Powerful Prayers for Discernment: We are reminded of God’s direction over our lives throughout Scripture. If we look to Him for guidance, He is our good Shepherd who leads us. According to the Bible, God’s plan leads to joy and contentment. We can be confident that when we pray for God’s guidance and discernment through the Holy Spirit, God will provide wisdom! We don’t have to be concerned about our next step or tomorrow because we know who is guiding us! Do not rush through your day without first praying to God for guidance.
Quick Navigation
How to Seek Discernment
The Lord started attempting to interact with His creation in the Garden of Eden. He gave Adam and Eve instructions on what to eat and what to stay away from. Even when people disobeyed God, He still chose to have a relationship with them, demonstrating His goodness and love. Even in the first sin, when Adam and Eve rebelled against God and decide that the Serpent was right, the Lord showed his compassion by remembering all of humanity. God already knew that He would act in people’s hearts and spirits to lead and train them.
David was a man after God’s own heart, and though he was not without flaws, he sought God’s will in all things. David also trusted advisors like the Prophet Samuel, because he knew Samuel knew God. It even says in 1 Samuel 3 that “not one of Samuel’s words would fall,” implying that Samuel had such acute discernment and alignment with God that nothing he said would be proven false. Proper discernment can take many forms, but prayer with God is always beneficial.
The most important thing is to test and discern through God’s Word. The Lord’s tangible heart is the living and active Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” says John 1. We can use the Bible for proper discernment in matters knowing that the Word of the Lord will never contradict the Spirit of the Lord. 1 John 4 encourages us to “test the spirits,” and testing and discerning through God’s Word will provide the refining fire mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3:13-14.
The Holy Spirit is also known as the Counselor of Truth, as Jesus mentions in John 14. The Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of those who believe. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you discernment sharper than a sword, because genuine truth is discernment. We can discern what is His truth and what is rubbish by His gentle urging in our hearts. He gives peace that is beyond comprehension, even when what is discerned as truth does not always make sense. Trust in the Lord’s Holy Spirit, for it is in and through Him that the truth is revealed.
11 Powerful Prayers for Discernment
Discernment In The Last Days
Loving Lord, I know the Bible says that the people of this world do not understand the Scriptures or the things of the Spirit of God, because those things are foolishness to man’s natural heart. It says that people do not understand God’s things because they are discerned spiritually.
I pray for spiritual understanding and wisdom to discern God’s things because it is my desire to know the truth You have promised to everyone who believes in You as Saviour.
As I travel through this evil world, Lord, I sometimes feel like a lone sheep in the midst of a hungry pack of wolves. But I also know that You have advised us to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves.
Please give me discernment. I pray for the wisdom of a serpent in the midst of this crooked generation, but also for the gentle Spirit of Christ, so that the love of Jesus may shine forth in my life as I seek to walk worthy for You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Discernment In The Midst Of Deception
Loving Father, I recognize that we live in a time when there is so much deception that it is often difficult to discern the truth. There is deception not only in the world but also in the Church, but You have told us that knowing the truth will set us free.
Thank You, Lord, that I am already free from the bonds of sin and death, with my feet firmly planted on the Lord Jesus Christ. But I also ask that You give me discernment and an understanding heart so that I can know what is good and true and identify and reject what is false and deceptive.
Help me to test every spirit to see what is true and what is deception. I pray for wisdom and understanding to distinguish between truth and error. Thank You for being a God of peace rather than confusion. Give me a heart that understands. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer For A Discerning Heart
Loving Father God, I pray that I accept the truth of Your Word, that I turn my ear to listen intently to Your words of wisdom, and that I open my heart to understand everything You say in Your Word of truth because I know that storing up Your Word in my heart is wisdom and that loving and fearing the Lord is the doorway to discernment.
I pray for discernment in my heart, as well as increased knowledge and understanding, so that I may come to know and love You more. I pray for the protection of my heart so that I may follow in Your truth all the days of my life, for it is my heart’s desire to know You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for Discernment To Give Godly Counsel
Lord, I beseech You to grant me a wise and understanding heart. A heart that easily discerns Your will, so that I can make the best decisions for my life and help those in need.
Give me a willing heart. A heart that is ready and willing to say, “Thy will be done,” rather than insisting on my will being the best. Lord, I know the heart is deceptive, and I pray that You will keep me from misinterpreting Your truth because of my pride or foolishness. I pray that you keep me low at the cross.
