PRAYING SCRIPTURE
To complete our study of the Beatitudes, we will now use this portion of Scripture as a template for prayer. Learning to pray Scripture will strengthen your prayer life significantly.
Some of you may have already learned to use the Lord’s Prayer in this way. That is the most important revelation as a guide for prayer because Jesus specifically commended it for that purpose.i It’s not to be mindlessly parroted as a prayer. There is not much value in saying twenty “Hail Marys.” Jesus said in Matthew 6:7, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Instead, we are to pray with understanding.ii We are to communicate with the Lord out of a heart that comprehends what is being said. When we pray the Beatitudes, we use what we have learned in this series as a resource for communing with the Lord. This is one way we can apply Scripture to our own lives.
If you learn how to use Scripture as a prayer guide, you will never run out of words for prayer. The Bible provides 66 books full of revelation to support our prayer life. A new Christian will typically petition God for his or her needs to be met. For example, “Lord, help me pass my test today at school” or “Lord, I need money for a better computer.” Those prayers of petition are certainly legitimate.iii But we should also learn expressions of prayer such as praise and thanksgiving. We should learn how to speak directly to a problem with authority in prayer. There are many dynamics of prayer we could explore, but today we are focusing on how to pray Scripture. Matthew 5:3-10 is the text we are using for that exercise. I will be less spontaneous than in my private prays because I am teaching the method as well as praying the passage.
When you’re praying any portion of Scripture, allow the Holy Spirit to quicken thoughts associated with the passage. For example, when praying the first beatitude, we will remember that to be “poor in spirit” is to recognize our own inadequacy and to look to the Lord as our source of righteousness, look to the Lord for wisdom, seek the Lord’s strength rather than rely on our own strength. To be “poor in spirit” is to approach God with humility and dependence. Being “poor in spirit” should also characterize our interaction with people. So when praying this beatitude, we may ask God to forgive us for any prideful attitudes that would sabotage personal relationships.
When praying the first beatitude, other scriptures may come to mind, and we should allow those texts to inform our prayer. For example, we might remember that Jesus said in John 15:5, “without Me you can do nothing.” So, while praying the first beatitude, we might acknowledge that. We might say, “Lord, without you I can do nothing of eternal value. I need your grace for this day. Give me the wisdom to continually look to you for the help I need. Let your thoughts become my thoughts. Guide me with your counsel. Let my words to others be filled with love and grace.” The next time we pray this beatitude, different thoughts and different verses may come to mind. In that case, the words of my prayer would be different, even though the theme of the passage would still be maintained.
In a small group, the leader might begin the prayer of a beatitude, then pass the lead to others who would pray their thoughts. Various people could lead out in prayer until there is a sense of completion. Then the leader might begin the next beatitude and process it the same way. The beautiful thing is that we are not only praying, but we are applying the word to our lives and reinforcing our understanding of that portion of Scripture.
Since we are recording a video for the internet, I will pray the Beatitudes as an example of how to pray Scripture. I will only pray briefly from each one since our time is limited. In other settings this prayer could go on much longer as the Holy Spirit would quicken our hearts with various thoughts. We are praying Matthew 5:3-10.
PRAYING MATTHEW 5:3-10
Vs 3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Lord, we thank you that you have provided everything we need for life and godliness. Our sufficiency is in you and you alone. You are able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or think. Forgive us for foolishly relying on our own strength when your strength is available to us through the Holy Spirit. We come to your throne of grace for help today. Help us to walk humbly with you and with others. Break our pride and make us more like Jesus. We humble ourselves under your mighty hand.
Because of your grace, ours is “the kingdom of heaven.” We could never earn that, but out of your great love you have made us your own dear children. We rejoice that our names are written in heaven. And we give you all the glory for that.iv
Vs 4: “Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.”
Lord, we ask you to forgive us for our sins. We are sorry for attitudes and actions that grieve your Holy Spirit. Cleanse us of those things, we ask. Help us to not rationalize or justify disobedience. Help us to see our sins and you see them and turn from them. We invite the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Grant to us sincere repentance.
Comfort us with your forgiveness. You are the God of all comfort. Underneath are your everlasting arms to sustain in all the trials of life. We draw upon that comfort even now. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, we rejoice in your love. You have loved us with an everlasting love. Your compassions are new every morning. Thank you for the promise of your comfort. Thank you that you will never leave us nor forsake us.v
Vs 5: “Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.”
Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are meek and lowly. We can approach you because of that nature. And we want that same approachability worked in us. Work your meekness in our hearts. Teach us to operate in your strength. Give us a meek and quiet spirit that rests in your all-sufficiency. We submit ourselves to you and commit ourselves to trust your wisdom, your strength, instead of relying on our own strength.
You have promised that the meek “shall inherit the earth.” Those who grasp for dominance ultimately lose. Those who trust in you and only do what you direct ultimately win. We want to qualify for this promise. We look to you for the reward for you are the rewarder of those who diligently seek you.vi
Vs 6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” We come to you with hunger in our hearts for more of your righteousness in our lives. Fill us with your Spirit afresh. Stir a hunger in us that is not satisfied with the things of this world. Stir a hunger in us for righteousness—righteousness in our relationship with you and in our relationships with others. We do not want to stay where we are. We want to progress in our walk with you. We set our eyes on the goal of the high calling in Christ Jesus. We press toward the prize that you have set before us. Deliver us from all apathy. Cause us to grow in your grace. Cause our hunger for you and your ways. May we increase and not decrease in our desire to know you. More, Lord! We cry out for more of you ; more of your righteousness.
Thank you that you not only stir these desires in us, but you satisfy the desire as well. Our hunger for more will be fulfilled because you have promised to fill us. We ask for more of your Spirit, and you will not give us a stone instead of bread. You give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. And we are asking. Pour out your Spirit on our lives. Send a fresh move of your Spirit in our church. Fill us to overflowing and make us a blessing to others.vii
Vs 7: “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.”
Lord, you have been merciful to us. You have not dealt with us according to our iniquities. In your compassion toward us, you have forgiven our iniquities. Work your mercy in our hearts so that we treat others the way we want to be treated. Help us to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you. We forgive those who have sinned against us. We bless them and ask you to help them walk with you in peace. Help us to love our neighbor in such a way that we extend ourselves to them in mercy rather than being judgmental toward them.
With the merciful, you will show yourself merciful. We need your mercy every day of our lives. So, help us to position ourselves to receive that mercy. We need your forgiveness today and every day. So, help us to be forgiving toward others. Your mercy is not tolerance toward evil. It is love toward people. It is a love that plucks them from the fire of destruction. It is a love that calls them into right relationship with you. Cause us to hate the sin that destroys people’s lives but love the people you have died to save. May your message of grace flow through our lives. May your hand be extended through us to those in need.viii
Vs 8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.”
Purify our hearts, Lord, so that we can see more clearly. Remove the beam that is in our eye so that
we can help others in their struggles. Create in us a clean heart, Oh Lord. Let our thoughts be upright and our motives pure. Search us, Lord. Examine us and turn us from evil. Give us a single eye toward you. Deliver us from doublemindedness. Pour your love into us so that we are loyal toward you and gracious toward people. Help us to seek their highest good in all that we do. Help us to seek your glory in all that we do.
We want to see you, Lord. We want to know you better. Open our eyes to truth, and let fresh revelation work transformation in our hearts. Enable us to progress from one level of glory to the next. Your kingdom come; your will be done in our lives. Make us more like Jesus from the inside out.ix
Vs 9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.”
May your peace rule in our hearts. May our minds be stayed on you and may the peace of God that passes all understanding keep our hearts and minds. Help us to be quick to forgive and quick to confess our offenses. Help us to maintain the unity of the Spirit among our brothers and sisters in Christ. Give us the wisdom that is first pure, then peaceable. Set a watch over our tongues so that our words minister grace to the hearers.
We want to be peacemakers. We want to be carriers of your peace to others. Use us to declare the gospel of peace to those who do not know you. Make us effective ministers of reconciliation. Let your light shine through us to the world that needs you so much. Give us both wisdom and boldness in sharing our testimony. Your peace brings lasting peace to the heart. It is much greater than mere appeasement. Instead, it works a repentance that enables eternal relationship with you. May those we work with find peace with you. May all our family members be at peace with one another.
Make us agents of peace wherever we go so that we truly behave as “sons of God”—so that we reflect your nature and spread you love and grace.x
Vs 10: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Lord, you have told us to expect persecution. You have shown us in your word the benefits that can come out of it. Give us a biblical mindset toward persecution. Help us to see it as you see it. And help us to capitalize on the opportunities that come with it.
