A prayer for forgiveness that can help us remain open to grace:
O Lord Jesus, You know how upset we are because of the harm done to us. You forgave those who harmed You. Please help us to forgive, so we will not be destroyed by anger, or hatred, or revenge. Help those who have harmed us to follow You, so they may not hurt others. We place ourselves in Your care. Bless us with Your strength and peace and love, so what has happened to us may cause no further damage. Instead, let us grow ever stronger, full of compassion and courage and hope. Loving Lord, please give us grace to move ahead, walking always with You, at Your side. Amen.
Sometimes it is easier to pray with a prayer partner.
Father, my heart’s desire and my prayer to You is for _____’s salvation (Romans 10:1). Please redeem and be gracious to him/her (Psalm 26:11). Turn Your face upon him/her and be generous to him/her (Psalm 25:16). Surround him/her with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7). Keep him/her as the apple of Your eye (Psalm 17:8). Answer when he/she is in distress; protect him/her and send help from Your sanctuary to grant him/her support (Psalm 20:1-2). I pray too that he/she commits his/her way to You, gracious Lord, and he/she will trust in You and You will do this: You will make Your righteousness shine like the dawn (Psalm 37:5-6).
Father, I pray for _____:
…That You would give him/her the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so he/she may know You better (Ephesians 1:17).
…That wisdom will enter his/her heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to his/her soul. I pray that discretion will protect him/her, and that understanding will guard him/her, and that wisdom will save him/her from the ways of the wicked (Proverbs 2:10-12).
…That his/her love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so he/she may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ’s return, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes though Christ Jesus – to the praise and glory of Your name, my God and Father (Philippians 1:9-11).
…That he/she will be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil (Romans 16:19).
…That he/she will be patient and not quick-tempered (Proverbs 14:29).
…That You will guide him/her in Your truth and teach him/her Your paths; for You are my all-powerful God (Psalm 25:4-5).
…That the peace of Christ Jesus will rule in his/her heart and in my heart, since as members of one body we were called to peace. And help us be thankful, letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:15-16).
Now to You, Glorious Father, who is able to do immeasurably more than all I ask or could imagine for _____, to You be glory forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21).
I desire to dwell in the shelter of the Most High. I will rest in the shadow of the Almighty [El Shaddai]. I will say of the Lord: “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” Surely God will save me from the fowler’s snare, and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover me with His feathers, and under His wings I will find refuge. His faithfulness is my shield and rampart, my buckler wherever I go. I will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys in sunlight. A thousand may fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, but it will not come near me. I will only observe with my eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. Because I make the Most High my dwelling place — even the Lord, who is my refuge — no harm will befall me. No disaster will come near my dwelling. For the Lord will command His angels concerning me, to guard me in all my ways. They will lift me up in their hands so I will not strike my foot against a stone. I will tread upon the lion and the cobra; I will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because [he/she] love Me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue [him/her]. I will set [him/her] securely on high, for [he/she] acknowledges My name. [He/She] will call upon Me and I will answer [him/her]. I will be with [him/her] in trouble. I will deliver [him/her] and honor [him/her]. With long life I will satisfy [him/her] and show [him/her] My salvation.” (Psalm 91:1-16)
Our Rock is unmovable!
I do not let my heart be troubled. I trust in God, I trust also in my Lord Jesus (John 14:1). God has put a hedge around me and my family, and my house, and everything I have and all I have inherited through His kindnesses. God blesses the work of my hands because I keep His commandments (Job 1:10). You are abundantly gracious to me, O Lord God, and I do humbly thank You. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every good and upright thing (Psalm 145:16).
I will lift up my eyes beyond the mountains; from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord who made the mountains, the heavens and all the earth. He will not allow my foot to slip; He who keeps me will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps [the old and the new] Israel will never slumber nor sleep. The Lord God is my Keeper. The Lord is my shade on my right hand. The sun will not smite me by day, nor the moon or stars by night. The Lord God will protect me from all evil. He will keep my soul. The Lord will guard my going out and my coming in, both now and forever more. (Psalm 121:1-8) Because I stay at His right hand, I will not be moved!
