Praying from Scripture

(Scripture Sets for Prayer and Strategic Response)

Each of the following Scripture sets can be found under its respective stage in the manual, along with the full text of the listed Scriptures. The sets are compiled here because no Scripture’s relevance is confined to only one season of ministry. By looking through these lists, you may find many Scriptures relevant to your current situation and need besides those listed in your stages of present focus. You can download a PDF version here.

Return to the Scriptures often as a source of insight, revelation, encouragement, and evaluation. Because the Word of God is “living and active” (Heb. 4:12) and the Holy Spirit Himself continues to reveal more to us (John 14:26, John 16:13), return to the Scriptures often—even to the same Scriptures. “Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes” (Ps. 119:98-99)

Just as the Scriptures and Holy Spirit are a powerful combination to instruct us, so it will be with any other believer partnering in the work of God’s kingdom. As you seek to raise up those who will pass on what they have learned (2 Tim. 2:2), help them turn Scripture into prayer, and let God’s word and the Holy Spirit instruct them.

You are almost certain to think of more relevant Scriptures as you pray through any of these list. Add these also into your rhythms of prayer, and consider sharing them with others who can benefit.

ABIDE

Mark 3:13-15 “He appointed twelve that they might be with him”

Ps. 27:4-8, 14 “that I may dwell in the house of the Lord…Wait for the Lord”

Ps. 100:1-5 “Enter his gates with thanksgiving”

Mark 12:28-31 “The most important one…is this: ‘…Love the Lord your God’”

John 14:4-7, 13-26 “we will come to them and make our home with them”

John 15:1-17 “Now remain in my love…I have called you friends”

John 16:12-15 “I have much more to say to you”

John 17:25-26 “will continue to make you know…that the love you have for me…”

Luke 10:38-42 “Martha was distracted by all the preparations”

Prov. 2:1-11 “then you will…find the knowledge of God”

Matt. 11:28-30 “Come to me…learn from me”

2 Cor. 11:2-3 “led astray from your sincere and pure devotion”

Rev. 2:2-5 “I know your deeds, your hard work…Yet I hold this against you”

Eph. 1:17-23 “Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better”

Eph. 3:10-21 “power through his Spirit in your inner being”

Eph. 5:8-10, 18-20 “find out what pleases the Lord…be filled with the Spirit”

Phil. 1:20-21 “that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body”

Phil. 2:5-13 ESV “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”

Phil. 3:7-11 “I want to know Christ”

Phil. 4:4-9, 12-13 “if anything is excellent…think about such things”

2 Tim. 2:1-7 “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus…teach others”

John 7:37-39 “Whoever believes in me as Scripture has said…rivers of living water”

Heb. 12:1-3 “fixing our eyes on Jesus…Consider him…”

Ps. 44:3 “victory…the light of your face, for you loved them”

Rom. 8:5-11, 14-15 “minds set on what the Spirit desires”

Rom. 12:1-2 “be transformed by the renewing of your mind…approve what God’s will is”

2 Cor. 3:16-18 “with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory”

Gal. 2:19-21 “The life I now live in the body, I live by faith”

Song 2:3-4 “I delight to sit in his shade”

MOBILIZE INTERCESSION

Matt. 18:19 “if two of you on earth agree about anything”

2 Cor. 1:7-11 “as you help us by your prayers…many will give thanks”

Rom. 15:30-33 “I appeal to you…strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf”

Eph. 6:18-20 “all kinds of prayers and requests…Pray also for me”

Col. 4:2-4 “pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message”

2 Th. 3:1-3 “pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly”

2 Cor. 8:1-5 “They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then…also to us”

Luke 14:31 “deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes”

Col. 4:12-13 “always wrestling in prayer for you…working hard for you”

1 Chr. 11:10 “David's mighty men, who gave him strong support”

Luke 9:18 “as He was praying alone, the disciples were with Him”

Luke 11:1-13 “Lord, teach us to pray”

Matt. 6:5-21 “your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you”

Luke 18:1-8 “to show them that they should always pray and not give up”

John 14:12-14 “You may ask me for anything in my name”

Matt. 26:36-40 “keep watch with me for one hour…Watch and pray”

