Blog
(Introduction to this 31-days-of-prayer is at https://lifeword.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=4425&action=edit
The following are 31 chapter summaries, key verses, and prayers inspired by the wisdom of Proverbs:
Proverbs 1: God blesses us when we listen to him and apply the wisdom that is gained. When we choose to not come to him, to ignore him, and to reject him, we are choosing to be robbed of life and to live in the consequences of our own foolish choices.
Proverbs 1:23 “Come and listen to my counsel. I’ll share my heart with you and make you wise.”
Proverbs 1:33 “But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
Father, thank you for wisdom and guidance that is available to ____.
I pray for ___ to desire to be taught from your Word in order to live a disciplined and successful life and to do what is right, just, and fair.
May ___ become wise and wiser and gain understanding and receive guidance. I pray that ___ will not be a fool and despise wisdom and discipline.
May ___ fear you, Lord, as you are the foundation of true knowledge.
I ask that if ___ is enticed by sinners to commit evil deeds, that he/she will turn his/her back on them and stay far away from their paths.
I ask that ___ will choose life and not greed for money as greed robs people of life. Share your heart with ___ and make him/her wise.
I pray that ___ will go to you when you call him/her and not ignore your advice or reject your offer of correction.
May ___ choose to listen to you, Lord, and live in peace rather than eating the bitter fruit of living apart from you.
Amen.
Proverbs 2:
God grants wisdom to those who ask. The wisdom and understanding help us to make good decisions, walk the path of righteousness, and receive protection from evil. Anyone who walks with wisdom and understanding will continue to cry out for God to grant them more wisdom and understanding, because they are fully aware that God is the source, and they fear living apart from him.
Proverbs 2:6 “For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
Proverbs 2:3 “Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.”
Proverbs 2:9-11 “Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.”
Father, Thank you that you grant wisdom and understanding!
May you compel ___ to cry out for you to grant wisdom and understanding.
Please give a wealth of common sense to ___ as he/she strives to be honest and walk in integrity.
Guard ___’s path and protect him/her.
When you have granted wisdom and understanding to ___, may he/she understand what is right, just, fair, and the right way to go.
May your wisdom and knowledge enter ____’s heart and fill him/her with joy.
I pray that you will watch over ___ and keep him/her safe from evil.
I pray that wisdom will save ___ from foul people with warped words and from falling into immoral temptations.
May ___ follow the steps of good people and stay on the path of righteousness.
Amen.
Proverbs 3:
If we seek wisdom we will travel the path of life and blessings. God’s wisdom is saturated in his words to us and in his Spirit living inside of us. Seeking wisdom is a continual, intentional decision to be absorbing his words and asking him for his wise guidance and counsel in our lives and then traveling the path.
Proverbs 3:3-6 “Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. Then you will find favor with both God and people, and you will earn a good reputation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”
Proverbs 3:18 “Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly.”
Father, thank you that the wisdom from your Word is so powerful.
May ___ store your Word in his/her heart so as to never forget what you teach, for this leads to many years of a satisfied life.
I pray that ___ is loyal and kind from the heart, for then he/she will find favor and earn a good reputation.
I ask that ___ trust you with all of his/her heart and not depend on him/herself.
I pray that ___ will not become prideful but fear you and turn from evil.
I ask that ___ will honor you with his/her wealth and receive gifts from you with a grateful heart.
May ___ humbly accept your correction and see it as love and not as punishment.
I pray that ___ will truly grow to be a person of joy as he/she embraces your wisdom and understanding and is led down delightful paths, refreshed and without fear.
May ___ not fear sudden disaste, for you are his/her security and you will keep ___ from being caught in a trap.
I pray that ___ will do good, not take easily to an offense, and not envy because you want to graciously bless the home of the upright with honor and with your friendship.
Amen.
Proverbs 4:
Parents are to pass on godly wisdom and good instruction to their children. If children follow and develop good judgment, then they will be led in straight paths and have long, good lives as they pass on godly wisdom and good instruction to their children! The baton of wisdom keeps getting passed.
Proverbs 4:10 “My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life.” (David taught Solomon to seek God’s wisdom.)
Proverbs 4:12 “When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble.”
Proverbs 4:23-24 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech.”
Father, thank you for your plan of having parents impart godly wisdom to their children and for the chain of wisdom and godly character to continue.
Father, may ___ teach his/her children to seek after wisdom, to listen to instruction, and to develop good judgment.
Give ___ the strength to act on good judgment so he/she will shine brightly in the darkness.
I pray that ___ will not forget your words, but instead allow them to penetrate deep into his/her heart and not turn away from them.
I ask that ___ will love, prize and embrace wisdom and enjoy the fruit of protection, honor, long life, good life, straight paths and healing.
I pray that ___ will guard his/her own heart above all else, for this sets the course for his/her life.
May ___ wisely avoid all perverse talk and stay away from corrupt speech.
Give ___ the power to look straight ahead, stay on the safe path, and not follow evil.
Amen.
Proverbs 5:
Falling into the traps of the immoral brings physical disease, bondage, and spiritual death.
Proverbs 5:21-23 “For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes. An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his great foolishness.”
