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Many people claim a verse in the Bible as their “life verse.” It’s usually one that has meant a lot to them over time. When my husband and I were going through our infertility struggles, the verse that meant the most to me was Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” It was a powerful reminder to me that God sustains me. But what if we also had a few powerful life prayers?
Prayer fills the pages of the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, the biblical writers have communicated to God through prayer. Here are 10 powerful life prayers you can incorporate into your daily journey with God.
A Prayer for God to Search Your Heart
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
Psalm 139:23
Dear God, I humbly come before You, asking You to search me and know my heart. Help me to surrender my fears, doubts, and insecurities to You. Guide me on the path of righteousness and grant me the wisdom to align my thoughts and actions with Your will. I know it might be scary and uncomfortable to confront the hidden places, but I also know it needs to be done in order to be more like Jesus. So I give you access to every part of my heart. Amen.
To help you add this one of our 10 powerful life prayers to your life, listen to a sample of a guided meditation from Abide based on Psalm 139:23.
A Powerful Life Prayer for a Clean Heart
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10
Lord God, You know better than anyone that my heart needs cleansing every single day. I am so grateful that You have taken my sins away from me and chosen not to remember them anymore. Your Word encourages me to think on things that are lovely, pure, and worthy of praise. I’m surrounded by the opposite. Set the eyes of my heart continually on You and renew my spirit so that I might see You and desire what You desire. It’s in Jesus’ name that I pray. Amen.
Take a few moments to listen to a sample of this meditation from Abide based on Psalm 51:10. Let it become one of your powerful life prayers.
A Prayer for Comfort and Safety
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings,
Psalm 17:8
God of Comfort, I admit to fear and worry. Wrap me around with Your strong arms, hide me in the shelter of Your wings. Let me know every moment that You are with me and You will never leave me or forsake me. When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. I know that Your eyes are always on me, not to judge me and to reprimand me for the things I do wrong, but to protect me and keep me safe. But I also know that bad things happen in this world. So thank You that no matter what, nobody can touch my soul. I am safe with You. It’s in Jesus’ powerful name that I pray. Amen.
Listen now to a segment of an Abide meditation on comfort from God from Psalm 94:19.
A Prayer for Greater Faith
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:24
Father, You have been so good to me throughout my life. Why do I doubt? Sometimes I feel like the children of Israel when they fled Egypt. Suddenly the Red Sea trapped them on one side and the Egyptian army advanced on the other. There didn’t seem to be any way out. And then You did the unimaginable: You parted the waters. What a spectacular, miracle You performed because You love Your people. Grow in me that mustard-seed of faith. Give me faith over my fear of the unknown. Help me to trust You no matter how dire my situation seems to be. You will make a way where there seems to be no way. Open my heart to the unexpected. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Listen now to a couple of minutes of this Abide meditation about what to do with your doubt.
A Powerful Life Prayer for Spiritual Sight
Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.”
Mark 10:51
Dear Jesus, when You were walking this earth, You healed many people of their physical afflictions, including restoring sight to the blind, cleansing lepers, and healing the lame. But most importantly, You gave each person You encountered spiritual sight. I can truly say that before I met you, I was blind and when I walked in Your ways, I could see. But sometimes I let those blinders came over my eyes again. Restore my spiritual sight, Lord. Let me see You clearly again. Keep my eyes free from anything that would distract me from You. You are my light, and without You, I walk in darkness. Help me to see and follow that light. It’s in Your name that I pray. Amen.
Listen to a short snippet from Abide’s meditation on Mark 10:51 and consider adding spiritual sight to your list of powerful life prayers.
A Prayer for Provision
Give me this day my daily bread.
Matthew 6:11
Dear God, when things seem to be a little thin, remind me that You always take care of me. Help me to see that what You provide might not always look the way I think it will, but it will always be good. When I feel alone, provide a friend. When I feel stretched in too many different directions, give me rest. When my bank account looks low, provide what I need for that day. Help me discern between needs and desires, to notice all that You have already given me, and to live out of a grateful heart. You clothe the flowers; You will clothe me. I thank You and praise You in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This meditation from Abide serves as a good reminder to pray even about the small things.