Matt. 9:35-38 “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore”

1 Th. 5:16-24 “pray continually…Do not treat prophecies with contempt”

Rev. 5:1-14 “bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people”

James 4:2-3 “You desire but do not have… because you do not ask God”

1 Pet. 5:8-9 “Resist him…the family of believers around the world”

Acts. 4:27-31 “the place where they were meeting was shaken”

Eccl. 4:9-12 “Two are better than one”

LAYING FOUNDATIONS

Gen. 12:1-3 “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”

Gen. 22:17-18 “through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed”

Acts 2:33-39 “the promise is for you…and for all who are far off”

Rev. 7:9-12 “from every nation, tribe, people and language”

Hab. 2:14 “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord”

Matt. 6:9-10 “hallowed by your name…on earth as it is in heaven”

Luke 24:46-47 “repentance…forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations”

Acts 1:4-11 “you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth”

Matt. 24:14 “gospel of the kingdom will be preached…as a testimony to all nations”

Matt. 28:16-20 “go and make disciples of all nations”

Acts 19:10 “all…heard the word of the Lord”

Rom. 15:11-23 “there is no more place for me to work in these regions”

Luke 19:10 “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”

Luke 10:2 “Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest”

Ex. 3:1-12 “I have heard…I have come down to rescue…So now, go. I am sending you”

Isa. 49:6 “It is too small a thing…I will also…”

Ps. 67:1-7 “May God be gracious to us…so that your ways may be known on earth”

Eph. 2:10 “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

John 15:16 “appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last”

Isa. 61:1-6 “the Lord has anointed me…to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”

ENTRY

Jer. 29:7 “pray for the peace of the city…for in its peace you will find your peace”

Col. 4:2, 5-6 “watchful and thankful…wise in the way you act toward outsiders”

Ps. 68:1-35 “May God arise…In front are the singers”

2 Chr. 20:1-28 “appointed men to sing to the Lord…at the head of the army”

2 Kgs. 6:8-18 “‘What shall we do?’… ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see’”

Gen. 18:17, 20-25 “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?”

Dan 9:2-23 “I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures…So I turned to the Lord”

2 Sam. 21:1-2, 14 “After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land”

Mal. 3:9 “You are under a curse—your whole nation”

Eph. 6:10-18 “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms…pray in the Spirit”

2 Cor. 10:3-6 “divine power to demolish strongholds…take captive every thought”

2 Cor. 4:3-6 “blinded the minds of unbelievers…made his light shine in our hearts”

Eph. 2:1-5 “the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient”

Matt. 12:29 “unless he first ties up the strong man”

Luke 11:21-22 “when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him”

Gen. 13:17 “Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land”

Acts 16:13-14 “we went…where we expected to find a place of prayer”

Acts 17:16, 22-23 “I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship”

Dan. 1:3-4, 17 “He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians”

Acts 2:4-11 “each of us hears them in our native language”

Matt. 9:36-38 “compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless”

Acts 10:1-3 “he had a vision. He distinctly saw”

Eph. 2:10 “good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”

Prov. 25:2 “glory of God to conceal…to search out a matter is the glory of kings”

Ps. 139:7-12 “if I settle on the far side of the sea…even there your hand will guide me”

Isa. 40:3-5 “make straight in the desert a highway for our God”

PERSEVERING IN PRAYER

Hab. 2:1-3 “Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay”

Isa. 55:8-11 “my word…will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire”

2 Pet. 3:8-15 “not slow in keeping his promise…the day of the Lord will come like a thief”

Luke 18:1-8 “a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up”

Gen. 32:22-32 “I will not let you go unless you bless me”

Luke 11:1-13 “because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up”

Phil 3:7-14 “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me”

1 Cor. 15:50, 58 “Always give yourselves fully…your labor in the Lord is not in vain”

Col. 1:9-12 “strengthened with all power…so that you may have great endurance”

Col. 1:24-29 “with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me”

2 Cor. 1:8-11 “But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God”

2 Cor. 4:7-12, 16-18 “momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory”

2 Cor. 5:1-11 “we groan and are burdened…we make it our goal to please him”

Rom. 8:18-39 “we ourselves, who have the firstfruits…groan inwardly as we wait eagerly”