Keep me from ungodly counsel, I pray, because I know how destructive the loose words of a false witness can be, and keep me from a presumptuous attitude, which is so damaging to the soul. Give me discernment to know when to speak and when to remain silent, and open my heart to listen to Your still small voice. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray that you direct and govern my steps. Amen.
Prayer For The Spirit Of Wisdom
Father, I pray that You grant me the Spirit of wisdom and discernment so that I may know You better and love You more. Give me a compassionate heart so that I can hear Your voice and hear You say, “This is the path, walk in it.”
I beseech You to use me as Your hands and feet, Your voice and heart, that I may be a channel through which You pour out Your grace on others. May I become nothing so that only Christ can be seen in my life. I ask in the name of Jesus, in Whose name I pray, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer That I May Increase In Wisdom
Loving Father, this is my prayer: that my love may increase in all knowledge, depth of insight, and discernment of Your will, so that I may understand all that is best and pleasing in Your sight.
I pray that I may be pure and blameless in Your eyes until Christ returns to take us to be with Himself. But, until that day comes, I pray that You keep me humble in front of You so that I can be used to Your praise and glory.
Lord, I pray this not just for myself, but for all my brothers and sisters who bear Your name, that we may live in unity and godly peace, with an understanding heart to discern Your will and purpose. In the name of Jesus, I ask. Amen.
Prayer To Be Kept From Worldly Philosophies
Dear God, I pray that you keep me from becoming enslaved to men’s philosophies and that you keep me alert to the empty deception of this world system, man’s traditions, and the false religiosity that seems to predominate in Christendom today.
Give me discernment to recognize what is good and to pursue what is wholesome and godly. Help me to be aware of anything that is contrary to Your truth and has the potential to harm my spiritual walk with the Lord Jesus.
Keep me in the power of Your Spirit, I pray and guard my mind, that I may be discerning enough to know the truth and reject the evil. I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
To Be Receptive To God’s Will And Ways
Father, thank You for Your great love for me and for knowing my needs and the paths I will take in the future. Help me to discern my future needs and not confuse them with my fleshly desires or my heart’s vanities. I beseech you to grant me true discernment.
Lord, my heart is open to Your leading and guidance, and my desire is to do only what is right in Your eyes. For the sake of Your name, I pray that I may be quiet enough to hear Your voice and cautious enough not to assume that I know Your will when it is my own fleshly thinking. I pray for true discernment to know Your will.
Lord, I know Your ways are mysterious and Your mind is unfathomable, but You have chosen to live in my frail body. I pray that You will use me to be a good and faithful witness in everything I say and do. My desire is to do Your will rather than my own. I beseech you to grant me true discernment and wise counsel. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Prayer To Discern God’s Plan For My Life
Darling Jesus, I know You have a plan for each of Your children because You planned every day of our lives before we were even conceived in our mother’s womb. Help me, Lord, to discern that plan, the best plan You have chosen for me because I want to be in the center of Your will rather than following the empty desire of my heart.
Thank You for knowing the end from the beginning, but also for giving each of us free will to choose the good and reject the evil. I beseech You to help me choose what is right in Your eyes, to go where You are calling me, and to say things that honor Your name. Give me the discernment to make the best decisions in my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Understanding Heart To Know God’s Heart
Dear Father, I love coming to be still in Your presence and to know that You are God. But there are times when I’m at a loss for words. I want to pray with wisdom. I want to pray in accordance with Your wishes. Please give me a heart of comprehension and discernment.
You are the only one who knows what I should be praying for, and my heart is open to being led by Your Spirit of truth. I offer myself as a living sacrifice to do Your will, to go wherever You send me, or to stay wherever You want me to stay.
Allow me to be sensitive to Your will and refrain from assuming that my will is the best choice for my life. I pray for a discerning heart to discern Your will for my life. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Prayer for Discernment in Relationship
Only You, Lord, fully comprehend the concept of love. You’ve practically shown us that for all eternity. So I come before You today, asking for the wisdom to deepen my relationship with SO (significant other’s name). Give me the strength to deal with his/her behavior, no matter how vexing it becomes. In this relationship, you must also have the patience to make sound decisions. I thank You for always providing a shoulder to lean on, now and forever. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen
Bible Verses About Discernment
- Hosea 14:9 – Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.
- John 14:16-18 – “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
- Job 6:30 – Is there injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern calamities?
- 1 Corinthians 3:13 – his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive a reward.
- Proverbs 15:21 – Folly is joy to him who lacks sense, But a man of understanding walks straight.
- Hebrews 5:14 – But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
- Psalm 119:66 – Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments