Praying the Scriptures: Prayers for Your Church

Most of us know we should be praying for our churches.

But if you’re like me, you haven’t given enough thought to the matter of how you should be praying.

It occurs to me that this question is worth thinking about.

It’s worth investing time in.

It’s worth figuring out.

Because it matters.

It matters a lot more than we think, because the battle rages stronger than we realize.

The Bible teaches that our adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).

And quite often, his prime target is Christ’s Church.

Because if he can manage to hinder the testimony of a believer – or even better, an entire congregation of believers – he can muffle their walking, talking evidence of God’s power.

Will you join me in praying the Scriptures on behalf of your church?

Prayers for Your Church

1. Ask that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give the members of your church the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Pray that the eyes of your heart would be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward you who believe (Ephesians 1:17-19).

2. Pray that the members of your local church would speak evil of no one, avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy toward all people (Titus 3:2). Pray likewise that they would handle confrontations biblically, and that church discipline would be exercised when necessary (Matthew 18:15-17).

3. Ask the Lord to enable and inspire your church members to use their spiritual gifts to serve each other (I Peter 4:10-11).

4. Pray that your local church congregation would take seriously its participation in “The Great Commission” – going and making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).

5. Ask the Lord to grant a spirit of unity in your local church – that you may all be one, just as God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ are one. Pray that the members would be one in God, so the world may believe that Jesus was truly sent by God (John 17:21).

6. Beg God to enable your local church to receive the word of God not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, and that this Word would work in those who believe (I Thessalonians 2:13).

7. Appeal to the Lord to help your local church be a surrendered church – one that is characterized by following Christ (I Corinthians 11:1).

8. Pray that your church members would exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Hebrews 3:13).

9. Ask God for His grace in helping your church consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near (Hebrews 10:24-25).

10. Pray that your church members would have genuine love for the Lord, for each other, and for the world. Ask for God’s grace to help you all abhor what is evil and hold fast to what is good; to love one another with brotherly affection and to outdo one another in showing honor.

Pray that your local congregation would not be slothful in zeal, but would be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Ask that He would guide you in rejoicing in hope, being patient in tribulation, being constant in prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, and seeking to show hospitality (Romans 12:9-13).

11. Pray that your church will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and that your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God in the hearts of those on the receiving end (2 Corinthians 9:11).

12. Bow your knees before the Father, imploring that according to the riches of His glory He may grant your local church to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner being of each member, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

Pray that you would be rooted and grounded in love, having strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Heavenly Father, how I thank You for the gift of the local church! It has been the conduit of untold blessing in my life. But I realize that its blessing upon me is secondary to Your design that it be a blessing to You.

I pray that You would grant Your protection from the enemy over each local congregation of believers. By your grace, help us to guard against attacks from without and against division from within.

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).