“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” Paul wrote, asking for something specific, not strength that shows up in circumstances or muscles, but strength that reaches the actual core of who someone is.
These thirty verses are for exactly that, inner strength that holds steady regardless of what’s visible on the outside. For a broader collection of strength verses, prayer verses for strength pairs well with this one.
Pray these when your circumstances haven’t changed yet but you need something solid on the inside anyway.
Prayer for Inner Strength
1. Ephesians 3:16 (KJV)
“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”
Prayer: Strengthen me with power through Your Spirit in my inner being.
Let this strength reach the part of me that’s most tired.
2. Ephesians 3:17-19 (KJV)
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
Prayer: Let Christ dwell in my heart, rooted and grounded in love, able to grasp its width and depth.
Let this rootedness hold me steady through anything.
3. 2 Corinthians 4:16 (KJV)
“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
Prayer: Even as I’m outwardly wasting away, inwardly renew me day by day.
Let inward renewal keep pace with whatever wears on me outwardly.
4. Psalms 73:26 (KJV)
“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
Prayer: My flesh and my heart may fail, but You are the strength of my heart forever.
Let Your strength stand in exactly where mine runs out.
5. Isaiah 40:29-31 (KJV)
“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Prayer: You give strength to the weary, and increase the power of the weak.
Let renewed strength arrive right when the old kind runs out.
6. Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Prayer: I can do this through Christ who strengthens me.
Let this strength come from within, not just circumstances improving.
7. Colossians 1:11 (KJV)
“Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”
Prayer: Strengthen me with all power for great endurance and patience.
Let strength last as long as this actually takes.
8. Psalms 27:14 (KJV)
“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”
Prayer: Let me wait for You, be strong, and take heart.
Let waiting build strength instead of discouragement.
9. Psalms 31:24 (KJV)
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”
Prayer: Be strong and take heart, all who hope in You.
Let heart and strength arrive together, from the inside.
10. Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV)
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Prayer: Let me be strong and courageous, not afraid, for You go with me.
Let courage come from within, not just from circumstances.
11. Joshua 1:9 (KJV)
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Prayer: Let me be strong and courageous, not afraid or discouraged.
Let this command steady the actual core of who I am.
12. Habakkuk 3:19 (KJV)
“The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”
Prayer: The Lord God is my strength, He makes my feet like the deer’s.
Let sure footing come from the inside, even on hard ground.
13. Psalms 18:32 (KJV)
“It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.”
Prayer: You are the God who arms me with strength and makes my way secure.
Let my footing feel secure even while everything else feels uncertain.
14. Psalms 28:7 (KJV)
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
Prayer: You are my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in You.
Let trust come from deep within, not just surface calm.
15. Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)
“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Prayer: Let the joy of the Lord be my strength today.
Let joy fuel this inner strength, not just gritted-teeth willpower.
16. Psalms 46:1 (KJV)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Prayer: You are my refuge and strength, a very present help.
Let help feel present internally, not just externally.
17. Psalms 138:3 (KJV)
“In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.”
Prayer: When I called, You answered and made me bold and stouthearted.
Let boldness replace whatever weariness I’m carrying inside.
18. 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Prayer: You gave me a spirit not of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
Let a sound mind hold steady, regardless of circumstances.
19. Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Prayer: Don’t let me be dismayed, You are my God, You will strengthen and help me.
Let strengthening reach inside, not just circumstances outside.
20. Psalms 138:8 (KJV)
“The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.”
Prayer: You will fulfill Your purpose for me. Don’t abandon the work of Your hands.
Let purpose carry me through whatever this season requires.
21. 1 Peter 5:10 (KJV)
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
Prayer: After I have suffered a little while, restore me, make me strong, firm, and steadfast.
Let this suffering actually be followed by real, internal strength.
22. Romans 8:26 (KJV)
“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
Prayer: Your Spirit helps me in my weakness, interceding when I don’t know what to pray.
Let the Spirit carry what I don’t have words for right now.
23. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV)
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Prayer: Your grace is sufficient, Your power made perfect in weakness.
Let weakness be exactly where Your power shows up strongest inside me.
24. Psalms 84:5 (KJV)
“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.”
Prayer: Blessed is the one whose strength is in You.
Let my strength be rooted in You, not my own resources.
25. Psalms 29:11 (KJV)
“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”
Prayer: Give me strength, and bless me with peace.
Let this blessing settle deep, not just on the surface.
26. Isaiah 12:2 (KJV)
“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.”
Prayer: I will trust and not be afraid, You are my strength and my song.
Let trust replace fear from the inside out.
27. Exodus 15:2 (KJV)
“The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
Prayer: You are my strength and my defense, You have become my salvation.
Let defense and strength both be real, not just hoped for.
28. Psalms 68:35 (KJV)
“O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.”
Prayer: You give power and strength to Your people.
Let this promise cover me specifically, right now.
29. 1 Chronicles 16:11 (KJV)
“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.”
Prayer: Let me look to You and Your strength, seeking Your face always.
Let seeking You matter more than seeking strength alone.
30. Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Prayer: Bless me and keep me, make Your face shine on me, and give me peace and inner strength.
Let this old blessing settle into the deepest part of me.
Conclusion
Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians was specific for a reason. Circumstances don’t always cooperate, and outward strength doesn’t always hold. But strength rooted in the inner being, in something that isn’t dependent on what’s visible, can hold steady even when everything else can’t.
Notice today whether you’re waiting for circumstances to change before you feel strong, and pray against that dependence specifically.
For the long haul once you’re already tired, a prayer for perseverance is worth praying alongside this one.