The peace that surpasses all understanding keeps my heart and mind through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7). You keep me in perfect peace, for my mind is steadfast, because I trust in You (Isaiah 26:3). I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety (Psalm 4:8). I will lie down and sleep; I will awake again because the Lord sustains me (Psalm 3:5). Lord God, help me to remember You when I go to bed (Psalm 63:6). Occupy my thoughts through the watched of the night, because when my mind is on You I don’t worry about other things.
I am convinced nothing can separate me from God’s love: death can’t, life can’t; angels and demons can’t; fears for the day, worries about tomorrow… even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away from me. Whether I am high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate me from the love of God that is revealed through Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38-39)
So I will depart from evil and do good; I will seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14). I will strive to keep my ways pleasing to the Lord, for then God will make even my enemies to be at peace with me (Proverbs 16:7). I will not repay anyone evil for evil. I will be careful to do what is right. As far as possible as it depends on me, I will live at peace with all men. I will not take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath… I will not allow evil to overcome — I will overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17-21).
Father, when all other things have passed away, three things will remain: faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Help me prioritize my day by the things that will always remain. And, dear Lord God, please help me not to allow the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, or the desires for other things to come in and choke Your Word, making it unfruitful in my life (Mark 4:19).
Some say that to worry is to sin, since God told us not to worry. The fact is that worry doesn’t add any time to your lifespan, or boost your health, or increase your popularity. There really is no good that comes from worry. That being said, this author knows how hard it is to let go of the controls and not worry about any outcomes. We are told to sit back and enjoy the ride while God controls… easily said.
God offers peace and rest for your soul, as well as you mind.
Help me, Lord Jesus, to take Your yolk upon me and to learn from You; for You are gentle and humble in heart, and I will find rest for my soul in You (Matthew 11:29). Lord God, I have the assurance of Your Word that You, the Great God of All Grace, who called me to Your eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after I have suffered a little while, will Yourself restore me and make me strong, firm and steadfast (1 Peter 5:10). You, O Lord, love me with an everlasting love; You have drawn me with loving-kindness. You will build me up again, and I will be rebuilt. I will take up my tambourine and go out to dance with the joyful ones (Jeremiah 31:3-4).
Father God, I ask You to lead me when I am blind along ways I have not known; along unfamiliar paths please guide me. Lord, turn the darkness into light before me and make the rough places smooth. I pray these are the things You will do; I know You will not forsake me (Isaiah 42:16). I will be still and know You are God. You, O Lord Almighty, are with me; You, O God of Jacob, are my Fortress (Psalm 46:10-11).
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and got up and went, even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). Lord, help me to be willing to follow You in obedience even when I’m not sure where we are heading.
God Father, Your Word tells me to humble myself under Your mighty hand, that You may lift me up in due time. O Loving Father, I cast all my cares and anxieties and worries of the day on You because You care for me (1 Peter 5:6-7). I cast my cares on the Lord and He sustains me; He will never let the righteous be moved (Psalm 55:22).
When I said, “my foot is slipping,” Your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought joy to my soul (Psalm 94:18-19). When I was in great need, You saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you (Psalm 116:6-7). I will rejoice and be glad in Your love, O my God, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy, but have set my feet in a spacious place (Psalm 31:7-8).
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You, O Lord, preserve my life. You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes; with Your right hand You save me. You, my Lord God, will fulfill Your purpose for me. Your Love, O Lord, endures forever — You will not abandon the work of Your hands (Psalm 138:7-8).
I let the peace of Christ Jesus rule in my heart, since as a member of His body I was called to peace. And I am thankful / grateful / praiseful. I refuse to worry about anything. (Colossians 3:15).
Fear is faith in the enemy’s abilities! Just in case anyone is still clinging to a few doubts, let me assure you, the devil is real. We live our lives not simply according to what we know, but what we really believe. Genuine belief is life-altering conviction. How we walk with our feet of clay on the hot pavement of life evidences what we truly believe.
