What ‘Praying the Word’ looks like in practice

As we step into 21 Days of Prayer + Fasting together, the focus of this year is all about “Praying the Word.” As I consider what praying the Word might mean for us, I realize that, for some, this may be a familiar practice, while for others it could be quite foreign. My prayer is that as we learn to pray the Word together, we would hear God’s voice resonate in the depths of our being, both for now and the days ahead. Let me give you an example of how we can practically pray the Word.

Praying the Word

“In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:1-3, NIV, emphasis added).

Daniel reads the words of God and responds in prayer, and the recorded prayer in the following verses (vv. 4-19), begins with the Scriptures and is saturated with them throughout. Phrase after phrase comes right out of the “book.”

A quick study of the scripturally recorded prayers—such as those of David, Daniel, Nehemiah, Solomon, Mary, Peter, the apostle Paul and even Jesus Himself—reveals that this was a normative practice in prayer. They knew what you and I should know as well—that prayers that start in heaven are heard in heaven.

For some of us, this is a familiar approach to prayer; for others, this may be a new concept, and you might wonder: “OK. I understand ‘study the Bible,’ and I understand ‘prayer,’ but you’re mixing those?”

When you live in and pray God’s Word, His Word gets in you! And when you get in God’s Word and God’s Word gets in you, something changes in your spirit.

For me, personally, Scripture has become the basis of my fellowship with the Lord and one of the foundational ways that I engage in prayer. I’ve found that praying the Scripture is one of the primary ways that I drink from the waters of life. In addition, focusing on the Word as part of my prayer life aids against distraction and helps avoid ruts in my prayer times.

When you live in and pray God’s Word, His Word gets in you! And when you get in God’s Word and God’s Word gets in you, something changes in your spirit.

Let’s use a beloved and well-known passage of Scripture as an example of how to pray the Word, Psalm 23. For nearly 3,000 years, God’s people have been singing, reading and trusting in the words of this Psalm. Consider taking a few days to meditate on this Psalm, sing it, pray it, think it, memorize it, speak it and pray it.

• “Lord, You are my Shepherd, I shall not want” 
  • Everything that I need is in You, Jesus.
  • I have no needs outside of You, and You have made Yourself to be my full supply.
  • Just as a shepherd cares for his sheep, You have cared for me in sufficiency. I don’t want for anything outside of You.
• “You make me lie down in green pastures”
  • There is an abundance of life as You graciously give.
  • You give me rest; You are my rest.
• “You lead me beside quiet waters”
  • You are the waters, You’re the river. You are the reservoir of life. Thank You for allowing me to drink so that I am refreshed. Thank You for leading me to the water that is You.
• “You restore my soul”
  • When I’m faced with life’s weariness, and the drain, I run to You, and You restore me.
  • You make me whole; You invigorate me and renew my strength.
• “You are my righteousness, and You lead me in righteousness”
  • You do it for Your name’s sake. Bless Your name. Thank You, Lord. I believe that for today and tomorrow, You are my righteousness. I don’t need to look anywhere else; this is the relationship that is right for me. You do all of this for Your name’s sake.
• “Your presence is with me in my darkest valleys” 
  • You never leave me nor forsake me. My eyes are on You, and I find comfort in Your protection and leadership in my life. Because of Your presence, I have no need for fear; I resist fear, for You are with me even in the midst of fearful situations and circumstances. My attention is on You, Jesus; You are not absent.
  • Have Your work in me today; deliver me from fear and strengthen me in grace. May courage arise within me, and boldness in the face of the darkness because You are near.
• “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”
  • Thank You for your protection and provision in the face of any threat. I am at home in You; You are my sustenance, and I receive today Your strengthening grace and power in my life.
• “You anoint my head with oil, and my cup overflows”
  • Today, I need a fresh anointing of Your Spirit. Fill me today to overflowing. Your presence without measure, Your ability that transcends my human limitations, and Your blessings that are lavish yet undeserved.
  • I believe that You give me the power to do what I need to do today in order to fulfill Your kingdom purposes in my life.
• “Your goodness and mercy follow me, and I will dwell in Your house forever”
  • I believe that there is not a day that goes by when You are not pursuing me with Your goodness, for my good. Thank You today for the hope of eternity with You that connects me to my today, that my present and my future are secured by Your love, grace and Word of truth.

My prayer for you is that the words of God would minister to your heart and breathe life into your bones, as we continue to serve His call on our lives. As we step into 21 days of Prayer + Fasting together, allow His Word to guide you, and may He deposit something into our souls that will bear fruit for years to come. Amen.