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Here is a simple prayer tip for a prayer room, a 24-7 season of prayer, or for families at home. One person will need to monitor the activity and keep things in order. This is easily adaptable to your own creative ideas! Materials Needed: Small clothespins or other kinds of similar clips Large corkboard, bulletin board, or really any kind of board. Sturdy twine or wire Any kind of paper or 3×5 cards Small table with instructions, cards/paper, things to write or draw with, Bibles, etc. Two baskets or boxes – one for prayer requests/praises that have yet to be put up and one for the prayer requests that have been prayed over for a specified season of time. Set-Up:  The picture here is just one way to do this prayer station. Be as creative with this as you wish – there is no right or wrong way! Your prayer wall might look very different from this one. It’s just here to give you the basic idea. Attach two or more strands of twine or wire to the back of the board and stretch horizontally to the other side in the back. Put clips or clothespins several inches apart along each wire all the way across. Label each strand above or below as to what the focus is. We suggest leaving the top strand for PRAISES/ANSWERED PRAYER. Others can be labeled things like: One Another, Pastors & Staff, Missionaries, Lost people, etc. Whatever you wish to focus on. Consider leaving all of the praise reports up as they don’t need to be moved – maybe get some additional clips, or clip one to another so that people can see all of the amazing ways God moves. The person monitoring the requests should check regularly to be sure everything is in order and perhaps follow-up on the requests that are in the basket to see if they need another round starting at the beginning. If possible, follow up to see if the prayer has been answered or needs an update. Instructions for use (again, just a suggestion): Use this prayer wall to lift up the needs of others, to leave a request of your own, and to share praises/answered prayers. 1. To post a prayer request : Use one of the cards/papers provided or bring your own to write your prayer requests/praises. You can even put a picture up if you wish (this is good for young pre-readers/writers). Be sure you have the person’s permission. Be sure to put the date on the back of your request. 2. To pray for others: Read and then pray for one or more of the requests that has been posted. When you are finished praying, put your initials on the back with the date and move the card/picture/etc. one clip to the right. This way, as each person prays, the request keeps moving to the right and will be prayed for multiple times. If the request you are praying over has reached the last clip to the right, put it in the basket to your right. 3. To post a praise or answered prayer: Clip your praise/answered prayer anywhere on the designated row for praises and answered prayer, and be sure to write the date when the prayer was answered or the praise was given on the FRONT! 4. To join in the praises, read through what has been posted!   Remember, you can use this idea as a jumping off place for your own creative ideas!

They began having at least one or more requests every single day from neighbors. And, they have been very busy praying for each and every one of them. God has been giving the girls some new ways to relate to the neighbors as they have been praying. Here are some of the changes they recently made: The girls wanted their neighbors to know that they really are praying through the prayer requests, so they updated their sign from “How Can We Pray for You?” to “We  Are  Praying for You!” They added a small tree with the names of each person or family they are praying for. For example, Adam lost his job so the card reads “Praying for Adam.” Neighbors can walk by and see their names on the tree knowing that Zalaiah and Makiah are on the job interceding for them! The weather is getting warmer, so they have also added a small bucket with water bottles and ice for people passing by to have something cold to drink. There is also hard candy which doesn’t melt in the sun for people to pick up. The girls’ mother, Shari, says, “We are going to need a bigger table!”

Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. How do you do that in a practical way? Why not try establishing some prayer triggers as reminders to pray throughout your day? This requires a bit of discipline at the beginning as you will need to determine what triggers would be most effective for you and would be easily remembered. Establishing prayer triggers is also a great way to teach kids to pray regularly. Each time you see a school, you could use it as a prayer trigger to intercede for students, teachers and administrators. When you see a police car, ambulance or fire truck, pray for the first responders in your city. The news is always a great trigger – whenever you watch the news, pray over each story, event, happening, etc. Maybe you could use your refrigerator as a trigger and pray for those who are hungry. Some people will use random triggers such as praying for family members as you brush your teeth. You will need to establish a habit so you attach these prayers to the act of teeth brushing. How to Add Prayer Triggers as Prayer Reminders: What things do you want to remember to pray for continually? Make a list of those things. What thing, activity or person do you see or do regularly that you could associate with each one of the things you want to pray about? For example: I want to pray for my neighbors. Every day I go check the mail, so I attached my mailbox and the act of going to get the mail to praying for my neighbors. Pretty soon, after building this habit over several days, this became a regular prayer time. I would choose a different neighbor each day to pray for as I would go get the mail. The mailbox and the act of going to get mail was now an established Prayer Trigger. Establish one or two prayer triggers firmly in your experience of prayer before moving on to another. Otherwise you could get overwhelmed. Take the time to let these prayer habits settle into your heart each day. What random triggers could you use to remind yourself to pray about other things that are on God’s heart, like unity, revival, praying for the lost, etc.? Prayer triggers are a simple and fun way to engage in the practice of praying without ceasing. Remember to always be listening to how God might want you to be the answer to the prayers you are praying!

