Praying Scripture: For Peace When Afraid

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          Prayer for Peace in the Face of Fear
            2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed.”
            Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
            2 Timothy 1:7:  “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of sound-mind.”
            Isaiah 26:3:  “You will keep in perfect peace he whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”
            Lord, I feel completely hard pressed, crushed, persecuted and struck down.  Life is bearing down on me and it’s too much for me to handle alone.  I need You.  Every moment.  I need You to keep me from going under all the way.  I feel so broken, and I can’t fix it on my own.  Please, help me. 
            You say that You will be my strength, that I don’t have to be afraid because You are with me.  Well, I need to feel Your presence now.  I need to sense that You are with me.  Before I crack completely.  Lord, this spirit of fear that I am living under is not from You.  I know that.  But my own mind has become an enemy.  Please, Lord, help me.  You give us a spirit of power, of love, and of sound mind.  And I need that power and love and sound mind right now. 
            I am making a trade with You, Lord; I am giving You the fear and anxiety and unanswered questions, and I am asking You to give me Your peace and power and love and sound mind.  I cannot seem to make my mind do what I want it to do.  But Your Word says that You will keep in perfect peace the person whose mind is set on You.  I can’t keep myself in peace; I need You to do it for me.  Help me to set my mind on You.  Help me to block out the enemy’s whispers.  Help me to hear only You, to trust in You, and to feel that peace. 
            Lord, I need You!


And an updated version: 

Prayer for Peace in the Face of Fear

2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed.”

Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”            

2 Timothy 1:7: “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.”

Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect peace he whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

Jeremiah 29:11: “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

 

          Lord, I feel completely hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down.  Life is bearing down on me, and it’s too much for me to handle alone.  I need You.  Every moment.  I need You to keep me from going under all the way.  I feel so broken, and I can’t fix it on my own.  Please, help me.  You say that You will be my strength, that I don’t have to be afraid because You are with me.  Well, I need to feel Your presence right now.  I need to sense that You are with me … before I crack completely. 

          Lord, this spirit of fear that I am living under is not from You.  I know that.  But my own mind has become an enemy.  It terrifies me.  Please, Lord, help me.  I know that I cannot fight this fear in my own strength, and so I lean on Your strength right now.  You say that You give us a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind.  Well, I need that power, love, and a sound mind right now.  And so, Lord, I am making a trade with You.  I am giving You my fear and anxiety and heartbreak and unanswered questions, and I am asking You to give me Your peace and power and love and sound mind in their place.

          I cannot seem to make my mind do what I want it to do.  But Your Word, Lord, says that You will keep in perfect peace the person whose mind is set on You.  I can’t keep myself in peace; I need You to do it for me.  I do not have the energy to worry about my concerns anymore, so I will trust You to worry about them for me.  Help me to set my mind on You.  Help me to block out the enemy’s whispers, the enemy who wants me to believe that You can't be trusted, that You have abandoned me, that I am helpless and hopeless, and that nothing good can ever come out of my life.  Help me to hear only You, to trust in You, and to feel Your peace.  When life hurts, I will trust that You are with me, that You have good plans for me, that You offer me hope and a future.  I will trust just because You said so.  And even though life is a mess, someday You will make everything good and perfect again.  And until then, I will cling to You and Your promises.  Lord, I need You and I trust You.  My hope is in You alone!  

          In Jesus’s name, Amen



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