If you have a burden to pray for your church, your community, or the nation, do you have a group to pray with in your own community? Are there other like-minded believers around you with a similar call to intercession? If not, perhaps it’s time to consider STARTING something!

Scripture teaches the power of agreement in prayer (Matthew 18:19). There is also added insight and understanding when joined with other saints (1 Corinthians 14:26). Not only can you invite one or two other believers into your home to pray, but you can consider the possibility of starting a prayer room in your local congregation. This could be the start in establishing a true house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 21:13).

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If your church doesn’t have a designated Prayer Room, Dutch Sheets shares ten reasons why a Prayer Room is not only vital to the life of your congregation, but a tremendous benefit and blessing to the community. (Taken from “Watchman Prayer” online PDF, pp 169-170)

1-One of the greatest advantages of a prayer room is that it allows us to schedule prayer in a systematic manner, making it more likely to happen. Scheduled prayer is biblical. If you read in the book of Acts, you will see that the disciples had scheduled times of prayer—9:00 A.M. in Acts 2:15; 3:00 P.M. in Acts 3; 12:00 noon in Acts 10:9; and 3:00 P.M. in Acts 10:30. Also, scheduled prayer tends to be perspirational prayer because it is based on a conscious decision to seek God at a given time each week, not on a crisis or feeling.

2-Prayer rooms provide places where information can be gathered and prayed over, promoting agreement in prayer.

3-A prayer room provides an excellent place to keep a record of all the deeds of God in the life of the church—a reminder to thank and praise Him for all He does.

4-Prayer rooms promote ownership of the church vision and serve as tangible, visible reminders of our commitment to pray.

5-The compassion of Jesus is displayed to the community while we make a statement to them about the importance of prayer.

6-A prayer room provides a place where prayer can be practiced and matured—a training center for both corporate and individual prayer.

7-An inclusive impact is made on the church because a prayer room brings everyone to one place to pray.

8-Prayer rooms minister the presence of God to those who come, providing a place where people can be quiet and hear the voice of God. Church staff and prayer counselors can use it when a quiet, private place is needed.

9-Prayer rooms encourage soaking prayer—prolonged periods of prayer—persevering prayer. Sometimes it takes persistent prayer to reach a spiritual breakthrough. It’s sobering to realize how many prayers fell just short of the mark because we gave up too soon.

10-A prayer room provides a control center for strategic prayer evangelism, for warfare and for other prayer ministries. A prayer room needs to provide privacy and be closed off from outside distractions. It should be comfortable, with a pleasant atmosphere—an inviting place to enjoy the Lord’s presence. It’s important that it be safely accessible 24 hours a day, with a telephone and preferably a separate outside entrance that is well-lighted and has a combination lock. It should be inspirational and should have helpful information displayed to guide people as they pray.

To read “Watchman Prayer” online as a PDF, CLICK HERE. 

To join our online community of intercessors around the clock, go to our PRAYER WALL HERE.