A church in Florida was in the midst of building a larger church. Before the paint and carpet stage, the church leaders and staff went to the areas of the church where their primary responsibility was to be. They spent time praying over their spaces. Next, they took pencils and wrote scriptures on the floors, walls, etc. Afterwards, the entire group met and prayerwalked the entire building indoors, praying Scriptures, worshiping, and adding written Scriptures to places they sensed the Spirit was leading them to do so. They asked the Lord for His guidance, wisdom and blessing. Following this, they prayerwalked the outside of the building while asking God to draw lost people to the church, praying for the various community and world-wide outreaches of the church, and planting tent pegs with Scriptures written on them at the corners of the property. It was such a powerful experience that they invited the entire congregation to join them to prayerwalk inside and outside the building and property. We would suggest doing this for any new church space or addition. Also, what might God do in response to small groups praying for members who move to a new home, or build one? What a great way to bless one another as the body of Christ!

Consider taking what are normally “wasted” moments of life and turning them into powerful seasons of prayer for others by establishing a prayer zone around yourself! Here are some examples: You have arrived early to an event:  Can you imagine sitting in a half empty stadium or concert venue with lots of time on your hands before the event begins? Instead of checking your phone, set up a prayer zone and begin praying for those sitting around you, and others as they come in and find their seats. This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the power and presence of God into the lives of people you might otherwise never notice and might completely ignore. Some might be hurting, others confused or lonely…and many are lost without the hope of a Lord and Savior. Scripture says in James 4, “You do not have because you do not ask.” Imagine the spiritual impact you can have on people simply by paying attention and setting up a zone of prayer to invite the Spirit of God to move in the lives of people. Praying for people is a powerful example of love and compassion. Waiting Room:  While you are held captive in a waiting room at a hospital, or doctor’s office, begin to pray for those around you. Ask God, through His Spirit, to show you how to pray for each person. This place of waiting has now become a prayer zone! Standing in Line:  Instead of being exasperated or frustrated by your wait, take time to pray for each person in the line ahead of you and behind you. Ask God to meet these people. Pray blessing over each person.   A Child’s sports practice:  Sometimes the endless practices can wear on a parent or grandparent, but if you take time to use this opportunity to set up a prayer zone around you and pray for the other parents, grandparents, the kids and coaches, etc. you have just created a sanctuary for God to move in the midst of many lives! As you can see, there are many more examples of how to use Prayer Zones! God can transform any season of waiting into a sacred space where He is invited to move in the lives of people around you. Who knows how many people might be filled with joy they can’t explain, or feel comfort, peace, strength, etc. growing in them…the very thing he or she needed in this moment – because you set up a Zone of Prayer around yourself and interceded on their behalf?

