The 24-7 Prayer Movement initiated the spread of interactive prayer rooms. In the past, prayer rooms were venues where people simply went to spend time in prayer. However, some young people in England, decorated their prayer room and created ‘prayer stations’ by utilising the walls and floor space.

 

In a creative prayer room, you will typically find the following prayer walls and stations:

• A Worship Wall: A space where you can listen to music and be silent before the Lord.
• A Wailing Wall: This creative space is setup to encourage prayer for unsaved family and friends and pin their names to the wall; as well as pray for the lost using world maps.
• A Thanksgiving Wall: At this station you can write “Thank You” notes to God and attach them to the wall, or put them in a container, etc.
• A Creative Wall: Sheets of paper are pinned to the wall, encouraging people to freely express their devotion in art, drawings, poems, etc.
• A Scripture Wall: Scriptures are pasted on the wall to inspire Word-based prayers and also allows space for additional Scripture verses for prayer.

 

Be creative

There are countless ways to create a creative prayer room. The possibilities regarding the type and number of prayer stations as well as the way the room is decorated and used, are endless. The key is simply to be creative! The names of the prayer stations can be adapted, new ones can be added and others omitted. How a prayer room is utilised will largely depend on its purpose, size, the materials available for furnishing and decoration, and the ages of those who will use it.

Below, you will find suggestions for creating an interactive prayer room. These ideas are intended to spark your imagination and provide examples of what can be done. We encourage you to decorate and arrange your prayer room in a way that best suits your context and creativity.

In this article, we discuss 14 prayer stations, i.e. 14 designated areas that can be decorated and furnished to help people participate more actively in prayer These stations represent only a small selection of the many creative possibilities available when designing an interactive prayer room.

 

1. Facing the cross

• This is a time for introspection; asking the Lord to reveal any sin that hinders a deeper walk with Him. Then, nail it to the Cross.
• Suggested Scriptures: Colossians 2:13, 14; Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20, 5:24; Matthew 16:24; Isaiah 1:18.
• Materials needed: Two flat pieces of wood, a hammer and nails to make the Cross; a red cloth on which to lay it on the floor; a small, bedside lamp; coloured paper and pens.

 

2. A hidden/deeper walk

• Reflect on your relationship with the Lord and commit to consecrate yourself to Him afresh.
• Suggested Scriptures: Romans 12:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 3:18.
• Materials needed: White cloth to decorate the area (symbolising the righteous acts of the saints), A4 paper, pens, chairs, pillows and a floodlight for backlighting.

 

3. Walk of remembrance/remembrance wall

• This can be an altar to the Lord, where you can write the promises God has given you – those that have been fulfilled and those yet to come to fulfilment – on a white stone and add it to the heap of stones as a thanksgiving altar. Alternatively, it can be a wall of bricks, on which people can write the promises which God has given them, and then thank Him by building up the wall.
• Suggested Scriptures: Joshua 4:21-24; Psalm 26:7; Philippians 4:6-7; Isaiah 62:6; 2 Corinthians 1:20.
• Materials needed: Fifty small stones, permanent markers, black plastic (to put the stones on), 30 bricks (or large sheets of paper to draw bricks on the wall), a floodlight on the wall or a lamp beside the altar.

 

4. The Potter’s house

• A creative space where people can make a vessel or an ornament while contemplating God’s work in their lives.
• Suggested Scriptures: Isaiah 64:8; Romans 9:21.
• Materials needed: A table (covered with plastic or newspaper), clay, chairs and a small bedside lamp.

 

5. Dine with Me

• Set a Communion Table.
• Suggested Scriptures: Revelation 3:20; John 6:53-55; Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:27-28.
• Materials needed: A table, tablecloth, cups, plates, juice, bread, chairs, candles and matches, small lamps or fairy lights on the table.

 

6. Golden bowl

• This station provides an opportunity for people to bring their needs and prayer requests before the Lord.
• Suggested Scriptures: Matthew 7:7; Matthew 21:22; John 14:13-14; 1 John 5:15; Philippians 4:6-7; Revelation 5:8.
• Materials needed: A golden bowl, table, tablecloth, pieces of paper, pens and a small lamp.

