7 Effective Opening Prayers for Worship

Starting the service off with a sincere opening prayer for worship is the best way to revere and focus on God’s glory.

Prayer is the easiest way to connect with God. Personal prayers are our most intimate moments with the Lord. But worship through church service is another way to praise Him. The Scripture reminds us that when two or more are gathered in the Lord’s name, there He is among them. 

Hence, it is important to start any worship service with prayer. Opening prayers for worship help us summon the Almighty God and the presence of the Holy Spirit. That is why in any Christian event, we start these with prayer more likely than not.

What is an Opening Prayer for Worship?

Opening prayer for worship is a prayer prepared before the official start of an event. The event may be a regular Sunday service or any personal or business affairs we partake in. This type of prayer serves as an invitation for the Lord God Almighty to join us. It also invites the Lord to guide the purpose of our occasion. Opening prayers for worship also helps us to focus on God’s will rather than rely on our plans. It also sets our disposition in a prayerful mood that helps us focus more on the God-driven purpose of the occasion.

Opening Prayer for Worship

Preparing to Pray Before Worship Service Begins

Saying an invocation for worship service is easy. But preparing for the start of the worship is another thing. For instance, we should prepare for the actual words in our prayers. Here are some points you can address in your opening prayers:

Acclaim God the Heavenly Father

Begin your opening prayer by addressing God with an attribute that will remind you of how powerful He is. You may start your opening prayers with “Dear Lord, maker of heaven and earth and all things.” It helps us grasp the idea that anything is possible with God and His mercy is available for us to receive.

Offer thanksgiving to God

Think of something you are grateful for. It does not need to be a big accomplishment, but more of a sincere victory that you believe God gave you recently. It can also be a Bible account of victory that relates to the occasion you are starting. It helps us trust more of His promises by referencing the graces He gave us before (Psalms 4:7).

Submit your requests to God

After acknowledging God’s immense power, you may submit your requests to Him. Your immediate supplications relating to the worship and church service are included here. You may ask for a blessing to guide a resource speaker, your pastor, or all the participants involved. You may also include the endeavor of the service and its success for His glory.

Revere God and ask for intercession in Jesus Christ’s name

Finally, declare power to your prayer by revering God once more. It is also important to ask for the intercession of His only Son our Lord Jesus Christ! Complete your prayer and include something such as “These we ask in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ, Amen!”

Physically prepare yourself in a holy disposition

It is difficult to focus on your worship in a disorganized manner. That is why it is also important to physically prepare and dispose of ourselves in God’s presence (Matthew 18:18-20). You may take a quiet moment of preparing for the worship service and say your opening prayer with your head bowed to signify reverence before the Holy God.

Best Opening Prayers for Worship

Many say that the first step is usually the hardest. And preparing for an opening prayer is no stranger! In fact, some worship services begin with contemporary prayers such as the Lord’s prayer. But whether you are stuck on your prayer draft, or nervous about the right words to say for your opening prayers, we have included in this article a sample opening prayer that may help you. 

Below are the best opening prayer examples that you may take inspiration from for your next worship service. May these sample invocations for worship serve as an inspiration for you and your congregation in your next meeting!

Opening devotional prayer before worship

Our Father in heaven, you are the only true God. 

Thank you for all the grace and wonderful deeds you continue to give us. We ask for your blessing and guidance in celebrating this worship in your name. Make us one with your army of angels through this worship service. And we ask that you would be in our midst today and forevermore.

May you restore, strengthen, and bless this fellowship and help us to use all the blessings you give us to glorify your precious name. We ask all these in Jesus’ name, Amen!

Invocation prayer worship service

Dear God, with Your power nothing is impossible. With spirit raised and hearts trusting, we are grateful for your promise that when two or more are gathered, you are there among them.

We thank you for the opportunity to gather in your holy presence once more. Oh Lord, we ask that you would bless our worship service today. We pray that you would help us have a yearning heart and an open ear so that we may thirst for your word and manifest your glory today.

May you fill us with wisdom to understand your will and after this worship service, may you help make us instruments for your greater purpose. These we ask in the holy name of your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Opening prayer to prepare

Mighty God and Father, 

Your name makes all darkness disappear. We are grateful for your mighty presence today that envelopes us. Heavenly Lord, your joy overflowed within us today, and we ask once more for your holy presence.

