When we pray for athletes, we need to look at them the way Paul spoke about it in God’s word. We are to run this race strong. Remember that Paul spent a lot of time in Greece where the Olympics were. There were a lot of sports and competitions there. It was a big thing in Greece, so Paul used that in his teaching a lot as metaphors and to help us understand how the kingdom of God works.

I believe very strongly that the reason God raises someone up on sports is because He wants to use their spotlight. In other words, if God gives someone a talent for sports, it’s for His glory. This goes back to what Paul said that we are to run our race strong, and throw off all encumberments – anything that weighs us down – so that we can be victorious in our purpose for the Lord. 

If you have a child or other loved one who is especially talented in sports, pray the following prayer over them so that they will use their gifts and talents for the kingdom of God and be victorious in their purpose for the Lord, all for the glory of God.

Scripture Reference

Hebrews 12:1 (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition)

“Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us …”

Pray Out Loud

• “Father God, I ask You to anoint _______, that they would play (name of sport) in such a way that the world has never seen before, all for Your glory. Help them to use the talent for (name of sport) that You have put in them, Lord, and raise them up to be the best at what they do in (name of sport) like the world has never seen before, all for Your glory and Your kingdom. 

• Father God, I ask for you to remove anything right now that’s weighing them down, holding them back, or encumbering them from being the best at this for Your glory, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I ask You to pour a fresh anointing of Your Holy Spirit on them to play (name of sport) and use it for Your glory and to shine Jesus when they do this. 

• I ask for You to continue to bless them and raise them up, not just in talent and victories, Father God, but in the anointing of the Holy Spirit that flows to them. I ask you to raise them up like you have so many other athletes to be quarterbacks, pitchers, runners in the Olympics, and jockeys on racehorses, and You have given them the victory and the spotlight so that they can give You glory and point to Jesus Christ. 

• I ask you to do the same thing for, _______, all through the power of Your Holy Spirit working through _______ and every athlete that You have called because it gives You pleasure, Father God. It gives You pleasure to see them using their gifts for Your glory just like in the movie, Chariots of Fire – the Olympic runner in the 1920s who wanted to serve You, Father God. He thought in order to serve You, He had to be a missionary to China, but You made him fast, and He said these words, “God made me fast because it gives Him pleasure!” He pointed to Jesus Christ and to You, Father God, all through the Olympics, and he won the gold medal. Why? Because He pointed to You, God. 

• I ask You to do the same thing for _______, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Father God, You say that the competition is irrelevant. It’s not about the competition; it’s about the anointing that is upon _______, and _______ doesn’t even think about the competition. He/she is (running, playing ball, etc.) because it pleases You, Father God. He/she is being a team leader because it pleases God and because of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, so the competition is irrelevant. 

 

• I invite You, Holy Spirit, to go to _______ and reveal this to him/her and train him/her up in this. Put a right spirit within him/her so he/she doesn’t look at the competition. It’ll be irrelevant to him/her now. His/Her focus will just be on what he/she is doing to please the Lord by using his/her gifts, and I ask You to give him/her a fresh anointing and remove any distractions and anything in his/her life that would try to come against this. Give his/her parents, grandparents, teammates, and coaches wisdom, all for the kingdom and glory of God. God of our Lord Jesus Christ, Father of glory, please give me, my loved one, _______, and those around _______ the spirit of wisdom and understanding in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, the hope of His calling and His glory, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.”