Prayer for Advent holds the season of expectant waiting, the centuries of prophecy pointing toward a promised Savior, and the ongoing anticipation of His return. Scripture treats waiting itself as meaningful, not just an empty gap before the good part arrives.
These thirty prayers walk through that anticipation, from ancient prophecy to present hope. If a prayer for Christmas Eve celebrated the arrival itself, let this prayer be the waiting that makes that arrival so significant.
Pray these throughout the Advent season, one for each day if you like, letting anticipation build rather than rushing toward Christmas.
Prayer for Advent
1. Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
Prayer: Father, a child is born, a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace.
Let this ancient promise feel as fresh as it did the day it was first spoken.
2. Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
Prayer: Lord, You promised a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son, calling Him Immanuel, God with us.
Let this promise of God with us feel personal, not just historical.
3. Luke 2:10-11 (KJV)
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Prayer: Father, do not let me be afraid, for good news of great joy has come, a Savior born for all people.
Let this joy be fresh again this Advent, not just familiar routine.
4. Micah 5:2 (KJV)
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Prayer: Lord, from Bethlehem, small among the clans, You brought forth the ruler over Israel, whose origins are from ancient days.
Let this reminder that You often work through small, overlooked places encourage me too.
5. Isaiah 40:3 (KJV)
“The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Prayer: Father, a voice cried in the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord. Let me prepare my own heart this Advent season.
Let genuine preparation, not just calendar countdown, mark this waiting.
6. Luke 1:31-33 (KJV)
“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
Prayer: Lord, You told Mary she would conceive and give birth to a son, and His kingdom would never end.
Let me trust promises that seem impossible, the way Mary eventually did.
7. Malachi 3:1 (KJV)
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Prayer: Father, You promised to send Your messenger to prepare the way before You.
Let me be part of preparing the way, not just passively waiting.
8. Matthew 1:23 (KJV)
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
Prayer: Lord, the virgin conceived and gave birth to a son, and they called Him Immanuel, God with us.
Let this truth, God with us, shape how I understand this whole season.
9. Luke 1:46-55 (KJV)
“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”
Prayer: Father, my soul glorifies You, my spirit rejoices in You, my Savior, for You have done great things.
Let my own soul echo Mary’s response, wonder rather than routine.
10. Titus 2:13 (KJV)
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
Prayer: Lord, let me wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
Let this hope stay alive, not just during Advent, but all year.
11. Romans 13:11-12 (KJV)
“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
Prayer: Father, let me wake from sleep, for the night is nearly over, the day is almost here.
Let alertness, not spiritual drowsiness, mark how I wait this season.
12. Isaiah 60:1 (KJV)
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”
Prayer: Lord, arise, shine, for my light has come, and Your glory rises over me.
Let this light feel real, not just symbolic during this dark season.
13. John 1:14 (KJV)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Prayer: Father, the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Let that nearness be real to me this Advent.
Let this truth stay astonishing, not become too familiar to notice.
14. Luke 2:25-32 (KJV)
“And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”
Prayer: Lord, Simeon waited faithfully his whole life for the consolation of Israel. Let my own waiting be that faithful.
Let patience mark my waiting, however long it takes.
15. Psalms 130:5-6 (KJV)
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.”
Prayer: Father, I wait for You, my whole being waits, and in Your word I put my hope.
Let hope, not impatience, define how I wait this season.
16. Isaiah 11:1-2 (KJV)
“And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;”
Prayer: Lord, a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, and the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him.
Let me see how carefully You planned this arrival, long before it happened.
17. Luke 1:78-79 (KJV)
“Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Prayer: Father, because of Your tender mercy, the rising sun will come to us from heaven, to shine on those in darkness.
Let this light reach the specific darkness I am currently facing.
18. Habakkuk 2:3 (KJV)
“For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
Prayer: Lord, this revelation awaits an appointed time, it will not prove false. Though it lingers, help me wait for it.
Let patience hold, even when the waiting feels longer than expected.
19. John 3:16 (KJV)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Prayer: Father, You loved the world so much that You gave Your only Son, so that whoever believes will have eternal life.
Let this gift feel as significant now as it did the first Christmas.
20. 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Prayer: Lord, You are patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Let Your patience shape my own, especially toward those still waiting to believe.
21. Genesis 3:15 (KJV)
“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
Prayer: Father, from the very beginning, You promised one who would crush the enemy’s head. Let me trace this whole story back to that first promise.
Let me see this whole story as one continuous thread, not disconnected events.
22. Isaiah 61:1-2 (KJV)
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;”
Prayer: Lord, You anointed Him to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for captives.
Let me remember this is exactly what this waiting was always for.
23. Philippians 4:4-5 (KJV)
“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
Prayer: Father, let me rejoice in You always, for You are near, closer than this season sometimes lets me feel.
Let joy, not just anticipation, mark this waiting.
24. Revelation 22:20 (KJV)
“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, You say, surely I am coming soon. Amen, come, Lord Jesus.
Let this same longing for Your return be genuine in me too.
25. Luke 2:14 (KJV)
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
Prayer: Father, glory to You in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom Your favor rests.
Let peace, real peace, be what this season actually brings me.
26. Matthew 1:21 (KJV)
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
Prayer: Lord, You will save Your people from their sins, that is why You are named Jesus.
Let me remember what this arrival was actually for, not just the sentiment of the season.
27. Psalms 85:10 (KJV)
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
Prayer: Father, let mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace kiss each other, exactly as this season promises.
Let this beautiful meeting of mercy and truth be evident in my own life too.
28. Isaiah 35:4 (KJV)
“Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.”
Prayer: Lord, say to those with fearful hearts, be strong, do not fear, your God will come.
Let this promise steady whatever fear I am currently carrying into this season.
29. Luke 21:28 (KJV)
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.”
Prayer: Father, when these things begin to happen, let me stand up and lift my head, because my redemption is drawing near.
Let hope, not anxiety, be what I lift my head toward this season.
30. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 (KJV)
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”
Prayer: Lord, let me not fall asleep like others, but stay awake and sober, alert to what You are doing this season.
Let this Advent stay genuinely alert, not distracted by everything else the season brings.
Conclusion
Prayer for Advent takes waiting seriously, scripture never treats anticipation as an empty gap, but as its own significant season, full of prophecy, longing, and preparation for what was always coming.
Return to these verses one at a time throughout Advent, letting genuine anticipation build rather than rushing straight to Christmas morning.
For the arrival this season anticipates, a prayer for Christmas Eve and a prayer for faith, hope and love both pair naturally with this one.