Personal Prayer Requests
Some Biblical suggestions of what to pray for yourself as you grow in Christ
Much of our prayer time may be spent interceding for others around us: family, church, neighbors, etc. for their circumstances and situations, for health, blessings, salvation, growing in the Lord, and more.
Sometimes when it comes to praying for ourselves, we can feel a bit lost, even selfish in spending prayer time solely on ourselves. Personal prayer time should be focused in part to asking the Almighty for His kingdom come and His will be done in our own lives in Christ.
Perhaps your prayers are for health or a better job, for blessings and help, or for finances or your marriage. All well and good, we should pray for our circumstances at home, church, and work. We should pray for our ministry activity in preaching, teaching, praying, and evangelism.
But what do we find in God’s Word that we can pray personally? What does the Lord want, for you? For your spiritual growth, your heart being transformed into the image of His Son, your deepening relationship with him?
Here are some ideas:
Perfect, Complete, Mature
Help me keep Your word, that in me truly the love of God is perfected. And help me to walk in the same way in which [Jesus] walked. 1 John 2:4-6 ESV
And this also [I] pray, that [I] may be made complete (fully mature, restored, perfect) 2 Corinthians 13:9
I strive in prayers that I may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. Colossians 4:12 ESV
Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. - Psalm 86:11 ESV
Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding
I make my ear attentive to wisdom and incline my heart to understanding; yes, I call out for insight and raise my voice for understanding, seeking it like silver and searching for it as for hidden treasures, so that I will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. - Proverbs 2:2-5 ESV
[I] do not ceased to pray, asking to be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to [You]: bearing fruit and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power; giving thanks to the Father - Colossians 1:9-12 ESV
I pray to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give [me] the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of [You]…that [I] may know You - Ephesians 1:17-19 ESV
Fruit, Gifts, Speech
May I be led by the Spirit who dwells in me, that He bear His fruit through me of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
Help me abide in Jesus as He abides in me, so that I bear much fruit, for without You I can do nothing. - John 15:5
Make me useful to minister to Your body with the gifts You have given me according to the measure of faith that God has assigned…Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let [me] use them for Your glory. - Romans 12:3-8
Let not both blessing and cursing come from my mouth (James 3:10), and Let no corrupting talk come out of [my] mouth, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29). Instead, I am making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to [me] in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel…Ephesians 6:18-19)
Strength, Character, Love
Make me to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. [I] Put on the whole armor of God, [to] be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. - Ephesians 6:10-11
Help me to be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that [I] do be done in love - 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
I would Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience, ... And above all these [I] put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. - Colossians 3:12, 14
Direct my heart into the love of God (2 Thessalonians 3:5), that my love may abound still more and more (Philippians 1:9), that I may be able to comprehend, to know the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18-19), and to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37).
These twelve suggestions have been personalized for personal, devotional praying as we seek to grow, mature, and develop our spiritual life—that everyone may be mature in Christ. They are direct from God’s own Word (promises) and therefore we can count on them being heard and answered! When we petition the Lord for our godliness, we can be assured this is in keeping with His will being done.
If you have others to suggest for us, please leave them in the Comments.
Until Monday, grace and peace…
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash