The following is a work list and a checklist for your personal prayer life. Go through the questions one by one and check your own prayer life. Determine your actual standing as far as your prayer life is concerned.

The Checklist

• Do you have a quiet place where you can be with God and not be interrupted? Yes/No
• Do you have fixed daily prayer times? Yes/No
• Are you awake and rested at these times so that you can really pray effectively? Yes/No
• Do you have family prayers (if married)? Yes/No
• How do you keep up to date with (new) matters for intercession? For instance listening to the news, reading newspapers, watching TV? Yes/No
• The book Operation World is a very useful source of information for prayer.
• Do you have contact with other prayer groups and intercessors? Yes/No
• Do you receive prayer letters or newsletters from missionaries, mission organisations or other organisations or ministries that make prayer information available? Yes/No
• If your congregation has a prayer bulletin or indicates matters for intercession on the church announcements, do you pray for it regularly? Yes/No
• Do you pray for the following matters:
  o your own spiritual growth…
  o your relatives…
  o your family …
  o your congregation…
  o your city/town…
  o the government…
  o political leaders …
  o unsaved people …
  o missionaries…
  o missions organisations …
  o revival …
  o outreaches …

• The following will contribute towards a more effective prayer life:
  o Read books and biographies on prayer,
  o Attend prayer seminars,
  o Pray together with other believers.

• Let the following elements form part of your prayer:
  o Worship
  o Praise
  o Thanksgiving
  o Intercession
  o Confession of sin
  o Prayer for guidance
  o Personal requests
  o Mediation based on the Scriptures
  o Spiritual warfare

• Ask yourself the following questions and test your prayer life against them:
  o Are your prayers specific?
  Yes/No
  o Are you humble when you pray?
  Yes/No
  o Are your prayers Scriptural and in accordance with the will of God?
  Yes/No
  o Do you pray in faith and with gratitude?
  Yes/No
  o Are you serious about the things that you pray?
  Yes/No
  o Do you expect an answer to your prayers?
  Yes/No
  o Are your prayers based on the commands, promises and revealed will of God as we find it in Scripture?
  Yes/No

• Do you make use of a prayer book or prayer lists in which you write down the matters for which you pray? An example of a page in such a prayer book:

Download article as PDF