Is stress holding you hostage and keeping you from rest? Do you feel burdens pressing in that seem too heavy to bear? When anxious thoughts pull you in the wrong direction, and you’re struggling to find balance, the following prayer might express your thoughts and help you find relief and freedom.
Before praying, consider these 4 steps for praying over anxiety, as suggested by well-known author and speaker Max Lucado:
- Pray immediately.
“Don’t stew over the problems that are besetting you or your neighbor. Ask God for help as soon as you identify a need.” - Pray specifically.
“When we boil our concerns down to a specific request, they become right-sized. Vague threats loom larger than concrete challenges.” - Pray for and with others.
“When we consider the problems of others and enlist their help with ours, our concerns become more manageable.” - Pray with thanksgiving.
“Anxiety and gratitude cannot occupy the same space. When we catalog what are thankful for, our list of challenges grows less powerful.”
A Prayer for Relief of Stress and Anxiety
Lord Jesus, the stresses in my life often reach a dangerous proportion—or so it seems. My body, mind, and spirit struggle to keep up physically, mentally, and yes, spiritually. Some days anxiety stalks me like a deceitful predator, and the temptation to worry draws me in. I know better, but some days the challenges outweigh the truths buried inside. My trust in You fades into the background, giving fear and concerns permission to discourage me.
In those moments of apprehension, help me remember that I belong to You, and that You are not the author of fear or anxiety, but the giver of love and a sound mind. Teach me Your ways to respond to problems by giving thanks in them. Your Word assures me that You are always there with me. You are the Blessed Controller of all things, and nothing escapes Your attention in my life. You have given me every tool and spiritual blessing to fight against those things that try to steal my peace. You’ve promised that when I’m stressed and burdens are trying to weigh me down, I can come to You. You will give me sweet rest!
Whether the anxiety stems from work, parenting, finances, physical issues, or even world conditions, You are there, Lord, to shoulder the weight. Teach me to recognize the stressful trials as tools for you to shape me and rearrange me. Through those difficult times, You will teach me patience, enlarge my faith, and help me see things I couldn’t see earlier—if I will only let You. When I’m clueless as to what to do, Lord, I want to turn to you first, not last.
Forgive me for trying to handle things on my own, Lord. The need to be in control sometimes gets a stronghold on my life. That only makes things worse. I want to trust You more and see things from Your perspective, not my own. No one makes me feel uptight, angry, or stressed, and no one forces me to react negatively. I choose to respond according to my beliefs. Do I believe You are in control? Do I believe You created all things and hold all things in Your Hand? Do I believe You are truly good? When an anxious thought creeps in, help me to stop and relax, to take that thought captive, and to turn apprehension into a calm prayer for deliverance. Revamp my belief system, Lord. Show me a new way to handle life according to Your Way.
No matter what issues I am dealing with; no matter how big the problems or situations, I’m laying them all at Your feet today. Turn these potentials for stress into lessons for growth and trust. When I can’t see any possible solutions, I choose to believe that You are working things out for my good—in Your own time, as you have in the past. Show me what to do, or what not to do. As I focus on You, remembering Your promises and Your words, I believe You will fill me with a peace that is beyond all understanding.
In Your precious name,
Amen
A Short Prayer for An Anxious Heart
Dear Lord, I thank you that I can come to You always for any reason. I’m grateful that when I pray to You, You answer me. Help me to come to You at the beginning of my fears and anxieties instead of waiting until I can’t stand them anymore. The quicker I come to You the better. You want to free me from ALL my fears. Help me look to You for help more often so that I can be radiant with Your joy. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.
– Jennifer Heeren
Rebecca Barlow Jordan is an inspirational author, speaker, and passionate follower of Jesus who loves to encourage others heart to heart. She has written 11 books and over 1700 other articles, greeting cards, and other inspirational pieces. Her daily devotional Daily in Your Presence is available for delivery through Crosswalk.com. You can find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com.
Publication date: October 27, 2017
This article is part of our larger Prayers resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and God knows your heart even if you can’t find the words to pray.
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There have been a few dreams during my 20-something years that have left me frightened. But one dream in particular left me speechless, dizzy, and nauseous from fear. In fact, I don’t think it was a dream, but instead was a night terror – the kind of dream where you cannot fall back asleep because it felt so real.
At that moment, I felt anything but peaceful. Since then, I’ve had to fight for peace to invade the anxiety.
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I’m here to tell you that if you suffer from anxiety, I know what it feels like. And I’m also here to tell you that if you suffer from downright fear, I know what that feels like too.
