Prayer points with Scriptures · 21 points
Prayer Points for Youth and Young Adults
These prayer points for youth and young adults are for parents, grandparents, youth pastors, small group leaders and churches praying for teenagers, college students and young adults. They cover a faith of their own, identity in Christ, purity and wise friendships, anxiety and pressure, school and calling, and the leaders, parents, youth programs and youth conferences that shape them. Young people can pray them for themselves and for each other too.
Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 (BSB)
At a youth service or conference prayer time, pray one section and invite students to pray for each other in twos or threes. At home, pray through it with a specific young person in mind: read the verse aloud and say their name in the prayer. One section a night takes about five minutes.
A faith of their own
1Remembering their Creator while young
God our Creator, call our young people to remember You in the days of their youth, before harder years come. Let them love You now, not someday, with a faith that belongs to them and not only to their parents.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of adversity come and the years approach of which you will say, “I find no pleasure in them,”
Ecclesiastes 12:1 (BSB)2Continuing in what they were taught
Father, for those who grew up hearing the Bible, help them continue in what they have learned and firmly believed. Use the Scriptures they heard as children to make them wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:14-15 (BSB)3Unashamed of the gospel
Lord Jesus, make our young people unashamed of the gospel at school, on campus, at work and online. Give them courage to be known as Your followers, even when it costs them something.
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek.
Romans 1:16 (BSB)
Identity and worth
4Fearfully and wonderfully made
Creator God, You knit each of our young people together in the womb. Where they compare themselves, dislike their bodies or feel worthless, let them know they are fearfully and wonderfully made, and praise You for it.
For You formed my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well.
Psalm 139:13-14 (BSB)5Called children of God
Father, let our young people see what great love You have given us, that we should be called children of God. Let that identity speak louder than grades, followers, looks or success.
Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.
1 John 3:1 (BSB)6Living for God’s approval
Lord Jesus, free our youth from living for the approval of people: likes, popularity, fitting in. Make them servants of Christ who care more about pleasing You than pleasing the crowd.
Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Galatians 1:10 (BSB)
Purity and wise choices
7Keeping their way pure
LORD, how can a young person keep their way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. Put Your word in our young people’s hearts, and let it guard what they watch, say and do.
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.
Psalm 119:9 (BSB)8Fleeing and pursuing
Lord, help our youth flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, together with friends who call on You out of a pure heart. Surround them with that kind of company.
Flee from youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, together with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22 (BSB)9A way out of temptation
Faithful God, You will not let our young people be tempted beyond what they can bear. When temptation comes, through screens, parties or pressure, show them the way out and give them strength to take it.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (BSB)10Wise friends
God of wisdom, give our young people friends who walk with the wise. Protect them from companions who would lead them toward harm, and make them the kind of friend who helps others follow Jesus.
He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.
Proverbs 13:20 (BSB)11Convictions like Daniel’s
Lord, as young Daniel made up his mind not to defile himself, give our youth convictions settled before the moment of pressure, and the grace to stand firm with courage and respect.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
Daniel 1:8 (BSB)
Anxiety, pressure and loneliness
12Casting their anxiety on You
Lord, many of our young people carry anxiety about school, the future, family and the world. Teach them to cast all their anxiety on You, because You care for them, and give them trusted adults they can talk to.
Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:7 (BSB)13Peace in a troubled world
Lord Jesus, You told us that in the world we will have tribulation, but You have overcome the world. Give our young people Your peace when the news, social media or their own hearts make them afraid.
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
John 16:33 (BSB)14Strength when they are worn out
LORD, even youths grow tired and weary. When our young people are exhausted by expectations, sports, jobs and studies, renew their strength as they wait on You, so they can run and not grow weary.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall. But those who wait upon the LORD will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31 (BSB)15Never separated from Your love
God, when our young people feel alone or unloved, let them know that nothing in all creation can separate them from Your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hold on to them when they feel they cannot hold on to You.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39 (BSB)
School, calling and witness
16Wisdom for big decisions
Father, our young people face big decisions about college, careers, money and relationships. Give them wisdom generously when they ask You, and make them humble enough to seek counsel from people who love them.
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 (BSB)17Listening to God
Lord, as young Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening,” give our youth hearts that listen to You through Your Word and are ready to obey what they hear.
Then the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.”
1 Samuel 3:10 (BSB)18Lights in their generation
Lord Jesus, in a crooked and perverse generation, let our young people shine as lights in the world: kind, honest and pure, so that their classmates and coworkers see something different and ask why.
so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine as lights in the world
Philippians 2:15 (BSB)
Leaders, parents and youth programs
19Youth pastors and volunteers
Lord, bless our youth pastors and volunteer leaders. Help them set an example in everything by doing good works, with integrity and dignity in their teaching, and give them patience, joy and wisdom with every student.
In the same way, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. In everything, show yourself to be an example by doing good works. In your teaching show integrity, dignity,
Titus 2:6-7 (BSB)20Parents who pass on the faith
Father, put Your words on the hearts of parents and grandparents, and help them talk about You naturally at home, on the road, at bedtime and at breakfast, so that faith is lived and not only taught.
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (BSB)21Youth conferences, camps and youth group
Lord, as our young people gather for youth group, camps and conferences, make them strong. Let Your word abide in them, help them overcome the evil one, and let what they receive there last long after they go home.
I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
1 John 2:14 (BSB)
A closing prayer
Father, we lift up the young people You have placed in our lives. Draw each of them to Jesus and give them a faith of their own. Guard their hearts and minds, give them good friends, and let them know they are loved by You. Make them strong in Your Word, wise in their choices and bold in their witness. Bless those who lead them, and keep them close to You all their days. Amen.
Pray with a voice
Short prayers with a voice to pray along with, each drawn from one passage.
Questions
How do I pray for my teenager?
Pray specifically and often: for a personal faith in Christ, a secure identity as God’s child, good friends, purity, wisdom and relief from anxiety. Pray Scripture over them by name, for example Psalm 119:9 or 1 Timothy 4:12. Let them know you pray for them, and ask what they would like you to pray about this week.
What Bible verses are good for a youth conference or youth program?
Common choices are 1 Timothy 4:12 (setting an example), Ecclesiastes 12:1 (remembering your Creator in your youth), Psalm 119:9 (keeping your way pure), Isaiah 40:30-31 (strength for the weary), Romans 12:2 (a renewed mind) and 1 John 2:14 (strong, with God’s word abiding in them). Any of the verses on this page can anchor a prayer time.
Can young people pray these for themselves?
Yes. Replace ‘our young people’ with ‘me’ and each prayer becomes your own, for example: ‘Faithful God, You will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear.’ Students can also pray them together at youth group, in a campus ministry or over a group chat.
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.