Proverbs 5:15-17 “Drink water from your own well – share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Never share it with strangers.”
Father, thank you for the gifts of wisdom, discernment, and the strength for self-control as immoral women and men can be very tempting with their enticing seductions.
Father, I ask that ___ not fall into the seductions of the immoral as they are poison and dangerous for his/her physical, spiritual and emotional well-being.
Open ___’s eyes to the tempters and see them and their offer clearly as a crooked path to death.
May ___ stay away from the immoral so that his/her honor and achievements will not be lost, and regret and shame will not consume him/her.
I pray that ___ will share his/her love with only his/her spouse, and may they be a fountain of blessing to each other.
I ask that ___ always be captivated by the love of his/her spouse.
I ask that ____ never have to live with the foolishness of having lost self-control and spilled the “water of your springs in the streets, having sex with just anyone.”
Amen.
Proverbs 6:
We are to be generous, but we still need boundaries. We protect ourselves from ruin by not co-signing another’s debt. We are to work hard and not get into the habit of laziness. And, we are to refrain from the seven things that God detests: pride, a lying tongue, killing the innocent, a heart that plots evil, deliberately doing wrong, a false/lying witness, and a rousing up of conflict in the family.
Proverbs 6:12-15: “What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars, signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers. Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble. But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing.”
Father, I pray that you will open ___’s heart and eyes to the signs of the wicked.
Help ___ to have good and solid boundaries along with wisdom.
I ask for ___ to have a generous spirit but not risk putting him/herself on the path to ruin due to his/her generosity.
May ___ work hard and not fall into laziness.
Reveal to ___ when he/she is being manipulated by perverted hearts that stir up trouble.
May ___ not fall into the things that you hate, but keep wise counsel constantly on his/her mind.
When ___ walks, wise counsel will lead him/her.
When ____ sleeps, wise counsel will protect him/her.
When ____ wakes up, wise counsel will advise him/her.
I ask that ___ see corrective discipline as the way of life and not bondage.
I ask that ___ not lust or allow evil to seduce him/her for the result will be wounds and shame.
Amen.
Proverbs 7:
We so easily can fall into sexual temptation and sin if we are in an environment that promotes it, if we allow ourselves to be idle and our minds to wander to lustful thoughts, and if we lack godly wisdom and allow ourselves to seduce someone else into a sexual sin or fall prey to those who talk to us seductively. Sexual sin leads to ruin and death such as the ruin of a family unit or the death of an innocent unborn baby – both of which are two of the seven things that the Lord detests (see chapter 6).
Proverbs 7:4-5 “Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.”
Father, thank you that you want what is best for ___ and his/her family and that is to not fall into sexual sins or be the tempter of such sins.
Father, you see the heart, mind, and actions of ____.
You know what his/her struggle is, what temptations he/she is allowing in his/her life, and what shame ___ carries from falling into the temptations.
Soften ___’s heart and open his/her eyes to the need for forgiveness through repentance.
May ___ begin to come to your Word and godly counsel for the wisdom that brings life.
May ___ follow your commands and live.
I ask that ____ be completely convicted that sexual sins lead to spiritual and sometimes physical death.
A relationship with you cannot flourish, nor true freedom and life co-exist with perpetual and consuming sexual sins.
May ___ love your Word, seek godly friendships, and stay on the path of your purpose for his/her life so that he/she does not fall into immoral living.
Amen.
Proverbs 8:
Wisdom is available for us to gain a clear understanding of a situation based upon God’s point of view. With wisdom we can have good judgment, common sense, success, and strength, and stay far away from corruption, pride, and perverse communication. We can attribute wisdom for our wealth, honor, joyfulness, and life as we avoid harm of self and even death. It is in our best interest to pray for all of our leaders to choose the path of wisdom as well!
Proverbs 8:1-2, 4 “Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads. … ‘I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.’”
Proverbs 8:15-16 “Because of me, kings reign, and rulers make just decrees. Rulers lead with my help, and nobles make righteous judgments.”
(Note: wisdom is referred to as “her.”)
Father, thank you for wisdom and understanding and good judgment!
I ask that ___ hear wisdom when she calls out at the crossroads of life, guiding ____ with wholesome, plain and clear instruction.
Lord, I pray that ___ will fear you and hate evil, pride, arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.
God, may ___ look to you for common sense, success, insight, and strength.
I pray that ____ cries out to you for our leaders to choose wisdom, for it is because of you that leaders have power and make just declarations and moral judgments.
I pray that ___ will walk with wisdom and attribute her to his/her riches, honor, joyfulness and life.
May ____’s eyes open to see that those who do not find wisdom damage themselves and have an affinity for death.
Amen.
Proverbs 9:
Those who walk the path of simple-mindedness do not have the spiritual truth, knowledge, or good judgment of how to get on or stay on a path that leads to life rather than to death. They have either never heard wisdom’s invitation or responded to her invitation to come and eat at her great and satisfying banquet that nourishes life.
Proverbs 9:5-6 “Come, eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways behind, and begin to live; learn to use good judgment.” (Wisdom sends out an invitation for everyone to come.)
Proverbs 9:16-18 “‘Come in with me,’ she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says, ‘Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!’ But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave.” (Folly urges the simple to come and eat the forbidden fruit).
