Prayer points with Scriptures · 21 points
Prayer Points for the Month of April
These prayer points for the month of April are for individuals, families, prayer meetings and churches celebrating Easter. In most years Easter falls in April, and the whole month can be lived in its light. These points walk through Holy Week and the cross, the empty tomb, new life in Christ, hope for those who grieve, and sharing the good news that Jesus is alive. Beside every point is the Bible verse it prays.
He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
Matthew 28:6 (BSB)
During Holy Week, pray the first section day by day, then the second on Easter Sunday. For the rest of the month, a section a week works well. In a group, read each verse, pray together, and leave room for people to thank Jesus in their own words for the cross and the empty tomb.
Holy Week and the cross
1Your King comes, humble
Lord Jesus, centuries before Palm Sunday, Zechariah told Jerusalem that its King would come righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey. You came exactly so. Be welcome as King in our hearts and homes, and give us Your humility.
Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
Zechariah 9:9 (BSB)2The bread and the cup
Lord Jesus, on the night before You died You gave thanks, broke the bread and gave Your disciples the cup of the new covenant in Your blood. As our church remembers You at Your table, let us never take Your body given for us lightly.
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.
Luke 22:19-20 (BSB)3Pierced for our transgressions
LORD, we all like sheep have gone astray, each to his own way, and You laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Thank You that the punishment that brought us peace fell on Him.
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6 (BSB)4It is finished
Lord Jesus, on the cross You said it is finished, then bowed Your head and yielded up Your spirit. There is nothing left for us to add. When we try to earn Your love or pay for our own sins, remind us that the work is complete.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
John 19:30 (BSB) · Pray this verse →5The great exchange
Father, You made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. We stand amazed: our sin laid on Him, His righteousness given to us. We cannot thank You enough.
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (BSB)
He is risen
6Not among the dead
Lord Jesus, the two men at Your tomb asked the women why they looked for the living among the dead. You rose on the third day, just as You had told them. Lift our eyes from every grave in our lives to You, the living Lord.
As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”
Luke 24:5-7 (BSB)7The resurrection and the life
Lord Jesus, You told Martha that You are the resurrection and the life, then asked whether she believed it. We answer yes. Whoever believes in You will live, even though he dies. Strengthen that faith in every believer facing death.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 (BSB) · Pray this verse →8Death has lost its sting
God, thank You for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Death has lost its sting, because Jesus paid for our sin and rose again. Let that victory shape how we live, how we grieve and how we face our own last day.
“Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (BSB)9Alive forever, holding the keys
Lord Jesus, when John fell at Your feet, You laid Your right hand on him and told him not to be afraid. You were dead, and now You are alive forever, and You hold the keys of Death and of Hades. We will not be afraid.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
Revelation 1:17-18 (BSB)
New life in Christ
10Raised with Christ, minds set above
Father, since we have been raised with Christ, help us set our minds on things above, where He is seated at Your right hand. Our life is now hidden with Christ in You. Loosen our grip on things that will not last.
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3 (BSB)11The power of His resurrection
Lord Jesus, more than anything we want to know You and the power of Your resurrection, and even the fellowship of Your sufferings. Do Your resurrection work in us this spring: in stubborn sins, tired faith and cold love.
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10-11 (BSB)12The seed that dies and bears fruit
Lord Jesus, You said a kernel of wheat must fall to the ground and die before it bears much fruit. You died, and Your death has borne fruit in countless lives. Teach us to let go of ourselves so that our lives bear fruit too.
Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.
John 12:24 (BSB)13The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus
Holy Spirit, You are the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead, and You live in everyone who belongs to Christ. Thank You for the promise of life for our mortal bodies too. Give us strength for today and hope for the day of resurrection.
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Romans 8:11 (BSB)
Hope for those who grieve
14The firstfruits of those who sleep
Lord, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For everyone grieving a loved one who trusted in Jesus, let His empty tomb assure them that the grave does not have the last word.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:20 (BSB)15I know that my Redeemer lives
LORD, Job lost almost everything and still said that his Redeemer lives. We pray for those whose Easter is heavy with loss. Give them Job’s stubborn hope that in the end, in their flesh, they will see God.
But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.
Job 19:25-26 (BSB)16A place prepared
Lord Jesus, You told Your troubled disciples not to let their hearts be troubled, because You were going to prepare a place for them and would come back for them. Comfort every family with an empty chair at the Easter table with that promise.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe in Me as well. In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.
John 14:1-3 (BSB) · Pray this verse →
Sharing the good news
17We cannot stop speaking
Lord, Peter and John told the rulers they could not stop speaking about what they had seen and heard. Give us that same overflowing joy in the risen Jesus, so that talking about Him comes as naturally as sharing any other good news.
For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Acts 4:20 (BSB)18Tell His disciples and Peter
Lord Jesus, after Peter denied You three times, the message from the empty tomb was to tell Your disciples and Peter. Thank You for including the ones who failed. Reach believers who have drifted away, and bring them home this Easter.
But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.’”
Mark 16:7 (BSB)19Believing without seeing
Lord Jesus, You were patient with Thomas, and You blessed those who have not seen and yet have believed. Be patient with the doubters in our families and church. Meet them in their questions, and give them faith in You.
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John 20:29 (BSB)20Easter visitors who want to hear more
Lord, when Paul spoke of the resurrection, some mocked, but others said they wanted to hear more. Give our Easter visitors that curiosity. Help us follow up with care: a meal, an honest answer or an invitation back.
When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”
Acts 17:32 (BSB)21Written so that we may believe
Father, John’s Gospel was written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing have life in His name. Use Your word this month to bring someone we love from death to life.
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
John 20:31 (BSB)
A closing prayer
Risen Lord Jesus, You died for our sins and rose again on the third day. Thank You that the grave could not hold You, and it will not hold those who trust in You. Comfort the grieving, lift up the weary, and give us new life in You. Fill us with a joy that cannot stay quiet, and use us this month to tell our families, friends and neighbors that You are alive. Amen.
Pray with a voice
Short prayers with a voice to pray along with, each drawn from one passage.
Questions
What is Holy Week?
Holy Week is the week before Easter. It begins on Palm Sunday, remembering Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11), includes the Last Supper on the night before His death (Luke 22:7-20) and His crucifixion on Good Friday (John 19), and leads up to the resurrection on Easter Sunday (Matthew 28).
Why is Easter usually in April?
Western churches celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21, as the church calculates it, so Easter can fall anywhere from March 22 to April 25. That puts it in April in most years. Orthodox churches use a different calculation and often celebrate later.
What Bible verses are good for April and Easter?
For the resurrection: Matthew 28:6, Luke 24:5-7, John 11:25-26 and 1 Corinthians 15:55-57. For the cross: Isaiah 53:5-6, John 19:30 and 2 Corinthians 5:21. For new life in Christ: Colossians 3:1-3 and Romans 8:11. For hope in grief: Job 19:25-26 and John 14:1-3.
More prayer points
Every verse on this page is quoted word for word from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which its publishers dedicated to the public domain. Copy, print and share these prayer points freely with your church.