14.) Bible Prayers for Spiritual Health and Growth
The most important relationship anyone can have is fellowship with God. Fellowship means sharing our life with Him. Prayer, knowledge of the Bible and the gracious work of the Holy Spirit enable the children of God to completely share our heart and life with our heavenly Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fellowship with God requires that we confess and forsake all known sin (I John 1:5-9). Fellowship with God results in spiritual growth. As we grow spiritually our prayers become less selfish. We begin to trust God to do what He knows is best for us.
A good example of a mature prayer is found in Proverbs 30:7-9. Read it and you will notice that his chief concern was to escape the temptations that can come through wealth or through poverty. He prayed for divine favor to enable him to remain completely true and loyal to God.
Following is a list of Bible prayers chosen to serve as a guide to spiritual health and growth as we advance toward fulfillment of God's glorious purpose for our life.
Some Prayers of Praise and Thanksgiving
Exodus 15 Praise for God's intervention to save Israel from Pharoah's army.
I Samuel 2:1-10 Hannah's praise when God gave her a son.
Psalms of praise and thanksgiving: 30,34,96,98,100,103,106,145 and 150.
Praise and thanksgiving in heaven: Rev. 4:10-11; 5:8-14; 7:9-12; 11:16-18; 19:1-10.
Prayers of Repentance
Psalm 51 David's prayer of repentance for his sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah.
Job 40:1-2; 42:1-6 Job's prayer of repentance for his pride.
Luke 15:17-19 the prodigal son's prayer of repentance upon returning home.
Luke 18:10-14 the contrast between the proud Pharisee's prayer and the humble repentant prayer of the tax collector.
Prayers for Forgiveness
Matthew 6:12-15 model prayer of forgiveness.
Luke 23:34 Jesus' prayer that the Father would forgive those who crucified Him.
Acts 7:59-60 Stephen's prayer for his murderers.
Daniel 9:19 Daniel's prayer that God would forgive Israel for her sins.
Prayers for Wisdom
I King's 3:5-9 Solomon's prayer for wisdom.
Colossians 1:9-12 Paul's prayer for wisdom.
Prayers for Instruction and Guidance
Exodus 33:13-15 Moses' prayer for guidance and grace
Psalm 5:8; 25:1-11: 27:11; 31:3; 80:1 David's prayers for instruction and guidance in the paths of truth and righteousness.
I Samuel 30:8; II Samuel 2:1; 5:19 David's prayers for guidance in battle.
II Samuel 22:29 David's prayer of assurance that God was his lamp to lighten his darkness.
Prayers for Healing
Matthew 8:5-9 A centurion's prayer of great faith for his servant.
Matthew 15:21-28 A Canaanite mother's persistent prayer for her daughter.
Luke 17:12-16 Ten lepers prayers for healing. All were healed, but only one returned to thank Jesus.
Luke 11:3 Mary and Martha's appeal to Jesus for their sick brother was not answered. Instead Jesus raised him from the dead for the glory of God.
II Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul's prayer for removal of the thorn in his flesh was not granted. Instead God used the thorn to keep Paul humble "that the power of Christ might rest upon him".
Prayer for Spiritual Insight and Power
Ephesians 1:15-23 is a prayer for the opening of the spiritual vision of believers that we might know the hope, the riches of grace and exceedingly great power given to us in Christ.
Prayer to Fully Share Christ's Love
Ephesians 3:14-21 is a prayer that the family of God might be strengthened by the Spirit to make Christ completely at home in our hearts by faith, so that we would be rooted and grounded in love and know by experience the infinite love of Christ so that we would be filled with all the fullness of God.
Philippians 1:8-10 prayer for discerning love.
I Thessalonians 3:11-13 prayer to increase and abound in brotherly love.
II Thessalonians 3:5 prayer that the Lord may direct our hearts into the love of God.
Prayers for Cities and Nations
Genesis 18:23-33 Abraham's prayer that God would save Sodom. The city was totally destroyed but God remembered Abraham and spared the life of his nephew Lot (Genesis 19:29).
Jonah 3 the city of Nineveh united in fasting, repentance and prayer and God did not destroy them.
Daniel 9:1-19 Daniel's prayer for the return of the Jews to their land.
II Kings 19:15-19 Hezekiah's prayer to save Jerusalem from the army of Assyria.
II Chronicles 14:11 Asa's prayer to save Jerusalem from a huge army of Ethiopians.
Prayers to Fullfill the Great Commission
Acts 1:14-15 the church assembled for ten days of prayer as they waited for the Spirit to come and give them power to be witnesses to Christ in all the world.
Acts 4:23-35 the growing church met the threat of persecution with prayer that resulted in renewed grace and power.
Acts 10:1-47 Cornelius and Peter were brought together as each of them prayed. Then the door of faith was opened to the Gentiles.
Acts 13:1-4 the powerful world missionary ministry of Paul grew out of a prayer meeting to minister to the Lord.