One of my favorite ways of praying is to reword a Scripture passage into a paraphrased prayer. Praying God’s Word back to him ignites the Father’s heart towards those for whom we intercede.

The following is an example of Ezekiel 36:24–27 paraphrased as prayer by a wife for a husband captivated by pornography. It could easily be adjusted to fit any person and the struggle hindering his or her walk with God.

Father, you promise in Ezekiel 36:24–27 that you will take my husband out of the ways of the world, which includes pornography. You state that you will sprinkle clean water on him and he will be clean. The impurities that have contaminated him from his idol of pornography will be wiped away.

Along with that, you promise to give him a new heart and create a new spirit within him—removing his heart of stone and giving him a heart of flesh. And finally, you promise to place your Spirit within my husband to motivate him to follow your decrees and keep your ways.

Father, I remind you of these promises in Ezekiel 36. I ask for purity and holiness for my husband and that you cause him to seek mental cleanliness and the destruction of his idol of pornography.

I request that a new heart for you and our family be given to my husband and a new spirit of love and purity. Motivate my husband to follow your directions and keep your ways.

I ask this for your name’s sake and for your reputation as a promise keeper. I know my husband does not deserve your mercy, but you are a God of mercy who continually seeks to save those whose hearts are far from you. I realize that my husband has a free will, but I also know that just as you turn the heart of a king, you can turn my husband’s heart towards you.

Finally, I request that this promise be kept because of your Son’s shed blood and victory at Calvary that has broken all the power of sin to hold my husband captive. I ask these things in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

If you haven’t already, try using the Scriptures as prayer this week and see how it expands your experience of prayer. For those of you who pray this way regularly, what has been your experience and what are your favorite Scriptures to pray back to the Father?

In Him together, Susan Gaddis