As Christian moms and dads, one of the most powerful tools we have is prayer. And using scriptures to pray over your family makes that prayer even more powerful.
Scripture tells us to raise our children in discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). But doing that on our own is impossible. We can easily get distracted by our responsibilities, chores and the world. We desperately need God’s help to raise our children according to His will and plan.
Bible verses give us a good foundation for our prayers. We don’t need to only pray Scripture. God wants to have a personal relationship with us, which means we can talk with Him freely. But, praying Scripture some of the time is important.
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The Importance of Praying Scripture Over Your Family
Since our goal as Christians is to be Christlike, we want to do the things He did. In fact, we pray “The Lord’s Prayer,” because that is how Jesus told us we ought to pray. But Jesus Himself also prayed Scripture. His dying words on the cross as reported in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 were, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (NIV) These words originated in Psalm 22:1.
However, we must also remember that Jesus is unique in who He is and His relationship with the Father. His prayers are different than ours, but we can use the example of drawing from Scripture to pray for our family.
Praying Scripture over our family also helps us know what to ask God for. Sometimes we don’t even know what to ask, but the Bible can give us ideas of things that might seem outlandish or like more than we ought to ask for. Throughout the New Testament, Scripture like 1 John 5:14 reminds us we can approach God with confidence, knowing if we ask anything according to His will, then He will answer us.
We can confidently claim God’s truth and promises for our family. By using Scripture sometimes as we pray, we can stay focused and ask for the very things He promises us.
Scriptures to Pray Over Your Family
Lots of Bible verses talk about relationships and how we are to interact with one another and with God. These are the verses we want to especially pay attention to when looking for Scripture to pray over our families. Outside of our relationship with God, no other relationships are as important as those we have with our families.
However, we don’t have to focus solely on verses about relationships with other people. We should also include verses that focus on our relationship with God. These verses can help us know how to best pray for our family in our individual relationships with God.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Protection
As moms and dads, we feel pressure to keep our family’s safe. We want our children to be safe in every way: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. The Bible gives us many verses about God’s protection that we can turn to as we are praying for protection.
Psalm 139:5 tells us that God hems us in all around and lays His hand upon us. Thinking of God surrounding us and our families as we go throughout the day and throughout our lives is comforting.
Other verses in Psalms, like Psalms 18:2 and 27:3, remind us we don’t need to be afraid because God is protecting us. The first part of Job 1:10 really stands out for protection. This is the verse where Satan is speaking to God about how God is protecting His faithful servant Job: “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?“ (NIV)
Father, I ask that you continue to protect my family. Put a hedge around our family and household and everything we have (Job 1:10). Hem us in on all sides so that we may rest in your protection and have nothing to fear (Psalm 139:5). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Faith
Proverbs 22:6 is a verse many of us parents cling to: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (NIV) And that’s our goal as Christian moms and dads. We want to show our children faith and how to live it out.
Praying for our children to grow in their own faith is important. In fact, the Bible tells us in Matthew 17:20 that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.
Heavenly Father, please guide my spouse and me to raise our children according to your will and plan for their lives. Lord, your Word tells us that if we start children off on the way they should go, even when they are old, they won’t turn from it (Proverbs 22:6). I ask that you fulfill that promise in my children’s lives. Grow their faith. Help them to know that even with faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing is impossible for them as they live for you (Matthew 17:20). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Relationship with Each Other
We want our children to get along with each other and with us. But the very people we love most see the worst of us. Praying for your family’s relationship with each other is important.
In Mark 3:25, the Bible tells us that a house divided cannot stand. We want to be a united and harmonious family. And we want to treat our family members as we want them to treat us (Luke 6:31). That often starts with service.
How our family speaks to each other also matters. We want to encourage and build one another up as we are instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.
God, I ask that you be with my family. Help us to be a house united (Mark 3:25). Lord, give us the wisdom and strength to do to others in our family as we would have them do to us (Luke 6:31). Give us words and actions to encourage one another and build each other up as we interact with each other daily (1 Thessalonians 5:11). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Relationship with Others
Friendships are sometimes difficult for parents and children alike. Praying for our family’s relationships with others is important. Proverbs 13:20 tells us being friends with wise people makes us wise, but being friends with fools will cause harm.
While we parents may have more discernment when it comes to friends based on experience, our children are still learning. Covering them in prayer for their relationships with others is important.
We weren’t created to be alone. God created us to be in relationships with others to remain stronger and steadfast (Ecclesiastes 4:12). The best friendships happen when we’re humble, gentle and patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2).