Father, as you invite ___ to dine at the table of wisdom, as you do all people, I ask that ___ will leave any simple-minded ways and learn to use good judgment and live.
May ___ wisely accept correction and love those who love him/her enough to give the correction.
I pray that ___ will receive instruction with a clear mind and repentant heart and become even wiser.
I ask that ___ will fear you, Lord, and see you as the foundation of wisdom and have great desire, motivation, and discipline to know you, the Holy One, intimately.
I pray that ___ will enjoy the added days of life and the benefits of living a life of wisdom, fully knowing that if he/she rejects wisdom, he/she will suffer. When sinful temptation tries to seduce ___, I pray that he/she will not believe the lie that “Stolen water is refreshing” but wisely see that this path leads to death.
Open ____’s eyes to learn of the destruction caused in others’ lives from the bite(s) of forbidden fruit, and may ____ wisely stay on the path to the house of wisdom where he/she will eat at a boundlessly satisfying, rich banquet and live.
Amen.
Proverbs 10:
A godly person is a pleasure to be around. They lift up rather than tear down, speak life-giving words, and make happy memories.
Proverbs 10:7 “We have happy memories of the godly, but the name of a wicked person rots away.”
Proverbs 10:23 “Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible.”
Proverbs 10:32 “The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.”
Father, thank you so much that you bless the godly in so many ways as well as bless others through the actions and words of the godly.
Father, I pray that ____ will desire to grow in a relationship with you and the overflow will be wise decisions, life-giving words, and pleasure.
I ask that ____ represent you well as he/she identifies as a believer in Jesus.
If ___ is living foolishly, grieving and disgracing his/her family, and speaking perversely, please lead him/her into repentance, amends, and reconciliation.
Guide him/her to your godly path where he/she will be showered with blessings, have a firm foundation to withstand the troubles of life, and experience the pleasures of wise living and speech.
Amen.
Proverbs 11:
Honest, upright, and generous people are good for an environment as they bring prosperity as well as meaning and purpose.
Proverbs 11:11 “Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.”
Proverbs 11:24 “The world of the generous gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.” The Message version
Proverbs 11:27 “If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!”
Proverbs 11:30 “The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.”
Father, you are honest, wise, generous, and kind, and you want your people to be honest, wise, generous, and kind.
I ask that ____ strive, with your strength, to have all of these characteristics growing in his/her life.
It is good for ____ to be an upright citizen since a city will grow and prosper when good citizens do good deeds.
I pray that ___ will generously give his/her time and resources and enjoy the larger world of friends and life that are produced from that generosity.
May ____ trust you and not in money, keep quiet rather than gossip, search for good rather than evil, give freely rather than be stingy, and be kind rather than cruel.
I pray for ___ to be rescued from trouble, enjoy celebrations, prosper, be respected, experience great reward, find favor, flourish like leaves in spring, bring life, and win friends.
Amen.
Proverbs 12:
This chapter’s theme is that wisdom brings life and wickedness brings death. It is beyond understanding why people would willingly choose wickedness except for being deceived by Satan’s lies and having a heart of stone.
Proverbs 12:3 “Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.”
Proverbs 12:6 “The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives.”
Proverbs 12:25 “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”
Father, thank you that we have the opportunity to choose wisdom and godliness and that your Word is alive and teaching us how to be wise.
Father, ___’s words are so important; may ____’s truthful and wise words bring life, healing, encouragement, and good advice to those you have placed in his/her life.
When ____ struggles with wisdom, may he/she clearly see the issue and embrace the discipline and work involved to grow in wisdom and godliness.
I ask that ____ make a commitment to understand wickedness and to walk away from it as it brings instability, cruelty, pursuit of fantasy, jealousy, anger, foolishness, and death.
As ___ grows in wisdom, may he/she respect all life, work hard, and stay calm when insulted.
I ask for ___ to not make cutting remarks but have words that bring healing.
I pray for ___ to have a joy-filled heart that experiences and works for peace.
Amen.
Proverbs 13:
Parents who love their children well will provide wise instruction and discipline. If the children choose to walk in godliness and wisdom then they will likely have their physical needs generously met, a life full of light and joy, dreams fulfilled, respect, honor and blessings.
Proverbs 13:1a “A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction.”
Proverbs 13:3 “Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything.”
Proverbs 13:14 “The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death.”
Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”
Father, parents who love you and provide wise instruction and discipline have children turning away from you and embracing the empty philosophies of this world.
We need your help in fighting for their hearts.
Father, bind Satan from infiltrating Christ-following families.
Give these families wisdom on when, how, and what to say to their children.
May those children embrace the life-giving fountain of wisdom and escape spiritual and physical demise.
I pray that these children are attracted to wise peers and instructors and not to fools.
I ask that when our children fall into foolish ways, that you use anyone or anything to nourish them back to you!
Break down the barrier of pride, open their minds to think wisely before they act, block them from walking willfully into evil, open their eyes to see that the life of the godly is full of light and joy.
Victory is yours! Teach us and empower us to fight for the hearts of our children.
Amen.