Have you ever considered praying for the businesses and business people in your church, asking God to prosper them so that they might become a blessing to the church and to others? The prayer ministry team in one church in Texas began to do just that and saw God do amazing things! In Genesis 12, Abraham was called by God to leave his country and go where the Lord was calling him to go. He promised Abraham that he would be blessed so that he could become a blessing to all the peoples and nations of the earth because of his faithfulness and obedience. It was Abraham’s story that prompted Abraham’s Blessing. The church purchased some plastic pages with slots big enough for business cards and put the pages in a binder. Next, they began to share with the congregation that on a certain Sunday they were going to collect the business cards of everyone who owned, managed or were part of a business. After the business cards were collected, the congregation prayed for the businesses in their community to honor the Lord and that they would prosper in amazing ways so that they could bless God’s kingdom. The businesses and people represented by the cards in the binder were regularly prayed over by the leadership of the church and by the prayer team. On Sundays, the binder was placed on a table in the sanctuary where it was accessible to the congregation. Also, a different business was focused on each week. The person on the business card came forward and was prayed over. Through the weeks and months to come, the congregation watched God answer their prayers in big ways through prospering the businesses and their owners/managers/salespeople, etc. Here are some of the Scriptures that you can use to pray over the businesses and business people in your congregation and community – for the glory and praise of God and for the sake of His kingdom: Deuteronomy 28:3    “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Deuteronomy 28:8  “The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.” Deuteronomy 28:12  “ The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.” Job 36:11:  “If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment” Ps 37:4:  “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Ps 34:9-10:  “Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.” Deut 11:13-15:  “So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.” Matt 6:19-21:  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” 1 Chr 29:11-12:  “Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you…” Luke 6:38:  “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 2 Cor 9:10:  “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.” Ps 84:11-12:  “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” 1 John 5:14-15:  “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” Jer 17:7-8:  “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Matt 6:31-33:  “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “ Mal 3:10:  “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” Prov 3:9-10:  “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. “ Acts 14:17:  “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” Isa 58:10-11:  “And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday… You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” Ps 37:3-5,11:  “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart…” 2 Cor 9:6-7:  “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Cor 9:8:  “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Deut 8:18:  “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” Phil 4:19:  “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Ps 115:13-14:  “he will bless those who fear the LORD— small and great alike. May the LORD cause you to flourish, both you and your children. May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Prov 11:25:  “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” 3 John 1:2:  “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” Jer 29:11:  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Be sure to follow-up by asking business people to give testimonies about how God has answered the prayers of God’s people. It will encourage and build faith in the congregation to watch the Father bless those who have been generous as He has blessed them - even when it wasn’t easy for them to trust that God would be able!

God loves every person on the planet and has called us to go and make disciples of everyone we can! We are also instructed by God to pray for the lost in our families, our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, and to the ends of the earth! Here are seven scriptural ways to begin praying for lost people every day: Pray for the salvation of those who have yet to attain an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. “But don’t forget this, dear friends, that a day or a thousand years from now is like tomorrow to the Lord. He isn’t really being slow about his promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But he is waiting, for the good reason that he is not willing that any should perish, and he is giving more time for sinners to repent” (2 Peter 3:8-9). Pray against the powers of evil who fight to keep the lost in darkness. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Ephesians 6:12-13). Pray that God will remove the blinders that the Devil tries to put on the eyes and minds of unbelievers. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Pray for the encouragement, growth in discipleship and protection of new believers. “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light” (Colossians 1:9-12). Pray to the Lord of the Harvest to raise up more workers to send into His harvest field. “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’” (Matthew 9:36-38). Pray that the Father will draw lost people to Himself. “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:44). Pray for the blessing and peace of God in every person’s life you are praying for to come to Jesus. Pray prophetically that God will work in every new believer’s life, and that the Holy Spirit will enable them to fulfill their redemptive purposes: “For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants” (Philippians 2:13) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). “This is what I have asked of God for you: that you will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love, and that you will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding. For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:11-14).

