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12 Scriptures to Personalize with Names and Pray

12 Scriptures to Personalize with Names and Pray, Adobe Spark ImageTry this at home. Here’s one feat I encourage every believer to attempt. Insert your name and the names of loved ones into Scripture.

Then pray the words back to God and see what happens.

Recently, I recognized the seventh anniversary of my father leaving this earth in a social media post. In the write-up, I mentioned the years my dad spent as an atheist.

When I met Christ at sixteen, I started praying for my dad. Prayers for him to believe in the heavenly Father.

And God answered my prayers sixteen years later when my dad gave his life to the Lord.

Inserting Names into Bible Verses

But in the middle of the long process, my faith often waned. I struggled to believe my dad would ever become a Christ-follower.

Needing help with my own unbelief, I began to insert my dad’s name into Scripture. Then I prayed it out loud and back to God. While I may not know for sure, I think it played a part in my dad’s salvation.

Yet, I know this.

There’s power in #prayer. And we move mountains in the #spiritual world with the truth of God’s Word. Click To Tweet

Also, this practice acquaints us with Scripture and aids in its memorization.

Names of Loved Ones and Yours

And please don’t feel the least bit selfish to add your name into Scripture. Four Bible verses on colored sticky notes hang on the wall in my home office. Each display either my name or the pronoun “me.” I look at them often as reminders of God’s promises.

I’m sharing 12 Scriptures I’ve personalized and prayed. However, keep in mind the wealth of Bible topics available at our disposal.

Examples include: salvation, freedom from addictions, fear, healing, spiritual growth, strength, faith, trust, love, forgiveness, bondage, sin, wisdom, wayward souls, and depression.

1-6 Scriptures and Names  

12 Scriptures to Personalize with Names and Pray, Adobe Spark design#1 Salvation/John 3:16, For God so loved Gene Clarkston (my dad), that he gave his only Son, that if Gene believes in him, Gene will not perish but have eternal life.

#2 Salvation/Romans 10:13, If Gene Clarkston calls on the name of the Lord, he will be saved.

#3 Fear/2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given Sara a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind.

#4 Spiritual blessing/Ephesians 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of Laura’s Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed Laura in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

#5 Strength in the Spirit/Zechariah 4:6, This is the word of the Lord to Jenny: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.

#6 Healing/Malachi 4:2, But for Kristi who reveres my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. Kristi shall go out leaping like a calf from the stall.

7-12 Scriptures and Names 

#7 Life in Christ or calling/1 Corinthians 1:9, God is faithful, by whom Debbie was called into the fellowship of his son, Jesus Christ her Lord.

#8 Surrender and support/2 Chronicles 16:9, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to Teresa when her heart is completely his.

#9 Secure in God’s love/1 John 3:1, See what kind of love the Father has given to Cory, that she should be called a child of God; and so Cory is.

#10 Discouragement/Psalm 90:14, Satisfy Dianne in the morning with your steadfast love, that she may rejoice and be glad all her days.

#11 Peace/Isaiah 26:3, You keep Elaine in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because she trusts in you.

#12 Comfort for hard times/Psalm 32:7, You are a hiding place for Shara; you preserve her from trouble; you surround Shara with shouts of deliverance.

Inserting our name or the name of a loved one into #Scripture becomes a powerful #prayer. Click To Tweet

The Name Above All Names

12 Scriptures to Personalize with Names and Pray, Adobe Spark ImageWrite the Bible verses with names on a notecard, sticky note, in a journal, or type out and save where you will see them. It serves as a reminder to pray and also builds our faith.

My list gives you some ideas. The important message remains.

Prayer changes things and people.

So pray with intention, specifics, God’s Word, and with names.

Call out names to the name above all names.

What Scripture would you add? Tell us in the comments.

Images or image text courtesy of Adobe Spark.

* 2 Timothy 1:7 based on NIV, all other verses based on ESV.

Find out more about my story here.

Sometimes I participate in these link-ups: Meghan Weyerbacher/TeaandtheWord, Lyli Dunbar/#FaithOnFire, Crystal Twadell/Fresh Market Friday & Crystal Storms/ Heart Encouragement.

© 2018 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved

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January 11, 2018 at 9:00 am | Uncategorized


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Becky Smith says:

LOVED this! I often pray-read Scripture, and it blesses me! I always think that when I pray-read the Scripture, I KNOW that God’s Word will not return void, and that I am praying perfectly in God’s will.

Karen says:

Thanks, Becky! I love to pray Scripture back to God and over the needs of others. It’s not only powerful, but also becomes so much more intentional and specific when we insert names. Blessings!

Shelby Spear says:

Love this. I’ve been inserting names into scripture for years. Such a personal and intimate way of praying.

Karen says:

Great to hear, Shelby! It’s a life changer when we pray with specifics and intention for ourselves and others. And even more so when we use God’s Word as the basis of our prayer. Power, power, power! Thanks for commenting! Blessings and pray on! 🙂

I love this Karen.