Proverbs 14:
Who or what we choose to follow can either lead to death or to a life-giving fountain. Women and mothers have a unique role in the family and in the home. Women have a lot of power in a godly home, so when they are speaking and acting foolishly, the home can crumble. However, if we all grow in wisdom and godliness, then a woman’s work would be lighter and more pleasing to her soul.
Proverbs 14:1 “A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.”
Proverbs 14:12 “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.”
Proverbs 14:34 “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”
Father, you have designed the family for a woman to have a very strong impact in the home, and when the woman is acting foolishly, a home can very easily be torn apart. I ask that ____ fear you and follow your path.
I pray that ___ will be honest, prudent, and wise in speech.
May ____ acknowledge sin and the subsequent guilt and seek reconciliation with you.
I pray that ___ prudently assess situations and gain knowledge in order to avoid danger.
I ask that ___ will have controlled anger over evil and that which is harmful.
May ___ encourage and build people up, help the poor, plan to do good, and have an understanding heart.
Father, thank you that you bless your people as they walk in godly wisdom.
May ___ reap your rewards of unfailing love, safety, refuge, blessings, wealth, and peacefulness.
Father please forgive our nation for the ungodliness and make our nation great by convicting your people of sins against you and others.
May there be reconciliation in our relationships with you and may godliness prevail in our city, state, and country.
Amen.
Proverbs 15:
Our choices matter. We can choose to be continual learners of wisdom and grow in godliness that is attractive to others, or we can choose foolishness and bring harm to ourselves and to others.
Proverbs 15:14 “A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash.”
Proverbs 15:30 “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; good news makes for good health.”
Proverbs 15:32 “If you reject discipline, you only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding.”
Father, thank you for giving us such clear direction on what matters in life.
You are watching us everywhere and know our hearts very well.
I pray that ___ will speak in a way that is calming, appealing, and life-giving.
May ___ take the Spirit’s lead and say the right thing at the right time.
I ask that ___ will not use harsh and foolish words that flare tempers and crush spirit.
May ___ give good advice to others as he/she pursues knowledge and godliness and learns and gains understanding from correction.
May ___ have a glad heart, a cheerful attitude, and experience satisfaction.
I pray that ___ will not abandon the right path, but stay on the open highway of freedom and light that offers abundant opportunity for you to delight in him/her.
May ___ be the giver and receiver of cheerful looks that originate from glad, disciplined, and satisfied hearts.
Amen.
Proverbs 16:
It may bring us comfort, frustration, or immense fear to know that we can make plans, let our opinions be known, and follow a virtuous path, but we do not have the ultimate control of how things are going to work out.
Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
Proverbs 16:22 “Discretion is a life-giving fountain to those who possess it, but discipline is wasted on fools.” (discretion – spiritual insight and understanding)
Proverbs 16:24 “Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”
Proverbs 16:33 “Make your motions and cast your votes, but God has the final say.” (The Message)
Father, thank you so much for having ultimate control, but even though this is the case, you still want us to choose our thoughts, words and actions with wisdom, fear, and self-discipline.
You still want us to follow the path that leads away from pride, greed, and all evil.
In short, you want us to follow the path that is protected and blessed by you and pleases you.
Father, I ask that ___ gain spiritual insight and understanding and enjoy the resulting flow of life as he/she walks the virtuous path.
I pray that ___ value wisdom and good judgment instead of worldly and fleshly desires.
May ___ use kind words, which originate from a wise mind, that are sweet to the soul and bring health to the body.
I ask that these kind words that sprout from wisdom will be used to persuade someone to ultimately follow You!
Amen.
Proverbs 17:
It is clear that pride has no place in thriving relationships. A humble, teachable, and understanding heart helps us to forgive, grow through correction, have a cheerful heart, speak well, have and be a loyal friend, and gain spiritual perception and sensitivity.
Proverbs 17:9 “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”
Proverbs 17:21 “It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.”
Proverbs 17:25 “Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.”
Proverbs 17:27 “A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.”
Father, there is so much wisdom in Proverbs that it can be overwhelming to take it all in.
I pray for ___ to have a clear mind and a heart to learn more of your wisdom on living well.
I pray that ___ will have no need for gossip and no ill will towards anyone.
I ask that ___ will allow love to prosper in relationships by forgiving faults.
May ___ be a person of understanding who responds to correction easily.
I pray that ___ will always respond with good rather than with evil and not start quarrels.
May ___ be and have loyal friends who would help in times of need.
I pray that you will break down the walls of pride in ___’s life and give him/her a cheerful heart that is good medicine.
I plead with you, Father, for you to enlighten ___ when he/she is dull and thickheaded and grant him/her profound spiritual perception and sensitivity.
Please protect ____ from a broken spirit, which saps his/her strength, by keeping him/her fixed on gaining wisdom rather than the things of this world.
If ___ has a foolish child causing grief, bitterness, and depression, then may he/she allow the Holy Spirit to counsel and minister to him/her resulting in deeper trust and faith.
May ___ have wisdom on what and when to speak and be careful to not speak more words than needed as he/she keeps an even temper.
Amen.
Proverbs 18:
Humble people who put others before themselves choose their words carefully, have no laziness in them, listen carefully with understanding, and are loyal friends, make great impact for the kingdom of God.