Before launching into intercession for others, corporate prayer, or even personal prayer, here are some powerful questions to utilize as a way to examine the condition of your heart so that God will hear and respond! Spend some time meditating on these scriptures as you answer the questions. Have I confessed all known sin?  Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God: your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives” (1 John 1:10). Are all my relationships with others made right?  “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15). Are you seeking His will in all things?  “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that is we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15). Are you seeking to glorify God above all things?  “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14). Are you depending on the Holy Spirit’s guidance?  “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26-27). Are you trusting God in spite of what seems to be?  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Will you praise God no matter what?  “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” (Romans 8:28). “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). Compiled by Neapolis Church of Christ, Neapolis, OH

It happens to all of us! We see a homeless person, come upon the scene of an accident…or hear of a family in financial need. Immediately, we may think to pray in each of these situations, “Lord, please help that person. Send someone to meet that need!” What if God wants to use you and your family to be the answer to your prayer? Are you prepared to back up your prayers with action if the Lord directs? I believe that our Father wants us to learn how to be the hands and feet of His Son to hurting or lost people. Since Jesus lives in us we should consider as we pray what He would do to meet this need or help this person if He were physically present – because He is! He is physically present in the midst of every situation because He is incarnate – in us! Could this thought and realization change the way you respond to the prayers that you pray? Instead of thinking that you have done the right thing by praying and then moving along to the next activity of your day…do you need to take your prayer to the next level by listening to what the voice of the Spirit speaks to your heart? How many opportunities have we missed because we have not acted in response to the impulse of the Spirit urging us to make Jesus known in the midst of lives or situations? I believe that many prayers we pray can be answered quickly and with amazing results if we become better listeners to the voice of the Holy Spirit. If we could learn to change our mindset as we pray, I believe we would be used of God in mighty ways to be His agents of transformation. Can you imagine how fulfilling and exciting your lives would be if your family would continually wait upon the Lord to see how He may want to use you to be the answer to prayers that you pray? Let me give you an example of the first time this amazing reality became a part of my prayer life. When I was a new Christian, everything about the Lord was a wonderful surprise. Fortunately, that hasn’t changed over the years! I remember being in a small group of women studying the Word together and learning to pray. One young woman had three small boys and a husband who was working in another state to support them. He only made it home for a weekend every few months. There was very little money, but Bertie was always joyful. Her prayer one evening (we met in her home, as she couldn’t afford childcare) was for her husband to be able to come home for Christmas, and that they could have a wonderful celebration together as a family. We prayed for the Lord’s provision and for this husband and father to be able to come home in time to celebrate with his family. As we were praying I had an overwhelming sense that I was supposed to do something for this family. I shared my thoughts with another friend, Nancy, and we decided that between us we could help in this situation and began to make some plans. The first thing we felt led to do was to leave our friend, “Beth”, some money, so we left an anonymous envelope on the seat of her car. We had a strong sense that we weren’t to reveal to her who had left this gift. She tearfully told our small group during the next meeting about how she had been worried about not having enough grocery money for the week. Imagine her surprise and joy to find the envelope, which amazingly (but not to the all-knowing God) had the exact amount of money she needed! She made the statement, “God knew exactly what I needed and He provided it!” Nancy and I were astonished that not only had God used us to be givers in response to our prayers for her, but He had arranged it so that we would meet her need  exactly ! We were now hooked into the fact that the Lord could use us to do something we had been praying about. The story doesn’t stop there! When we heard that “Beth” wanted to go visit her husband for a weekend in case he was unable to come home over Christmas, the two of us quickly offered to take turns staying at her house to take care of the boys. While she was gone, we took them to get a Christmas tree. After it was set up in their house, we found out that they had no ornaments or other decorations, so we got paper, markers, glitter and glue and the five of us started decorating and singing Christmas carols. Paper snowflakes were hung all over the house and popcorn strings with homemade ornaments adorned the tree. The boys had a wonderful time and were so excited for their mother to come home. We prayed with them for their father to be able to come home too. Imagine the surprised faces when  both  of their parents came through the door! What a wonderful reunion this family had, and a very special Christmas! My