What is a Prayer Notebook (and Why Do You Need One)?
Have you come across the idea of a prayer notebook, but you’re just not sure what it is? Then you are in the right spot! Read on, my friend!
Prayer can be a bit of a mystery. In theory it sounds good, but for some of us it raises more questions than it answers.
Often it feels as though it doesn’t accomplish a thing, and even more often it feels as though it’s a formal, must-do Christian behavior.
If only we understood how it worked, why it worked, when it worked, and what it actually worked toward!
“But here’s the deal. Despite what we may not understand about prayer, God has deliberately chosen this particular vehicle as the one that drives His activity in people’s lives. It’s what He allows us to use to cooperate and partner with Him in the fulfilling of His will.”
-Priscilla Shirer, Fervent: A Woman’s Battle Plan for Serious, Specific, and Strategic Prayer, page 5
Prayer is how we talk to God.
It’s how we communicate with Him.
Prayer is the way in which we bring the power of heaven down to earth.
“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
-Ephesians 6:12, ESV
Because of this, we know that spiritual battles must be fought with spiritual weapons.
Prayer is that weapon!
Because of Jesus, we have access to the throne of grace.
Through our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, we can worship God in prayer and experience communion with God that will mold our prayer lives into effective weapons of Gospel-ministry within our spheres of influence.
But how often do we let prayer fall by the wayside? How often do we enter the spiritual battles of our lives armed with only material weapons?
This will not do!
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If you can’t see the video, click here to watch it on YouTube.
Creating a prayer notebook was one of the best things I ever did for my prayer life.
Truthfully, it wasn’t necessarily the prayer notebook that changed things. There are a hundred different ways to organize your prayer life.
However, what creating a prayer notebook did was help me be intentional about my prayer life. Essentially, I made a plan for praying!
I stopped letting my lack of understanding of prayer keep me from praying, and I started doing it.
To be honest, so much of learning to pray is learned through on the job training, so to speak. You learn to pray by praying!
Related: My Top 10 Favorite Prayer Resources
What is a Prayer Notebook?
A prayer notebook is nothing more than a tool for effective and strategic prayer.
It is a place where you can:
- Record your prayers and keep track of your prayer requests.
- Capture your thoughts on a particular passages of Scripture, and record how the Lord speaks to your spirit in response.
- Gather your prayer resources all into one place to be accessed and used on an on-going basis.
Basically, a prayer notebook is how you organize your prayer ministry.
Yes, ministry.
Why You Need a Prayer Notebook
Prayer is a ministry.
Modern Christianity has allowed the term ministry to morph into something that you do vocationally or at the church building. It’s something created by the church, for the church, and through the church. If it’s not sanctioned at the church, it’s not a ministry.
But I disagree with this. This mentality has handcuffed and paralyzed so many Christians!
I don’t think we’ve allowed our vocabulary to change on purpose, or even with hearts of malice. It’s just what has happened within the church as we’ve tried to grow in our knowledge of God and how we can effectively evangelize the nations.
Our views of the church have changed as cultural changes have taken place, and as a church we need to adjust. We need to redefine some terms that have lost their meaning over time.
Ministry is one such term that needs redefined.
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
-Ephesians 4:11-12, ESV (emphasis added)
Ministry is derived from the Greek word diakonia, meaning “to serve” or “to help.”
As Christians we are called to serve God and help others in Jesus’ name. We minister by meeting people’s needs with love and grace on behalf of Jesus.
Prayer is ministry.
Therefore, prayer allows us to participate in things that matter eternally. When we pray the work of the Kingdom is advanced. We serve God and help others through prayer, and that is an awesome privilege!
You need a prayer notebook so you won’t forget.
Francis Bacon said once,
“If a man write little, he had need have a great memory.”
Recording your prayers and insights is a time honored practice. Keeping a prayer notebook allows you to remember what you have prayed and how God has answered. It helps you maintain self-accountability to the discipline of prayer, and it provides you with written evidence of the faithfulness of your God.
Your prayer notebook keeps track of your prayer ministry and helps you to be strategic and effective in serving God and helping others (diakonia).
And this, THIS, is why you need a prayer notebook:
- You need to think more deeply about God.
- You need to write your thoughts so that you can feel more deeply (and biblically) about God.
You need to grasp fully your identity in Christ, so that you can step into the ministry of prayer and intercession God has for you.
Things change when we pray.
We are commanded in the Word to pray. Jesus is coming back, and we will be held accountable for the work He’s given us to do here on earth. Are you praying? Are you worshiping God in prayer? Are you serving others through prayer? If not, you can change that today.
“Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord … Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'”
-Ephesians 5:8c-10, 14b
If your prayer life has been lacking, repent and ask God to help you change that. Prayer is nothing more than admitting your weaknesses before God so that He can show His strength in your life and in the lives of those you pray for.
If you need help creating a prayer notebook, then check out my post, How to Make a Prayer Notebook. I’d love to help you get started in your prayer ministry.
What about you? How is your prayer life? What can you do to be more intentional in your prayer life?
Other posts you might be interested in:
I have finally set my Prayer Book up, following your video. I am having a problem remembering what goes in some of the sections. Do you have written explanations of each section, and if so, where would I find this?
Leigh Ann,
I found the information I needed on each section. I’m just getting started and felt overwhelmed. I just have to keep it simple. Keep praying.
I truly enjoyed and appreciated reading this. Thank you so much for sharing! You shared important thoughts.
I want to learn more
I really enjoyed your information. Gave me something I really never gave much thought to. A prayer journal! I’m starting one today! Thank you