No matter the difficulty, God always wins.
The Lord is (1) good, (2) a refuge in times of trouble, and (3) He cares for those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7).
Please swell my soul with belief and help me trust emphatically in Your deliverance, O God my Savior (Psalm 78:18-22). Do not be far from me, O Lord my Champion, for trouble is near and there is no one to help… I feel like roaring lions are waiting to tear their prey open — their mouths wide against me! (Psalm 22:11, 13). I sometimes feel others conspire against me and the enemy plots to take my life. But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hands (Psalm 31:13-16).
To You, O my Lord, I lift up my soul; in You, O my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemy triumph over me (Psalm 25:1-2). Guard my life and rescue me, O Lord my God. Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because all my hope is in You alone (Psalm 25:20-21).
How great is Your goodness, O Lord, which You have stored up for those who fear You; which You bestow in the sight of all men on those who take refuge in You. In the shelter of Your presence You hide us from the intrigues of men; in Your dwelling You keep us safe from accusing tongues (Psalm 31: 19-20).
The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:1-6).
The Lord has come to rescue me from the hand of my enemy, and to enable me to serve my Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all my days (Luke 1:74-75). Now, just as I trusted Christ Jesus to save me, I can trust Him also for each day’s problems; I choose to live in vital union with Him. I can let my roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him.
Help me and teach me, Lord Jesus, to take Your yolk upon me and to learn from You; for You are gentle and humble in heart, and I will find rest for my soul in You (Matthew 11:29).
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Lord God (Psalm 9:9-10).
God is always there beside us.
Awesome God, You are my hiding place. You have promised that You will protect me from trouble [too much for me to handle], and surround me with songs of deliverance. You said You will instruct me and teach me in the way I should go. You said You will counsel me and watch over me (Psalm 32:7). Lord God Almighty One, I place my total trust in You. Please, do as You have said.
Lord, an important part of my victory will be admitting that without Your complete intervention, my oppressor is too strong for me. I am unable to be victorious without You. Come and rescue me by Your mighty hand (Psalm 142:6). See, O Lord, how distressed I am; I am in torment within and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious (Lamentations 1:20). God Father, please help me to admit the part of my torment that has come from rebellion and show me my rebellious ways, not so that I will feel condemned and judged, but that I can confess, begin to walk in Your paths, and be free.
Direct my steps by Your Word, O my Lord, and let no iniquity have dominion over me (Psalm 119:133).
Make Your ways known to me, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; and I wait for You all day long. Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and Your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion. Instead, in keeping with Your faithful love, remember me because of Your goodness (Psalm 25:4-7).
Father God, please help me understand that the loving discipline and chastisement that comes after rebellion against Your ways is only in the purest Father’s love and is never to be confused with condemnation (Hebrews 12:6).
The Lord will cover me with His feathers. He will shelter me with His wings. His faithful promises are my armor and protection. His truth and faithfulness are my shield and buckler (Psalm 91:4). Blessed am I, Lord God, because You are faithful to correct me. I will not despise the discipline of the Almighty! (Job 5:17)
Though You have made me see troubles many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again (Psalm 71:21), because it is Your nature to be a loving Father. Why are you cast down, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? I choose to put my hope in my God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God (Psalm 42:5-6). Therefore when my soul is downcast within me, I will remember Your kindnesses, O gracious Lord.
Heavenly Father You saw me and approved of me even while I was in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:23-26). You gave me survival tools that would bring me to this place where I am today. You have been waiting for me to come home to truth — the truth that will set me free if I but listen (John 8:32). Lord God, Your Word says You love the just and will not forsake Your faithful ones (Psalm 37:28); they will be protected forever. My justification is found in Your son, my Savior, Christ Jesus (Romans 8:30). He is faithful even when I am not (2 Timothy 2:13). Thus I thank You, Father, that I can be absolutely sure You will never leave me nor forsake me because I am in Jesus (Hebrews 13:5).
