Breath Prayer for Believers
If you want to pray but struggle to slow your mind and feel God’s presence, here’s a very old prayer that will help: Christian breath prayer. By praying Scripture in a single breath, prayer becomes less about striving and more about resting in God.
These are breath prayers: words from Scripture that fit into the space of a single breath. They are not verbal because you’re breathing while you’re praying. You pray the first short phrase while inhaling and finish the second phrase while exhaling. That’s it.
Breath prayers do not replace the prayers that Jesus taught. You go right on praising God, confessing your sins, petitioning for yourself, interceding for others, just the way Jesus Christ taught us in the Lord’s Prayer.
Breath prayer adds meditation plus physical action to prayer. Breath prayers are one of the easiest and most profound types of prayers you’ll probably ever pray.
Practicing Christian Breath Prayer
You don’t have to pray the Jesus Prayer to practice Christian breath prayer. The technique is extremely simple:
Ask the Lord to guide you to a short verse or phrase from the Bible, and break it into two separate units. For example, in the Jesus Prayer the units are: “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God / have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Inhale slowly and repeat the first phrase in your mind.
Slightly hold your breath.
Exhale slowly and mentally repeat the second phrase.
Repeat about 5 times. How many are up to you. Rick Warren said about breath prayers, “Pray it as often as possible so it is rooted deep in your heart.”
Here are some examples of breath prayers:
If you are afraid: “Lord Jesus Christ, / give me courage.”
When you need peace: “Lord of peace / put peace in my heart.”
Concerned for your kids: “Lord of the children / protect my kids.”
Some others are:
“Surround me, Lord / I dwell in your peace”
“Show me your ways / oh holy Lord”
“Lord Jesus Christ / please help me now”
“Strengthen my faith / oh Lord my God”
“God my light / please guide me”
“Please show me your will / Savior of all”
“All my trust / is in you Lord”
It’s a Prayer, Not a Relaxation Technique
Any believer in Christ may practice this prayer. Be careful though: it’s not a mantra or a relaxation technique.
It might indeed bring you to a greater sense of peace, and it’s not a bad idea to do some deep breathing beforehand. But breathing and postures are not requirements. The Jesus Prayer stands by itself, as deep prayer and the heart’s acknowledgement of Christ and his love.
It is most especially not a mantra, where certain sounds are key in achieving certain detached states. Christian prayer is never about detachment; it is always about deeper attachment to Christ, and through him to others. And the Jesus Prayer is meant to be understood by the one praying, so should be translated into what language the believer understands. The emphasis is on the meaning of the words to the believer, not on the sounds.
Why It Matters
When you pray breath prayers consistently and seek the Lord faithfully, the Holy Spirit will respond.
Remember, breath prayers don’t replace the prayer Jesus taught us, they complement it. By meditative prayer and repetition, your open your door wider and wider to the Holy Spirit.
More and more you experience the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These gifts and the gift of the presence of God will start to sink deeply into your mind and your soul and your body and your spirit.
Amen to that.
Watch my video “Breath Prayers for Believers” for more on breath prayers. And watch “More Joy and Peace in Prayer? Get Physical!” for more physical prayers like dancing, kneeling, walking, and raising your hands in the air.
C’mon – breathe, pray, and dance! You know you want to. 😊