Do you still feel helpless in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic? I admit, I’ve had those moments. Like many of you, I’m uncertain of the future. I thought we’d be through this by now! How long will this go on? This morning I thought, “All I can do is continue to pray.” Then God whispered, “Yes, you can continue to pray!”
Prayer is not a last resort. It is not a “since I can’t do anything else, I might as well pray” activity. Prayer is our most powerful weapon against this deadly foe. As it says in James, “The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous believer can accomplish much” (5:16 AMP). What an encouragement!
As I continue to persevere and journal my prayers, my list continues to grow. I realize I might be able to help others or accomplish much through my prayers. So, as I keep persisting, I will continue to pray faithfully. I’ve also been able to see answers to many prayers and keep note of these too.
I hope this COVID-19 Prayer Guide will be a helpful resource for you and others as you also persevere during this continued time of uncertainty.
COVID-19 PRAYER GUIDE
Begin with Praise:
“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ … What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do” (Is. 46: 9-11).
God, You are sovereign and all-powerful. You are able to stop this virus now, but for reasons we cannot understand, You are allowing it to continue and we trust You. You are holy and righteous and all Your acts are just. We ask that Your purposes will prevail.
Ask for God’s Intervention:
Lord, we know that You see everything happening here and care about every person. We ask that You will extend Your mercy and grace to all. Stop COVID-19 in its tracks. Stop the spread of the virus and all variants, and eliminate its threat. Work in ways that display Your power and bring glory to Your name.
Pray for Yourself. Ask God to:
- Search your heart and reveal any areas of selfishness and greed that have resulted from the pressures of this crisis
- Build your trust in God more and decrease your worry, anxiety, and fear
- Increase your faith in this time of trial
- Show you how you can encourage, support, and help others
Pray for Spiritual Leaders, Pastors, Ministers, Lay Leaders, and Churches. Ask God to:
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Phil. 2:1-4).
- Protect and build their faith
- Show them ways to maintain the unity and community of the local church
- Wisdom for helping support their local communities
- Give them creative ways to share the Gospel with a hurting world
- Show them how to support community leaders
- Provide financially for our spiritual leaders and the local church
- Guide and protect missionaries still ministering in hard hit places
Pray for Our Government Leaders as They Navigate this Massive Challenge. Ask God to:
- Help the President & his staff, the 50 governors & their staffs, Congress, mayors, and county judges
- Give them full and accurate information
- Give them wisdom, insight, and discernment to properly use the information
- Protect their health, give them physical energy and emotional strength
- Foster unity, cooperation, humility, good communication, and unselfishness as they work together
Pray for Doctors, Nurses, and Healthcare Workers. Ask God to:
- Protect them and their families from the virus
- Give them physical energy, courage, and emotional strength
- Provide the equipment, tools, and supplies they need
- Provide adequate PPE (personal protection equipment)
- Strengthen them spiritually and provide chaplains for support
Pray for Medical Researchers and Scientists. Ask God to:
- Provide physical energy and mental acuity
- Work through them to continue to provide effective treatments for COVID-19
- Provide the capability to continue to produce and distribute the vaccine to meet the need
Pray for Individuals and Families. Ask God to:
- Protect the most at-risk and vulnerable like the elderly and immune-compromised
- Reduce stress and its effects on families like physical abuse and substance abuse
- Encourage families with school aged children and provide the least disruptive school setting while protecting the health of all children
- Provide for those who have lost jobs and are struggling financially
- Comfort those who’ve lost loved ones during this time
- Deepen family relationships
- Encourage unity and love to grow in families and communities
Pray for “Group-Living” Situations Like Nursing Homes, Assisted living, Homeless Populations & Prisons. Ask God to:
- Give administrations wisdom in protecting their facilities
- Show staff how to manage their facility effectively
- Comfort family and loved ones if they cannot visit
- Provide for creative solutions to bring families and loved ones together so they can meet in person
Pray for Colleges, Universities, and School Districts. Ask God to:
- Give teachers wisdom and creativity for learning
- Help administrators build learning programs and support their teachers
- Provide all resources and help needed for a successful school year
- Provide needed devices and Wi-Fi for students
- Bring unity to communities regarding vaccines, masking, and other issues that may impact learning
Pray for the Media and Media Consumers. Ask God to:
- Provide media with up-to-date information
- Guide reporters to give the news in a manner that communicates the facts of the situation
- Help those who hear the news react in ways that protect themselves and help others without giving in to fear, anger, or despair
Pray for the US Economy. Ask God to:
- Give US and state governments innovative ways to support and protect small and large businesses
- Help provide solutions for the disruption in the supply chain of many industries
- Give small business owners wisdom to best manage their finances and ingenuity and creativity for generating revenue and retaining employees
- Help non-essential & entertainment business/industry to survive the ongoing challenges
Pray for Essential Support Services. Ask God to:
- Establish and maintain sufficient distribution channels for medical supplies and vaccines
- Increase production of any necessary equipment
- Provide trucks and drivers for shipping
- Strengthen and protect the service industry and any frontline industry
Pray for Governmental Agencies and Departments on the Front Line. Here are a few that need our prayers:
- COVID-19 Task Force
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Department of Health & Human Resources
- Department of Homeland Security
- Food and Drug Administration
- Department of Education
Pray for Law Enforcement and First Responders:
- Your local police, fire, EMTs
- County sheriff offices
- State police
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- All branches of military
RELATED RESOURCES
- The 5 P's of the Lord's Prayer
- 21 Spiritual Prayers for Other Christians
- World Vision Coronavirus Prayer Helps
~ By Kathy Howard. A former “cultural Christian,” Kathy Howard now has a passion for God’s Word that’s contagious. She encourages women to get into God’s Word for themselves in order to build an unshakeable faith that will stand firm through all the trials of life. With more than 30 years of experience, Kathy has taught the Bible in dozens of states, internationally, and in a wide range of venues including multi-church conferences and large online events. She has a Masters in Religious Education and a certificate in Women’s Ministry from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary. Kathy is the author of 8 books and Bible studies, including “Lavish Grace” and “30 Days of Hope When Caring for Aging Parents.” She also writes for multiple online magazines and devotional sites. Kathy and her “mostly retired” husband live in the Dallas/Ft Worth area near family. They have three married children, five grandchildren, and three dogs – one of them on purpose. She provides free discipleship resources and blogs regularly at www.KathyHoward.org. Kathy also connects with women at Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