heart was full, and I determined to spend my life listening to the voice of the Spirit instructing me how to help people. Every act of obedience has been profoundly life-transforming for me. This is a very simple example, and you may say, “We don’t need to pray before we help people.” Very true, but we are often in a hurry and may miss opportunities as the Lord puts them in our paths. May I suggest a short prayer that your family can lift up each and every day? “Lord, show us the people You want us to help or encourage today. Lead us to those who are hurting or in need and we will trust you for the means to do something about it.” I can promise you that your loving Father will answer if you will listen and obey. He will trust you with small things first and then He will stretch you to be obedient in His bigger plans and purposes. Being the answer to the prayers of others is one way to be used by God. Being the answer to our own prayers is an astonishingly powerful privilege. There may be situations in the lives of people you know, or perhaps He will choose to use your prayer to work in the lives of those you may never meet. Prayer is a great mystery, but God has chosen to use us to be His agents of answered prayer. Knowing this makes prayer such an honor. It encourages us to pray more and to listen better! We should always be ready to stand in the gap when the Lord places a burden or need on our hearts. He may not always use you in certain situations, but because of your prayers, He may have touched the heart of others to respond. A good prayer when those you are praying for are far away is, “Lord, would you put one of Your willing servants into the path of this person today who can be a blessing to them?” The family of God is extensive and worldwide. He will use every heart that is willing to listen to His voice. An Example from Scripture Nehemiah is probably one of the best examples of someone who was intimately connected to the Lord through prayer, and who was used to be the answer to the prayers he prayed. You can read his entire story in the book of Nehemiah. He paid attention to what was going on around him, and knew how to pray what was on the heart of God. He was humble, always giving God the credit for the work he was given to do on behalf of the nation of Israel. Nehemiah was obedient to the things God called him to do. Twice, in the book of Nehemiah, he refers to what the Lord had “put” on his heart:  “I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem”  (Nehemiah 2:12a).  “So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families”  (Nehemiah 7:5). Some practical ways to prepare God works through His prepared servants. Here are some ways (many inspired by Nehemiah) to teach your family how to yield themselves to the Lord’s plans and purposes as they pray – individually and corporately: Learn how to pray God’s heart:  Praying just for the sake of making a religious noise, is not God’s intent for prayer. Praying to get something from God is also not God’s plan. Studying the Word and paying attention to the world around you is a key. See what God is busy doing and what He desires us to do as His people. As we pray those things that are close to His heart, He is pleased to answer! We know He wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, and to love others as we love ourselves. He wants us to pray for the lost and that His people will experience revival. We know that He wants unity in the body of Christ…and you and your family can probably add many others to this list. Humbly expect and be willing for God to use you to be the answer to your prayers:  If your heart never expects God to answer, there is literally no point in praying. James states,  “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man [or woman, or child] should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…”  (James 1:6-7). When you pray in the Name of Jesus, believing that He has heard and will answer, you will see Him do amazing things – sometimes in and through you! Always remember that the ultimate goal of answered prayer is to bring glory to the Lord:  “And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father”  (John 14:13). Be a good listener:  It is important to spend time being quiet before the Lord. If we are doing all of the talking, we won’t be able to hear Him speak.  “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth”  (Psalm 46:10). I wonder how many instructions and promptings we miss because we don’t take the time to learn to distinguish the voice of the Shepherd!  “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me”  (John 10:27). Be obedient:  When you sense that you have a word from the Lord and it agrees with the Bible, act upon it. God is not going to give us more than we can handle, and He will likely start us out slowly. As you are faithful in the small things, He will trust you with bigger issues. Maybe He will impress upon your heart to write a note to someone, or to make an encouraging phone call. If you didn’t actually hear directly from the Lord, you are still doing something that is like the character of Jesus living within you. Encourage and mentor others to be willing to be the answer to the prayers they pray.  Help your children and others to learn how to be the hands and feet of Jesus. People need to be stretched a bit sometimes. If your family will determine to make a lifestyle of listening to the Lord as you pray together so that He can use you to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the lives of others, you will experience blessing upon blessing. God has blessed you so that you might be a blessing to others, as He used Abraham in a similar manner (see Genesis 12:1-3). As your family prayer life grows, continue to remember that Jesus, who lives in you, will show you how to be the answer to many of the prayers you pray.

