Do you ever struggle with knowing what to say to God? Do you want to pray effective prayers, but find yourself searching for the right words? We understand - even as counselors and pastors, we don’t always know how to express the hurts and longings of our hearts. We’ve created this prayer guide for you, using material from our Fighting Your Spiritual Battles series, that you can read, download, print, share, and even listen to. You are not alone in the battle for your mind, body, and heart!
Let’s pray:
Lord, I lift up my soul to you today and bring you my mind, my body and my wounded heart. I believe that you care for me and that I can trust you with my life. You are my light and my salvation, the defense of my life. You are good, kind, loving and are continually watching over me, and I give you all glory, honor and praise. Teach me, lead me, and guide me into all truth during this time of prayer.
I acknowledge that there is a war going on all around me and within me. Although I cannot physically see the spiritual realm, I believe your word that the enemy of my soul is prowling around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour me. He has come to lie, steal, kill and destroy all the beauty and goodness in my life and pull me further and further away from your love.
In this time of prayer, I ask that any curse or accusation raised up against me by the enemy in the spiritual realm would be destroyed through your divine power. You are the Lord of my life - my creator, redeemer, savior and friend. I seek you, worship you, call upon you, and trust that you are my refuge and strength as I fight this battle.
The Battle for Your Mind: Listen or Read
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and choosing me to be your child. I come before you to surrender my mind to you. I am tempted to believe that you don’t care about me, and that true life and happiness can be found apart from you. I reject and resist all lies and deceptions that have been woven into my thinking. I put on the helmet of salvation, guarding my thoughts with the truth of your word. I pray for a clear, sound mind and I ask for your wisdom and discernment to recognize and reject every lie of the enemy. Help me to take every thought captive and to examine it through the light of your word so that I am not walking in darkness. [If there are any thoughts you are struggling with, name them here]. Preserve and protect my mind so that I can dwell on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. Fill me with your light, and give me a calm, clear, confident mind through your powerful peace.
The Battle for Your Body: Listen or Read
Lord Jesus, I surrender my body to you. I am beautifully and wonderfully made in your image, and my body is a gift from you to be nurtured, cherished and cared for. I reject and resist all purposes of the enemy to use my body against me. I recognize that my body is your temple, and meant to be used for your glory. You have given me gifts, talents, abilities and responsibilities to be carried out in my body. You have also given me needs, longings and desires that are part of being human. Yet I am often tempted to either worship my body and fulfill its every desire, or despise my body and act in self-destructive ways. [If there are any areas of temptation where you are sinning against your body, name them here]. I pray that you would cleanse me from the ways that I - or others - have defiled my body, and ask for your forgiveness, healing and protection from further harm to myself. I humbly ask for your strength and endurance to resist temptation and live with integrity so I can befriend my body and joyfully live as an instrument in your hands to do your will.
The Battle for Your Wounded Heart: Listen or Read
Holy Spirit, I bring my wounded heart to you. I have been sinned against, and I have sinned against others. My memories, emotions, self-perceptions, and beliefs have been shaped by hurts and wounds that run deep in my soul. I know that the enemy has lied to me, accused me, and condemned me for these wounds. But today, I ask for your healing and restoration of my wounded heart. [If there are any unhealed wounds in your heart, name them here]. I choose to enter a process of forgiving those who have hurt me and to release any bitterness that has taken root in my spirit. Break any unholy, impure, or unhealthy bonds between me and every other person that has harmed me. Just as you have shown me mercy, grace and forgiveness, help me to reflect grace to myself and others. I trust in your power to heal my heart and restore me to wholeness.
The Power to Fight Your Battles: Listen or Read
Lord, I reject and resist all the purposes and strongholds of Satan brought against my life today [my home, my family, my work, my identity - name them specifically], and I entrust and surrender my domain to you today. I bring the full authority of Jesus over my life who delivered me from the kingdom of darkness through the power of his resurrection.
In faith, I put on the full armor of God: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel, helmet of salvation and I take up the shield of faith and sword of the Spirit. I choose to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of your might, and I will continue to pray at all times in the Spirit as I daily give my mind, body and heart to you.
In the powerful name of Jesus Christ,
Amen
Download this prayer to print and share:
And listen to Lynn read it aloud: