Do you pray for your marriage? If so (which we hope you do) we encourage you to pray scriptures for your marriage.
“Someone said that a successful marriage requires partners of steel. I believe that is true. But I would add that prayer is the anvil upon which the partners in a successful marriage must be shaped. If you and your spouse follow a proper plan to pray, God will shape you according to His desires and will make your marriage everything He wants it to be.
“Someone said, “What is a proper plan of prayer? It is simply a plan that helps you and your spouse consistently and fervently pray God’s will for all areas of your relationship. God loves you so much that He revealed His will for every area of your life in His Word. For your marriage to reach the highest level possible, you and your partner must know God’s will for your relationship and live accordingly. The best way to begin is to pray God’s very Word, asking Him to carry out His will in your lives.” (Lee Roberts, from the book, “Praying God’s Will for My Marriage”)
And that’s what we’d like to do in this Marriage Message. As we’ve said before, the principles for loving each other in marriage are the principles for living that God reveals throughout the Bible. So with that in mind, we’d like to encourage you to not only read the principles for living that are given to us in the Bible, and to live them out, but to also pray scriptures as you pray for each other.
Pray Scriptures
But what if you are the only one who is praying in your marriage?
“Your prayers for your marriage have power, even when you are the only one praying. That’s because the two of you are one in the eyes of God, and what one does affects the other —either for good or for bad. Of course, the power is even greater when the two of you pray together, but I don’t want to belabor that point. If you have a husband (wife) who will pray with you, consider yourself blessed. Most people don’t have that.
“What if you are the only person in the marriage who is a believer? What if you are the only one who is really living God’s way? Or only you are willing to submit to God’s perfecting process? Or are willing to work on the relationship? What if you understand the enemy’s attack on your marriage and your spouse doesn’t get it? Can YOUR prayers alone save the marriage? I believe they can. In fact, I have heard of miracles in that regard.
“… Even if you are the only one with a willing heart, your humble prayers can pave the way for God to do miracles in you and in your marriage relationship.” (Stormie Omartian, “Praying Through the Deeper Issues of Marriage)
Pray Scriptures
The following are prayers that God has impressed upon my heart that you may find helpful as you pray for your marriage. They are based upon the scriptures that are given after each prayer. We hope they will bless your prayer life.
• Lord, please show me how to find the time to store your commands within my mind. As I turn my ear to Your wisdom, help me to apply my heart to doing things YOUR way. I know you are the giver of wisdom. Help me to hear what you want me to learn even if I don’t always understand Your ways, or why you allow certain things to happen in my married life. I want to trust you with my whole heart. Please help me. I know that as I trust in You, You have promised me that You will make my paths straight. Thank You. (Prayer based on Proverbs 2:1-6 and Proverbs 3:5-6.)
— ALSO —
• Lord, help me so that “love and faithfulness” never leaves me, no matter what happens within my marriage. Show me how to bind them around my neck and to wear them around the tablet of my heart so they protect me. Help me to guard my heart from the temptations that are all around me. You know my weaknesses, but so does the enemy of my faith. I don’t want to do things that would dishonor You or my marriage vows. I want to be a promise keeper, just as You are a promise keeper.
Give me discernment when temptation is waiting to ambush me. I don’t want to stumble into that which will snare me into sin. Help me to “preserve sound judgment and discernment” and not to let them out of my sight. I know they will be life for me. I know that “there is a way that seems right” but that it can lead to death. Help me not to go there. For you are my confidence and you are able to keep my foot from being snared. Thank You Lord. (Prayer based on Proverbs 2:11-12; Proverbs 3:3; plus, Proverbs 2:12-26; Proverbs 4:23.)
Pray Scriptures of Confession
• Sometimes I say things I shouldn’t. Help me to “let no unwholesome thing” come from my mouth, but only what is helpful for building my spouse and children up, rather than tearing them down. I acknowledge that I am not my spouse’s Holy Spirit. That is Your position. I do not want to grieve You, or say things what will cause more damage to my marriage relationship, rather than help it.
I know that the “tongue of the righteous nourishes” and “spreads knowledge.” Help me to “speak the truth in love” when it will benefit the situation rather than contaminate it. I don’t want to be a fool who lacks judgment and speaks in haste. I know that discernment, and the timing, and tone of my words are as important as what I say. Thank You, and help me Lord. (Prayer based on Ephesians 4:15; and Ephesians 4:29; Proverbs 29:20; Proverbs 10:21; and Proverbs 10:32.)