The truth is that God did not create us to be a fear-filled people – an anxious people. Instead, He created us for peace, goodness, love, and lasting purpose – free from the chains of fear. It’s difficult to focus on the good things from God when your mind is stuck on the bad, right? When you can’t stop thinking about the dream you had, the unknown future, the weight of making big decisions or the pit that won’t leave your stomach?
We need prayer. We need a solid foundation on which to stand. And we need to be a people who cry out to Jesus when we’re tempted to fall into deep fear and anxiety.
Cry out to Jesus with these 10 prayers for #anxiety & fear! #prayer Click To Tweet
1. A Prayer for a Quiet Mind
“Lord, quiet my mind in this moment. Make fear disappear. In its place, plant truth. You are a God who saves, who loves, who comforts, who protects. Quiet my mind so that I can focus on you and your power. Make all thoughts that are not of you disappear. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
2. A Prayer for a Peaceful Heart
“Heavenly Father, my heart feels anything but peaceful in this moment. I feel afraid. But you promise in John 14 that you have given us peace in the form of the Holy Spirit. I know I can trust your promises, and I know you are not a God who lies (Numbers 23:19). So, please provide that peace to me now. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
3. A Prayer for the Unknown
“God, I am afraid of the things I do not know. I want to be excited for the future, but I find myself scared and overwhelmed. Please give me wisdom to move forward when needed, and the knowledge to know when to stand back and wait. Just as Solomon asked for wisdom in 1 Kings 3, I ask you for wisdom now, Lord. I surrender the future into your almighty hands. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
4. A Prayer for the Absence of Fear
“Lord, I ask for peace to enter & fear to leave! I ask for the absence of fear in my mind, my heart, my soul, my thoughts, and my words. I ask for deep faith to flood the fearful places – that I would remember your power and faithfulness in moments of fear. Keep the evil one away. Draw near as you promise in James 4:8. As I draw near to you, Lord, please draw near to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
5. A Prayer for the Presence of Faith
“God, I believe in you and your power. I believe in your gift of salvation. I believe in grace and mercy. Thank you for making it possible for me to spend eternity with you! What a gift! Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief in moments of fear and anxiety. I ask for more faith, for more opportunities to grow and become like Christ. Strengthen my faith, especially in moments when I find it hard to believe. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
6. A Prayer for Strength
“Heavenly Father, in Joshua 1 you tell your people to ‘be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.’ Lord, I want to be strong. Please supply me with strength and power, wisdom and knowledge. Make me obedient to your ways, able to fight fear, and victorious over anxiety. I trust that you are with me wherever I go, Father. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
7. A Prayer for Understanding Community
“God, please surround me with people who understand the pain of anxiety. Provide a community of people who can uplift and encourage, reminding me of truth when I need to be reminded. I ask for people who are gentle and kind, yet bold and honest. You created us to live in authentic community. Lord, give me courage to be vulnerable with those I can trust. In Jesus Name, Amen.”
8. A Prayer for Demolished Strongholds
“God, your word says that we should ‘demolish strongholds and every pretense that sets itself up against the knowledge of God…” (2 Corinthians 10:5) I know there are lies about fear and anxiety that I have believed. I ask that you would bring those false strongholds to light, that I would be able to defeat them with your truth. Anything that is of the world – meant to frighten me and cause anxiety – I ask that you would wipe it away. Help me to focus on you and your truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
9. A Prayer for Captive Thoughts
“Lord, 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, ‘…take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.’ When I am tempted to fear and give in to anxiety, I ask that you would stop me, causing me to take every thought captive. Fill my mind with truth so that I can easily remember what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy (Phil. 4:8). Take away the evil, frightening, anxious thoughts and replace them with your powerful, living truth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
10. A Prayer for Protection
“Almighty God, some of my fear comes from feeling alone, unsafe, or unprotected. I know that you are the faithful protector. You say ‘don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.’ (Matthew 10:31) I ask that you would show me your faithful protection, and help me to believe in your powerful authority over my life. You are sovereign. I know I can trust in you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Bonus! A Prayer for Light to Invade Darkness
“Father, in John 1:5 you tell me that, ‘light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ What a promise! I ask for your light – the light that has victory over all darkness – to invade my heart. When my mind feels dark and my heart feels heavy, fill me with your promise of light. You make all things new, Lord. Even my fear & anxiety! Thank you for your light – for the promise that darkness will not win. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Prayer is powerful. God promises to hear our prayers, and when we don’t know what to prayer, Jesus is faithful to intercede on our behalf.
I encourage you to let these prayers be a starting ground for fierce time on your knees. Write them down. Repeat them often. Make these prayers the song of your heart – especially in moments of intense fear & anxiety.
Anxiety does not have control over you or me – no matter how frightening the dreams or rampant the fear. The Lord does have control. And our best way to communicate with Him is through earnest, honest prayer.
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