If you have a weekly/regular prayer meeting and it has dwindled down to the “faithful few,” it’s time to take stock. If you are the organizer(s) of the prayer meetings, it can get discouraging if people are not participating in arguably the most important spiritual act designed by God and so prolifically practiced in the Book of Acts and the rest of Scripture. First, let’s look at the main reasons why people have either stopped coming or have never come to your prayer meeting: 1. They are afraid.  Most people feel very inadequate about their prayer lives. The last thing they want to do is to be in a situation where they might be asked to pray out loud, or in a group with others. Many of these people would rather focus only on their own prayer closet and devotions rather than step into corporate prayer experiences. 2. They are intimidated.  When people come to the prayer meeting and feel that there are some people who pray with an authority or eloquence they don’t have, they are less likely to feel comfortable praying in such an environment. Because prayer is so natural to the seasoned intercessors who (often or usually) plan the meetings, they expect the rest of the church to be like them. Clearly this isn’t the case, as many believers haven’t been trained to pray in the home or by the church. 3. They are bored.  Many people feel that prayer meetings are always predictable and have a mind-numbing sameness to them. Unfortunately, the default mode of prayer for most churches is to pray the “sick” list. Many of the people on “the list” aren’t even known to most of the people who are praying for them – they are friends, relatives or acquaintances of people in the church. It is important to pray for those with health issues; however, when that is all we ever pray about, people rapidly disengage. If people don’t have a sense of God’s presence, and that Heaven is engaged with their prayers, they aren’t motivated or excited about coming to a meeting where “nothing happens” and with a belief that their prayers don’t matter. 4. They are frustrated . These people know they want something different…something more than the litany of illnesses and personal prayer requests. They feel that prayer should be more than what they have experienced but have no idea what to do to make it better. There are also those who DO know what could be done but don’t have a voice in the planning or preparation. 5. They are ambivalent.  Because many people are not being trained in prayer in their homes or at church, most don’t see the point and view prayer as a religious exercise for the super-spiritual. Prayer has never been an important part of their Christian experience, or they perceive that it really has never “worked” for them. They have not yet learned to pay attention to the One who is on the other end of every prayer – the Sovereign One who sits on the throne! 6. They don’t see church leadership actively involved . The engagement of church leadership is also a critical component of the prayer meetings. If your pastor(s) and church leaders are not proponents and participants at some level in your process of planning and engaging others in the practice of a regular corporate prayer rhythm, it will be difficult to get more of the congregation to come to prayer meetings. If leadership is not very involved, begin praying at once for them! Don’t whine, gripe or grumble – pray! Ask God to make your leaders people of prayer who will teach and encourage prayer so that the congregation will follow their lead. Drawing People to the Prayer Meeting God created prayer for the purpose of accomplishing His will on this planet through the prayers of His people. It’s a divine mystery, but a compelling truth. Let’s look at some ways to help people grow their passion for the Father and His plans and purposes for prayer that will translate to more people having greater participation in corporate prayer experiences: 1.Help people to encounter God.  Incorporate worship into your prayer meetings, helping people focus on the One Who sits on the throne in Heaven as the object of your love and devotion. It is important for God’s people to realize that prayer is intimacy with Him and for His glory! Jesus taught the disciples to pray, “Our Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name!” People’s attention should always be directed towards God before coming to Him with a prayer list or agenda. Help people to move to a “Not my will but Yours be done” mindset. This will help them to remember that ultimately, His will is more important than our own wants, needs and desires. God still wants to hear us express these, because He loves us…but His purposes are so much bigger! Praying in agreement with God through the power of the Holy Spirit and in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, is ultimately to step into the throne room of Heaven whenever we pray. 2. Be welcoming and give people permission to pray at their own level of comfort  – whether out loud or quietly. Don’t put anyone on the spot and don’t have the unrealistic expectation that people are comfortable praying in groups, etc. It’s important that people don’t feel intimidated, but invited! 3. Plan well!  There should be clear leadership and each person walking in should have a good experience with God in community with others. Consider inviting people to a Prayer “Experience” rather than a Prayer “Meeting.” If no one takes the time to develop a focused prayer time but instead just asks what prayer requests people may have, the prayer meeting is doomed to stay small. Start and end on time!  