Developing Your 3x Prayer Plan
Written by Brayden Brookshier
You read about and discussed the 3x prayer rhythm modeled by Daniel and the early church. Now, we move from history to your story. It is time we take this timeless rhythm, adopting it for ourselves, bringing together everything we discussed in this Prayer Pathway into something you can implement and affect your daily life. It is time to create your own 3x prayer plan! I emphasize that it is yours because what works for me might not work for you.
Creating Your Own 3x Prayer Rhythm
3x = Morning. Midday. Evening. We are invited to pray anytime, anywhere, always–as we should. However, we punctuate our day (3x) with present moments to turn our attention to God in prayer.
Three Important Notes
- Although you are creating a plan to pray 3x a day. You are not necessarily praying three equal amounts of time per day. Your morning prayer time might be prolonged, while your midday prayer time acts like a brief, two-minute pause. The scenarios are vast in possibility! Don’t get hung up on trying to make each part of the day the same amount of time or even in the same purpose!
- Try to have at least one time of day where you pray for at least 12 minutes uninterrupted. A variety of research has shown how 12 minutes of (unbroken) prayer daily has such power that it will literally change your brain, where the changes could be measured on a CT Scan! Those are only physical changes; spiritually, so much more happens as well. But the key from the research is the 12-minute mark (or more, of course). When creating your 3x plan, be advantageous to carve out 12 minutes for either your morning, midday, or evening prayer time. If you do, it’ll grow from there, because you’ll experience how powerful that time can be to where it receives greater priority, even to the point of sacrificing something (for some, even sacrificing sleep) to have it!
- Your 3x plan might (and probably will!) change as you go through various seasons of life. With young kids, your morning time might be pressed and brief. When working a strenuous career, your midday might be a short pause. You get the picture. The important thing is to give God what you've got, instead of focusing on what time you can’t give him. Our phones will testify, we have more time than we often think! The key is to punctuate your day with the 3x plan, and allow for it to morph and change as your life changes and as the Lord leads you! This plan is not static, but dynamic. The key is to fight to maintain a rhythm of prayer.
Morning
Time
What time of morning (not aspirationally, but realistically) can you commit to meeting the Lord in prayer?
Duration
How long will I carve out for this prayer time with God?
Aim
What are some felt needs for this part of my day that will help provide focus for my prayer time? (Example: In the mornings, I feel the heaviness of the day ahead. I need to seek refuge and strength from God first thing!)
Tools
What type(s) of prayers will help connect me with God during this time of day? What tools from this course will aid me in prayer during this time of day? (Example, following the one above: Because I feel the spiritual heaviness, I need to lean into the spiritual warfare tools first thing in my day! I also want to pray through my Scripture reading plan in the morning.)
Mid-Day
Time
What time of midday (not aspirationally, but realistically) can you commit to meeting the Lord in prayer?
Duration
How long will I carve out for this prayer time with God?
Aim
What are some felt needs for this part of my day that will help provide focus for my prayer time?
Tools
What type(s) of prayers will help connect me with God during this time of day? What tools from this course will aid me in prayer during this time of day?
Evening
Time
What time of evening (not aspirationally, but realistically) can you commit to meeting the Lord in prayer?
Duration
How long will I carve out for this prayer time with God?
Aim
What are some felt needs for this part of my day that will help provide focus for my prayer time?
Tools
What type(s) of prayers will help connect me with God during this time of day? What tools from this course will aid me in prayer during this time of day?
You can follow those prompts or use them for inspiration.
Here is how an example plan might look:
- An example 3x prayer plan. In the morning, I will pray starting at 6:00 am. I have a flexible amount of time, but something like 30 minutes is what I am aiming for. I want to let God set the tone for my day, and listen for his voice first thing. I will use tools like the praying Scripture tool and listening prayer tool. At midday, I will pray during my lunch break at work about 12:30 pm. I will pray for 3 minutes. I want to recenter my focus on God. I will use the “Our Father” prayer tool and will let anything I feel needs to be prayed over come up as well. In the evening, I will pray at 9:00 pm as I wind down for bed. I feel attentive at this time and want to focus on just being with God–loving him and letting him love me. I’ll utilize the contemplative prayer tool here.
Here are a few final tips to help your time with the Lord be the best it can be.
- Set an alarm on your phone so you don’t have to keep checking your phone to see what time it is. Let yourself be fully present in the moment. Let your phone alarm tell you when it is time to transition out of that time.
- Experiment with what environments best facilitate this time. Some of you will want pure silence; some prefer worship or instrumental music. Some prefer to be as still and comfortable as possible; some will prefer motion (like praying while walking). Some prefer being outside; some inside. Some write in a journal; some find that cumbersome. Some prefer to pray with other Christ-followers; some prefer to pray alone (even if in the same room as others). Some close their eyes; some keep them open. And so on and so on… Discover what works best for your focus and for keeping your attention on God!
- Embrace the arsenal of prayer tools. Don’t let your plan program you out of simply discerning which prayer tools you need at that time. It is more about creating a rhythm with your time and attention. The tools you use are up to your discretion and are highly situational. With that said, see them as an arsenal. They are all valuable. Incorporate them all, even if they are not used at the same frequency. Recognize the need for all of them, not only the ones you gravitate toward.
- If (... when) you get off rhythm–whether from sickness, laziness, vacation, or anything else–give yourself grace, then return to your 3x plan! Life happens. But the rhythm is key to a life of connection with God and walking in his power. Fight to keep this rhythm. It is worth it! As already noted (above), your 3x plan will likely change throughout various seasons of life. The key is to keep consistent times of prayer meetings with God, even if the plan changes in the details.
Save this section for after 3 weeks of practicing the 3x prayer rhythm consistently. Skip down to the discussion questions below.
- How has the 3x plan revitalized and/or revolutionized your connection with God?
- Are there any modifications you need to make to your 3x plan from what you originally wrote?
- Who can you bring into the loop on the 3x prayer rhythm so you have accountability and also so you can share God stories as God shows up in our prayer lives?
Discuss
- What are three reflective insights from this Prayer Pathway you want to stick with you and remember?
- What was your favorite prayer tool in this prayer pathway course? Explain your answer.
- Which prayer tool was most unfamiliar to you? How do you expect it to help you?
- Who is someone you can share this Prayer Pathway with? Consider sending them the link and offering to discuss it with them!
Congratulations! You completed Newbreak Church’s Prayer Pathway!
You have been equipped with biblical content, prayer tools, and even made a daily prayer plan. This pathway will remain a helpful resource for you to return to and for you to take others through. Yet, the best part is not what you study here, but what you apply as you actually live a prayerful, prayer-filled life! That’s the key: to not simply talk about praying, but to live a lifestyle of prayer.
May your prayers move mountains.
Blessings,
Brayden Brookshier