Pray-reading: refs. include Witness Lee, Watchman Nee

The practice of pray-reading is founded on a strong scriptural basis. Not only does the Bible tell us plainly that the Word and prayer are intrinsically related, but it also gives us many examples in both the Old and the New Testaments of those who incorporated the Word with their prayer.

Paul’s Instruction in Ephesians 6:17-18

The Bible clearly teaches us to receive God’s Word through prayer. In fact, in Ephesians 6:17-18

And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God, by means of all prayer and petition, praying
at every time
in spirit…
Eph. 6:17-18

Paul described pray-reading in careful detail: “And receive the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which Spirit is the word of God, by means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints.” (For a literal translation of the Greek as well as other translations, click here) This passage contains three distinct elements: 1) receiving the sword of the Spirit (which Spirit is the Word of God); 2) receiving the Word by means of all prayer and petition; and 3) praying in spirit. These three elements are the basic constituents of pray-reading (Appeal 12).

Examples in the Bible of Those Who Pray-Read the Word

Besides Paul’s overt teaching in Ephesians, there is an abundance of scriptural examples of those who have used the Word in their prayer (Graver 13-32). These believers would pray back to the Lord the very Word He had already spoken, making the Scriptures the content of their prayer (Appeal 8). Some examples are provided below.