7 Names of God to Call Upon in Prayer When You Need His Peace

One of God’s names, Jehovah-Shalom, focuses especially on peace. God told Gideon this name in Judges 6:24, during a time when the Israelites were being attacked by the Midianites. God called a shy man named Gideon to save his people. Gideon felt overwhelmed and afraid. But God met Gideon in his fear and told him he would be with him. After God gave Gideon a special sign to encourage him, Gideon built an altar and called it “The Lord is Peace” (Jehovah-Shalom). Even during that uncertain time of war, Gideon discovered that true peace comes from connecting with God’s presence.

That strong confidence of being whole, safe, and calm only comes from God himself. When anxiety tries to take over our minds, praying to Jehovah-Shalom reminds us that we don’t have to try hard to find peace on our own. Instead, God will give us peace as a pure gift – and by giving us peace, God gives us a part of himself. In John 14:27, Jesus says: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Calling God Jehovah-Shalom helps us let go of our worries and give them to God, who is the source of all peace. 

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When we’re going through too much stress, and we think we don’t have the power to manage it all, the name El Shaddai speaks right to those feelings. This powerful name means “God Almighty” or “The God Who Has All We Need.” It reminds us that God is always more than enough. As our Heavenly Father, God is the one who created us and also the one who cares for us. There is no limit to God’s power, and God is a generous parent, so we’re blessed!

In Genesis 17:1, God first told Abraham this name. Abram was 99 years old, and he and his wife Sarah had no children, even though God had promised them many children. They had become too old to have kids, according to the natural physical limits of their human bodies. But God introduced himself as El Shaddai and showed them that his power is greater than any human limits. Even when it seemed impossible for Abraham and Sarah to become parents in their old age, God still kept his promises.

For us, praying to El Shaddai brings peace because it helps us stop focusing on what we lack and start focusing on God’s unlimited power to meet our needs. When we’re worried about money problems, conflict in a relationship, or anything else, we can call on El Shaddai. No matter how challenging our circumstances are, God can make a way to give us what we need, even when there seems to be no way. When we call God El Shaddai, we remind ourselves that we’re cared for by a God who can do anything.

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The stress of struggling with painful health problems – spiritually, mentally, and physically – can steal our peace. When this happens, the name Jehovah-Rapha (which means “The Lord Who Heals”) becomes like a comforting medicine for our souls. God first told the Israelites this name after they crossed the Red Sea. They found bitter water, and Moses asked God for help. God showed Moses a piece of wood, and when he threw it in the water, it became sweet.

In Exodus 15:26, God said: “If you carefully obey the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you listen to his commands and obey all his rules, I will not bring any of the diseases on you that I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Here, God clearly says he is the one who heals. God heals by making us whole in every way – in our spirits, minds, and bodies. When we’re sick, or when someone we love is sick, praying to Jehovah-Rapha can help us feel peace right away by reminding us that God is a loving healer who cares about our pain. He really wants us to enjoy healthy lives.

God always heals our souls, which are eternal. Sometimes God intervenes in special ways to heal our temporary earthly bodies, and sometimes not, but God has designed our bodies to be resilient and recover from many illnesses (through immune systems) and injuries (through the wound healing process). When we call on God to help us as Jehovah-Rapha, we can rest assured that God will heal us in whatever ways are best for us. 

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Worrying about not having enough for whatever the future holds can really make us anxious. The name Jehovah-Jireh focuses on how God promises to meet all of our needs. The Bible mentions this name of God during one of the most difficult times in Old Testament father Abraham’s life. God told him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, on Mount Moriah. Abraham, showing amazing faith, obeyed, trusting that God would provide. Just as Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac, an angel of the Lord called out to him. Then, Abraham saw a ram caught in a bush nearby, which he offered instead of Isaac.

In Genesis 22:14, Abraham named that place “The Lord Will Provide.” God sees what we need before we even know it and makes sure we have it. For us, praying to God as Jehovah-Jireh is a strong cure for worrying about our needs. It reminds us that God isn’t caught off guard by the stressful situations in our lives. He has already seen what we need and has a plan to provide. While God won’t always give us what we want (because we sometimes want what’s not really best for us), God will always give us what we truly need according to his purposes for each of us.

Jesus encourages us in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we call God Jehovah-Jireh, we can increase our confidence and trust that he will provide everything we need, whenever we need it. 

Related Resource: Resting in the God Who Provides (Jehovah-Jireh)

When we encounter painful and frightening circumstances, or God calls us to do something difficult, we may feel as if we’re all alone. As if God doesn’t see us, doesn’t understand our struggle, or won’t provide what we need. But as our guest Ava Pennington reminds us, our God doesn’t change. The same God called Jehovah-Jireh in Scripture, the God who provides, can be trusted to provide for us in our times of need as well. If this episode helps you face fear with God's confidence, be sure to subscribe to Faith Over Fear on Apple or Spotify so you get new episodes every week!

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The name El Roi can comfort us whenever we feel invisible or alone as we go through hard times in this fallen world. This name was first spoken by Hagar, an Egyptian servant who had been treated badly. Hagar ran away into the desert, pregnant and alone. She was in a desperate situation, abandoned and without hope. In Genesis 16:13, after an angel of the Lord appeared to her and gave her comfort and advice, Hagar cried out: “You are El Roi,” because she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” God saw Hagar in her pain, knew her suffering, and cared for her.

When we feel ignored, unheard, or forgotten, calling on God as El Roi brings us peace by reminding us that no matter how unimportant we might feel, we’re important to God. God sees us! He understands everything we’re thinking and feeling, and he cares. Psalm 139:1-3 says: “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.” Praying to God as El Roi assures us that the Creator of the universe knows us personally and cares about every part of our lives. 

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This name, which means “Lord” or “Master,” highlights God's complete power and authority over everything he has created. Throughout the Old Testament, the Bible uses the name Adonai to show God’s power. For example, Psalm 114:7 uses Adonai in Hebrew for the English word translated “Lord”: “Tremble, Earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob.” When we call God Adonai, we’re saying that he rules completely over every part of our lives and the world around us.

Praying to Adonai brings peace by reminding us that our good God takes good care of everyone and everything. When our plans fall apart or when we feel overwhelmed by what’s happening in our lives, recognizing God as Adonai helps us to let go of our concerns and trust God to handle them. Romans 8:28 tells us: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” When we pray to God as Adonai, we let go of the burden of trying to control situations in our lives. That frees us to rest like God wants us to rest, so we can experience the peace he wants to give us.

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The name Immanuel, which means “God with Us,” shows God’s personal and constant presence in our lives as someone who walks beside us day by day. The prophet Isaiah first spoke of this name in Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Many years later, this prophecy came true when Jesus Christ was born, as Matthew 1:23 confirms: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”

Jesus was God coming to earth in human form, and we can experience the joy of knowing God as Immanuel by making room for Jesus in our lives. When we feel lonely or afraid, we can find a peaceful comfort by praying to God as Immanuel. This name reminds us that God’s Holy Spirit is with us, right here and right now, in whatever we’re going through. In Hebrews 13:5, God tells us: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Calling God Immanuel gets rid of the fear of thinking we’re alone and encourages us to receive the love God wants to give us. 

In conclusion, God’s names are like windows into who he is. By praying God’s names, we welcome God’s work into our lives in specific ways. Doing so helps us learn more about God, trust God more to meet our needs, and experience a peace that’s stronger than our challenges!

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