God Promises to never forsake you. Look for His presence.
God says: “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My instruction: Do not fear disgrace by men and do not be shattered by their taunts. For the moth will devour them like a garment and the worm will eat them like wool. But My righteousness will last forever, and My salvation for all generations” (Isaiah 51:7-8).
Lord Almighty One, according to Your Word, what a man desires or craves deeply is unfailing love (Proverbs 19:22). Every other use of those words ‘unfailing love’ in Scripture is attributed to You alone. You are the only one capable of perpetual unfailing love. Help me understand that my deep cravings for someone to love me with that kind of love were meant to be satisfied by You alone. And thank You deeply, my God and my Father.
Father, according to Your Word, You give the Son whatever He asks (John 17:24-26). Therefore I thank You for making Yourself known to me, and for welcoming me to be in Your family. No matter how I may encounter rejection in the world around me, I am welcomed to abide in the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and in the perfect Son of the Most High God! Even if my father and mother forsake me, You, O Lord will receive me with open arms (Psalm 27:10).
Glorious God, You said, “I have chosen You and have not rejected you.” So I will not fear, for God is with me. I will not be dismayed for Adonai is my El Shaddai. The mighty Jehovah will strengthen me and help me. El Elohim will uphold me with His righteous right hand. One day because of You, Lord God Almighty, I will search for my enemies and will not find them. For You are the Lord, my God who takes hold of my right hand and says to me, “Do not fear; I will help you”(Isaiah 41:9-13).
O God, though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet Your unfailing love for me will not be shaken nor Your covenant of peace be removed. You are the Lord God who has compassion on me (Isaiah 54:10). My God, You say to me in Your Word, “I, even I am He who comforts you” (Isaiah 51:12). Thank You, Loving Lord! Help me to sense and respond to Your comfort, and share it with others that may need it, too.
O God, help me always to be thankful that I am loved by You, because from the beginning You chose me to be saved, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth and in Your Son (2 Thessalonians 2:13). May Your unfailing love be my comfort, according to Your promise to Your servant (Psalm 119:76).
Lord, according to Your Word, a hope deferred makes the heart sick. But a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12). Lord, You are keenly aware of all hopes that have been deferred in my life. Help me to put my hopes in You, for You will fulfill my longings. You, Lord God, delight in those who fear You, who put their hope in Your unfailing love (Psalm 147:11).
O blessed and merciful Lord God, Your Word promises that those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. If I go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, I will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves/souls with me (Psalm 126:5-6). Help me see that the promise is not made to those who simply have tears, but to those who are willing to sow seed in the midst of their tears. If I’m willing to keep believing and sowing Your Word even when I am desperately hurting, You will bring me forth from this difficult season with songs of joy.
Lord God, I am hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). You protect me. I always carry around in my body the death of Your son, Jesus, so that the life of Your Son may also be revealed in my body. Lord Jesus, help me to always remember that if I am truly crucified with You, I am also raised to resurrection life with You! And it’s Your resurrection life in me that keeps me going. I have been crucified with Christ Jesus. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). Help me, dearest Lord, to never forget that the purpose of the crucified life is to allow me to walk in the power of Your resurrected life.
You, Lord Jesus, were despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:3). You were like one from whom men hide their faces. You were despised — You know exactly how I feel, Lord. Therefore I will put my trust in You. I have a great High Priest who has gone into Heaven, Jesus, the Son of God (Hebrews 4:14). He suffered everything just as I suffer, and now He intercedes for me in His heavenly realm. So I cling to Him and will never stop trusting Him.
My Savior Jesus, as unimaginable as this may seem, when I am obedient to You, You call me friend? You desire to make known to me everything You learned from Your father. I did not choose You, but You chose me and appointed me to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give me whatever I ask in Your Name (John 15:13-16). Develop Your heart within me, dearest Lord Jesus, so I will know how to ask of the Father in Your great name. Help me also to be always aware that You chose me, so I never need to feel left out.
