12 Prayers Against Pride + Scriptures

Pride is a sneaky heart condition that can corrupt GREAT people. Unfortunately, many people fail to see they struggle with pride until it wreaks havoc on their relationships with others.

 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

Fortunately, God has given YOU the holy spirit to avoid “falling” due to prideful behavior. If you would open your heart and mind to God’s voice, you’d hear him teaching you to be humble and to be open to correction. More specifically, God wants to purify your heart and release you from the bondage of pride.

You can rejoice because your healing will come. He wants you to THRIVE in every area of your life. Remember, God doesn’t break biblical promises. And the Bible promises purification for those whom stay in his sanctifying power.

Related Article: 7 Root Causes of Pride

Prayer Against Pride

O’ Lord, I look to you for the purification of my heart and the transformation of my mind. Just as King David prayed, I too pray for you to search my heart. I give you permission to remove the scales from my eyes. Help me to see the depths of my heart. Reveal every wicked way within me O’ Lord. For your word promises that with every temptation you will make a way to escape. I trust you papa to lead me into humility and purity. I trust you to make my heart a reflection of yours. I know you have good plans for me O’ Lord. I declare Jeremiah 29:11 over my life. For you my God have plans to cleanse me and use me for a great purpose. I rejoice because brokenness and pain is not my portion. I exalt you God, for in your timing, I will be completely transformed into your image of righteousness. Amen.

Prayer for a Humble Heart

Jehovah Jireh, I look to you as my provider. I ask you for the strength to be humble and vulnerable. I acknowledge that I need you to overcome pride. I accept your help in every conversation and situation. For I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. So thank you God for clothing me in humility, patience, meekness, love, and gentleness. With your help, I am excited to become a better communicator, friend, partner, worker, and person. Thank you Abba father. Amen.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

Prayer Against Prideful Characteristics

Do you exhibit any characteristics of pride? If yes, I want to help you pray away each layer. Remember, breakthrough and total freedom is your portion. And healing is in your future.

“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

1. Prayer Against Insecurities

Do you have a fragile ego that is easily hurt, offended, and triggered? Then, you may seek to hide your sensitivities from the world and exude confidence or toughness.

Abba father, I submit my tender heart to you. I am fragile and delicate in this moment. I need you in ways that words can’t express. I rejoice because you know me father. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. You know my coming and my going. You know my thoughts before they form. You see how weak I am Abba. You see how hard it is to remain vulnerable, patient, kind, and humble. My heart is struggling to keep up in this painful and judgemental world. So I look to you my God. I ask you to loan me your strength. You’re the way maker that can heal me of all my insecurities. For through Christ, I can do all things. I trust you. I believe you. And I patiently wait for you to heal me of all my insecurities and fears. Amen.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-14)

Related Article: Dying To Self: 4 Tips To Crucify the Flesh!

2. Prayer Against Self Righteousness

A belief that you are better than others and have been blessed because you are “special” and “worked” harder than everyone else. You criticize, judge, and come across as entitled, a know-it-all, or condescending.

Father, teach me to be humble. Teach me that your ways are not my way. Help me to understand that I am a human that is in constant need of an all knowing God. Abba, I thank you for making me wise and helping me to stay pure. I renounce the need to be special and better than others. O’ Lord, you have blessed me with strength and grace. But, I boast only in you Lord. I boast in your ability to give saints what they need to remain holy and to live an abundant life. You are a fair and just God. You are not a respecter of person, but a loving God that equally loves all of his children. I admire your love. I admire your humility. Help me to imitate you o’ Lord. Amen.

“You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 7:5 ) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

3. Prayer Against Controlling

Trying to control life, the actions of others, and situations means you think you are more capable than God. These characteristics makes it challenging to let go and let God.

Father god, I acknowledge that you are more qualified to be in control. Help me to release manipulation, lies, control, fear, and worry. Today, I choose to believe that you have everything under control. I don’t need to do anything. My only responsibility is to trust you. So, I trust you father. I trust you to order the steps of my loved ones. I trust you to turn what the enemy meant for evil into good. You are capable of the impossible and I gladly rest in your strength. Amen.

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

4. Prayer Against Power Hungry Behavior

 Do you struggle with a desire for power? Then, you may have a need to be right all the time and be in charge or you feel insignificant.

O’ Lord, I look to you to guide me. In my weakness, I desire to be in charge and to take over. My flesh is weak and thinks it knows better. You O’ Lord, see how power makes me feel good. But, I don’t want to always be in control. I don’t want to place everyone below me to feel powerful. So, help me to submit to your leadership God. Help me to be submissive rather than bossy. I trust you to heal and guide me God. For you care about every emotion and behavior I have. I trust and love you Lord. Amen.