 

The next feature in the prayer room should be an outward focus towards unsaved family members and friends, the community and the rest of the world.

7. Wailing wall

• This is a place where people can bring before the Lord prayer requests for unsaved family members and friends and the lost around the world. To create an interactive experience, invite participants to write their prayer requests on pieces of paper and place them in the gaps of the chicken wire. Enhance the atmosphere by illuminating the area with two small floodlights from above. Suggested Scriptures: 2 Peter 3:8-9; Ezekiel 22:30; Colossians 4:2-6; Philippians 4:6-7.
• Materials needed: Chicken wire, hooks to attach the chicken wire to the walls; pieces of paper and pens; two small floodlights.

 

8. Reality wall/altar of incense

• Pray for the needs of the community and the world. Prayers can be hung from a string using clothes pegs.
• Suggested Scriptures: Matthew 18:19; Philippians 4:19; Revelation 8:3-4.
• Materials needed: String, hooks to attach the string to the walls, pegs, newspaper clippings, adverts of upcoming community events and world events, tacks to pin the articles to the wall and two small floodlights from above.

 

9. Breaking the strongholds

• Construct a small prison and place a table inside. On the table, place paper and pens, a candle and matches, a basin, jug and towel. Position a rubbish bin on the floor next to the table. People can write down the bondages in society that hinder the knowledge of God, such as alcohol abuse, sexual addiction, pornography, idolatry, bloodshed and racism. As they pray, they can burn each piece of paper as a symbolic act of asking God to break these bondages and then place the ashes in the rubbish bin.
• Suggested Scriptures: John 8:32, 8:36; Isaiah 61:1.
• Materials needed: Three room dividers draped with black cloth, 14 thin pieces of wood (or bamboo) to construct two ‘prison windows’; a small table, paper, pens, a candle and matches, and a rubbish bin.

 

10. Sowers of the Word

• This station is used to pray for the nations of the world and for your own nation. Use wheat to symbolise the sowing of God’s Word into the nations.
• Suggested Scriptures: Psalm 2:8; Deuteronomy 1:21; Daniel 7:18; Matthew 24:14.
• Materials needed: Two room dividers, a map of the world and a map of your nation; articles about unreached people groups, persecuted countries, wars, etc. Grains of wheat (and something you can use to stick them to the maps) and a floodlight to light the maps from above. You could also name this prayer station, ‘Fishers of Men’ and decorate it using fishing nets.

 

11. Beautiful feet

• A station where people can wash one another’s feet, pray for each other and seek reconciliation.
• Suggested Scriptures: John 13:5, 13:14; 2 Corinthians 5:18; Matthew 5:24.
• Materials needed: Six chairs and towels, three basins, buckets, jugs and a standard lamp.

 

The final section of the prayer room should include a few stations that focus on God, His Kingdom and His glory.

12. The secret place/throne room

• A place to sit and reflect on God’s character, His Names, etc., and to worship Him for who He is.
• Suggested Scriptures: Psalm 95:6; Song of Solomon 2:10; Isaiah 55:1; Revelation 4:1; Matthew 11:28.
• Materials needed: Purple, white and gold cloths, God’s names written on cardboard, chairs, cushions, water fountain and plants. One floodlight is placed behind the cloths, and another placed at the bottom, focusing on the names of God.

 

13. Word watch

• A place where people can sit and read the Word (or a Psalm) and reflect and meditate on what they have been reading.
• Materials needed: A small table, chairs, a bedside lamp and a few Bibles.

 

14. Creative wall

• A place where people can write, draw, paint graffiti or create other forms of art on a wall. Participants can either write, draw, or paint directly onto a large sheet of paper attached to the wall, or they can create their artwork separately and pin, tack, or tape it to the wall. If available, artwork can also be displayed on easels.
• Materials needed: Table (covered with plastic or newspaper) or a wall (pre-prepared to paint on directly), paper on which to create, paint, paint brushes, coloured pens, crayons, etc., tacks/pins/tape, easels (if available).

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For more ideas: Interactive Prayer Room manual