John 16:20-24 “when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy”

Rom. 15:1-6, 13 “the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide”

James 5:7-11 “we count as blessed those who have persevered”

Job 13:14-18 “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him…this will turn out for my deliverance”

Job 27:1-6 “as long as I have life within me…till I die, I will not deny my integrity”

1 Sam. 30:1-8 “David was greatly distressed…David strengthened himself in the Lord his God”

Ps. 42:1-11 “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you”

Ps. 73:1-28 “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold”

Ps. 139:1-6 “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me”

Gal. 6:7-10 “at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”

Rom. 5:3-5 “suffering produces perseverance…hope does not put us to shame”

2 Tim. 1:6-12 “he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day”

2 Tim. 4:5-8 “I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”

Heb. 2:1-18 “careful attention…to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away”

Heb. 3:12-15 “that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness”

Heb. 6:10-20 “show this same diligence to the very end…inherit what has been promised”

Heb. 10:19-39 “do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded”

Heb. 11:1-3 “what is seen was not made out of what was visible”

Heb. 11:13-16 “the things promised; they only…welcomed them from a distance”

Heb. 11:38-40 “none…received what had been promised…God had planned something better”

Heb. 12:1-13 “Endure hardship as discipline…strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees”

Rev. 2:2-5 “I know your…perseverance…yet I have this against you”

2 Th. 3:5 “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance”

SHARING & TRAINING TO SHARE

Mark 1:14-20 “The time has come…I will send you out to fish for people”

Mark 3:13-15 “that they might be with him and that he might send them out”

Matt. 10:1-42 “what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs”

Luke 10:1-28 “no one knows…except…those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him”

Acts 1:1-8 “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you”

Acts 2:1-41 “Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’”

Acts 14:1-3 “confirmed the message of his grace…signs and wonders”

Matt. 19:23-30 “‘Who then can be saved?’ …’With man this is impossible’”

2 Cor. 5:11, 17-21 “Therefore…we persuade others…God making his appeal through us”

Eph. 2:1-10 “faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God”

Rom. 1:14-17 “I am obligated…both to the wise and the foolish”

2 Cor. 4:1-15 “through God’s mercy we have this ministry…setting forth the truth plainly”

1 Cor. 2:1-16 “This is what we speak…in words taught by the Spirit”

Isa. 55:8-11 “my word…will not return to me empty…will accomplish what I desire”

Mark 4:14-25 “The farmer sows the word…With the measure you use…”

Mark 4:26-34 “the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how”

Ps. 96:1-13 “praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day”

Ps. 145:1-13, 21 “I will extol you…to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds”

Philemon 4-7 “pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective”

Eph. 6:18-20 “Pray also for me…fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel”

Col. 4:3-6 “pray for us…Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders”

Deut. 6:4-9 “Tie them as symbols on your hands…Write them on the doorframes”

Matt. 5:14-16 “that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father”

Acts 26:16-18 “I am sending you…to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light”

Acts 16:13-15 “The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message”

Acts 17:16-34 “the very thing you worship…this is what I am going to proclaim to you”

Matt. 24:14 “gospel of the kingdom will be preached…as a testimony to all nations”

2 Cor. 2:12-17 “to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere”

2 Pet. 3:9 “he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish”

NEW SEEKERS & DISCOVERY GROUPS

Acts 17:11-12 “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”

1 Th. 2:13-15 “you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God”

2 Cor. 4:4-6 “god of this age has blinded…God…said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’”

Rom. 8:14-17 “those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God”

Heb. 3:12-19; 4:1-14 “united by faith with those who listened…hold fast our confession”

Rom. 3:21-16 “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ”

Rom. 6:14-23 “When you were slaves to sin…Those things result in death”

Rom. 10:5-13 “it is with your heart…and it is with your mouth”

Matt. 28:18-20 “baptizing them…and teaching them to obey”

Acts 2:38-41 “Repent and be baptized…The promise is for you …and for all”

Luke 14:25-33 “those of you who do not give up everything…cannot be my disciples”

