We know that praying God’s Word is a powerful practice to include in our prayers. How much more powerful might it be to pray Jesus’ words over our lives?
Here are some prayers developed from Jesus’ words in the Synoptic Gospels. They use a simple pattern that includes Repentance, Declaration, Thanksgiving, and Praise.
Read the passages and let the prayers challenge you in your own walk with Jesus!
Be Salt and Light
Lord, I repent for standing muted, dulled, or snuffed out by sin. I repent for any darkness I’ve allowed into my life. I repent for when I’ve quenched the Holy Spirit. I repent for allowing fear or self-ambition, instead of honor, to guide my actions. I repent for when I’ve not allowed You to act through me. I repent for not always following Your lead.
I desire to bring Your salty flavor and Your light into the world. I declare boldness for myself! I won’t shrink back, but I will immediately obey what You speak to me through Your Word and the Holy Spirit.
Thank You for using me for Your glory. Thank You for wanting me to be salt and light, to represent You in this world.
I praise You for being the source of all good and perfect things; that You know the beginning from the end; that You will finish the good work You started in my life.
(Matt. 5:13–16; Mark 9:50, 4:21–22; Luke 14:34–35, 11:33–36)
Be Good Soil
Lord, You amaze me with Your desire to share secrets of the Kingdom with me. I repent for when I’ve lacked understanding and didn’t search out a matter.
I repent for not adamantly pursuing You. I repent for any lack in my character. I repent for allowing worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth to distract, deter, and degrade the truth.
I desire to be good soil. I declare I will listen to Your words. I declare when I hear the Word, I will seek to understand it. I declare I will bear fruit from what gets sown into my life.
Lord, thank You for sowing words of the Kingdom into my life. Thank You for sharing the secrets of the Kingdom with me.
I praise You that when You speak, I listen. I praise You that You want me to bear fruit and influence others. You’re holy and worthy, and I adore You.
(Matt. 13:3–23; Mark 4:3–25; Luke 8:5–18)
Be Ruthless Toward Sin
Lord, I repent for all sin in my life. I ask You to specifically reveal my sin so I can deal with it. I reject sin and desire to live a blameless life before You. I repent for when my sin hurt my testimony and my representation of You.
Lord, I declare that regardless of the past, I will ruthlessly tackle sin in my life. I will eradicate it because I love You more than the sin. I declare I will be an overcomer in every area of my life.
I thank You that I will bring the Kingdom of God into places: namely, peace, joy, and righteousness. I thank You for tangibly revealing the effects of a repentant lifestyle. I thank You that I can co-labor with You and call out to You for strength to overcome.
I praise You for being the Great Almighty King who dwells within me and desires to fully manifest Your character. I praise You that You live and move and have Your being in me!
(Matt. 18:7–9; Mark 9:43–50; Luke 14:34–35)
Be Ready
Lord, I repent for any way I haven’t made myself ready for Your return. I repent for every way I’ve taken Your return for granted. I repent for any way I’ve taken the appointed time of my death for granted.
I declare I will be ready for Your return. I will prepare myself by growing closer to You. In fact, I ask that You show me, Lord, how to grow closer to You.
I also want to ready myself for my entrance into eternity. I declare that I will follow Your leading on how to prepare myself and others. I don’t want to be caught lacking and unprepared.
I thank You for the warning—and I’ve heeded it. I thank You that I will be prepared to meet You either in death or as a witness of Your return. I praise You for Your reminders. I praise You for Your unrelenting outreach. May I always and forevermore respond and reach to You.
(Matt. 24:32–44; Mark 13:28–37; Luke 17:26–35, 21:29–36)
NATASHA MILLER is the founder of The Haggai Project and Natasha Miller Ministries. These prayers are from her book Praying What Jesus Says, which is available at prayershop.org or wherever you purchase your Christian books.