Proverbs 18:2 “Fools have no interest in understanding; they only want to air their own opinions.”
Proverbs 18:9 “A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things.”
Proverbs 18:13 “Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish.”
Proverbs 18:22 “The man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and he receives favor from the Lord.”
Father, I thank you that we have a chance to make impact on others’ lives in a positive way for you.
I ask that you will convict ___’s heart that there is wisdom, peace, and satisfaction in putting others before him/herself and listening with understanding and gentleness.
I ask that ___ has self-control when it comes to wanting to defend his/her position or to argue with a fool.
May ___ run to you and experience safety and peace as he/she knows that you are the point and not self.
Amen.
Proverbs 19: We have so many choices when it comes to wisdom and foolishness. We can choose to lie or tell the truth, to be hasty or to gain knowledge, to blame God when we suffer the consequences of our foolishness or to accept responsibility, to lose our temper or to overlook wrongs, to be a joy to our parents or to be life-sucking, to discipline our children or to nourish their foolishness, to enable fools or to put responsibility in their hands, to seek wise counsel and instruction or avoid it, and to be a loyal person or to be fickle. Essentially, we can either fear the Lord or bring destruction upon ourselves.
Proverbs 19:3 “People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.”
Proverbs 19:8 “To acquire wisdom is to love yourself; people who cherish understanding will prosper.”
Proverbs 19:13 “A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.”
Proverbs 19:21 “You can make plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.”
Father, I pray that you will instill in ___ a conviction to be honest in all of life’s dealings.
I ask that you will help ___ to know when to rein back his/her ambitious drive in order to gain sufficient information before diving into something that could be a big mistake.
May ___ take responsibility for his/her own actions and not blame you for the calamity that is brought into his/her life by his/her own foolishness.
Teach ___ to not lose his/her temper, but to overlook wrongs as appropriate.
Give ___ the wisdom to know when to overlook a wrong, to discipline out of love, and to not enable a person to continue on a destructive path.
I pray that ___’s children will bring him/her much joy and not be life-sucking so to spiral into a depression.
May ___ eagerly and discerningly seek wise counsel and guidance on where to give his/her loyalty.
Protect ___ from a marriage filled with strife. Grow ___’s relationship with you so that he/she fears, loves, and follows you!
Amen.
Proverbs 20:
Wisdom and understanding bring wise counsel. We need to receive wise counsel as well as give it. We are to view appropriate discipline as an instrument to purify our hearts, and pure motives are to be the impetus for the discipline.
Proverbs 20:5 “Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out.”
Proverbs 20:11 “Even children are known by the way they act, whether their conduct is pure, and whether it is right.”
Proverbs 20:12 “Ears to hear and eyes to see – both are gifts from the Lord.”
Proverbs 20:24 “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”
Father, thank you for your wisdom regarding so much!
I ask that you impress upon ___ to not be led astray to foolishness by drinking excess alcohol.
May ___ avoid fights and see it as honor and not as a weakness.
I pray ___ will work hard, and not love sleep, so to have his/her needs met.
I pray that ___ will be a person of understanding, a giver of wise advice, and a truly reliable friend.
May ___ have ears to hear and eyes to see, which are gifts from you.
I pray ____will speak wisely as that is more valuable than much gold and many rubies. I pray that you lead ___ to good counsel, wise advice, and to heed it.
May ___ not be a gossip or hang out with those who do. I pray ___ will not insult his/her father or mother, take vengeance, have double standards, or make hasty promises.
May your light penetrate ___’s spirit and expose every hidden motive.
I pray that in ___’s youth, his/her strength will be used for good.
May ___ view gray hair as the splendor of the old.
Reveal to ___ where he/she needs to discipline him/herself, so that his/her heart is purified. May pure motives direct the discipline.
Amen.
Proverbs 21:
God knows all things and is ultimately in control; but, we have choices and our choices lead to death or to life, poverty or prosperity, greed or generosity, and crooked paths or straight paths.
Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases.”
Proverbs 21:16 “The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.”
Proverbs 21:23 “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”
Father, you examine our hearts and you know our hearts’ motives, and you are able to guide our hearts as well. Father, please guide ___’s heart to want to please you by living righteously.
Help ___ to plan wisely and to work hard.
Guide ___’s heart to not stay in quarrelsome relationships, as he/she does not need to end up with a quarrelsome spouse.
May ___ open his/her ears to the cry of the poor and not ignore their needs. I pray that ___ will watch his/her mouth and keep his/her mouth shut to stay out of trouble, and in wisdom may he/she conquer strongholds in your name for the victory belongs to you, Lord.
Amen.
Proverbs 22:
Life is to be valued. Our choices can either lead us down the road of treachery or down the road of riches, honor, and long life. If we value life along the fruitful road, then we will have protected many from the road of treachery.
Proverbs 22:3 “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
Proverbs 22:4 “True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”
Proverbs 22:17-18 “Listen to the words of the wise; apply your heart to my instruction. For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart and always ready on your lips.”
Father, open ___’s heart to the truth that there are things better than earthly riches.
You made both the people who are rich and those who are poor.
