Prayer for Justice For Yourself or Justice for Others

This prayer for justice is an extremely powerful tool in combating injustice in society, in economic systems, in governments, in judicial systems and in our personal lives. Justice and injustice are spiritual issues that can’t be combated by human means alone. Leaders who have led the fight for justice such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often invoke eternal Biblical truths about justice such as Amos 5:24, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Here is a prayer for justice using the Scripture and the power of God to combat injustice.

Prayer for Justice

Dear God my strong Redeemer and Defender,

I come to you today praying this prayer for justice, especially that your justice will prevail. I draw strength from the truth that you are the God of justice who defends the helpless and lifts up the oppressed. I claim the Scripture that You, Oh God, love justice and hate evil.

I cry out to you about the terrible injustice that is oppressing your people today. I reject this injustice and I declare it evil and an affront to you and your everlasting love for each individual you have created.

I take courage from the fact that Jesus understands what I’m feeling because he was a victim of injustice. Your Son Jesus was ridiculed, marginalized, endured prejudice, and was rejected by his own. He was convicted, abused and killed by people who perverted justice and used their authority and power for their own selfish gain.

I claim the resurrection power of Jesus over injustice and speak life into my situation. I stand firm today in the truth that your justice will eventually prevail. I pray that your Kingdom will come and that your will be done here as it is in heaven.

As I await the time of your justice, I pray that you will protect me and support me with your presence. I pray that you will give me a free and unchained heart and spirit even when oppressed. Make me like Saint Paul who says in 2 Timothy 2:9 “I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.” (NIV)

Guide me how to effectively resist and reject injustice. Make my words wise. Surround me with helpers and supporters. Send advocates who will fight alongside me for justice and rise up to bring change in unjust laws, governments and institutions. Unmask evil and prejudice. Send mercy and love. Pour out grace.

I pray for your supernatural protection to surround me and shield me from evil. May I walk in your light that the darkness cannot overcome. I pray for truth to prevail and that the truth shall set us free.

Deliver me from the temptation to seek revenge on those who treat me unjustly. I thank you that you are the ultimate judge of all people, the one who knows our secret hearts and deeds. I leave my oppressor in your hands, knowing that you will make all things new.

I pray that you will make our sufferings produce good and lasting fruit that brings progress and change so that others around us and coming behind us may enjoy full justice and freedom.

I pray for all those who have authority given by you to govern and lead. May they be people of integrity who stand up for the rights of others and the cause of truth and justice. I pray that our laws, leaders, judges, institutions, businesses and churches be champions of freedom and defenders of justice.

May many other voices join with mine in confessing the sins we have collectively committed against each other and against you that have denied justice, shown favoritism and enabled injustice. May there be a groundswell of prayer, confession, repentance and restoration. Tenderize our hearts to the pain of our brothers and sisters. Unify us and make us one, united in freedom, mutual respect and love.

I now proclaim life over this situation as I stand on your promise that Jesus came to bring us life, and life in abundance.

In your mighty and holy name I pray.

Amen.

About This Prayer for Justice

Since ancient times justice has been a hard fought battle. The Bible has countless verses and stories that deal with the quest for justice and the evil of injustice.

Justice can be defined as the state of things being equitable, morally right or fairly judged, especially by a court of law. It means that everyone should be treated fairly and the same, no matter who they are. Jesus gave us what we call the Golden Rule that upholds fair treatment. Jesus said, “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” (Matthew 12:7 NIV)

In researching this article I discovered that justice can be defined as four main kinds. Knowing and understanding the type of justice you are seeking will help you focus your prayers and understand some of God’s remedies to them.

Distributive justice or the fair allocation of goods or opportunity

This type of justice comes into play when we don’t believe we are getting our fair share of something. The Bible is full of examples of this, from family members feeling they have been cheated out of an inheritance to tribes fighting over territory and wells.

There’s an incident in the early Christian church when the believers had formed a radical new way of life where they shared all of their goods and property with each other. It wasn’t long before disputes started.