If those attending are never sure when the meeting will end, and feel uncomfortable leaving when the stated ending time comes, they won’t put this commitment on their calendar. If you feel the Spirit is keeping you longer than the hour or two you have stated, give those who need to leave permission to do so without guilt! For example, say, “Tonight we are sensing that God may want us to spend more time praying about…. Those who need to leave, please feel free to do so. If anyone wants to stay longer, you are invited to.” When people leave  a prayer meeting or experience, they should feel confident that God is already on the move responding to the prayers of His people. Knowing that our prayers are heard and that Heaven is stirred with activity by our kingdom-focused praying is important. 4. Be intentional about training people in prayer.  People will not give themselves to something they feel inadequate or uncertain about. Consider offering some training in prayer that will enhance your congregation’s growth in communicating and communing with God so that those who feel deficient or poorly equipped to be a part of a corporate experience in prayer can begin to grow in their confidence. Sometimes training can be incorporated into your prayer meetings. A concept of prayer can be taught and then the group can practice the concept in real time. 5. Talk to God, not one another.  Talking about prayer isn’t prayer. Sometimes our prayer meetings involve a lot of offering of requests and very little actual prayer time. Unless some teaching/training is part of your prayer meetings or experiences, keep talking to one another at a minimum. 6. Be sure to give brief, clear instructions when necessary.  It’s very important that people always understand what they are supposed to do. For example, if you are breaking people into groups of 3 or 4 at some point during the prayer meeting, make sure they are clear about when and how that will take place. If you are using prayer stations, the instructions can be written down and placed at each station. If people come in late, make sure someone is there to welcome them and quickly fill them in so they don’t feel left out when everyone else is moving around or getting into groups. Feeling uncomfortable is a recipe for not returning. 7. Pray kingdom-focused prayers:  Try to move away from the “sick/hospital” list default model as your  only  focus and embrace what God is doing! Take stock of what is happening around you…in the culture. Pray what Scripture shows you is on the heart of God…things like unity in the Body of Christ, that we would love one another, praying for workers to be raised up to spread the Gospel, for our leaders and nation, etc. NOTE:  It is still very important to pray for those who are sick! We need to get better at it than we are. However, prayer meetings are a good way to start training people to pray for those who are sick…and add a kingdom component to their praye 8. Mix it up!  Don’t do the same thing continually! If what you are doing isn’t working, try something new! Change your theme/topic each meeting  because people are passionate about different things. Variety and creativity  engages everyone as God has wired us all differently to meet with Him. Use different postures, different modalities (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.). Prayer stations  are a very good way to engage people in prayer and is a great way to incorporate the variety and creativity mentioned above. Pray Scripture!  People need to learn to pray what is on the heart of God. When we pray God’s word we are always in His will! Get out of the church building!  Prayerwalk or prayer-drive around schools, businesses, other churches, neighborhoods, etc. Set up a Drive-Through prayer booth in your church parking lot or another place in town where people can drive through and be prayed for! Embrace Youth and Children!  From time to time it is important to bring the younger generations into your times of prayer to learn from and grow with one another in prayer. Make space for the kids and you will be blessed. Plan some prayer meetings that are welcoming for all ages. Prayer stations and prayerwalking are good ways to do this. 9. Listening and obeying – spend time allowing God to speak to your hearts and DO what He is leading you to do.  People need to learn that prayer isn’t all one-sided. We often rush in with our requests and never spend time hearing from God through His Spirit. Perhaps a good way to spend time listening would be to ask at least one question of the Lord. Here are two examples: Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers. Is there anything You want to say to me/us?  Perhaps you will hear God telling you how much He loves you and is pleased with the time you have spent in His throneroom. Maybe He will give you a word of encouragement for the whole group, or a picture of what He might be already doing in response to the prayers you have prayed as a community. Of course, you may not sense God saying anything at all…and that is perfectly okay. Taking time to listen ensures that you will not miss something He does want to tell you. Father, would You help us to be the answer to the prayers we just prayed?  Then spend a few minutes listening together as a group. Before closing, the leader may ask, “Has anyone heard the Lord expressing anything to your heart?” Perhaps God will direct you to meet a need for those you have specifically been praying for. This could be directed to you individually or as a community. If you have a sense this is from the Lord, obey! One last suggestion  – don’t be concerned about the number of people at the prayer meeting. If you worry about who isn’t there, you won’t be focused on those who are. The prayer movement will grow one person at a time until more start hearing what God is doing. When answers come and as people have good experiences with the Father in prayer and tell others, you will see growth. As you pray through and incorporate some of these ideas, we fervently pray that your congregation will begin to be more receptive to giving the prayer meeting/prayer experience another try, and that others will be drawn to be a part of what God is up to through the prayers of His people.