A prayer you can pray right now
A Prayer Before Preaching a Sermon
The minutes before you preach carry a weight few people see. You have studied, prayed, written and rewritten, and now you stand at the edge of speaking God's Word to real people, some of whom are carrying burdens you know nothing about. There is the nervousness, yes, but underneath it something heavier, the awareness that this is not a performance but a stewardship, that eternity might turn on whether hearts are opened this morning. Whether you are a seasoned pastor or stepping up to preach for the first time, you know you cannot manufacture a single changed heart by your eloquence. Before you open your mouth, it is right to stop and ask God to do what only He can do through the words He has given you to speak.
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”2 Timothy 4:2
“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”Isaiah 55:11
“Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”Colossians 4:3
“And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,”Ephesians 6:19
A prayer you can pray
Father, in a little while I will stand up to preach Your Word, and I feel the weight of it. Empty me of myself and fill me with You. Open unto me a door of utterance, and give me words to speak the mystery of Christ plainly and boldly. Let me preach the word faithfully, not to impress but to feed and to call. Take my nervousness and steady me; take my pride and remove it. You promise that Your word will not return unto You void, but will accomplish what You please, so I trust the outcome to You and not to my own skill. Open the hearts of everyone listening, and meet each one where they are. Let Christ be seen and not me. Whatever happens, be glorified. In the name of Jesus, amen.
How to pray this
Pray this in the study beforehand and again in the last quiet moment before you rise. Paul's charge frames the task, preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, faithful whether it feels timely or not. His own prayer request is one to make your own, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, and that utterance may be given to open your mouth boldly. And the promise that takes the pressure off your performance is Isaiah's, so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, God's Word does the work, not your delivery. Ask others to pray for you as Paul asked the church to pray for him; a preacher covered in prayer preaches differently. And pray as much for the hearers' hearts as for your own words.
The One who hears this prayer
Jesus was the great preacher, and yet even He was not received by everyone; some hearts hardened, some walked away. So if you preach faithfully and not everyone responds, you stand in His company, not in failure. He taught with authority, but He also relied wholly on the Father, doing and saying only what the Father gave Him. The mystery of Christ that Paul longed to make known is Jesus Himself, and He is the one you are lifting up when you preach. He promised that when He was lifted up, He would draw people to Himself, so your task is to hold Him up clearly and trust Him to draw. He is present in that room before you say a word, already at work in the hearts you are worried about. Preach, and leave the harvest to Him.
Who is Jesus? · Begin with Jesus · Ask someone to pray with you
Questions people ask
How do I calm my nerves before I preach?
Some nervousness is normal and even healthy; it can keep you dependent on God rather than on yourself. Rather than trying to eliminate it, offer it to God and ask Him to steady you and to shift your focus from yourself to the people and the message. Remember that the outcome does not rest on a flawless delivery, since God's Word does not return void. Prepare well, pray specifically, breathe, and preach to serve the hearers rather than to impress them. The pressure eases when it stops being about you.
What should I pray for right before I step up to preach?
Pray for utterance and boldness, that God would open your mouth and give you the right words, as Paul asked the church to pray for him. Pray to be emptied of pride and self and filled with the Spirit. Then pray hard for the hearers, that God would open their hearts and meet each person where they are. And pray that Christ, not you, would be seen. A short surrender, Lord, be glorified, use me, get me out of the way, is often the most honest prayer of all.
What if my sermon does not seem to reach anyone?
Faithfulness in preaching is measured by obedience to God, not by visible response, and even Jesus was not received by everyone who heard Him. God promises His Word will accomplish what He pleases, but that work is often unseen and slow, taking root in ways you may never witness. Your job is to preach the word faithfully and lift up Christ; the results belong to God. Do not measure a sermon by applause or immediate reaction. Keep sowing, keep praying for the hearers, and trust the One who gives the growth.