Have you ever sat down and prayed for your business? As Christian entrepreneurs, sometimes it can be difficult to learn how to pray for your business because there isn’t much talk about entrepreneurship in the bible.
However, there is if you really meditate on scripture and dive deep into the stories that are told. The bible can be your go-to business book. Believe it or not, there’s a lot of business advice about entrepreneurship in the bible!
In the bible, we’re told to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17–19.). Jesus was always found continually praying (alone or in public) and giving thanks in all circumstances. Jesus prayed before meals, about important decisions, before and after healing. However, how do we pray for our business because technically, Jesus, and others in the bible, never prayed about entrepreneurship…or did they?
Are you familiar with Nehemiah in the Bible and how he prayed to God? No worries if you haven’t. If you’re a Christian entrepreneur, I want to share how you can pray for your business by creating a business prayer strategy.
This prayer strategy comes right from Nehemiah and I break down how he prayed and align it to the P.R.R.A.Y method you’re going to learn about today for praying for your business. If you’re curious on how to always keep your business in your prayers and ask for God’s path and guidance, keep reading!
Now, let’s break down Nehemiah’s prayer bit by bit by using the P.R.R.A.Y method. This will will help you learn how to pray for your business and build a prayer business strategy.
P.R.R.A.Y is an acronym and it stands for
Praise
Repent
Remember
Ask
Yield
Breaking down Nehemiah's Prayer
1. Starting in verse 5, the first thing Nehemiah does is give praise to God;
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments”
2. Continuing in verse 5, Nehemiah says;
“I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.”
We see now that after Nehemiah praises God, the very next thing he does is confesses, or repents, for the sins of his people. He takes responsibility as a whole on behalf of his people.
3. Now, let’s look at verse 8. Nehemiah prays;
“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.”
Notice how now, Nehemiah remembers God’s promises and warnings to the Israelites during the time of Moses.
4. Continuing on to verse 11, Nehemiah says
“Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
Notice how Nehemiah gives a request or asks God for success.
5. The last part of Nehemiah’s prayer to God was to yield. When you yield, you essentially surrender your will to give God control of His will for your life.
Who is Nehemiah?
Nehemiah was a Jewish Leader who supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem in the mid 5th century B.C after his release from captivity by the Persian King Artaxerxes the first. He was also King Artaxerxes’s cup bearer.
Nehemiah used his leadership position and authority to bring God’s people back to Him. Which, as Christian Entrepreneurs, we should be also using our godly influence within our business to spread the truth about Jesus in any way that’s creative to you.
Now, Nehemiah was distraught when he heard news of his people back in Jerusalem and how they had forgotten God. He starts to weep and moan for a few days and even does a fast. After he is done weeping, Nehemiah says this prayer to God;
Nehemiah's Prayer | Nehemiah 1:5-11
“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.
I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”
Now that we broken down Nehemiah’s prayer using the P.R.R.A.Y method, it’s time to apply that same structure to our business. Here’s how to do it!
Praise | Start by praising God for who He is.
Repent | Is there any sin you recently committed within your business? I know it sounds harsh but something as simple as being jealous of another entrepreneur’s journey, finances, or coveting what another entrepreneur has and what you don’t have are all sins, even if we don’t realize it.
Remember | Can you remember what God has told you about your entrepreneurship journey? Has he spoken through people, His word, through dreams? Has He warned you of anything if you didn’t follow through with something? Think about how far God has brought you so far within your entrepreneurship journey. I can guarantee you that you’re not in the same place you were a year ago. What has God brought you through that made you more successful than last year?
Ask | Some Christian entrepreneurs aren’t ASKING God for success. We’re not asking bold prayers. Some may think it’s selfish. Don’t you know that God wants you to ask Him for anything you want that glorifies Him and is in your best interest? It’s ok to ask for success. It’s ok to ask for more opportunities. He wants you to confide in Him. Have faith in Him and believe that He will make happen what you ask according to His riches and glory.
Yield | Surrender your business journey to God. When you’re praying, you’re essentially humbling yourself and recognizing that you can’t do this alone. When you yield to God, you’re also saying that you trust in HIS plans for your business and you can’t rely on your plans alone. At the end of the day, God has the perfect plan and will for your life and that includes your business!
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