Personal Prayer Plan

God delights in the prayers of his spiritual children. Revelation 5:8 tells us that our prayers are the incense of heaven. Prayer makes heaven smell good! The Bible says, “Look to the

Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (I Chronicles 16:11). Jesus taught his disciples that “they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1). David was a man of prayer who

wrote most of the Bible’s “prayer book” (Psalms). No wonder he was “a man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22). Daniel prayed morning, afternoon, and night (Daniel 6:10), and was

told by an angel that he was “highly esteemed” of the Lord (Daniel 10:11).

The apostle Paul was also a man of prayer. In Colossians 4:2, he said, “Devote yourselves to prayer.” He practiced what he preached and told the Thessalonians that he remembered

them day and night in prayer (I Thessalonians 3:10). He exhorted believers in Ephesus, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Be alert and

always keep on praying for all God’s people” (Ephesians 6:18). Since God takes delight in prayer and with people who pray, shouldn’t we carefully evaluate our own praying? Are you

satisfied with your prayer life? Is your time with God consistent? Does it bring you peace of mind? Can you provide specific answers to specific requests regularly? Do people often ask

you personally to pray for certain needs because they know you take prayer requests seriously?

I personally am always looking for ways to improve my communication with God. We get help with our praying not only from the Bible, but also by praying for wisdom in this area. In

addition, it is helpful to ask other believers what works for them. My prayers fall into three basic categories: my regular daily prayers, a prayer notebook for special prayer requests,

and spontaneous prayers throughout the day. What follows is an explanation of the first two categories.

Regular Daily Prayers

I begin my morning prayers as soon as I get up. While doing my morning hygiene and getting dressed, I have a routine outline of things I pray about. Most of the things I silently pray

about sound similar from day to day. I used to feel guilty about the repetition, but then realized that there are certain people and specific matters of concern I need to bring before

God regularly.

My daily prayers begin by praising God for who he is (holy, loving, merciful, just, all-knowing, omnipotent, faithful, etc.). I thank him for redeeming me and gifting me with the Holy

Spirit. Then I confess any sins I may have committed during the past 24 hours. I also ask that the Holy Spirit convict me of any sins to which I may be blind or toward which I may have

become apathetic.

Next, I thank him for his love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness in Christ. I also express gratitude for his marvelous provision, divine enablement, and promises that sustain me. I then

thank him for any blessings he has received over the past 24 hours.

At this point, I thank God for his infinite wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, and ask for his wisdom to guide me throughout the coming day. I then mentally walk through the

day ahead, thinking of all the activities I foresee and invite God to be at the center of each one. I pray, “Give me wisdom to be a good steward of the time, talents, possessions, and

opportunities you give me, and most of all for the gospel of grace entrusted to me for propagation.” Then I add, “I pray for no unnecessary interruptions, not for the sake of my

convenience, but for the sake of the upbuilding of your Kingdom.

Next, I pray for family, extended family, and friends by name. I pray that God would give us good health and safety according to His will. I also pray for our Christian lives and

growth, and witness above all. Then I pray for selected churches, missionaries, and other Christian organizations that God has laid on my heart. I pray for specific government leaders ]

and other people in high places. I also pray for the leaders and selected members of our local church. I pray that we will work together in harmony and unity and allow the Spirit to

work through our lives and ministries. Finally, I ask God if he has any orders for the day and then take time to listen.

A Prayer Notebook

Many have found that keeping a log or notebook of prayer petitions has made their prayers really come alive. This has certainly been my experience. In your notebook, you can write

down the date next to each specific petition, and then after each request, the date and the answers you receive. 

Consider some of the following benefits of using a journal or notebook for prayer:

Aids in being watchful and thankful

Colossians 4:2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” What should we watch for in prayer? Above all, we should watch for God’s response. If we do so, we

will have to be thankful. Keeping track of God’s responses by making a note of them can help us think more deeply about what God is doing.

Aids intelligent asking, seeking, and knocking

(Matthew 7:7) A prayer notebook forces you to think through petitions carefully as you write them down.

Helps you remember when people ask you to pray for something

When people make a request, you can write it down immediately. Acts as a great faith builder - When all the requests on a particular page of your notebook are answered, tear out

that page and file it away. Whenever you want a great time of worship, all you have to do is go back and review all the marvelous responses to prayer you have seen.

Aids in persistence in praying

Since every item stays in the book until an answer comes, you cannot very easily cave in to human fatigue. You put it all on God’s timetable and just keep trusting it to him until he

responds. 

Open yourself up to God’s guidance

It is a good idea to make a note of the thoughts you have as you go through your notebook. God often gives us direction while praying for certain persons or concerns. The Spirit

nudges you to act upon your prayers, especially when those prayers are specific.

Aids in meditating upon what God is trying to teach you through circumstances

A notebook acts like a spiritual diary. It enables you to observe certain trends in your life that often reveal what God is directing you to do or learn.

Builds your reputation as a “prayer warrior”

After you have used a prayer notebook for a while, people will know that when they ask you to pray about a certain matter, they can count on you to do it seriously. This happens

because if you put a petition in your notebook, and the person requesting it doesn’t get back to you about it, you will want to ask them how things are going. The next time a

problem comes up, you will be one of the first people asked to pray about it.

Increases your appreciation for your dependence upon God

As your notebook grows, you become deeply impressed by the magnitude of human and spiritual needs around you. You soon realize that only by the providence of a sovereign God

can these needs be met. But you should remember that prayer is not a labor-saving device. God often answers prayer through those who are praying.

Conclusion

Prayer methods are your call. The important thing is that you pray. James 4:2 says, “You have not because you ask not.” What blessings have we missed because of our prayerlessness?

In other words, prayer is where the action begins. Ephesians 3:20 says that “God can do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work

within us.” No doubt one of the great joys of heaven will be finding out the incredible answers God has given to our prayers. I believe we will be utterly amazed! What could be a

greater motivation for being people of prayer?