Prayer Walking
Intro & Why
Prayer walking is a way to engage all our senses in intercession. As we physically walk around a place, we see things that inspire us to pray, hear God direct us to pray for what is on His heart and begin to catch a glimpse of how God sees an area. Getting outside both informs and inspires our prayer and also makes us visible to non-Christians, which could potentially impact them for the Kingdom.
Scripture
"Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it." 7 And he ordered the people, "Advance! March around the city, with the armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord." Joshua 6:6.
Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you." Genesis 13:14-17.
"See what the land is like: whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many; whether the land they dwell in is good or bad; whether the cities they inhabit are like camps or strongholds; whether the land is rich or poor; and whether there are forests there or not. Be of good courage. And bring some of the fruit of the land." Numbers 13:18-20.
Practical
Prayer walking is essentially intercession on the move. This can take the form of anything from an individual praying on the way home from work, to a corporate prayer gathering of many different people and churches.
Some practical tips for Prayer-Walking:
- Strategy - it is good to have a idea of where you re going to go and what issues you are going to pray into. Gather some maps before hand and highlight those areas you know to be problematic in your community. Pray for God's light and healing on these places as you walk around them.
- Spontaneity - Although it is good to have a plan, be prepared to listen to the Holy Spirit and pray into any impressions you get whilst on the prayer walk. Also, if a specific issue or event is happening in your area, it may be a good idea to change your plans and go and pray there instead.
- Symbolism - It can be helpful to use different objects to shape the way you pray - Salt can symbolize God's purification, seeds can symbolize new growth- be imaginative!
- Solidarity - Try getting other churches involved with your prayer walking, God loves it when His people pray together.
- Safety - If you are prayer walking at night, it's a good plan to go in groups of at least two, and let someone know where you are going to be covering. Take a mobile phone in case you get separated from the main group or an emergency arises.
Further Resources