I pray that ___ will be prudent and take precautions when he/she foresees danger.
May ___ truly be humble and fear you as this leads to riches, honor, and long life.
I ask that ___ will value life and avoid walking a thorny, treacherous road.
I pray that ___ will train his/her children to journey the right path and that the children will have the wisdom to make personal decisions that keep them on that path.
May physical discipline be used wisely as it will drive foolishness far away.
I ask that ___ be very careful in the borrowing of money, for to borrow makes him/her a servant to the lender.
I pray that ___ will not guarantee another person’s debt.
I pray for ___ to give generously, have gracious speech, and to work competently.
I pray that ___ will listen to the words of the wise, keep wise sayings in his/her heart, and always be prepared to share a wise saying with others.
Protect ___ from befriending people who will endanger his/her soul.
Amen.
Proverbs 23:
This chapter addresses some ways that we try to take over and fulfill our own lives. We value being around significant people, acquiring riches, and may even cheat to gain more riches. We try to find life in hanging out with rebels, in promiscuity and in chemical substances. God knows that none of these things offers the kind of hope and relationship that he does and that to stay on the godless path leads to anguish and sorrow.
Proverbs 23:26 “O my son, give me our heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.”
Proverbs 23:9 “Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.”
Father, I know your heart is glad when we give our hearts to you, and it saddens you to see us trying to make life work on our own.
I pray that ___ not try to make life work by wearing him/herself out trying to get rich, because in the blink of an eye the riches could be gone.
I ask that ___ not waste time on fools who despise wise advice.
I also pray that he/she will not be that fool.
May ___ commit him/herself to godly instruction and knowledge. I pray that ___ will wisely discipline his/her children and use physical discipline when needed, for to have a wise child makes a parent celebrate.
I ask that ___ will not envy sinners, but continuously fear you so that his/her hope will not disappoint.
May ___ listen and be wise and keep his/her heart on the right course.
I pray that ___ will value truth, wisdom, discipline, and good judgment.
I ask that ___ will have strength to refuse the path that leads to addiction by being consumed by you and not when his/her next fix will be.
Amen.
Proverbs 24:
God knows and understands our hearts, he sees us, and he guards our souls. He knows when our faith needs to be tested and desires for our strength to grow so that we don’t fail under pressure. When we do fail, he helps us to get up again in order to keep moving in love and growth towards him.
Proverbs 24:10 “If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small.”
Proverbs 24:11-12 “Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, ‘Look, we didn’t know.’ For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.”
Proverbs 24:16 “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.”
Father, you have provided a way for your people to be strong and resilient as we enter into the messes of this world.
I pray that ___ will not envy evil people nor desire their companionship.
May ___ abide in a house of wisdom and become strong through good sense.
I pray that ___ will seek, find, and heed wise counsel.
I ask that ___ be mindful of the importance of having a good reputation and to adjust his/her life to move towards having one.
When ___’s character is tested and he/she fails, may he/she be pierced with conviction that his/her strength is too small and he/she needs to focus on growing stronger in you.
When ___ needs to be present and advocating for godliness, I ask that he/she do so with all of his/her might, keep his/her eyes open, and not claim that he/she didn’t know about the need.
The One who guards ___’s soul knows when he/she knew about the need and whether or not he/she chose to enter into the mess to rescue those in need of a rescue.
Wisdom is sweet to ___’s soul.
Please help him/her to find wisdom and have a bright future.
Even if ___ trips seven times, may he/she get up again. Each time he/she gets up, may he/she be stronger in Christ.
Amen.
Proverbs 25:
In order for us to live well and to influence others to live well, we need wisdom and patience for the correct time to use truthful and soft speech, serve our enemies, and practice self-control.
Proverbs 25:11 “Timely advice is lovely, like golden apples in a silver basket.”
Proverbs 25:15 “Patience can persuade a prince, and soft speech can break bones.”
Proverbs 25:21-22 “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.”
Proverbs 25:28 “A person without self-control is like a city with broken-down walls.”
Father, I praise you that you are worth honoring and seeking wholeheartedly.
I pray that ___ desires a good and godly reputation and sees the importance of it.
May ___ have the kind of patience that could persuade a prince and soft speech that could break bones.
I ask that ___ not overdo a good thing, whether that be food or visiting someone too much.
I pray that whenever ___ is tempted to tell lies or gossip about someone that he/she sees him/herself hitting them with an ax, spearing with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow, because a lie is just as harmful.
Spare ____ from putting confidence in an unreliable person as well as from someone meeting his/her heavy heart with a cheerful song.
Give ___ the strength to give food to his/her hungry enemies and water to the enemies that are thirsty as this is an act of trusting you to be their judge.
I pray that ___ will hear good news often, stand against the wicked, not seek honor for him/herself and have exceptional self-control.
Amen.
Proverbs 26:
We see the foolish being honored and praised for their acts of foolishness – their lifestyles and their persuasiveness to get others to believe in the same foolish things they believe in. In this day and time, it is sickening to see the culture fall prey to their foolish ideals. We need God’s guidance on when and how to most effectively handle the foolish. It is a difficult thing for a lot of us to surrender this to God, but he is the only one who knows the timing and the way each fool needs to be handled.