We ask for protection and guidance in our season of preparation. It is guaranteed that your grace defeat an evil spirit, but we ask further that your presence overshadow the doubters and ill-wishers. Fill us with the strength of the Holy Spirit so that we may fulfill your purpose. 

These we ask in Jesus’ name, amen.

Opening Prayer for Worship

Opening Prayer for the Spirit to Work

Dear Lord and Savior Jesus,

You are at the right hand of God forever, you perfect our faith. Together with the Holy Spirit, you fill us with grace and bless our lives forever. We pray today for intercession through the power of Jesus’ name, that in whatever we do for the glory of God, may the spirit be there to guide us.

We pray that You would grant our physical body the divine mysteries of the spirit, and we seek that You give us Your blessings abundant enough to complete our mission. Make us true followers and an example of a good child of God before the whole world.

We ask all these through the intercession of Jesus’ name, Amen!

Invocation Prayer for Fellowship, Humility, and Peace

Dear Father, our everlasting Lord,

Everything we have, we received from you. All your provisions make us complete, all your grace perfect us in your image. We are gathered here today as a group for your glory. Thank you for the gift of life and fellowship with our group. Without your grace, these beautiful relationships would not grow.

Father God, we ask that you may restore the faith of those who come today broken. Strengthen those who may feel weak and hopeless. We pray for the building of faith for those of us who cast a shadow of doubt on your power and for those who are anxious, we pray for peace.

As we appeal to all these, we believe these are already answered prayers because your grace and mercy know no boundaries, Oh Lord! Despite your generous provisions, we likewise pray for humility, for we know that humility and fear of the Heavenly Father lead to true riches.

Through the mercy of Jesus, we pray that you grant these in His name, Amen!

Opening Prayer against Evil and Temptation

Dear Lord, our righteous Father, you are the rock that never wavers.

We lean into you when all things fail, and when the enemy appears on our path. All elements of the dark world crumble before you and are cast out in Jesus’ name. Thank you for the continuous protection you bestow upon us. Today, we pray for protection against the evil one and to deliver us from all harm. Your provisions and grace are enough for us to live by. 

But evil is persistent in temptation. We offer our prayer, too, that you help us resist and turn from temptation and strengthen our faith in you, so that we may focus our energy on glorifying your name. You alone are the Lord, and we worship no God other than you! May this serenity prayer reminds us that you are our strong fortress, and in your Son Jesus’ name, all things are possible.

We offer these prayers through the intercession of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen!

Opening prayer of blessings

Father God, you alone are worthy of all the glory and thanksgiving.

Oh Lord, your overwhelming joy never fails to make all the earth sing for your glory! You are the blessed Lord, never lacking in anything. We pray before you today to ask for guidance and strength to start this celebration. We humbly pray that you may grant us your blessing to make this a success.

The treasures of the whole earth are nothing compared to your grace! Have mercy upon us, everlasting Father, and heed our request. In the mightiness of Jesus’ name, we offer these prayers, Amen!

Significance of Opening Prayers for Worship

Whether we are preparing for the usual Sunday worship service or the next big worship meeting, it is important to say a prayer offered at the beginning of the occasion. Through offering a prayer before the worship begins, we invite the Lord and the Holy Spirit to fill us with guidance to make our meeting succeed (Psalms 3:5). Opening prayers for worship also set our hearts ready to understand God’s will. Sometimes, we plan our intentions for these worship services in advance, but we do not realize that they may be different from God’s will. Opening prayers help us and our hearts to prepare for our expectations and learn to trust what God will give us.

Opening Prayer for Worship

In Summary

There are a lot of things that we do to glorify the Lord in our worship services. We do it through written and spoken prayer and sometimes, through music. But, opening prayers is a great reminder to worship God before we start anything else. These prayers help us understand that God is the reason for all that we do. 

Opening prayers for worship services help us to participate better in the occasion through proper and holy disposition before the actual event. These prayers also help us to know and appreciate the purpose of a church service. Opening prayers for praise and worshipping events also bridge relationships within the church through a joint thanksgiving and common appeal for God’s guidance and blessing.

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Alex Shute
EDITOR
Alex Shute, MBA
Alex is a family man and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles. His passion is to serve the global Church and bring people of diverse backgrounds together to learn & grow.


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