Sovereign Lord, because You help me, I will not be disgraced. He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? It is the sovereign Lord who helps me (Isaiah 50:7-9). I can say with confidence, “The Lord is my Helper, so I will have no fear” (Hebrews 13:6). I will not fear or dread or be hurtful back to others, because many people just don’t understand; their eyes do not see.
Your eyes, Lord, are on those who fear You; on those whose hope is in Your unfailing love to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine [even in social famine]. I wait in hope for You, O Lord; You are my help and my shield. In You my heart rejoices for I trust in Your Holy Name (Psalm 33:18-22). May Your unfailing love rest upon me; O Lord even as I put my hope in You. O Lord, because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:7-8).
Faithful God, help me to call this to mind and therefore to always have hope: Because of Your great love, I am not consumed, for Your compassions never fail. They are new toward me every morning. Great is Your faithfulness. I will gladly say, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him” (Lamentations 3:22-24). Father God, I will be strong and courageous. I will not be afraid or terrified because of anyone else; for You, O Lord my God, go with me. You promised You will never leave me nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Lord God, according to Your Word, Your Spirit Himself testifies with my spirit that I am Your child. Now if I am Your child, then I am an heir — heir of Yours and co-heir with Christ Jesus, if indeed I share in His sufferings that I may also share in His glory (Romans 8:16-18). Help me to sincerely embrace the truth that any present sufferings I encounter are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in me. Father, continue to bring me along the path You have laid for me, so that I can learn to rejoice in my sufferings because sufferings produce perseverance (Romans 5:3).
Father, I want You to be able to have great confidence in me and take pride in me and my faith in You. In all my troubles, let my joy know no bounds (2 Corinthians 7:4). You, O God, turn my wailing into dancing. You remove my sackcloth and clothe me with joy that my heart may sing to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks and praise forever (Psalm 30:11-12).
It doesn’t matter that I grew up in poverty; God has made me rich with His blessings. It doesn’t matter what I inherited from my family or what I encountered growing up; God’s best is for me to walk in my birthright — the believer’s birthright! I am a new creation in Christ Jesus, and now I will act like it!
God’s Word will change you
O Father God, You told me “whatsoever I say will come to pass” (Mark 11:23-24), that I can have whatever I say. I don’t know if these promises are to be ‘prayed’ or ‘spoken with conviction’, but I know I want to trust in You and Your Word. So I speak Your words with conviction and determination because I want them to be true in me. I claim Your promises as I believe You said I could. I confess Your Word to change my situation, and claim my heritage as one of Your children. Please allow these promises to come true in me that I may bring glory to You. And, dearest Lord God, please bless my efforts to control my tongue this day. In Jesus’ mighty name I ask You, Father, bless the words of my mouth.
The Word of God is truth and it shows forth righteousness. There are people who cut themselves spiritually by saying “I am unworthy.” I will no longer say this because I don’t want to destroy my faith. God Himself chose me! It is He who makes me worthy.
God gave me the ability to use my tongue to create a better life by speaking His Word to change my circumstances. The choice is mine, and I choose life. Tears of self-pity are a form of unbelief in myself. Therefore I will lean heavily on God’s Word, and I will learn to release faith with laughter instead of tears.
Father God Almighty, I come to You in the name of Your Son, Jesus, my Savior, without fear of condemnation because I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I have a right, thanks to Jesus, to stand in the very throne room of God and speak to the Creator of the Cosmos! And so I plead:
Establish Your Word to Your servant, O Lord, who is devoted to fearing You (Psalm 119:38). Help me hide Your Word in my heart, dearest Father, so that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11). Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path (Psalm 119:105). I study Your commandments and reflect on Your ways; I delight in Your principles and will not forget Your Word (Psalm 119:15-16). You are my lamp, O Lord; You turn my darkness into light (2 Samuel 22:29). Lord, You have brought light to my life. My God, You light up my darkness (Psalm 18:28).
I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1). May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). May my meditations be pleasing to You as I rejoice in You, O my loving Lord (Psalm 104:38).
God's Word on That 