My War Room
The movie War Room starring Priscilla Shirer and Karen Abercrombie left me wanting to be more intentional and diligent in my praying.
I don’t have an actual war room or a prayer closet like Elizabeth and Clara in the movie. However, the large chair in the corner of our living room overlooking the window is my ‘war room’. Sometimes I pray as I walk in the park behind our house.
“…be faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12b
This is one of my favorite verses. It is the word faithful that always catches me. I come away feeling guilty and lost at the many times I have promised friends and family that I would pray for them and had not been diligent following through on those promises.
I have tried a couple of methods to help me with this; they haven't gotten me far. My latest practice is maintaining a prayer journal and having a particular time each day to pray through the list.
Here is how I use my prayer journal:
I divide my prayer list into categories.
I use Bible verses to pray using the right words.
I add to the list as God puts people on my heart or if I heard of/saw a need.
Making lists under categories and writing out verses to pray with:
Single parents have always been special to me. God has put it in my heart to pray for men and women, who, for reasons sometimes not in their control, are left to parent their children on their own.
I wrote out Psalm 23:1 and Philippians 4:19 and wrote down every person I could remember that I had to pray for. Some were workmates, others close friends and some were family. As I carefully worked through the list, I lifted them to God.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1
“My God will meet all your needs according to his riches in heaven.”
Philippians 4:19
·My second category was ‘the sick’. My maternal Uncle Roy had recently been diagnosed with cancer and was taking treatment. A friend had asked for prayer for her son and soon I had a list made. James 5:15 and Psalm 103 were the verses I wrote out on this page.
“The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.”
James 5:15a
“He (the Lord) heals all my diseases.”
Psalm 103:3b
·Young adults are important to me as my own children are in that bracket. It is always my prayer that they will seek God with their whole heart and treasure Him and his word above all else. So I had Mathew 6:21 and 33 on top of their page. Quickly, I wrote down their names, following it up with my six nieces, all their friends, my Sunday school children (from days when I was a teacher) …and the list went on.
“For where your treasure is there your heart will be also… Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:21 and 33
Little children come next in line with our little Nivin and Kevin first and followed by grandnieces and nephews. Some children in class also are noted down to pray for, the 5-year-old twins who lost their father, Stella whose parents have decided to separate, and Anoj, who has come to NZ from India, is new to school, and is feeling lost.
These children live in a difficult time; they have electronic screens all around and multiple distractions from all sides to pull them away from the truth! Lord, I pray that they will learn the truth and accept the truth, I prayed Proverbs 23:23.
My other categories:
Missions/ missionaries
The church
Elders in the family
Newlyweds
Your list may look very different from mine- friends at Uni, co-workers, neighbors, prayer group friends, mothers at school, youth group, etc.
Here is what you can do:
Find a prayer notebook/journal
Write down your categories
Note down 2 verses for each of the categories
Add names of people as God brings them to mind.
A quote from Max Lucado comes to mind:
“Our prayers may be awkward, our attempts may be feeble, but since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”
Max Lucado
May God help us to set up our own war rooms and be fervent in prayer.