Scriptural Prayers for People Suffering from PTSD
Missionaries of Prayer.org
It is not uncommon for a person to experience at least one traumatic or stressful event in his or her lifetime. But because each person is unique–has his or her own past experiences and own way of coping with stress-it is possible that out of twenty individuals who undergo the same traumatic event, only one would develop Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
What is PTSD?
PTSD is a psychological disorder that is developed through intensive and lengthy exposure to trauma, early childhood trauma or stressful life changes, mental trauma, coupled with the absence of support from family and friends.
The most commonly known triggers are experiences like violence or combat exposure like those who’ve fought in wars or served in the military, sexual or physical abuse or assault, a serious accident, or a natural disaster.
If you are ever wondering what to pray for people who have family members in the military, this is one very important aspect that you should know about and also pray for them ahead of time so that it is easier when men or women return from serving in the war.
PTSD Symptoms
PTSD is diagnosed by a doctor or psychiatrist. But some of the observable symptoms include:
(1) Flashbacks or nightmares of the traumatic experience. This can come so vividly and unexpectedly in the middle of a busy day, usually triggered by sounds or sights that remind them of the event.
(2) Avoidance of anything that reminds the victim of the experience. This may manifest as a phobia or irrational fear.
(3) Unusual numbness and difficulty in experiencing emotions like sympathy, love, joy or concern. The person may lose interest in people and activities that he or she used to enjoy a lot.
(4) Hyper-arousal or increased irritability. A loud noise may easily startle the person or bumping into someone may cause him or her to fly into a rage.
PTSD Treatment
Treatment can be a combination of psychotherapy or counseling, and medication. But the best treatment would be counseling, which usually aims towards a better understanding of and dealing with the patient’s thoughts and feelings. For example, guilt feelings over not having prevented the death of a friend can be addressed through self-forgiveness.
Commonly felt emotions by individuals with PTSD are fear or anxiety, sadness or depression, guilt and shame, and anger and irritability. The symptoms mentioned above usually manifest because of these unsettled thoughts and emotions.
Now Post-traumatic Stress disorder is experienced by many people but those who know the Lord and have a relationship with Him have at their fingertips God’s help!
God is a God who is able to reach deep down into our soul – our emotions and thoughts and will – and bring healing and freedom! One can pray for a person suffering from PTSD by asking the Holy Spirit to bring transformation or renewal to his mind and healing of the heart and soul. This can help speed up progress in counseling, or even bring an instant miracle! The Holy Spirit is the best Counselor and Comforter (John 14:26). He is also our Healer.
This, however, does not mean that counseling should be forgone and be replaced by prayer alone. Because traumatic experience may have caused lies and fear to enter into the person’s heart and the painful incident wounded the person’s soul, we should pray for healing of the soul and renewal of the mind. Finding a Christian PTSD treatment counselor is best but if perhaps there is a government funded program that does not have a Christian counselor on hand, then reading the scriptures and having someone pray will go a long way to helping with recovery.
There are so many passages in the Bible, especially in the Psalms, that we can pray over a person with PTSD. He or she may even read them and declare them over his or her mind, heart, will, spirit and body. Having said that, here are some Scripture-based prayers that can help. Search out the Bible for more if you wish. But for now, you can use this prayer by simply filling in the blanks with the name of the person you are praying for:
Father, make Your presence known to ______ each and every single day, as the God who is near to the brokenhearted and who saves the crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18) For indeed You are.
In Your name I speak healing and restoration upon each and every wound that was inflicted upon _____’s life. Thank You for healing and binding my friend’s wounds! (Psalm 147:3)
Holy Spirit, expose the lies of the enemy that have entered my friend’s life because of his/her trauma. Jesus, bring _____ to an encounter with Your Word. Reveal Your truth to my friend and let every lie be broken and let every mindset come into alignment with Your Word. God, wash _____ with Your Word. (Romans 12:2)
I declare that ____ will stand in agreement with Your word that says only goodness and mercy shall follow him/her all the days of his/her life. (Psalm 23, Jeremiah 29:11)
Abba, I release a revelation of the spirit of sonship upon my friend right now. You have not given ____ a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but he/she has received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom he/she can cry “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15) Reveal Your unfailing and everlasting love that conquers all fear!
Cast out fear from ____’s heart. (1 John 4:18a) Let Your love rain down upon him/her, bringing healing to his/her mind, emotions, will and spirit, even his/her body. Overwhelm ______ with Your healing power. Overwhelm him/her with Your loving presence.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is Your steadfast love toward ______; as far as the east is from the west, so far You remove ______’s transgressions from him/her. (Psalm 103:11-12) You have purchased my friend for a price and that is through the blood of Your Son Jesus. I declare freedom from every burden of fear, anxiety, depression, guilt, shame and anger, by the power of the blood of Christ! And I speak love, peace, freedom, wholeness, joy and thanksgiving. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.
Additional information on Understanding PTSD and other prayers at:
http://www.missionariesofprayer.org/2012/09/scriptural-prayers-people-suffering-ptsd
victormarx.com
Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love and the tender mercies You bestow unto those who are suffering some sort of tragedy in their lives. I pray a special blessing upon them, Father, as they call upon You with broken hearts.
Almighty God, You said in your Word that You will never leave us nor forsake us. And so, I ask that Your Holy Spirit comfort Your special people at this time.
Help them in their daily walk to be able to call upon You even when they feel overwhelmed, depressed and cheated out of a life of happiness.
God has promised to uphold you with His hand of righteousness. It states in Isaiah 41:10:
Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. And I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
I declare that God’s perpetual light will shine upon these families and you will grow in His glory a little more each day.
In the matchless and mighty name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, SO BE IT…Amen and Amen!
Ponder on the following verses:
Lamentations 3:21-23 – “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
Psalm 34:18 – The Lord is near to those who are broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
I John 4:17 – Now this is the confidence we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petition that we have asked of Him.”
Matthew 5:4 – Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Psalms 116:15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Psalms 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.
Isaiah 51:11 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
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In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit! Amen!
Let us pray to the Lord! Lord have mercy!
Almighty God, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, we beg of You to hear and respond with Your all-encompassing and loving kindness to the prayers of us sinners. We beg You come swiftly to the help of Your servants. While we know and believe that all trials of life are under Your care and that all things work for the good of those who love You, still now, help us sinners who are both poor in spirit and weary in heart.
O Lord, who are compassionate and merciful, who aids us in our world of sin if when we call upon your Holy Name in sincerity and humility, we come to you as the Prophet David did, saying: Save me, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. For today we suffer with those who have suffered so greatly and continue to suffer as a result of the tornado in the land of Oklahoma. Take away from them and us all fear, anxiety and distress as they face and endure their injuries and loss. Replace their pain and distress as well as their suffering and confusion with faith, courage and wisdom, and the fullness of Your Love, of which You are the only True Source .
We beg also, O Lord, for the forgiveness of sins of those who have departed this life as a result of this worldly disaster and calamity, through no fault of their own. Forgive them their sins as we ask you to forgive our own. For only You are judge and only You know the hearts of us sinners, for Your Righteousness is an everlasting Righteousness and Your Word is Truth. We beg in all humility, make for their memory to be Eternal!
Finally Lord, grant that these trials and tribulations bring us all closer to You, the source of all Life which you call good, for You are the True Rock and Refuge of all humanity made in Your Image. You are truly our Comfort, our Hope, our Delight and our Eternal Joy. We trust alone in Your love and compassion. For blessed is Your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen!
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