Praying the Scriptures Over your Family
Prayer for one another is one thing we hope is a normal occurrence in our family. We want our kids comfortable with us saying, “Hey, lemme pray for you right now.” And then, just as naturally as we would have a conversation about what’s for dinner, we have a conversation with God about whatever is going on in our kids’ or spouse’s life. An easy and powerful way to pray for one another is to incorporate scripture.
When you pray scripture over your kids or spouse, it simply means you might speak a phrase from scripture, then incorporate your family’s name into the scripture-prayer. It’s super cool because as you pray the scriptures, you begin to memorize them as well! The scriptures I know best are ones I have prayed over my family. Here is Jamie’s favorite scripture to pray over me and our kids:
Pray Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Lord you know the plans you have for Brendan, plans to prosper him and not to harm him, plans to give him hope and a future. Lord we pray your hope over Brendan, and your plan for this upcoming week. Lord may he trust in your perfect plan with soccer, school, and for the guys he is reaching out to. We pray that Brendan experiences your favor as he trusts in you. Amen!
Our encouragement
Pick 3-4 scriptures below and memorize them. Then when your family needs prayer, pray one of those scriptures over your family! Our kids now regularly pray for one another, simply because we made conversation with God a normal conversation in our home. We put more examples below of how you might incorporate praying scriptures for your family. Enjoy!
Pray Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Lord may Jordan not be anxious about anything, but in every situation…
Pray Ephesians 6:14-16
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Lord we pray the armor of God over Jamie… The belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit…
Pray Joshua 1:9
“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Lord may Payton be strong and courageous, knowing the you Lord are with her wherever she goes today.
Pray 1 John 5:14
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”
Lord Brendan can have confidence approaching you, knowing that you hear him.
Pray Mark 11:22-24
“’Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered. ‘I tell you the truth. If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Lord we say to this mountain and challenge in Lauren’s life that you are to move. And we trust that we have received this prayer and we believe in you hearing us Lord God.
Pray James 5:13-14
“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.”
Lord you encourage us to pray when in trouble, when we are happy, and when we are sick. We pray for Brendan today…
Pray Romans 8:26-27
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”
Lord we know your Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. Lord we don’t even know what to pray for Jamie right now, but we ask that you would intercede on her behalf…
Pray Luke 11:9
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Lord you tell us to ask and it will be given to us. We are asking for Lauren now…
Pray Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Lord we come to you as Payton is weary and burdened and we claim the promise of your rest over her…
Pray Romans 12:1-2
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Lord we pray that as Jordan lives for you that you would transform His mind, and that your will for Him today would become clear…