Proverbs 26:4-5 “Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you will become as foolish as they are. Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they will become wise in their own estimation.” (Answer the fool or don’t answer the fool, both are warranted in different situations.)
Proverbs 26:11 “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.”
Proverbs 26:20 “Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.”
Father, why are there fools around us?
Why do I sometimes choose to act foolishly?
Help ___ to not fall into the pressure of honoring a fool.
Our world does it so often – honoring the foolish lifestyles of those in the public arena.
Open ___’s eyes, ears, and heart to know when a fool is being honored and to not take part in it.
I ask for ___ to spot fools and advocate that they be controlled rather than the godly being controlled by the foolish.
Give ___ wisdom on whether or not to answer the arguments of the foolish for each situation may warrant a different response.
May ___ pray for the foolish to escape the foolish cycle.
I pray that ___ will have deep conviction that lies are damaging no matter how they are presented.
Keep ___ from complaining about those who are irritating to him/her so the fire is not stoked to full blown anger.
Open ___’s eyes to the deception of the wicked and keep him/her from falling into their schemes.
Amen.
Proverbs 27:
It is a heavy thing to carry around resentment, and it is overwhelmingly cruel to experience jealousy. It is a sweet thing to have a devoted friend that sharpens you and allows you to sharpen them. Relationships are both messy and sweet. Relationships leave scars and bring healing. Obviously, we need a trusting relationship with a sovereign and loving God to give us wisdom and strength to enter into relationships with other broken humans so that we don’t just merely survive but thrive in the interdependency.
Proverbs 27:3 “A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but the resentment caused by a fool is even heavier.”
Proverbs 27:7 “A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.”
Proverbs 27:23 “Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for your herds, for riches don’t last forever, and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.”
Father, it’s amazing how this chapter of Proverbs gives us a glimpse into relationships and how we suffer and thrive in them.
I pray that you will guide ____’s heart in naming and bringing the resentments that he/she carries and has caused to you.
Where ___ is jealous or suffers from another’s jealousy, reveal the danger and guide ___ onto a path of healing.
May ___ be and have long-term, devoted friends that are sincere and willing to offer heartfelt counsel.
I ask that ___ have at least one relationship where sharpening is happening and where wisdom is practiced in the timing of when to offer cheer and encouragement.
May ___ not brag and boast, but respond to the test of being praised with humility.
Open ___’s eyes to the state of his/her resources, and may he/she care for them in a way that is sustainable, for resources need to be respected and not taken for granted as they can vanish in an instant.
Bless ___ with enough for him/herself, his/her family, and others that he/she provides resources to.
Amen.
Proverbs 28:
Satan is fighting for the children of godly parents! He has used the culture to seep in and fill their minds with lies. Some have unknowingly allowed Satan to feed them lies and blame Christians for what is wrong in the world. They choose to be a fool, to walk a path of destruction, and to not see that they have a soul that needs saving or the need for a Lord of their life. They base their wants and needs on their feelings and not on the truth of the Word of God. If believers honestly struggled to live in a way that reflects faith, hope and love, would that make a difference? Would that eliminate the fuel that we give unbelievers to blame Christians for all that is wrong in their world? Only God knows. But, regardless, to fight wickedness is to live out in the flesh the truth of the Word of God, and trust God to soften hearts, remove scales from eyes, and do the saving.
Proverbs 28:1 “The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.”
Proverbs 28:4 “To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them.”
Proverbs 28:12 “When the godly succeed, everyone is glad. When the wicked take charge, people go into hiding.”
Father, thank you that to have a relationship with you is not about becoming a submissive robot but about becoming an active, unique participant in a journey that is full of faith, hope, and love.
Father, draw ____’s stubborn and foolish heart to you.
Open ____’s eyes to see that his/her running and guilt could cease today by trusting Jesus as his/her Savior.
Draw ____ into a meaningful relationship with a bold and confident believer who once rejected you but now is fully alive in you.
May ____ see that when a believer is obeying you, that person is a fighter who destroys wickedness and cheers on other believers because they know that when another believer succeeds, all benefit.
I pray that ____ will open his/her eyes to believers who know they aren’t sinless, do not conceal their sin, but actively involve others to help them to run from sin.
May ____ benefit from a wise believer who is an honest struggler, generous, trustworthy, bold enough to offer honest criticism, soft enough to give and receive grace, confident in your provisions and lives for eternity.
Put a hard-working, honest believer in ____’s life who has relationships with lost and hurting people, but trusts in only your ability to rescue the lost and hurting from the pit.
I pray for ____ to see how you show up and bless those who love you and shower them with grace and mercy.
Melt ____’s heart of jealousy, tear down the walls he/she has built against you, have mercy on life-long and eternal consequences of his/her stubbornness, pursue him/her heart, guard him/her from the enemy, and in your timing, bring ____ into a saving relationship with you and bless ____ as he/she gives you full glory!
Amen.
Proverbs 29:
We can easily fall into bondage in this life – bondage to what others think of us, bondage to a recurring sin, bondage to pride, and bondage to the worship of idols. There is prevention of bondage as parents discipline their children, but sin continues and bondage occurs. We have to continue to discipline ourselves in thought, attitudes and actions and create an accountability system for ourselves, but ultimately, we have to admit we are powerless and trust God to deliver us from traps we have walked into, evil has pushed us into, or those that have naturally resulted from living on this earth. We must always hope and always persevere.
