Christian Prayers to the Holy Spirit for a Favor

For Christians, most prayers are directed to God the Father or to His Son, Jesus Christ—the second person of the Christian Trinity. But in Christian scriptures, Christ also told his followers that he would send his spirit to guide us whenever they were in need of help, and so Christian prayers can also be directed to the Holy Spirit, the third entity of the Holy Trinity.

Many such prayers consist of requests for general guidance and comfort, but it is also common for Christians to pray for very specific intervention—for "favors." Prayers to the Holy Spirit for overall spiritual growth are particularly appropriate, but devout Christians can and do sometimes pray for more specific help—for example, asking for a favorable outcome in business ventures or in athletic performance. 

A Prayer Suitable for a Novena

This prayer, since it asks for a favor, is well-suited for praying as a novena—a series of nine prayers recited over several days.

O Holy Spirit, You are the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. You are the Spirit of truth, love, and holiness, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and equal to Them in all things. I adore You and love You with all my heart. Teach me to know and to seek God, by whom and for whom I was created. Fill my heart with a holy fear and a great love for Him. Give me compunction and patience, and do not let me fall into sin.
Increase faith, hope, and charity in me and bring forth in me all the virtues proper to my state of life. Help me to grow in the four cardinal virtues, Your seven gifts, and Your twelve fruits.
Make me a faithful follower of Jesus, an obedient child of the Church, and a help to my neighbor. Give me the grace to keep the commandments and to receive the sacraments worthily. Raise me to holiness in the state of life to which You have called me, and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Grant me also, O Holy Spirit, Giver of all good gifts, the special favor for which I ask [state your request here], if it be for Your honor and glory and for my well-being. Amen.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Litany for a Favor

The following litany is one that may be also used to request a favor from the Holy Spirit and recited as part of a novena.

O Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler!
I adore You as my True God.
I bless You by uniting myself to the praises
You receive from the angel and saints.
I offer You my whole heart,
and I render You heartfelt thanks
for all the benefits You have bestowed
and do unceasingly bestow upon the world.
You are the author of all supernatural gifts
and who did enrich with immense favors the soul
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God,
I beseech You to visit me by Your grace and Your love,
and grant me the favor
I so earnestly seek in this novena...
[State your request here]
O Holy Spirit,
spirit of truth,
come into our hearts:
shed the brightness of Your light on all nations,
that they may be of one faith and pleasing to You.
Amen.

Submitting to God's Will

This prayer asks for a favor from the Holy Spirit but recognizes that it is God's will whether the favor may be granted.

Holy Spirit, You who make me see everything and showed me the way to reach my ideals, You who gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me and You who are in all instances of my life with me, I want to thank You for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from You, no matter how great the material desire may be. I want to be with You and my loved ones in Your perpetual glory. To that end and submitting to God's holy will, I ask from You [state your request here]. Amen.

Prayer for Guidance From the Holy Spirit

Many hardships fall on worshipers, and sometimes prayers to the Holy Spirit are simply needed for guidance to face the troubles.

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body, to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your Purity, the unerring keenness of Your Justice, and the might of Your Love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You.
Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your Light, and listen to Your Voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring his opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant heareth.”
Amen.

Another Prayer for Guidance

Another prayer to request inspiration and guidance from the Holy Spirit is as follows, promising to follow in Christ's path.

Holy Spirit of light and love, You are the substantial love of the Father and the Son; hear my prayer. Bounteous bestower of most precious gifts, grant me a strong and living faith which makes me accept all revealed truths and shape my conduct in accord with them. Give me a most confident hope in all divine promises which prompts me to abandon myself unreservedly to You and Your guidance. Infuse into me a love of perfect goodwill, and act according to God's least desires. Make me love not only my friends but my enemies as well, in imitation of Jesus Christ who through You offered himself on the Cross for all people. Holy Spirit, animate, inspire, and guide me, and help me to be always a true follower of You. Amen.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

This prayer intones each of the seven spiritual gifts originating from the book of Isaiah: wisdom, intellect (understanding), counsel, fortitude, science (knowledge), piety, and fear of God.

Christ Jesus, before ascending into heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to Your apostles and disciples. Grant that the same Spirit may perfect in our lives the work of Your grace and love.
Grant us the Spirit of Fear of the Lord that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward You;
the Spirit of Piety that we may find peace and fulfillment in the service of God while serving others;
the Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our cross with You and, with courage, overcome the obstacles that interfere with our salvation;
the Spirit of Knowledge that we may know You and know ourselves and grow in holiness;
the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of Your truth;
the Spirit of Counsel that we may choose the surest way of doing Your will, seeking first the Kingdom;
Grant us the Spirit of Wisdom that we may aspire to the things that last forever.
Teach us to be Your faithful disciples and animate us in every way with Your Spirit. Amen.

The Beatitudes

St. Augustine saw the Beatitudes in the book of Matthew 5:3-12 as an invocation of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.