Praying the Names of God
God, in His immeasurable vastness, shows us who He is with names that describe Him, His attributes, and His simultaneous love and care for the details in our lives. We have the opportunity to access and utilize these names as we communicate with Him in prayer.
Appropriating the names of God in our prayers expands our vision of who God is. We appropriate God’s names by declaring them in faith and adoration. Speaking His names in prayer can show us how much we join with Him as we pray for ourselves, others, and for His kingdom. Asking for His presence to be in every situation is always an appropriate prayer.
Some of His names are overarching as the one true God. When Moses asked God what His name is, God answered “I AM THAT I AM.” By that, God revealed Himself as the eternal God, who is self-existent, unchangeable, omniscient, and transcendent. When God gave Moses a special revelations of Himself, He used the name YHWH, or as it is sometimes written, Jehovah. This is God’s covenant name, or the name He uses to emphasize His covenant with His people. Since the Hebrew scribes considered this name too sacred to be spoken, they used only four letters – YHWH or JHVH to denote this unmentionable name of God. English Bibles used “the Lord,” “Jehovah,” or “Yahweh” for this name of God “I AM THAT I AM” which can be rendered, “I am with you, ready to save and to act, just as I always have been.”
The name Adonai, referring to God, is called “the plural of majesty” signifying that God is not just a ruler, but the supreme ruler of all. It emphasizes complete sovereignty and ownership.
In addition, the Old Testament gives us God’s compound names as a revelation to us and to all who call upon His name:
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our righteousness
Jehovah-M’kaddesh: The Lord who sanctifies
Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord is there
Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is peace
Jehovah-Rophe: The Lord heals
Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord’s provision shall be seen
Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord my banner
Jehovah-Rohi: The Lord my shepherd
These Old Testament names of God reveal different dimensions of His character that are expressed in Jesus, including five benefits given to us through Jesus’s death:
Sin: forgiveness of sin
Spirit: fullness of the Holy Spirit
Soundness: health and healing
Success: freedom from the law’s curse of failure and insufficiency
Security: freedom from the fear of death and hell
We see Jesus stating who He is in the seven I AM statements in the book of John:
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John11:25)
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)
I am the True Vine (John 15:1)
We can call on each and every name of God to honor Him, to Worship Him, and to go to the throne of grace for help in our time of need; we can call on Him as we intercede.
There is one name, though, that I find myself calling on regularly, and that is Yahweh Sabaoth – The Lord of hosts. This is a military term that describes Jesus as the Head or Leader of God’s armies. We can call upon Him when we need Him to fight for us. We see this name used by Old Testament characters in Scripture:
Hannah, when she petitioned the Lord for a son who would rescue God’s people from the Philistines.
David, when he met Goliath in battle, knowing that God was fighting for him.
Elijah, when he stood alone against 450 priests of Baal, and against King Ahab and Jezebel.
Are you joyful? Are you interceding? Are you in a battle? Are you wishing to connect to the God who loves you? Call on Him! He's eager to hear your voice.
Q: Which name(s) of God will you use today in prayer?
Q: What name of God did you learn that will help you speak with God more specifically?
Prayer: Lord of hosts, I pray you fight for each of Your precious ones, and that You would surround them with Yourself and the armies of heaven. Fight for them and attain the victories that are needed in their lives. Would You rescue, supply needs, protect, strengthen, and draw each one close to Your heart. We thank You, honor You, and give you praise. Amen.
Appropriating the names of God in our prayers expands our vision of who God is. We appropriate God’s names by declaring them in faith and adoration. Speaking His names in prayer can show us how much we join with Him as we pray for ourselves, others, and for His kingdom. Asking for His presence to be in every situation is always an appropriate prayer.
Some of His names are overarching as the one true God. When Moses asked God what His name is, God answered “I AM THAT I AM.” By that, God revealed Himself as the eternal God, who is self-existent, unchangeable, omniscient, and transcendent. When God gave Moses a special revelations of Himself, He used the name YHWH, or as it is sometimes written, Jehovah. This is God’s covenant name, or the name He uses to emphasize His covenant with His people. Since the Hebrew scribes considered this name too sacred to be spoken, they used only four letters – YHWH or JHVH to denote this unmentionable name of God. English Bibles used “the Lord,” “Jehovah,” or “Yahweh” for this name of God “I AM THAT I AM” which can be rendered, “I am with you, ready to save and to act, just as I always have been.”
The name Adonai, referring to God, is called “the plural of majesty” signifying that God is not just a ruler, but the supreme ruler of all. It emphasizes complete sovereignty and ownership.
In addition, the Old Testament gives us God’s compound names as a revelation to us and to all who call upon His name:
Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our righteousness
Jehovah-M’kaddesh: The Lord who sanctifies
Jehovah-Shammah: The Lord is there
Jehovah-Shalom: The Lord is peace
Jehovah-Rophe: The Lord heals
Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord’s provision shall be seen
Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord my banner
Jehovah-Rohi: The Lord my shepherd
These Old Testament names of God reveal different dimensions of His character that are expressed in Jesus, including five benefits given to us through Jesus’s death:
Sin: forgiveness of sin
Spirit: fullness of the Holy Spirit
Soundness: health and healing
Success: freedom from the law’s curse of failure and insufficiency
Security: freedom from the fear of death and hell
We see Jesus stating who He is in the seven I AM statements in the book of John:
I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35)
I am the Light of the World (John 8:12)
I am the Door (John 10:9)
I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)
I am the Resurrection and the Life (John11:25)
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6)
I am the True Vine (John 15:1)
We can call on each and every name of God to honor Him, to Worship Him, and to go to the throne of grace for help in our time of need; we can call on Him as we intercede.
There is one name, though, that I find myself calling on regularly, and that is Yahweh Sabaoth – The Lord of hosts. This is a military term that describes Jesus as the Head or Leader of God’s armies. We can call upon Him when we need Him to fight for us. We see this name used by Old Testament characters in Scripture:
Hannah, when she petitioned the Lord for a son who would rescue God’s people from the Philistines.
David, when he met Goliath in battle, knowing that God was fighting for him.
Elijah, when he stood alone against 450 priests of Baal, and against King Ahab and Jezebel.
Are you joyful? Are you interceding? Are you in a battle? Are you wishing to connect to the God who loves you? Call on Him! He's eager to hear your voice.
Q: Which name(s) of God will you use today in prayer?
Q: What name of God did you learn that will help you speak with God more specifically?
Prayer: Lord of hosts, I pray you fight for each of Your precious ones, and that You would surround them with Yourself and the armies of heaven. Fight for them and attain the victories that are needed in their lives. Would You rescue, supply needs, protect, strengthen, and draw each one close to Your heart. We thank You, honor You, and give you praise. Amen.