5 Pentecost Prayers
Use these Pentecost prayers for yourself in your personal devotions or in your church for opening worship or small groups to celebrate this holiday, the festival of harvest.
What Is Pentecost?
The story of Pentecost is a pivotal event in Christianity. Though the specific event that we celebrate as the Day of Pentecost takes place in the New Testament, we learn that Pentecost was one of the Jewish feast days which went all the way back to the Old Testament.
It is the Greek name that is used in the New Testament, however, the Old Testament Jews referred to it as the Feast of Harvest or the Feast of Weeks.
If you are looking to celebrate and reflect on Pentecost either by yourself, with family, or even as a church, these Pentecost prayers are a great way to do that.
For believers today, Pentecost Sunday symbolizes the event where the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit was poured out on the early believers and signifies the beginning of the church. The story of Pentecost is found in Acts 2:1-13, the text reads as follows.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken.
Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” Acts 2:1-13
Can you picture being a part of this event? As the believers were gathered together on the Day of Pentecost they heard a sound like a rushing wind and saw that something that resembled tongues of fire rested on them. In that moment they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began speaking in other languages, languages that they did not know.
As this took place, a large crowd had gathered from many different nations. They all stood amazed as they saw and heard the disciples speak in their languages, knowing that these men were Galileans, who did not know all of their languages. Yet, there they were speaking in their language, and they understood every word.
Peter further explains in this passage to the crowds that what they had just witnessed was God’s fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy, which spoke of the Holy Spirit being poured out. This is also called the descent of the Holy Spirit. That day Peter preached the gospel to the crowd and 3,000 people were saved and baptized, marking the birth of the early church.
Way To Celebrate Pentecost
Today we can remember and celebrate the feast of Pentecost. Celebrating the day can look different for many people, and there are small things that you can incorporate into the day either on your own, with your family, or as a church.
Here are a few ways in which you can celebrate and reflect on Pentecost Sunday this year.
1. Through prayer
Take the time to thank God for the church, as well as His Spirit and His power that continues to work in believers today.
2. Reading the text
Thoughtfully read through the text found in the Acts of the Apostles and meditate on what it means.
3. Have a feast
Since it’s a feast day, prepare a feast with others to celebrate the birth of the church.
4. Worship through song
A great way to reflect on God’s work on Pentecost is through praise and worship.
Pentecost Prayers
1. A Short Prayer Inviting The Holy Spirit To Come
Father in heaven,
We thank You for Your Holy Spirit and the work that He has done throughout the history of the world. As we think back to the day of Pentecost, we are reminded of the outpouring of Your Spirit that worked powerfully through ordinary people like ourselves.
We thank You for giving us Your Spirit and bringing our cold and hardened hearts to life. We invite Your Spirit to make His home inside of our hearts. Help us not to grieve Your Holy Spirit, but instead to live as a living sacrifice for Your kingdom and purposes.
We ask Your Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. May we not be led by our flesh, but be guided by Your Spirit in both our speech and our deeds. May we truly live as the temple of God, knowing that Your Spirit lives within us.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
2. A Prayer To Stir Up The Life-Giving Spirit of Pentecost
Lord,
We come before You on this Pentecost Sunday, humbled and grateful for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. How wonderful it is to think that the same Spirit whom You poured out on the disciples at Pentecost is the same Spirit who lives in us today.
Thank You for giving us Your life-giving Spirit. We are so prone to forget that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. Please forgive us for the times that we suppress the conviction of Your Spirit, and live in ways that are contrary to the Spirit and in line with the flesh.
We ask that Your life-giving Spirit would fill us, and give us boldness to proclaim the gospel just as on the day of Pentecost. Please strengthen us in our faith and increase our reliance on Your Holy Spirit. Fill us with the fruit of Your Spirit, that it might be evident that He lives in us.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
3. A Prayer For God’s Transforming Power
Dear God,
We are grateful for Your grace that has been poured out into our lives. Thank You for breathing Your breath of life into us and taking us from death to life. We ask that Your transforming power would work in our hearts and lives and be a testimony of Your goodness to those around us.
You have called us to die to ourselves and to live for Christ. We confess that our lives at times are more about ourselves than about You. We ask for Your forgiveness, and for the humility, strength, and discipline to deny ourselves and pick up our cross daily.
We desire Your heart transforming and life-changing power. We ask that You work mightily in our hearts, and shape us into the image of Your Son, Jesus. May we walk in faithfulness, and obedience. And may our lives be a reflection of Your power at work within us.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
4. A Prayer Of Thanks For The Holy Spirit
Heavenly Father,
On this Pentecost Sunday, we want to bring Your honor and praise for Your Holy Spirit. We thank You for His wonderworking power in our lives and the lives of other believers. Thank You for giving us Your Spirit just as You promised that You would.
Thank You for giving us Your Spirit as our counselor. We ask that You help us to seek Your Spirit for guidance and to submit to His leading. Thank You that we get to commune with You through Your Holy Spirit and that He has made our hearts alive in Christ.
We are grateful for the comfort of Your Spirit who comforts us in all our sorrows. We thank You for Your Spirit’s power that changes us and makes us more like Christ. We thank You for the conviction of Your Spirit that leads us on the right path and gives us an understanding of Your Word.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
5. A Prayer To Be Aware Of The Holy Spirit’s Guidance Throughout Your Day
Lord,
It is such a privilege that we get to commune with You each day. Thank You for Your Spirit that has made us alive to the things that are above. Once we were dead in our trespasses and sins, but You have made us alive together with Christ. Thank You for giving us Your Holy Spirit as our guide and as a seal of Your promises to us.
On this Pentecost Sunday, we reflect on the work of Your Spirit. He has been at work from the beginning and continues to work mightily within us. Please help us to be aware of Your Spirit’s guidance throughout our days. Keep us from suppressing Your Spirit’s guidance, and help us to be attentive to His leading.
Help us to grow in the knowledge of Your Word so that we might be able to discern when You are speaking to
us. Help us to be sensitive to Your Spirit, and keep us from grieving Your Holy Spirit. Help us to live according to Your Spirit and to put to death the desires of the flesh.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
