Have you ever wanted to have a war binder? What about going to war regarding your top prayer requests? Have you ever wished you could have a direct line to the Holy Spirit, who speaks to the Lord on our behalf (Romans 8:26)? Well, buckle up, because this will rock your world.
I invented this little notebook and had no idea how it would change my life, especially my prayer life. That is exactly what it did. Did I receive the answers I asked for? Not exactly. Rather, I received different and better answers from the Lord than I could have ever imagined!
Wouldn’t you like to have your prayer life transformed in this way? Is there a miracle you are waiting on? Do you wish you had a direct line to God so that you KNEW without a shadow of a doubt that He heard you? Believe me; He does hear us (1 John 5:14-15).
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What is a War Binder?
A war binder can be whatever you want it to be. However, “most people” that I’ve seen create a war binder to store all of their religious papers with tabs to divide each category. While I LOVE this idea, I just have too much for one binder – even if it were a big one!
My war binder is more of a spiral notebook. In it, I have recorded prayers. However, I have not just recorded ordinary, everyday prayers. Rather, I have my battle cries in there. Yes, I have cried through praying in my war binder; it’s only natural when you are close to the Lord.
What are battle cries (in my opinion)? This occurs when you pray about something day after day and really need to speak to the Lord about the matter with all your heart and soul. It could be that you have a sick family member or are struggling financially.
Use the additional space you find in notebook paper or in the paper already present in a steno notebook to write out your prayers. Really speak to the Lord. Let the Psalms inspire you, as you pour out your emotions – anything weighing heavily on your heart!
“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” – 2 Kings 6:16
How I Started My War Binder (And How to Start Yours!)
The following six steps will guide you as you start your war binder. I explain how I created mine and how you can begin making your own!
Step 1 – Get supplies together.
Here are the supplies I gathered for my war room notebook:
You can make a prayer binder instead if you wish. The supply for this step that you would need is a 3-ring binder. I prefer to use a D-ring when possible, but always use up what you have available. The D-ring binder tends to not tear the pages easily.
These will be used for your categories. You will pick categories based on your particular needs. You might want anxiety, depression, motherhood, friendships, marriage, or children. It all depends on what your biggest prayer requests are at the time.
- Labels
Unless you can write in handwriting you enjoy, I’d recommend a label maker to make your own labels to go on your blank tabs. This label maker is a newer version of the one that I use for everything, but, again, use what you have available.
- Washi Tape (Optional), Stickers, and Clear Tape
Washi tape can be a lot of fun when decorating the cover of your war room notebook. I enjoy placing stickers on each page of my war room notebook. Clear tape will help you reinforce any images or pictures you place on the cover of the steno.
- Pens or Pencils, Highlighters (Optional), and Duct Tape (Optional)
Grab any pen or pencil to start writing out your prayers. I use the highlighters to make heart bullet dividers and to highlight various text so that it looks visually appealing to me.
Step 2 – Decorate the back and cover of your war binder.
I have learned that after years of handling my war binder (notebook), that thing really bends and breaks. It is not very durable for a decade of prayers or however long you use it. I actually started a second volume for mine to make sure I have plenty of room to write.
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
Step 3 – Decide on categories for tabs for your war binder.
As mentioned, this is up to you. You might wish to add things like, motherhood, children, or other things. I will share with you what I chose to be the categories in BOTH of my war binders. Please do not judge; rather, pick categories that will best help you in your walk.
My War Binder Categories
Here are the categories that I decided on for both of my war binders.
- Anxiety
- Faith
- Family
- Fears
- Friends
- Marriage/Husband
- Money
- Planning
- Ministry
- Temptation
- Time management
- Worries
- Self
- Patience
- Relationships
Step 4 – Make the labels you need for your war binder.
Be sure to make your war binder personalized. Add stickers, washi tape, or colored paper – whatever helps you connect with God the most. Personalization or making it your own applies to your labels, also. Make sure they are helpful to you – categories you need to pray on.
Related: 75+ War Room Prayers and Scriptures
Step 5 – Determine the order of the tabs for your war binder.
I’m a firm believer in planning. I think it’s necessary to plan how you will do things in order to make them look the way you want, but this applies to me. If you are creative, you might wish to “free-style” it. Since you are adding tabs permanently to your war binder, you ought to plan.
One way you can do this is to pick the categories that matter the most to you and place them in that order. Another possible option is to take the thinking out of it and just make the order alphabetical. That is what I did with volume two of my war binder.
Step 6 – Place labeled tabs on your war binder.
One suggestion I would make when putting your tabs on your war binder is to consider the amount of paper behind each tab. This will entail having a good idea of how many prayers you might pray per category.
