We can ask that the Lord would bring other believers to encourage, challenge, and keep them accountable. Through prayer and Scripture, we have access to the Throne room of The Almighty, Great I AM, our Father, our Savior, our Friend. Scripture is so precious, we must embrace it, learn it, pray it and memorize it.
Let’s boldly pray Scripture this week, speaking God’s own words over our sons and daughters, asking Him for protection, guidance, wisdom and strength. Psalm 25 is a great place to begin, but please, share the Scripture you’re praying!! Let’s encourage one another as we kneel before the Throne!
Psalm 25
1 In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
2 I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
4 Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good.
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies
and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me;
do not let me be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you.
22 Deliver Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!
Pray without ceasing!
G1756 - energēs - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1756/niv/mgnt/0-1/
May the Lord Guard Your Coming In and Your Going Out
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber;
Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life;
The LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.
As we prepare to wrap up 2023 and head into a new year, we likely will look back at what has been and forward to what might come. We cheer the accomplishments and mourn the losses. We keep count of what matters and resolve to do better in the new year to come. We ponder those things that made us laugh and cry and those people whose presence made our year more memorable and meaningful, whether for good or for difficult. We grieve what was lost, or what could have been, but was not. The turn of the calendar is nostalgic and full of hope.
Yet, the change of date, turn of the page and setting of a new calendar year doesn’t change anything. God is constant. He doesn’t need a refresh. He isn’t moved by new starts or resolutions. He always was and always is and always will be.
The photo above shows scripture from Psalm 121. It was found embedded in a mosaic on the floor of an ancient 7th century church in Jerusalem. “May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.” As the believers traversed the floor, it was a ready reminder of God’s protection and goodness.
What a sweet and powerful blessing to pray over those we love! As we come into 2024 and go out of 2023!
The Lord IS mighty and able to guard us in anything we might face. That’s such a comfort as we step into a new year, isn’t it? The word ‘guard’ in Hebrew is ‘samar’ and it means, “to keep watch, preserve, to hedge about, as with thorns, guard, protect, and attend to”. It’s more than just watchfulness, it’s an all-encompassing protection. When shepherds would care for their flocks, they would construct a hedge or barrier of thorns to keep the sheep safe from predators, especially those who lurked in the darkness. When the Lord guards out going out, He encompasses us on all sides with His powerful protection and His attentive watchfulness, ready to keep us from harm and from the enemy that would seek to destroy us. This world is dark, but our Lord is mighty to guard and protect.
He guards out going out (yasa). In Hebrew it means “to go, bring or lead out, both literally and figuratively. It can also mean to go abroad, send with a commandment, spread, go to and fro.” (2) You see, whether we step out with intention, of maybe we wander a bit, perhaps we receive orders or a call to go somewhere specifically or take a step into something new, God is guarding and guiding. He is good to go and be wherever we are. What a sweet assurance and comforting blessing! No matter where our sons or daughters go…or are sent, our God is with them. We can rest knowing He’s there, even when we cannot be.
God guards our coming in, our ‘bo’ in Hebrew. Bo means “to come, call, carry, enter, fetch, follow, pull in, grant, lead, or send.” God may bring us in willingly, or maybe we are kicking and screaming…either way, our Father is present and active. He grants us entrance into so many things: a new season, a new year, and new opportunities to learn and grow. We may be called, led, carried or pulled, but God is right there. Our going out and our coming in are all in His hands, and we are assured He will guard every step.
The amazing thing is that God’s guarding is not dependent on clock or calendar, nor on our willingness or submission. God is not limited by those things that limit us. He guards both now, right at this present moment and forevermore for all eternity, time without end. Always. Ever. Without fail.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
As we get ready to step into 2024, we don’t know what the year may hold, but it’s certain that some will have great joys and others, deep sorrow. Some may be waiting, and the new year will be a time of expectant hope. Some will recognize blessings overflowing while others may have abundant blessings, yet not recognize them for what they are. There may be peace and joy or pain and longing. But there is one constant of which we can be assured. The Great I AM. Jehovah- the Existing One. Our God is steady and unchanging. Though the calendar may change, and the weeks and months fly by, God remains ever present and watchful, always providing and protecting. Nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard. There is nothing out of His reach or too strong for His mighty hand and outstretched arm to overcome. Long before December 31, 2023, arrived, He knew what the day would hold and the year leading up to it. And when we wake to see His new creation of January 1, 2024, we can know we are watching God fulfill His plan, set in motion before the world began, for that good day.
Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
The calendar shouldn’t determine how we approach the next day or the next year, God is our portion forever. Forever! Though a new year will bring something new, our God is the Ancient of Days. The LORD will watch over our coming in and our going out both now and forevermore. Forevermore!! Change is inevitable, but our Lord is unchanging and always present. He is good and we can trust Him to work and do what is for our good and His glory. Let’s not look to the ‘ball’ that drops as the sign that a new year will bring hope and good change. Let’s look to the Lord who stands, ever present and strong.
“My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- He who watches over you will not slumber; Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand- The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm- He will watch over your life; The LORD will watch over your coming in and going out both now and forevermore.” Psalm 121
Today, let’s pray for our loved ones as we welcome the new year. Pray that what is behind doesn’t define or derail them. Pray that what is ahead is powerfully held in the mighty hands of the Father and that they trust His strong grip on their life. Pray that they look to the Lord for their strength and hope. Pray that the Lord would watch over their going out of 2023 and their coming into 2024 and would keep them ever pursuing Him, following His steps carefully and listening to His voice attentively, a sheep of His pasture, eager to be His child, surrounded by His watchful care.
“May the LORD guard your coming in and your going out.”
What a generous blessing to pray over our loved ones!!
Pray without ceasing.
1. H8104 - šāmar - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h8104/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H3318 - yāṣā' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3318/kjv/wlc/0-1/
3. H935 - bô' - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h935/kjv/wlc/0-1/
God is Faithful to Restore Us and Lead Us
“He refreshes [restores] my soul.” Psalm 23:3
(spiritual renewal)
Restoration is hard work. It is the effort to bring something back to its original condition when time, decay, and circumstances affect its beauty, its purpose, and its value. Any shadow of what it once was or was intended to be has long since faded. The beauty is covered in dirt, mold, and decay, the edges are rough, once-strong supports are rotted, the luster is dulled. But an expert still sees the value and knows what it could be, if restored. Restoration requires someone who is skilled and has vision and an understanding of what something once was or was intended to be in order to restore it to its original state.
Jesus is our Restorer. He created us, so He knows us intimately and He knows exactly who and what He intended us to be. He is able to revive, refresh, and restore our spiritual selves to the “shalom” He intended us to enjoy in the garden, where everything was in a right relationship to Him. Isaiah 60:1 says about Jesus, “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,”
We can pray Psalm 51:2, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Jesus is able; He can do it!
“Jesus, You are the Restorer of all things. You promise that You will restore us and make us new. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” I pray that You would begin a work of restoration and reconciliation in (name) today.”
“Lord, strip away the rotten things that would cause decay in (name)’s life. Replace the battered and worn parts with new. Refresh their outlook and restore their heart to be aligned with Yours. Work in them to stir a desire to be made new with a heart like Jesus. Remind them that, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24. Show them clearly that You love them and You desire that they would be brought into fellowship with You, welcomed into Your house and home for eternity. Give (name) a heart for restoration so they would not only embrace the gospel and receive a new heart but that they would share the life-giving gospel with others so they, too, could be restored. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”
(direction, purpose)
When God restores us, it’s not for our benefit alone, although we do reap great benefits from the renewal of our heart, mind, and spirit. But it is for His glory that He redeems us! He gives us direction and purpose.
Ephesians 1:11-12 tells us, “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory.”
He has a plan and purpose for each of us Philippians 2:13, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.” The phrase, “For His name’s sake” indicates that we are to live in such a way that we maintain his name and reputation (1). If we fail to do that we take His name in vain- calling ourselves Christians but living like we are not. “‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Deut. 5:11 (NKJV) Our actions, choices and attitudes have bearing on the name we carry.
“Holy Father, Your name is Sacred. You ARE the Great I AM. There is no other like You and Your supremacy is unequaled. I pray that You would give (name) a godly fear and respect of You. Lead (name) in paths of righteousness so that as they bear Your name, they would be righteous (not self-righteous), blameless (not deceiving others or themselves) and authentic in their faith and their convictions. Lord, give (name) perspective that every blessing is from You and for the purpose of serving You and bringing You glory. Strengthen them in their faith, their conviction, and their passion to follow You in the right paths You set before them, in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
H4616 - maʿan - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4616/niv/wlc/0-1/