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 

Related Article: Examples of Pride: Power Hungry Eve 

5. Prayer Against Perfectionism

 Do you often wonder what people think and if God is pleased with you? Then, you do a lot of things like fasting, praying, and working harder than others to achieve more than others. Rather than doing it for the right reasons.

Jehovah-Shalom, you are the God of peace. Help me to be content and okay in every situation. Teach me to love godliness and not strive for worldliness. The world is constantly saying we need to be and do things to be respected, loved, and successful. I renounce that mindset O’ Lord. I will allow your blood to transform my mind. I will see myself and people as perfect and wonderfully made despite their works. Thank you Lord for fresh vision and love for people despite their mistakes. Amen.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)

6. Prayer Against People Pleasing

Do you tend to go along with the decisions, thoughts, and theology of others even if you disagree? Them, you do things so that others or God will love or admire you more. People pleasing is done so others will see you as impressive and worthy of love.

Abba father, I desire to please you alone. You are worthy of my everything O’ Lord. You know me like no other. You love me like none other. So help me father, to fix my eyes on you. Help me to lean on you when everyone else tells me that your word isn’t faithful. Help me to avoid saying and doing things to please those around me. With your help papa, I desire to be the authentic me that lives to please you alone. I acknowledge that your opinions are greater than the flawed words of man. Remove fear of what people think from me. Help me to be bold enough to follow your laws even when it brings me judgment and hate. Hide me in your wings O’ lord and lead me to still waters. For you Lord, keep me safe. I trust you. Amen.

No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:3-5)

7. Prayer Against Judgmental Behavior

Do you often judge and criticize others? Then, at the root you may believe you did it all by yourself and no one helped you. Everyone that isn’t at your level isn’t as hardworking and dedicated as you.

I submit my mind to you O’ God. I repent for criticism, negativity, and judgement. Father, search my heart and reveal all that is within me, so that I can change any offensive ways. In you O’ Lord, my mind is being transformed into the likeness of Christ. In your strength, I will think pure thoughts about the people around me. And I will see others as a beautifully and wonderfully made in your image. Restore compassion and empathy in me to understand people that have different stories and opinions than me. Break down biases and narrow minded thinking within me. In you Lord, I rejoice, for you are making me a living and breathing representation of your holiness. Amen.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-4)

8. Prayer Against Rebellion

You think you know it all, so you choose paths that are often against God’s will.

Abba father, remove the desire within me to do things my own way and disobey your word. I acknowledge that your plans are better than any I can make. I need your strength to wait on your promises and stay faithful that you will work out all things for my good. Help me to keep my heart soft, pure, and vulnerable before you. I trust you papa God, for you are a good father and you love me. I praise you God, for you are magnificent. Your ways are beautiful. Your character is fair, loving, and patient. Where can I stray from your love O’ Lord? You are omnipotent and omnipresent. You never leave my side. You strengthen me as I walk through obstacles and face daily challenges. I trust you to lead me into an abundant life God. Amen.

“The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15) Remember what it says: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” (Hebrews 3:15)

9. Prayer Against Boastfulness & Entitlement

 Pride causes us to show off and brag.

Abba father, open my eyes, so I don’t judge others for what they don’t have. Everything you have given me Lord is a gift. You have blessed me greatly because you love me and have great plans for my life. I thank you God that you have dealt with me justly and lovingly. I desire to give that same portion of love to others. So, Father, deepen my love for others, so I can use my blessings to bless others. Break my heart for what breaks yours papa. Lead me into a deeper understanding of the brokenness and need in this world. And papa, prepare me to be a solution to the problems and a representation of holiness. Amen.

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Related Article: Examples of Pride: Entitled Jonah

10. Prayer Against Ungratefulness

Your best intentions to fix, perform, and live life can fail without God’s blessing. Don’t let your heart be deceived that you are better than others that are in hard situations. Be grateful when good things happen because you can do everything right and everything can still go wrong. It’s not your power, but the power of God when things go well because He causes all things to work together for our good. 

Lord God Almighty, you are consistent, constant, and unwavering. Even though life is unstable and constantly changing, you stay the same. You balance the scales for those who are being taken advantage of. You O’ Lord consider the ways of the oppressed and seek out their justice. Your promises remain the same today and forever more. I thank you that you don’t change your mind and the promises in the Bible are our portion. I am confident that you have a perfect plan for every single human on this earth. I will not judge anyone’s individual story, for you will have your way in the hearts, homes, and minds of mankind. I rejoice for you are leading all of creation into your love. Hallelujah, let your kingdom come God. Amen.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:1-5)