Since the binders or notebooks are limited in the amount of paper they hold, you might want to keep that in mind. I use the 5-subject notebooks for my war binders. I then split each of the five sections of the 5-subject notebook into two to make 10 sections available for my tabs!
Step 7 – Start writing prayers in your war binder!
When I first began my war binder, I didn’t know what to write, how to write it, or what the results would be. I saw a YouTube video where a girl grabbed a notebook and began writing out prayers that sounded like this: “When I am mad, I will turn to You, Lord.”
Related: How to Create a Prayer Binder
What I Would Write in My War Binder
This formula is basic and gave me the foundation I needed to get started. I began writing out “When…, I will…” prayers. I actually started with one specific prayer request and spent at least 2-3 hours a day writing in my war binder about that one request.
Of course, write your prayer requests in any fashion you wish – whatever works for you and whatever connects you best with God. If one thing does not seem to be working after a few days, if you feel nothing, no connection, try something new!
See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you. Isaiah 42:9
How I Wrote in My War Binder
Once I had my tabs in place in the war binder, I was nervous about starting to write out prayers. I had very little experience with praying out loud and felt intimidated by those who seemed to know how to pray so elegantly. However, I did have that formula from the YouTube gal.
So, once I was in a tab (a category), I would label the page to be a little more specific. Next, I would make a handmade heart bullet point. I didn’t add the dates, which I regret, so I’ve decided to do that in the second volume of my war binder set.
Next to each heart bullet point, I would write out my prayer. I really enjoy using the Pilot G-2 Fine Point Pens when I write, usually in blue or black ink, but be sure to use what you are most comfortable with. Typically, my prayers were short – only 2-3 lines of the lined paper.
The Results of My War Binder Experience
Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was initially praying about a migraine – where nothing seemed to help. Did I think it would go away overnight? Sort of. Did it? Not exactly. However, I was transformed in unimaginable ways. I wouldn’t change the experience for anything!
I learned that the Holy Spirit was inside of me. He brought Scriptures to mind when I was praying, and I didn’t even realize I knew them. Of course, sometimes, I had to look them up to find the exact one. Occasionally, I wrote out and prayed the Scriptures.
My experience with the Holy Spirit led to even more developments in my spiritual life, and I was transformed within a year. My life was changed in so many good ways. I can’t promise results, but I know what it did for me was only something God could have done!
Let’s examine my prayer life alone. I began my war binder without really knowing how to pray – at least not out loud or on the spot well. When my war binder was nearly bursting at the seams because of all my prayers, I had connected in such a way I could write Bible studies.
I did have experience writing, which is probably why God planted the task on my heart of writing Bible studies, but I never would have had the courage to start, the strength to ward off the enemy’s attacks, or the endurance to continue through many personal hardships.
Now, what will your experience with a war binder be???
10 Free Printables for a War Binder
Enjoy these free printables and place them in your war binder if they work for you!
#1. The Daily Prayers for My Husband FREE Printable
The Daily Prayers for My Husband FREE Printable will help you by listing categories you might use when praying for your husband.
#2. The Attributes of God FREE Printable
The Attributes of God FREE Printable will give you attributes of God that you can use in prayer. Consider this an invitation to expand your prayer life.
#3. The Fun Bible Notes FREE Printable
The Fun Bible Notes FREE Printable can add a splash of color to your plain, white pages.
#4. The Daily Prayer Journal FREE Printable
The Daily Prayer Journal FREE Printable will get you started with easy prayer prompts.
#5. The Serenity Prayer FREE Printable
The Serenity Prayer FREE Printable is something that I kept in my war binder. It gave me inspiration and encouragement on those days that I did not know what to say.
#6. The Praising God Prayer Journal FREE Printable
The Praising God Prayer Journal FREE Printable has prayer prompts and a gorgeous layout that would make great pretty stickers for your war binder. Just cut them out and glue them in!
#7. The 10-Page Prayer Journal Planner FREE Printable
The 10-Page Prayer Journal Planner FREE Printable has all sorts of goodies to help you on your war path!
#8. The Prayer Tracker FREE Printable
The Prayer Tracker FREE Printable can be used to track the answers to your prayers.
#9. The Praying the Scripture eBook FREE Printable
The Praying the Scripture eBook FREE Printable has over 100 Scriptures for you to use in your war binder. It would be great to keep this handy when you are “going to war.”
#10. War Prayers and Scriptures FREE Printable
War Prayers and Scriptures FREE Printable is perfect for your war binder!
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. – Exodus 14:14
Conclusion
A war binder can be life-changing. It is all up to you – how often you use it, how much you put your heart into it, and how you allow it to connect with God during your prayers. I know it changed my life, and I completely believe that it will do the same for you!! God bless!
You armed me with strength for battle; You humbled my adversaries before me. – Psalm 18:39
