Do you use Prayer Cues?

The Bible instructs us to pray constantly…

“Pray constantly.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (HCSB)

Previously, I wrote about when and where to pray and several posts on how to pray. Sometimes this can be difficult to remember to do throughout your day unless you have reminders. I know some people who set reminder alerts on their phones to pray at specific times of the day. I think this is a great idea. Something that I have found to be extremely helpful though is to use prayer cues.

Prayer cues are simply visual or auditory reminders to pray for something as you see or hear it. These can be specific things or topics that you have a heart for, certain people in your life, emergency or crisis situations, or even things that frustrate or annoy you.

A few examples of prayer cues I use

My kids and I started using sirens, emergency vehicles, and/or accident scenes as prayer cues to pray for the potential victims and emergency responders. When we hear sirens or see flashing lights or drive past an accident we say a short prayer for the safety of all involved. We pray for wisdom and guidance for the responders to act quickly and to know exactly what to do. We also pray that God’s presence is evident to those involved.

Some other prayer cues I use are exotic clubs, nightclubs/bars, and casinos. I’ve seen countless families suffer pain and heartache due to the use or misuse of these kinds of establishments. Quite honestly, the first thing I pray is that they will go out of business! Basically, I ask God to place a hedge or barriers around the businesses deterring people from going to them. I pray that the businesses would lose demand therefore causing them to shut down. That’s not all though. I also pray for both the employees and the patrons of these businesses.

Whenever I drive past a strip bar or exotic dance club I pray that the women who work there would come to the knowledge that they are loved by God. I pray for God to provide a healthier and more moral means of income. Additionally, I pray for God to protect and salvage families affected by patrons of the business and for the families of the employees of the business. Finally, I ask God to send laborers to cross their paths, to send people to love on them, and to surround them with God.

God answers the prayers of prayer cues

It never ceases to amaze me anytime my prayers are answered. I guess because I just use these prayer cues so often I don’t really expect to get to see my answers to prayer all the time. However, I do!

For example, there have been two “girly” restaurants/bars in my community that I prayed for God to remove. One was actually right down the road from my house. It wasn’t long before the one by my house went out of business (and is now and family-style restaurant). The other, I later found out, was busted for a secret prostitution ring. I’d like to think that my prayers had something to do with that! 😉

One of the coolest examples of an answer to prayer cues came to me a few years ago. Our church often shows “stories” or video testimonies of people in the church. At one of our Easter services, they shared a very touching story of a young woman who had gone through a lot of difficult times in her life. She revealed that at one point she started dancing (exotic) in order to take care of her family. Her story told how she heard God speak to her even as she was working, and eventually, she was invited to church where her life changed forever. As I watched her testimony and listened to her share, I heard God speak very clearly to my heart, “She is one of the women you prayed for.” I immediately broke down into tears, knowing that my prayers had helped to make a difference.

Take Some Practical Steps To Use Prayer Cues:

• First, realize that you have influence in the prayers you pray and that God hears them and answers them.

God has given you authority in your circle of influence and community. If you are praying in agreement with God’s Word, He WILL hear you and He WILL answer your prayers (even if you don’t always get to see the answer). They are not just flippant prayers. They make a difference.

“Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy…” Luke 10:19a (NLT)

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!” John 15:7 (NLT)

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

• Next, try using some of these ideas for prayer cues whenever you pass by, see, or hear them (consider coming up with a few of your own as well):

  • Emergency vehicles, hearing sirens, seeing accident scenes—pray for anyone involved to have guidance, wisdom, safety, healing, God’s presence, etc.
  • Businesses that may be considered immoral or may have a negative impact on families or the community—pray for them to go out of business or relocate, pray for both employees and patrons, and pray for those that might be impacted as a result of the business
  • Hospitals—pray for both the occupants, their families, and the caregivers
  • Schools—pray for the students, teachers, administrators, and staff
  • Churches—pray for the local churches to be effective in reaching the hurt and lost, for the salvation of the lost in your community, and for your own unsaved loved ones
  • Law enforcement—pray for their safety and wisdom
  • Bad area of town—pray for the homeless or poverty-stricken
  • Funeral homes (or processionals)—pray for the families to receive peace and comfort
  • Annoyances—use annoyances or frustrations as a reminder to pray for the person associated with them (i.e. Clothes/mess on the side of the bed? Pray for your spouse! Person at work or school that never shuts up? Pray for them!) Side note: When you pray for annoyances don’t just pray for a solution for the annoyance, pray for the whole person. By the way, it’s hard to stay annoyed or mad at somebody for any extended period of time if you are praying for them. That might be one of the reasons we are instructed to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:28).

• Finally, thank God for answers to prayer if and when you see them.

“I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!” Psalm 118:21 (NLT)

Use these and other prayer cues as triggers to remind you to pray throughout your day. Every day will bring different and new triggers for prayer. You may have prompts to pray for different things than me or others. Just take the opportunity to stop and say a quick prayer whenever you see or hear one of your own prayer cues. You never know the difference you will be making in your community.

What prayer cues do you use? Give us some other ideas by leaving a comment below.

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If you know anyone that could benefit from this, please pay it forward!  Share this post via the sharing links below.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV) 

*Updated: Originally posted 1/17/2017