I’ve found that praying scripture is the best way to pray. God’s Word is so much more powerful than anything I could ever think to say to Him (Hebrews 4:12). I have certain scriptures that I typically use in prayer. I have memorized a considerable amount of scripture over the years, so as the Holy Spirit brings Bible verses and passages to my memory (John 14:26), I throw them into the mix as well.
God’s Word doesn’t return to Him empty or void. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).
We are coming into agreement with the Word of God. “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:19). What better source of agreement is there than the Word of God!
We are decreeing His Word over those for whom we are praying. “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways” (Job 22:28). Let’s decree the Word of God into the spiritual realm and watch the Holy Spirit bring it into the realm of reality.
We are framing our world. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). The world in which we live was formed by the Word of God.
As we pray or decree the Word of God over the lives of those for whom we are praying, we are actually framing their lives and the world around them. We are molding or reforming our world when speaking and praying the Word over it.
God watches over and hastens His Word to perform it. “Then said the Lord unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten My Word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1:12). When I first began using the Word in my prayer time the Spirit of the Lord gave this verse to me. If we wish to speed results to our prayers praying the Word is a must.
God honors His Word above His name. The Psalmist cried, “I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy name for Thy lovingkindness and for Thy truth: for Thou hast magnified Thy Word above all Thy name” (Psalm 138:2). God longs to answer prayer that is aligned with His will (1 John 5:14-15). God’s Word is His revealed will and therefore He must honor His Word.
We are to remind God of His Word. “Put Me in remembrance, let us argue our case together; State your cause, that you may be proved right” (Isaiah 43:26). This is in essence wrestling with God in prayer as Jacob did (Genesis 32).
Let’s not look at this as if we are proving ourselves right and God wrong, but that we are proving that God and His Word is right and true. The world, circumstances, experience and our senses are wrong and God’s Word right. They must align themselves with the Word of the Living God!
God’s Word is sent out through us in prayer to bring healing and deliverance. “He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalms 107:20). His Word is sent out through our declaration, decree (Job 22:28) and prayers to bring healing and deliverance to those for whom we are praying.
God anoints His Word. God always anoints His Word! As we pray the Word over people, places, situations and the church, the anointing of God goes forth and releases people from their bondage, burdens and the yoke of the enemy from off their lives. “It shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing” (Isaiah 10:27 KJV).