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Prayer for Courage


God commands us, both through the Old Testament and the New Testament, to be filled with courage, and not to be afraid. We see this in the Lord’s relationship with Joshua, when God instructed him to cross the Jordan river into the promised land for the Israelites (“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…” Joshua 1:9). Christ utters similar words to His disciples when he walks towards them on the sea of Galilee: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27, NIV) And St Paul, when confronted with the plots of the Pharisees, has a visitation from the Lord. Here God utters to him,
"Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome". (Acts 23:11, ESV).

On this page there are several prayers to help foster God's courage within you. The first prayer is an ancient declaration of faith, said to have been composed St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. It beautifully reminds us that Christ is with us, wherever we are, and wherever we go. Also on this page is the famous "Serenity Prayer", a threefold request for wisdom, courage and serenity. If you are facing a particularly challenging or stressful time, you may also want to pray the "Prayer for Hope and Strength" further down this page.


St Patrick's Breastplate

(Excerpt)


Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today

Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

read the full version of this wonderfully inspiring prayer here

The Serenity Prayer

The famous prayer asking for courage, wisdom and peace:-

serenity prayer (short version)

read the serenity prayer in full by clicking here.



Prayer for Hope and Strength

A short encouraging film asking for God's light and love to come into the darkest of situations:-


Here are the words to this prayer:-


Almighty God,
You reach into the darkness with hope, truth and light. Stretch out your strong hand in this situation, hold and rescue those who have suffered. Let your almighty love move mountains, cross seas and breathe life into the darkest places.

Light that redeems.
Light that restores.
Light that heals.
Light that protects.
Light that saves.

There is nothing higher, stronger or greater than your love.
We trust in you.

(a modern prayer for hope from www.lords-prayer-words.com)


The wise man in the storm prays God not for safety from danger but for deliverance from fear.

Ralph Waldo Emerson - American lecturer and poet (1803-1882)



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Prayer for Courage
Here is a prayer that can be prayed as a group. The line “ALL” can be spoken by everyone, and the other lines can be read out loud, with each person taking it in turns to read a line. If you would like to use this prayer on your own, simply imagine the words of Christ being read to you, and then you making your response as you read the alternate lines:-

Take Courage! It is I



Lord, I give you this mountain of fear that I feel inside. Sometimes life overwhelms me and I feel overcome by anxiety and doubt.

ALL: Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.

Lord, the storms of life have come a rocked this boat I journey on. I open my heart to receive Your grace.

ALL: Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.

Lord, fill me with boldness to step off this shaking ship and greet you on the waters of life.

ALL: Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.

Lord, my feet are sinking and my heart is fearful. Lord, please save me!

ALL: Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.

Lord, I take Your hand and I give You the things that I am most afraid of. Teach me and show me how I can trust You more.

ALL: Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.


(a modern prayer for courage from www.lords-prayer-words.com)



A Prayer for Strength

An uplifting prayer for when going through a hard time:-


Jesus Walks on the Water
Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

(Matthew 14:25-33, NIV)