Acts 14:21-22 “encouraging them…We must go through many hardships”

Rom. 8:29 “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son”

Phil. 3:17 “Join together in following my example…you have us as a model”

2 Cor. 6:1-13 “no stumbling block…so that our ministry will not be discredited”

2 Tim. 2:1-10 “I endure everything…that they too may obtain the salvation”

2 Cor. 5:9-11 “the judgment seat of Christ…we try to persuade others”

2 Cor. 2:12-17 “in Christ we speak before God with sincerity”

1 Cor. 7:12-24 “Each…should remain in the situation they were in when God called them”

Acts 10:24-27, 44-48 “Cornelius…had called together his relatives and close friends”

Luke 5:27-29 “Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Then Levi held a great banquet”

John 1:35-45 “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him”

John 4:15-16, 28-42 “Many…believed in him because of the woman's testimony”

Luke 8:38-39 “Jesus sent him away…’Return home and tell how much God has done’”

1 Pet. 3:1-2 “they may be won over…by the behavior of their wives”

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

John 13:3-17 “you also should wash one another’s feet”

Matt. 23:1-12 “The greatest among you will be your servant”

Luke 22:24-27 “I am among you as one who serves”

Luke 5:15-16 “crowds of people came…But Jesus often withdrew”

Acts 6:1-7 “give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word”

Ex. 18:13-23 “select capable men from all the people”

Tit. 1:5-9 “an overseer manages God's household, he must be blameless”

1 Tim. 5:17-22 “The elders who direct the affairs of the church”

Acts 20:17-21, 28-36 “the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers”

1 Pet. 5:1-4 “not because you must, but because you are willing”

Jer. 3:15 “I will give you shepherds after my own heart”

1 Sam. 13:11-15 “the men were scattering…the Philistines were assembling…I felt compelled”

Ps. 78:70-72 “David shepherded them with integrity of heart”

Phil. 2:19-22 “Timothy…I have no one else like him”

2 Tim. 2:1-7 “entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others”

1 Tim. 4:6-7, 10-16 “if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers”

1 Cor. 4:15-17 “you do not have many fathers”

Acts 13:1-3 “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul”

Eph. 4:1-16 “Christ himself gave…so that the body of Christ may be built up”

2 Cor. 13:7-10 “the authority the Lord gave me for building you up”

2 Cor. 1:12-14, 24 “relying not on worldly wisdom but on God's grace”

1 Cor. 13:1-8 “If I speak…but do not have love”

Phil. 3:15-17 “keep your eyes on those who live as we do”

Ps. 72:1-20 “Endow the king with your justice, O God”

Neh. 4:8-23 “So we continued the work with half the men holding spears”

Neh. 5:14-19 “I never demanded the food allotted to the governor”

Neh. 8:2-3, 7-8, 12-13 “Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly”

Neh. 13:6-11 “But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem"

NEW BELIEVERS AND CHURCHES

Acts 2:36-47 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship”

Acts 4:31-35 “God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all”

Acts 14:21-23 “strengthening the disciples…appointed elders for them in each church”

1 Cor. 12:12-13:1 “God has placed the parts in the body…as he wanted them to be”

Rom. 12:3-18 “each member belongs to all the others”

Eph. 5:22-32 “This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church”

1 Tim. 3:14-15 “God’s household, which is the church of the living God”

Rom. 8:29 “that he might be the firstborn among many brothers”

1 Cor. 3:9-17 “you are God’s field, God’s building”

Eph. 2:14-22 “built together to become a dwelling in which God lives”

1 Pet. 2:4-10 “built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood”

Rev. 1:5-6 “a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father”

2 Cor. 1:18-22 “He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us”

2 Tim. 3:16-17 “All Scripture…so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped”

Phil. 3:17 “Join together in following my example…you have us as a model”

Rom. 15:4-7, 13 “the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had”

Eph. 1:3-23 “included in Christ when you heard…When you believed”

Eph. 3:10-21 “strengthen you with power through his Spirit…filled to the measure”

Phil. 1:9-11 “that your love may abound more and more in knowledge”

Col. 1:9-14 “ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will”