Give us boldness in our testimony before the world. Give us the courage and strength to stand strong. Help us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. Enable us to overcome evil with good and win the lost in the process.
You have told us to rejoice when we are falsely accused and persecuted. Help us to do that by knowing that you are working all things together for our good. Protect us from foolishness that could bring trouble because of our own mistakes. But when persecution comes “for righteousness' sake,” grace us to commit ourselves to your care and protection.
Guard our hearts against fear. Do not let us be terrified by our adversaries. Instead let the fear and reverence toward you guard us against the fear of man. For the fear of man brings a snare. But by
your grace we will not fear what man can do to us. We will trust you and not be afraid. For we know that ours “is the kingdom of heaven.” Even in death we win; for you have prepared a place for us with you forever. And you will richly reward our loyalty to you.
Stephen’s faithfulness under persecution disturbed the conscience of Saul of Tarsus and prepared him for salvation. Let our light shine in a similar way so that others can know who you are. There is none like you. You are God and there is no other. Nothing comes into our lives without your knowledge. Not a hair of our head will perish. For he that keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. Nothing gets passed you. You are our hiding place. As the good shepherd, you are leading us into eternal glory.xi
So, with that we conclude our study of the Beatitudes. Meditate often on this portion of Scripture for these Beatitudes reveal the pathway of blessing. This is the way God’s kingdom operates, and as we operate this way we are blessed.
ENDNOTES:
i See Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-5.
ii In 1 Corinthians 14:15 Paul wrote, “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding….” In the context, to “pray with the spirit” is to pray in tongues. Otherwise, we should “pray with the understanding.” And the more understanding we can have of Scripture, the better.
iii In the natural, a newborn baby simply knows to cry for his or her own needs. As that individual matures, the person learns other expressions of communication and enlarges his or her attention toward others.
iv Notice the other biblical truths that come to mind as we pray this beatitude. Cf. 2 Pet. 1:3; 2 Cor. 3:5; Eph. 3:20; Micah 6:8; 1 Pet. 5:6; Eph. 2:8-9; Luke 10:20. The goal is not necessarily to recall a number of other passages. The goal is simply to pray what comes to mind based on Matthew 5:3. Therefore, the prayer will vary significantly from one person to another and from one occasion to another.
v If there are specific sins to confess, this is a good time to acknowledge those and turn from them. As we pray each beatitude, we do not want to overlook the promise associated with that beatitude. God not only calls us to godly sorrow and repentance, but also to the comfort he supplies when we do repent (2 Cor. 7:9-10). Cf. Luke 11:4; Eph. 4:30; 1 John 1:9; John 16:8; Acts 11:18; 2 Cor. 1:3-4; Jer. 31:3; Lam. 3:22-23; Heb. 13:5.
vi Meekness is not weakness. Instead, it is strength submitted to the Master, only used as he directs. Cf. Matt. 11:29; Heb. 11:6.
vii Cf. Eph. 5:18; Phil. 3:12-14; 2 Pet. 3:18; Luke 11:9-13; Matt. 21:21-22; Acts 2:17.
viii God’s mercy is not tolerance toward sin. In fact, it is intolerant toward anything that destroys people (Prov. 8:13; Heb. 1:9). Cf. Ps. 103:10-11; Lam. 3:22; Matt. 7:12; Micah 6:8; Matt. 6:12-15; Matt. 5:44; 22:39.
ix Cf. Luke 6:41-42; Ps. 51:10; 139:23-34; Jer. 25:5; Matt. 6:21-24; James 1:7-8; 4:8; Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 3:18; Matt. 6:10; Rom. 8:29.
x Cf. Col. 3:15; Isa. 26:3; Phil. 4:7; James 5:16; Eph. 4:3; James 3:17; Ps. 141:3; Eph. 4:29; Rom. 10:15; Eph. 6:15; 2 Cor. 5:19-20; Matt. 5:14-16; Acts 3:19.
xi Cf. John 15:20; Matt.5:44; Rom. 12:21; Matt. 5:12; Rom. 8:28; 1 Pet. 4:15-16, 19; Phil. 1:28; Prov. 14:26; 29:5; Ps. 56:11; Isa. 12:12; Acts 7:58; Ps. 86:10; Luke 21:18; Ps. 121:4; 32:7; 23:3; Rom. 2:7; 8:18.
