DAILY AND WEEKLY PRAYER LIST
- Pastor (e) Paul C Fedena -
Someone has said that the average Christian spends less than 15 minutes a day in prayer. Something is wrong with that, I am sure you will agree. As I analyzed my own prayer life I believe I spotted at least part of the problem, viz, a lack of discipline. Many believers allow their prayer life to be somewhat hodge-podge, disjointed and disorderly.
On the back of this sheet is a through-the-week day-by-day prayer list which I have found very useful. It is a mild attempt to rectify the above listed problem of an undisciplined prayer life. It is far from perfect, I am sure, and you can no doubt improve on it – and I hope you will. But if you will use this guideline (on one of your own choosing) you will find an improvement in what you cover daily and what God brings to your mind as you meditate on each of these areas. You will not only pray better, I believe, but you will pray effectually.
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman, boy or girl) availeth much.” James 5:16b
This is not meant to cover every area in your prayer life, and no doubt the Holy Spirit will prompt you to add others, but it is simply an honest attempt to help me and you to be more disciplined in how and what we pray for. (You will notice that Sunday is missing from this list. I have deliberately left that open to encourage you to pray specifically for your pastor and church needs and problems.)
Step 1 - CONFESSION You will notice that each day begins with confession. As the priests in the O.T. every day stopped at the laver in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple, to wash their hands and feet before entering the day of service for the Lord, so we too should begin our daily quiet time asking the Lord to wash us with His laver, God’s Word. All of us become defiled daily as we walk in this world and we sin oftentimes without even realizing it. However, if we stop and think about what transpired in the last 24 hours the Holy Spirit will surely remind us of things we need to confess.
Step 2 - PRAISE Every believer has much to praise the Lord about and the Bible teaches us that praise is comely and that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. Each day there is much to praise the Lord for in our lives. Regardless of our circumstances we need to praise the One Who knows about our needs, circumstances, trials, tears and troubles and praise Him for what He has done and is doing in our lives. (If you think it can’t get worse and you have nothing to praise the Lord about, take a trip to the nearest children’s hospital and watch grieving parents as they see their little one’s lives slipping away, without human help. Or visit the local cemetery and read the headstones there to see how short many lives were on planet earth.) Let’s quit having a pity party and have a praise party instead!
Step 3 - THANKSGIVING Why not daily count your blessings and be genuinely thankful for all God has done for you? What a great and loving God we serve.
Step 4 – INTERCESSORY Intercessory prayer is when we specifically pray for the personal needs of others. Someone is counting on YOU.
Step 5 - PERSONAL None of us has all we feel we need or should have. Now it is time to let the Lord know just what your heart’s desires are to serve Him more effectively and efficiently. Your personal needs and wants will probably differ from anyone else, but we all have them. Take them to the only One Who can provide them for us. Remember to keep asking, seeking and knocking relentlessly until God knows you are serious.
Step 6 - SPECIAL Your pastor, church family, personal family, friends, et. al., are needy and here is where you can “bear one another’s burdens.” Someone is counting on YOU to pray for them. Remember when you promised that brother or sister: “I will be praying about that”? Don’t forget that promise. (I hope this helps you be more disciplined in your prayer life.)
On the back of this sheet is a through-the-week day-by-day prayer list which I have found very useful. It is a mild attempt to rectify the above listed problem of an undisciplined prayer life. It is far from perfect, I am sure, and you can no doubt improve on it – and I hope you will. But if you will use this guideline (on one of your own choosing) you will find an improvement in what you cover daily and what God brings to your mind as you meditate on each of these areas. You will not only pray better, I believe, but you will pray effectually.
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman, boy or girl) availeth much.” James 5:16b
This is not meant to cover every area in your prayer life, and no doubt the Holy Spirit will prompt you to add others, but it is simply an honest attempt to help me and you to be more disciplined in how and what we pray for. (You will notice that Sunday is missing from this list. I have deliberately left that open to encourage you to pray specifically for your pastor and church needs and problems.)
Step 1 - CONFESSION You will notice that each day begins with confession. As the priests in the O.T. every day stopped at the laver in the Tabernacle, and later in the Temple, to wash their hands and feet before entering the day of service for the Lord, so we too should begin our daily quiet time asking the Lord to wash us with His laver, God’s Word. All of us become defiled daily as we walk in this world and we sin oftentimes without even realizing it. However, if we stop and think about what transpired in the last 24 hours the Holy Spirit will surely remind us of things we need to confess.
Step 2 - PRAISE Every believer has much to praise the Lord about and the Bible teaches us that praise is comely and that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. Each day there is much to praise the Lord for in our lives. Regardless of our circumstances we need to praise the One Who knows about our needs, circumstances, trials, tears and troubles and praise Him for what He has done and is doing in our lives. (If you think it can’t get worse and you have nothing to praise the Lord about, take a trip to the nearest children’s hospital and watch grieving parents as they see their little one’s lives slipping away, without human help. Or visit the local cemetery and read the headstones there to see how short many lives were on planet earth.) Let’s quit having a pity party and have a praise party instead!
Step 3 - THANKSGIVING Why not daily count your blessings and be genuinely thankful for all God has done for you? What a great and loving God we serve.
Step 4 – INTERCESSORY Intercessory prayer is when we specifically pray for the personal needs of others. Someone is counting on YOU.
Step 5 - PERSONAL None of us has all we feel we need or should have. Now it is time to let the Lord know just what your heart’s desires are to serve Him more effectively and efficiently. Your personal needs and wants will probably differ from anyone else, but we all have them. Take them to the only One Who can provide them for us. Remember to keep asking, seeking and knocking relentlessly until God knows you are serious.
Step 6 - SPECIAL Your pastor, church family, personal family, friends, et. al., are needy and here is where you can “bear one another’s burdens.” Someone is counting on YOU to pray for them. Remember when you promised that brother or sister: “I will be praying about that”? Don’t forget that promise. (I hope this helps you be more disciplined in your prayer life.)
More Articles and Books On Prayer
- PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE PRAYER - Dr. Paul Fedena
- THE PLACE, POWER, AND PURPOSE OF PRAYER – Dr. Paul Fedena
- PRAYER IS THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT - Dr. Paul Fedena
- Fedena's Prayer Sheet
- OH GOD...! - Dr. Paul Fedena
- FAMOUS FOR THE FAITH - Dr. Paul Fedena
- The Bible and the Cell Phone
- SOME BEDTIME PRAYERS
- The Role Of Prayer In Spiritual Awakening by J Edwin Orr
- Prayer, Praise & Promises: A Daily Walk Through the Psalms By: Warren W. Wiersbe