A Powerful Life Prayer Against Temptation
Lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from the evil one.
Matthew 6:13
Lord, Your Word says that if I hide Your Word in my heart, I will not sin against You. I know even Jesus faced temptation, and He counteracted it with Scripture. I want to pray that I would never face temptation so that I will never fall, but I know that’s not possible. I live in the world. I know I’ll face temptation. So I’m asking that You would help me to turn away, to have Your Word dwelling in me so deeply, that I’m not even interested in what the enemy of my soul has to offer. You said that no temptation would overtake me that no one has ever experienced before, and that You always provide a way of escape. Help me to always be prepared by knowing Your voice, memorizing Your Word, and walking every moment with You. Thank You for Your love and care for me. It’s in Jesus’ name that I pray. Amen.
Listen to the short version of this meditation from Abide based on James 4:7 about resisting and fleeing. It’s a worthy and powerful life prayer.
A Prayer to Live a Worthy Life
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Ephesians 4:1
Heavenly Father, I know You love me no matter what I do, but I also know that it matters how I live my life. Jesus said you will know a tree by its fruit. Produce fruit in me from the Holy Spirit that brings glory to Your name. You have called me to go and make disciples, and You have called me to walk with You. Even Paul, living in prison, brought glory to Your name. He was known by his fruit. Help me to make good choices that honor You, that help people to see who You are because of what You have done in my life. You have called me to live in the world, but not to conform to the world. How will people know that I have been transformed by Jesus if I act that same way I’ve always acted? Thank You for giving me everything I need to live a godly life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
James 1 also talks about walking your talk. Listen to this short segment of this Abide meditation based on James 1:22-25.
A Prayer for Unity
I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
John 17:23
Lord Jesus, You prayed for Your disciples to be unified, and as Your follower, I know that it’s super important to You. And yet when I look at the world today, we are so far from unified that my heart hurts. And so, Lord, I want to be a peacemaker. Stop me from reacting to things and people I disagree with. Help me to care more about people than principles, to listen more than I speak, and to love like You love. In my flesh, I cannot do this. It’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit that I can show grace and love to those who desire a battle. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, I want to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Work in my heart to want what You want for Your people. It’s in Your name that I pray. Amen.
Whew! That’s a hard one, right? This powerful life prayer can change you. Listen to this segment of a meditation from Abide on Ephesians 4:1-3 and the importance of unity.
A Powerful Life Prayer for Love
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8
Dear God, we love because You first loved us. You call us to love others—and not just those who love us. Boy that’s hard to do! Would You give me a soft heart that’s willing to love even my enemies? Show me what true love looks like. Expand my view to encompass how You see the world. Your Word says that You loved us so much that You sent Jesus to die for our sins. While we were still sinners! Oh, amazing love! I truly want to love like Jesus loves. I want to have no conditions, no expectations, no limits. I know for sure that I can’t do that on my own. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to live in me and to love through me. I depend on You so much. Thank You for making love even possible. You are love. It’s in Jesus’ name that I pray. Amen.
Seems impossible to love like Jesus, doesn’t it? Listen to this sample of an Abide meditation based on 1 John 4:19 about being loved.
Talking to God about every area of our lives that we want Him to affect—which I know I want to be every area—can make a huge difference in how we not only live our lives, but how we see God. After sampling all these different meditations from Abide, I hope you have seen that we want to be your companion on your journey of faith. Every meditation, devotional, and Bible-based sleep story aims to help you experience the peace of God. Use this link to receive 25% off a premium subscription. May adding some—or all—of these powerful life prayers to your times with God bring you closer to Him.
Stephanie Reeves is a writer and the senior editor for Abide.