Father, today I lift up my family and our friendships. Give us wisdom and discernment to seek wise people and not fools who will lead to harm (Proverbs 13:20). Lord, show us the right people who will defend us and stand with us (Ecclesiastes 4:12). And help us to be good friends. Let us be completely humble, gentle, patient and loving (Ephesians 4:2). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Future
The future can seem overwhelming sometimes. When our children are small, we struggle to imagine them as older children and adults. As they get into the teen years, we stress about how their decisions impact their futures.
Praying for your family’s future is important. Because while the future may be murky to us, it isn’t to God. He knows what is best, even when we are doubtful. Joshua 1:9 reminds us to be courageous, because God will be with us wherever we go.
And then Psalm 20:4 is itself a prayer we can prayer for our family: “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” (NIV)
Heavenly Father, I know you hold the future and have a plan for my family. I ask that you help to know and discern your plan. Lord, give strength, courage and encouragement to keep going. Remind us that you will be with us wherever we go (Joshua 1:9). Please give us the desires of our hearts and make our plans succeed according to your will (Psalm 20:4). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Relationship with God
Seeing our family grow in their relationship with God is one of the greatest blessings in life. We want our children, our spouse and ourselves to truly live for God and have a good relationship with Him.
Romans 12:11 reminds us to never be lacking in our zeal for serving the Lord. Other verses, like John 12:26 tell us what serving God looks like: “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (NIV)
And if we serve and remain in God, then he will remain in us. John 15:5 reminds us of that as well as serving God lets us bear fruit.
Dear God, I ask that you keep my family zealous and excited to serve you (Romans 12:11). Lord, help us to serve and follow you so that we can be where you are. Honor our service to you (John 12:26). And, God, please remain in us so that we can bear much fruit (John 15:5). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Peace
We live in a world filled with conflict and strife. In the midst of it all, adults and children alike have anxiety and stress. We long for the peace of God that surpasses all standing (Philippians 4:6).
So, it’s only natural that we should pray for peace for our families. We can ask him for strength in all we do (Philippians 4:13), and we can ask specifically for peace at certain times like at nighttime (Psalm 4:8).
Heavenly Father, please cover my family in peace. I ask that you give us your peace so that our hearts aren’t troubled and we’re not afraid (John 14:27). Lord, help us to lie down and sleep in peace, knowing you will keep us safe. And give us peace at all times and in every way (2 Thessalonians 3:16). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Health
From the moment we know we’re expecting a child, we are concerned for his or her health. Most new parents do things like count fingers and toes on their newborn. We want our children to be healthy.
And as parents, we want to remain healthy to care for our children and our spouse. While it’s not always God’s will to heal sickness and disease on earth, we can still pray for Him to be with us. We can ask for strength when we’re weary and power when we’re weak (Isaiah 40:29).
God, I lift up my family to you and ask that we enjoy good health, and all goes well with us. I ask that our souls get along well (3 John 1:2). Father, give us strength when we are weary and increase our power when we are weak (Isaiah 40:29). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Provision
We need to have food, shelter and so many other things to survive. Our pressure to acquire those things only increases when we have children for whom we need to provide as well.
The Bible gives us many promises of God’s provision we can cling to and use in our prayer time. We know God cares for even the ravens and can trust He will care for us (Luke 12:24). Matthew 6:31-32 reminds us God will take care of what we will eat, drink and wear.
Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless our family abundantly in all things at all times so we have what we need and can abound in every good work (2 Corinthian 9:8). Lord, I also ask that you help our family to be free of the love of money and content with what we have as we trust you will always be with us (Hebrews 13:5). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture Prayer for Your Family’s Guidance
Seeking God’s guidance in life is important for us as individuals and as a family. Many choices we make impact everyone in our family, so we want to make the right ones. And we want to be good examples.
James 1:5 reminds us we can ask God for wisdom because He gives it generously. Isaiah 30:21 puts it even more directly, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (NIV)
Father God, thank you for your guidance. Please continue to guide my family. Help us to clearly hear your voice when it tells us the way in which we need to walk (James 1:5). Lord, may we remain humble so you can guide us in what is right and teach us your way (Psalm 25:9). In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Are you looking for some tools and tips to boost your prayer life? If so, be sure to visit our Prayer Resources Library where you’ll find everything you need to become a powerful prayer warrior!
As the old hymn says, there is so much power in prayer. Praying Scripture prayers for your family is a great way to cover them in prayer while also reaffirming God’s promises.
Throughout the Bible, we are given one example after another of people – including Jesus – using Scripture in their prayers. It is a design and example God has given us we can embrace.
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Stacey A. Shannon is a freelance journalist and blogger. You can find her at Families With Grace where she writes about faith and family to encourage parents to create homes filled with grace, love, and faith.