Here’s another:
• Lord, I know that loving money is the “root of all kinds of evil.” It has caused many to wander from the faith and pierced themselves with grief. I don’t want to place a higher value on money than You know is best or would condone. But sometimes it causes problems in our marriage when our expenses are higher than the money we have available each month. You promise to meet all our needs “according to Your riches in Christ Jesus.” If one of us is spending more than we should, I pray that You will reveal this truth to us and help us to line our lives with Your will.
You tell us not to worry about how our needs will be met. Help me Lord, not to worry and to release those things that I cannot change concerning our finances. I know that as I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, You will give us the things we truly need. I need Your help in being “content whatever the circumstances.” In the Bible I’m told that “I can do all everything through Him who gives me strength.” You own it all, and if You deem that we should have more, it will be done. (Prayer based on 1 Timothy 6:10; Philippians 4:19; Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:11-13; Psalm 136.)
Pray Scriptures Concerning Forgiveness:
• Heavenly Father, it is difficult to forgive my spouse sometimes. I know that I am not perfect either. I’ve fallen short of Your standards. And yet you love me and even sent Jesus to die for me while “I was yet a sinner.” Help me to be as gracious to my spouse as you are to me. I know that if I forgive my spouse for the things that grieve my heart, that you will forgive me for the things I have done that I shouldn’t.
I also know if I refuse to forgive my spouse, it will poison my spirit. It starts as a bitter root defiling not only my marriage, but others I come in contact with. Help me Lord to let go of unforgiveness and to be in the center of Your will for my life. (Prayer based on Romans 3:23; Romans 5:8; Hebrews 12:14-15; Matthew 6:14-15.)
We hope these prayers will help you in your marriage and that they will inspire you to dig deeper into the Bible to learn, live, and pray as God leads.
Cindy and Steve Wright
Filed under: Marriage Messages
(INDIA) Hi, my name is Gayathri and I a from Bangalore. Thank you so much for your prayers… Mom and dad accepted our marriage. :-) and now the concern is as I am a Hindu girl and he is Christian, so my parents will see our Kundali match. Please pray for our Kundali match as there should not be any DOSHA in our KUNDALI MATCH. Please pray me and Alwin that we both would lead a happy life ahead.
(USA) Can you please pray for my husband to come back home to his wife and kids. He walked out and its been very hard for me. I have said some mean things to him like he has someone else. Its just has been so hard not having my husband home with us. I need pray that God will do a miracle in my family. I ask for forgiveness for my sins and I pray that God sees that I will be a good wife to Francis. I dont want any other man. God put us together and let no man split us apart. Please pray for us.
(NIGERIA) I really appreciate these. I will be getting married in the next few months and I need the Lord of Hosts to perfect my marriage. Please prayer for my marriage.
(PAKISTAN) I am Christian and I loved a muslim girl for eight years. We loved and understand each other very well; how could we marry?
I need Suggestion how we marry? Need your prayers.
(IN) Brother you cannot marry. Let not emotions come your way. The Bible says do not tie your yoke with an unbeliever. So it’s clear DO NOT. Pray to God and just move away and he will give the best.
(USA) Please pray for my family; we need all of you to. Thanks, I have faith.
(UNITED STATES) Please pray for my wife and I. We’ve been married for 27 wonderful years and 8 years together prior. I have forgiven her, but I feel my heart has been torn and crushed. We have three sons also that are very hurt. And I know my wife is very sorry for what has happened and wishes she could take it all back. Please pray for the thoughts to go away; it hurts so much.
At times I think I should be done with it and it would relieve my pain and my hurt. I ask God to give me strength to work through this. My wife and I know it will work out. What’s really hurting me is unanswered questions, not details. She said that I am not ready for those. By if I could clear my head with these thoughts. I feel the sooner we could move forward. I ask that you pray for my wife to feel whole again.
We are both strong Christians. This is what I don’t understand –I have always loved my wife and have never done any thing that I thought hurt her. I am scared for the thoughts I am having with myself. Please pray that God has angels over us both. Thank you in Christ, Mark
(USA) Please get Dr. David Clarke’s book I Don’t Want a Divorce: A 90 Day Guide to Saving Your Marriage
. My husband cheated, nearly killing us all and he read this book to me. Dr. Clarke beginning it with “If you have suffered the ultimate, skip to chapter 17.”
I promise that it will help you GREATLY! We ended up counseling with this man a bit. As the victims, we have to right to know whatever it is we need to know. That doesn’t mean they will do the right thing by us. What a world this would be if everyone treated others the way they wanted to be treated. Sincere prayers for you. There is no pain like it. Jesus wept over the betrayal of a mere friend, what are we to do?
(USA) LOVE THESE!!! I pray them and my husband prayed with me also!!! GOD is in control!!
(USA) Hi, I am waiting for marriage but I just do not want to marry anyone. I am seeking only a believer, a born again person who knows Jesus and loves him. Also he should be the type of person I want to be with and have the qualities I seek. Please pray for me to find a suitable one. And Pray that GOD’s will be done. Np
(UNITED STATES) My marriage is crumbling as the adversary has come and grabbed hold of our lives and now my husband wants to divorce me. Adversary, meaning drugs. We are coming up on our 3 year anniversary October 10th, and pray that we can still have many more. I am not perfect, but I do know that I love husband dearly. We are sleeping in desperate bedrooms and treat one another as if we had just met. This is not how God intended for this marriage to be. Please help me to bring the fire and passion and love back into this marriage Lord, and help me to help my husband turn from his evil friends back to the life we once shared together. I’m praying your will for our marriage Father, in Jesus name, amen.
(UNITED STATES) These prayers are amazing. We have been married for over twenty years. I have been hurt by my husband and pray for our marriage and my ability to forgive.
(ZAMBIA) Four words P U S H . Pray Until Something Happens.
(USA) I with all my heart love my wife. I cannot get her to hear God or me since we broke up a year ago when she cheated. We have tried to make it work since but it’s like God has left her heart..not mine..just hers. I love and want her to see that we can move past it and we can be what we use to be but she is cold with no compassion for how I feel about what happened or how close we are not now. Please Jesus I am so heartbroken. Please help. I love her so!!
(USA) My wife and I met when we were 17. We got married at 21. We have 5 beautiful children together. A month and a half ago she left us. She never gave us a reason, never told us why and a week after she left I got divorce papers. When she left she took our 6 year old son and my 15 year old daughter with her. I had to go to court to get my 6 year old returned to the house. I now have custody of all my children.
I know the Lord has a hand in this. I went to court with myself in the Lord. She came to court with herself and her attorney. Once I got custody of all my children I realized that it was purely scripturally based, “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened.” I have had her in prayer for over 2 months now and she finally picked up the phone and called me. She is now talking to her attorney to change the divorce to a separation. She is now communicating with the children and me on a daily basis. It is by no means fixed but I can see the Lord working in our marriage even after she admitted to having an affair 6 years ago and that my son might not belong to me.
I can still see the Lord working in my life because I was able to forgive her truly almost instantaneously. I know that the Lord has a plan even if I don’t understand what it is. Proverbs 3:5-6 has been a tremendous help for me. I have read it and apply it and it works. The Lord has been there for me through all of this. I know that he is in control. I know all things are possible through him. If he could defeat death and the grave, fixing my marriage should be no problem at all. Whatever hard times you guys may be going through just know that sometimes that makes us walk the hard road so that we can learn to lean on him when things get hard. I can definitely see the Lord working on her heart and mind, as well as working in my life.
(GHANA) I’m touched by your words, Dave. I pray that God brings your wife back IJN.
My husband of two years wants a divorce. He is cheating on me with a woman he dated when we were dating but I wasn’t aware. It seems that relationship is never ending. He leaves me in the night and goes to sleep with the other lady. When we went on a vacation, he bought her a lot of things and phoned her. I overheard him telling her I wasn’t with him.
This and many other issues left me broken hearted but thank God I’m able to forgive him now and pray for him that God will release his heart from that lady. It’s my prayer that all of us who visit this website will see the glory of God in our marriage.
(UNITED STATES) I love my husband with my whole heart we have been married since September. I know it’s hard for him because I fuss a lot. I pray everyday that God helps our marriage grow because satan is busy trying to destroy it.
(INDIA) I loved one girl for 4 years and we married in civil. After that she started getting proposals at her home so I told her, tell your parents that we are married. From that day they hid her and made her completely change. Now they filed for divorce and she completely forgot me… They made black magic 4 months… help me.