Without a doubt, one of the best practices and disciplines the christian can implement is to pray the Bible. And there is not a strict, one way to do this, either. It could mean praying while you read, which many people recommend. It could also mean you read and then spend your time in prayer. Or it could mean simply you pray while thinking or calling to remembrance the Scriptures or a Truth contained in them. There are many reasons for this. It helps us hear clearly from God. It prioritizes our prayers according to God’s will. It draws us deeper into experiencing God in prayer and not our own imaginations. It keeps our prayer structured and focused.
Now most of us would probably agree, “Yes, that is a good practice. I see the benefits. Of course we should pray and read the Bible.” But that’s not the question I want to address today. I think the bigger question for us is not the question of should we, but a question of how do we. Because many of us, although affirming the practice, actually have trouble implementing it.
So how do we pray the Scriptures?
Although the possibilities are many, let me propose just one way to do it! You figure out what works for you!
Let’s take John 3:16 for example, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” So how could we pray this verse?
You might even think, “That’s not a prayer, that’s a statement!”
You are right, it is! So it takes a little work to transform this into a prayer. Let’s see what we can do. I’m going to follow a common and profitable prayer acronym: ACTS. Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication.
1. Adoration: “God, I worship you as the God of all love. Who gives freely of all that You have. Who gave Your only Son for all to believe in. You are worthy of my worship and the worship of all the earth!”
2. Confession: “God, I so often forget how loving you are. And I so easily run after other gods that do not love me the way you have loved me. Forgive me for not treasuring and embracing the gift of Your Son Jesus. I confess God I deserve eternal punishment for my sin.”
3. Thanksgiving: “But, I thank you God for not giving me what I deserve, and instead giving me Jesus and eternal life. I thank you for sending your Son for me. I thank you for saving me in the pit of my helplessness. Thank you that salvation is about belief in Your Son, not about my own good works. Thank you so much for grace, God. And thank you that I get to spend eternity with you.”
4. Supplication: “Please help me to walk in manner worthy of the gift of Your Son. Help me to daily believe and trust in Jesus for my salvation. (Intercession) God I now pray for my friends and family members, and coworkers who do not believe in you. God, please give them eyes to see and hearts to treasure the wonderful gift of Jesus for them. I pray that you would save them from perishing and bless them with Yourself eternally.”
I pray this may help your prayer life become more vibrant and life giving, all for His glory!