Col. 4:12 “that you may stand firm in all the will of God”

1 Th. 3:9-13 “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other”

1 Th. 5:16-25 “May God himself…sanctify you through and through”

2 Th. 1:11-12 “pray…that our God may make you worthy of his calling”

2 Th. 2:15-17 “strengthen you in every good deed and word”

2 Th. 3:5 “direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance”

Heb. 13:20-21 “may he work in us what is pleasing to him”

1 Cor. 13:1-13 “if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love”

See also Leadership Development Scriptures

See also Perseverance Scriptures

GENERATION 1 TO GENERATION 2+

John 17:20-23 “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message”

Mark 1:14-20 “The time has come…I will send you out to fish for people”

Ps. 119:98-102 “I have more insight than all my teachers…for you yourself have taught me”

1 Cor. 3:6-15 “I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it”

Acts 6:1-7 “We will turn this responsibility over to them”

Eph. 4:11-16 “no longer be…blown here and there by every wind of teaching”

Hebr. 8:10-11 “I will put my laws in their minds…from the least of them to the greatest”

Mark 7:6-8 “You have let go of the commands of God…holding on to human traditions”

2 Tim. 2:1-7 “reliable people who will also be qualified to teach”

Phil. 3:17 “Join together in following my example…you have us as a model”

John 4:39 “Many…believed in him because of the woman’s testimony”

• See Acts Study - Gen 1 to Gen 2
• See 1 Thessalonians Study - Gen 1 to Gen 2

See also Leadership Development Scriptures

See also New Believers and Churches Scriptures

See also Perseverance Scriptures

GENERATIONS & NEW STREAMS

1 Cor. 3:5-17 “each one should build with care…you together are that temple”

2 Tim. 3:12-17 “so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped”

Acts 19:1-10 “two years, so that all…heard the word of the Lord

Phil. 2:1-11 “Christ Jesus…did not consider…to be used to his own advantage”

Rom. 12:1-8 “one body, and each member belongs to all the others”

Eph. 4:11-16 “to equip his people…so that the body of Christ may be built up”

Eph. 1:18-23 “appointed him to be head over everything for the church”

Prov. 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”

Prov. 27:21 “a man is tested by the praise he receives”

Prov. 27:23-24 “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks”

John 17:20-23 “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message”

• See Discovery Bible Study - Generations & New Streams

See also Leadership Development Scriptures

See also New Believers and Churches Scriptures

See also Perseverance Scriptures

SUSTAINED MOVEMENT

Eph. 4:11-32 “Then we will no longer be…blown here and there by every wind of teaching”

John 15:1-27 “every branch that does bear fruit he prunes…that it will be even more fruitful”

Col. 1:3-14 “gospel is bearing fruit…For this reason, we have not stopped praying for you”

Gal. 6:1-10 “at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”

Acts 6:1-7 “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to…”

1 Pet. 3:8-17 “it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil”

Acts 8:1-8 “Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went”

Col. 1:15-29 “if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move”

Eph. 3:14-21 “rooted and established in love…to him be glory in the church”

1 Pet. 2:8-12 “They stumble because they disobey the message”

Rev. 2:1-29 “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand”

Rev. 3:1-22 “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die”

See also Leadership Development Scriptures

See also Perseverance Scriptures

MULTIPLYING MOVEMENT

Gen. 1:28 “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it”

Gen. 26:3-4 “to you and your descendants I will give all these lands”

Matt. 24:14 “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world”

Matt. 28:16-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”

Acts 1:7-11 “you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth”

Acts 6:7 “So the word of God spread…a large number of priests became obedient”

Acts 9:31 “enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened…it increased in numbers”

Acts 12:24 “But the word of God continued to spread and flourish”

Acts 16:4-5 “from town to town…churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily”

Acts 16:6-10 “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region”

Acts 19:1-10 “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard”

Rom. 15:16-23 “from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum…where Christ was not known”

Eph. 3:14-21 “to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”

2 Pet. 3:7-13 “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”

Rev. 7:9-10 “multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people”

Rev. 22:1-5 “tree of life…leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations”

See also Laying Foundations Scriptures