Proverbs 29:6 “Evil people are trapped in sin, but the righteous escape, shouting for joy.”
Proverbs 29:17 “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.”
Proverbs 29:18 “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful.”
Proverbs 29:25 “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.”
Father, open ___’s heart and mind to accept criticism with a thankful attitude and make changes as necessary in his/her life.
I pray that you will enlighten ___ to pray for those who are in authority over him/her to be godly, just, and take wise counsel.
I pray for ___ to escape any sin he/she is trapped in and to shout for joy as he/she experiences relief from the bondage.
Give ___ wisdom on how to process through anger and to not vent anger.
I pray for ___ to embrace the wise discipline of children and to experience the peace of mind and gladness of heart that a disciplined child brings.
Give ___ an accepting heart to divine guidance so to not end up in a chaotic life, but in one of joy.
Grant ___ the ability to always think before he/she speaks, to walk humbly with you, and trust you fully so to not enter into the trap of fearing people.
May ___’s identity be in you and not in what people think of him/her.
Release fear and anxiety in ___ and replace it with trust and peace.
Amen.
Proverbs 30:
When we truly observe the intricacies and uniqueness of all God’s creation, it gives us a clearer view of God and the order of life. The cumulative impact of us either thinking too highly or too lowly of ourselves results in lack of order, disharmony, and ineffectiveness. If we all embraced who created us, enjoyed the way he created us, and fully developed and expressed his design of us, then the world would be a harmonious place. Can you imagine an ant working towards replacing the lion in the animal world? It just wouldn’t work. Sadly, we live in a fallen world with a prowling enemy, and we struggle to live out our true design on this earth. In heaven, we will fully be all God created us to be; there will be order, harmony, enjoyment, and worship of our amazing Creator.
Proverbs 30:9 “For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.”
Proverbs 30:25-28 “Ants – they aren’t strong, but they store up food all summer. Hyraxes – they aren’t powerful, but they make their homes among the rocks. Locusts – they have no king, but they march in formation. Lizards – they are easy to catch, but they are found even in kings’ palaces.”
Proverbs 30:29-31 “There are three things that walk with stately stride – no, four that strut about: the lion, king of animals, who won’t turn aside for anything, the strutting rooster, the male goat, a king as he leads his army.”
Father, we are weary, we make mistakes, and we don’t know you well enough to have sufficient wisdom.
Bring ___ close to you, behind your shield of protection, and keep him/her focused on the your words that have proven to be true, not adding his/her own words to yours.
O God, I beg of you two favors for ___ to have before he/she dies: 1. Help him/her to have great integrity and authenticity. 2. Give ___ just enough for needs to be satisfied – not too much, so as not to become proud, and not too little so to become desperate and steal.
Focus and enable ___ to be strong and have appropriate foresight, take shelter in you, join others to work together for maximum effectiveness, and to fearlessly go where you want him/her to go.
Grow ___’s respect for your characteristic of creating harmonious order.
May ___ look forward to enjoying perfect harmonious order in heaven.
Amen.
Proverbs 31:
The woman of noble character has some overall significant characteristics. This is helpful to look at the characteristics rather than the specific acts so that we can enjoy our own unique way of living out noble character. A woman of noble character has her husband’s back and she enriches his life. She is trustworthy, pleasurable, enduring, and she communicates and expects quality. She wisely invests her time and respected resources and is teachable and teaches. She is generous, confident, presents herself well, has a keen sense for good business, and is truly present for her family. Her priorities are in correct order. Her children and husband acknowledge her and bless her for noble character.
Proverbs 31:25-27 “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.”
Proverbs 31:30 “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised.”
Father, thank you so much for adding this scripture to your Word.
While this woman seems impossible to duplicate, may ___ be a person of this character.
May men pray for the women in their lives to develop the characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman.
May ___ have integrity and high moral standards.
Help ___ to do her work competently and efficiently by instilling in her a desire to learn and grow in the skills that would benefit her and her family.
I ask that ___ will desire to and work towards being trustworthy which leads to being a pleasure for others, enriching their lives.
May ___ bring good, not harm, to her husband all the days of her life.
Bless ___ with the business skills of seeking and finding resources that she can put to good use.
Strengthen ____ as she perseveres and expects high quality work from others while doing her part of setting them up for success.
May ____ respect the precious resources that she has acquired and work hard to gain wisdom and knowledge to make good decisions on purchases and investments.
Grant ___ the ability to learn, practice, and teach valuable skills.
Grow ____’s heart in generosity and confidence.
May ___ present herself well to others and take responsibility in caring for herself so to not corrupt her husband’s reputation.
I pray for ___ to be truly present for her family and care diligently for the household with no hint of laziness.
May ____’s family have deep respect and gratitude for the way she fears You and strives to live a godly life that they benefit from.
May ___ always put more emphasis on having a loving relationship with you, that drives her to do wise and beautiful things, rather than on outer beauty that does not last.
Amen.