In Acts 6 complaints arise from the Grecian Jews that their widows aren’t getting the same amount of food in the daily distribution as the Hebrew Jews. The disciples prayed and God directed them to empower a group of men to oversee the food distribution. To ensure that it would be fair, they appointed members from both groups to work together in this task. (Acts 6:1-7) The result of this justice was that the word of God spread and many others joined them.

God is the ultimate source of distributive justice but His is higher than the heavens are from the earth than ours. The amazing truth is that God always gives us a thousand times more than we will ever deserve. The Bible says, “He (God ) causes sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:45 NIV) And the Bible also says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 NIV)

Procedural justice or fair process

In this type of justice, we are satisfied that different people might get more than we do because we trust that decision makers and judges have considered legitimate factors in their case. As an example, if a child and an adult do the same thing, we take into account that the child isn’t as mature as the adult to think through their behavior.

In the New Testament, Jesus embodies a higher standard of “due process” based on love, forgiveness and repentance. His enemies were trying to trap him by asking him if it was right to stone a woman to death they had been caught in adultery. Jesus answered, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7 NIV)

The woman’s accusers, although they could have acted on the letter of the law and stoned the woman, thought better of it because they realized that everyone has their own sins. They left one by one until only Jesus was left with the woman.

Jesus told the woman that He did not condemn her, but that she should leave and stop sinning. The law said the woman should die. Jesus said the woman should live and be given a second chance.

The ultimate procedural justice will be meted out at the end of the world on judgement day when each person will stand before God and be judged according to our deeds and secret thoughts. (2 Corinthians 5:10) Fortunately, God has provided a way for us to be pardoned for our sins through the sacrificial death of Jesus.

Restorative justice, corrective justice or restitution

In our legal system, people who have suffered injustice can sue for compensation for their sufferings and material and emotional loses. The purpose is set things right as much as possible.

Restorative justice doesn’t always involve money. Sometimes it takes the form of an apology or an admission from the transgressor that they were wrong, regret their actions, hope to change their ways and demonstrate that they have.

An example from the Bible happens when a despised tax collector named Zacchaeus encounters Jesus in a life changing way. After Jesus honors him by accepting his hospitality to eat in his him, Zacchaeus sees the error of his ways. In Luke 19:8 it says, “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’”

It’s interesting to note that in his case, no one forces Zacchaeus to make amends. Rather the act is generated by an inner conviction when his eyes are opened to the truth and reality of God.

On a deeper level, we will never be able to repay God for his mercy to us nor will we be able to give him any compensation except one. It says in Psalm 51:16,17 “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (NIV)

Retributive justice or punishment

Sometimes when we hear about demands for justice, people are asking that the person be punished and suffer in a way that is in proportion to the harm they have done to their victims. The theory is that the transgressor will learn a lesson or that it will make others think twice before doing a similar evil act.

On a personal and emotional level, victims may feel that the only way that they will feel like justice has been served is to see their oppressor punished. It’s easy to cross a fine line into revenge which is wanting to get even and make the oppressor suffer like they have made us suffer.

The Bible warns against us trying to serve this sort of justice for ourselves. The Bible says, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19-21)

As Christians we believe that ultimately everyone will stand before God when they die. At that time, God, who is just, will mete out justice and punish evil doers.

Scriptures Used in This Prayer for Justice

Here are Bible verses to claim when you are offering a prayer for justice.

Psalm 18;2 “TheLord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” NIV

Isaiah 30:18. “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him.” (NIV)

Isaiah 61:8 “For I, the Lord, loved justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.” (NIV)

Romans 8:34 “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (NIV)g

John 8:32 “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (NIV)

Romans 12:19 “Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath for it is written ‘It is mine to avenge, I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary: ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (NIV)

Matthew 7:1,2 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV)

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” (NIV)

I Timothy 2:1-3 “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made of everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior.” (NIV)

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who re called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (NIV)

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to stea; and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV)

1 Peter 5:10 “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” (NIV)