A couple of years ago Bob took I Cor. 13:4-7 (NIV), and put names in the scriptures at one of our small group meetings. Doing this makes it much more personal and powerful.

You are an awesome teacher! I had forgotten about this…God is so good!!
I Cor. 13:4-7 would read…
Karen is patient, Karen is kind. She does not envy, she does not boast, she is not proud. Karen does not dishonor others, she is not self-seeking, she is not easily angered, she keeps no record of wrongs. Karen does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. She always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Karen says:

Yes, Marla, that is awesome! I receive that word of unconditional love and pray it over myself! Oh, what must take place in the heavenly places when we call out names in the power of God’s Word to the Name above all names, Jesus!

Beautiful! I love praying scripture in this way. So powerful and personal.

Karen Friday says:

Marcie, thanks, and me too. Prayer really changes things and people. Instead of struggling to come up with the right way to pray for people, Scripture offers a wealth of inspiration. Blessings!

Love this and you. Thank you for sharing! xo

Karen says:

Love you, Lyli. Still believing with you for your Dad’s salvation. Let’s pray now. Lord, we believe You reach all hearts and want all men to come to You as Savior. We pray Your Holy Word knowing there’s power when we do so.

We pray Lyli’s dad confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his heart that God raised Christ from the dead, then he will be saved. We pray that with his heart, her dad will believe and be justified, and with his mouth, her dad will confess and be saved. Amen. (Based on Romans 10:9-10).

Lisa notes says:

I love this exercise, Karen. It does make such a difference when we personalize scripture in this way! Thanks for sharing. This Valentine’s Day will be the 8th year of losing my dad. It’s still hard to believe.

Karen says:

Thanks, Lisa. Yes, it does make a difference. Sorry about your dad. It’s hard for me to believe some days too. But I’m so thankful my dad came to know Jesus in his later years. He lived over a decade knowing the Lord. The hope to see them again one day is the greatest thing! Blessings!

Praying Scripture is powerful. I have a specific verse I pray for my husband, daughter, and each grandchild. But there are always more verses that speak to my heart and prompt me to pray for others.

Karen says:

Good for you, Debbie. And there are so many truths in Scripture we can personalize that widens our prayers even more. I’m sure your family and friends appreciate your intentionality. 🙂

This concept has been dear to me. I first heard of it reading about Ruth Bell Graham! There is power in seeing God’s Word applied to specific names! Thank you for the wonderful list of Scriptures to use this way!

Karen says:

Great, Bethany. Thank you and appreciate you sharing, I didn’t know that about Ruth Graham. It’s simple, yet powerful all at the same time! Blessings!

Karen,
I love this! I do it for my family members but I often forget to do it for myself. I’m going to write a few in my journal.

Karen says:

Thanks, Beckie. And, yes, you should do it for yourself. It’s not selfish, but it’s a mighty tool in the hands of the Almighty. Let’s pray one for you now.

Lord, I pray you will fulfill your purpose for Beckie; because your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands in Beckie’s life. Amen. (Based on Psalm 138:8)

And I hope you are getting my posts in your inbox now every Thursday. Hugs!

Karen I love taking scripture and adding my name. I did that last week with a Bible study group I am in and they loved it.

Great post!!

Karen says:

Thanks, Debbie. And good to hear you’re practicing it even with your study group. It brings me so much comfort and peace to pray Scripture for myself and others. Blessings!

I love praying this way. You would probably enjoy Donald Whitney’s book, Praying the Bible.

Karen says:

Me too, Donna! The cries of our heart coupled with God’s Holy Word couldn’t form a more perfect union and prayer. And thanks for telling me about the book! Sounds awesome! Blessings! 🙂

Teresa says:

Very meaningful and helpful, thank you!

Karen says:

Thanks, Teresa. As we celebrate fathers this month, it reminds us of God’s love and care for us as our heavenly Father.

Janice says:

Karen, Thank you for reminding me just how powerful it is pray God’s word, specifically and with intent. I needed this today. God knew this before I even opened my eyes this morning. Thank you for blessing me with this gift. Janice

Karen says:

Hey Janice, I corrected your “new” to “knew” after you mentioned it as a typo. 🙂 I think we often underestimate the power of prayer and maybe more so how powerful it is to pray God’s Word over ourselves and others. So when we personalize it by inserting people’s names, the enemy better watch out! We mean business! Thanks for stopping by to comment and share your thoughts.

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Lisa Blair says:

Yes! The Word of God is so powerful! Rejoicing with you that your father came to know Him.

Karen says:

Thank you, Lisa. I calculated once how I must have prayed over 5000 prayers for my dad…and inserting his name in Scripture brought truth and power to my prayers and changed me!

Robin Elmore-Lovely says:

Thanks for sharing. This helps a lot of people that may be depressed.

Karen says:

Glad this encouraged you. It’s a powerful practice.

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