Last year, a woman hesitantly walked over to me and quietly whispered, “Will you pray for me?”
We were at est.HER Women’s Conference hosted by Esther Press. I was assigned to the prayer room, and with one look into her tired eyes, I could see that walking through the doors took all the courage this woman could muster.
“I need prayer for strength,” she explained.
I sat with her and listened as she told me her story. She expressed the various areas of her life where she was struggling—all the ways she felt weak, inadequate, and hopeless.
Oftentimes, in these moments, it’s hard to know what to say or what to pray. What I have found is when I don’t have the words, I can turn to God’s Word—leaning on the powerful truths found in Scripture. I listened to her, and then, when it was time, I gently placed one hand on her shoulder and began to pray over her.
Many times, as Christians, we find ourselves in similar situations. Either we need prayer for ourselves or are asked to pray for someone else. Yet, in the heat of the moment, we might find we’re at a loss for words.
So today, I want to equip you with five Scripture-based prayers for strength. The Bible is the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17), and prayers that are inspired straight from Scripture offer us not only hope but biblical truth to cling to.
You can pray these over yourself or others and adapt them to your specific circumstances and needs.
1. A Prayer for Strength and Endurance
This short prayer is adapted from Colossians 1:11.
As a mother of four, it’s one I find myself praying throughout long days of caring for others and meeting constant needs. It’s also one I pray over my family and friends when they are feeling weak and weary. It reminds us in each moment to rely not on our finite strength but on the Lord’s infinite power.
Lord, I pray that You would strengthen me with all power according to Your glorious might, that I may have great endurance and patience. Help me to lean on Your strength and not my own, today and every day.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
2. A Prayer for Strength for a Friend
Many times, women find themselves struggling and feeling alone. They’re embarrassed by how weak they feel, especially if they’ve been a Christian for a long time. They may think they should be stronger or smarter or farther along than they are.
This prayer is based on the verses found in 2 Corinthians 12:9–11. It offers comfort and hope to those feeling weak and insufficient.
Lord, we thank You that Your power is made perfect in our weakness and that Your grace is sufficient for us. I ask that my friend experience the depths of Your grace in every area of her life. I pray that everywhere she feels weak, inadequate, or insufficient, Your power would be made complete in her. We thank You that where we lack, You are always more than enough.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
3. A Prayer for the One Wanting to Give Up
For many women pursuing their calling, they may eventually face the temptation to give up and give in. They might feel that they’re laboring in vain or struggle to see the fruit of their labor.
This prayer based on Galatians 6:9 will encourage our hearts to keep going, even when it’s hard.
Lord, I ask for Your strength. Help me to not grow weary in doing good, for I know if I persevere, I will reap a harvest at the proper time. Help me to lean not on my own strength and understanding but on the power of Your Holy Spirit that’s alive in me. I thank You for the calling I have received and pray for continued courage to walk in it.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
4. A Prayer for the Woman Stuck in Habitual Sin
Sometimes the moments we feel the weakest are when we find ourselves fighting temptation or habitual sin. It may look differently for each of us, but this prayer adapted from Matthew 26:41 and Ephesians 6:12–18 will help strengthen us to overcome.
Lord, I confess I’m struggling to resist the temptation to sin. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. I ask that You strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit and help me put on the full armor of God so I can stand firm. I thank You, Jesus, that You have already paid the price for my sin on the cross, and I ask that You now help me to overcome the power of sin in my life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
5. A Prayer for the Woman Struggling with Fear
For all the women I get to pray with (and for), fear is often the thing they struggle with the most. Whether it’s fear of the future, fear of death, fear of failure, fear of what other people think—it’s often fear that keeps them paralyzed.
This prayer, based on 2 Timothy 1:7 and 2 Corinthians 10:5, is helpful to pray when fear rises to the surface.
Lord, we thank You that You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. I repent for the areas of my life where I have allowed fear to rob me of the peace You have for me. Help me take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. I pray that all fear would leave in Jesus’ name and that Your peace and strength would fill me and sustain me from the inside out.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
After that sweet woman left the prayer room, I don’t know what happened. I don’t know if her situation changed or if God answered our prayer in the way she hoped.
But what I do know is this: prayer strengthens us, encourages us, and comforts us in life’s lowest moments.
I don’t know what you’re facing today, but it is my prayer that you’re encouraged and equipped by these five Scripture-based prayers for strength. I hope they deepen your walk with Christ as you pursue Him in your everyday life.
Monika Kirkland is a Christian writer, host of the Inner Revival podcast, wife, and mother of four who knows what it’s like to walk in the trenches of motherhood, marriage, and ministry. She is passionate about encouraging and equipping women to cultivate intimacy with Christ and experience the transformative power of the gospel from the inside out.
