How to Pray Scripture Over the People You Love

Beti Paunoska
May 22, 2022
5 min read

Let everything you do be done in love… 1 Corinthians 16:14

It’s hard to do everything in love, isn’t it?

Today is the day we focus on love … romantic love, family love, and friend love.

Eros — Romanic Love.
Storge — Familial Love.
Philia — Affectionate (Friend) Love.

But that’s not the love Paul was talking about in his letter to the Corinthians. The word he used is ἀγάπῃ.

Agape — Unconditional Love.

Agape love is unconcerned with the self and concerned with the greatest good of another. Agape isn’t born just out of emotions, feelings, familiarity, or attraction, but from the will and as a choice. Agape requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return.

Christianity.com

Based on that definition … is it any wonder that agape love is hard?!

Jesus told His followers to…

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these. Mark 12:30–31 (edited)

And…

Love as I have loved you. John 13:34

Jesus loved with perfect knowledge and wisdom and no matter how much I want that … my imperfect self falls short. But there is something Jesus did with agape love that you and I can always know is right and the perfect thing to do in any situation and for every relationship.

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is John 17. It’s a beautiful example of Jesus praying for those He loves … His disciples, His followers, you and me.

And we can pray, too! We can take our people to the One who always knows what they need … to the One who loves them perfectly.

Today, I’m taking the people I love to the Lord in prayer and I’d love for you to join me as I pray Scripture for those you love.

Pray Scripture Over the People You Love

Pray Scripture for Your Husband

I pray that from Your glorious, unlimited resources You will empower __________with inner strength through Your Holy Spirit. Ephesians 3:16

I pray that You will be __________’s the source of hope. Fill him completely with joy and peace because he trusts You. Be an overflowing source of confident hope in his life through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Help __________ to be strong and courageous. Please remove all fear and help him know that You are with him wherever he goes. Joshua 1:9

Please give __________ the humility and willingness to ask You for wisdom and direction. James 1:5

Lord, please help __________ to trust Your love and give all worries and cares to You. 1 Peter 5:7

Pray Scripture for Your Wife

I pray that when her heart hurts and she’s worn out, __________ will know that You, Lord, will always be with her … that You are the source of her strength. Psalm 73:26

Father, please help ___________ know that she is an amazing and wonderful miracle made by Your grace and for Your glory. Psalm 139:14

Spirit, remove __________’s fear and give her everything she needs to live with power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

Please help ________ remember and thank You for all you have done in the past, coming to You in prayer each time she is anxious and concerned. Philippians 4:6

Lord, I pray __________ will trust You completely as You remind her each morning of Your unfailing love. Guide and direct her as she entrusts this day to You. Psalm 143:8

Pray Scripture for Your Children

I pray __________ roots will grow down into Your grace, mercy, and love … and that __________’s life will be built on You, Lord. Colossians 2:7

Please enable __________ to stand strong firm in faith in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 1:21

Lord, when __________ is afraid, please help him/her put their trust in You. Psalm 56:3

Lord, keep __________ from copying the behavior of this world. Transform him/her into a new person who knows Your good and pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Please help __________ to trust Your plans to give them a future and a hope that lasts forever. Jeremiah 29:11

Pray Scripture for Everyone You Love

Lord keep watch over __________’s coming and going wherever they go today, tomorrow, and always. Psalm 121:8

Please help __________ follow You with integrity and godliness …. obeying all Your commands and trusting Your will. 1 Kings 9:4

I pray that __________ will wholeheartedly trust in You, follow Your path, and seek Your will in everything. Proverbs 3:5–6

Lord, let the peace that passes understanding guard __________’s heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

May __________ experience Your love and be made complete in all the fullness of life and power that comes from You alone. Ephesians 3:19

Lord, may __________ pray about everything, telling You about each need and thanking you for all You’ve done. May __________ experience Your hard to understand peace filled with the love of Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7

Lord, I pray __________ will be strong in Your power boldly putting on the protective armor You give to fight against all the strategies of the enemy. Ephesians 6:10–11

I pray __________ will be rooted deeply in Your love to understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep Your love truly is. Ephesians 3:17–18

May __________ know the three things that will last forever—faith, hope, and love—secure in the truth that the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

A Prayer for the People You Love

Father, please fill the people I love with the love of Christ Jesus. My heart’s desire is for them to seek You and to know and love You with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Please give them everything they need each day to live in peace and give them the courage and strength needed to live for Your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen

One more thing…

I’ve often said, that the one thing I wish I’d done more of when our children were growing up is … pray for them.

I read countless parenting books as I worried about this stage and that change and sure I shot up countless prayers for the Lord to guide and direct me to be the best mom I could be … but oh, how I wish I had prayed more specifically for my family’s needs.

I sometimes think it’s because I didn’t know how to put my prayers into words. Sure I prayed, “please help, please guide, please bless” often but too often I was so overwhelmed with the emotion of the moment that I struggled to focus and pour our needs out the way I truly wanted.

That’s why I love praying Scripture. God gives us the words to pray for our loved ones.

How cool is that?!

He loves us and the people we love so much that He not only wants and welcomes our prayers but He gives us the words to pray as well.

And if we miss something, He says…

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.