Unleashing God's Power On The Streets

.....Prayerwalking is an adventure in intercession. It is stepping out on the streets in prayer with your eyes open to peoples' needs and your ears open to the Spirit's leading. It provides you with the opportunity to pray in your community as well as for your community. Any believer can prayerwalk; any believer can unleash God's power and purpose in a community through prayerwalking.
.....This section of the web site is designed to help you understand and practice prayerwalking. These materials are offered to help you hit the streets with prayer and experience this adventure in intercession. We will be updating the material in this section to aid believers grow and mature in prayerwalking. Continue to check with us as we update these materials.

What Is Prayerwalking?

.....Prayerwalking is moving your prayer closet or prayer meeting outside the four walls of a building. Many times our prayers wobble between trivial matters of our own selfishness and topics of remote interest. However, prayerwalking focuses believers on the real needs, the real hurts, and the real concerns of their community. As believers prayerwalk, God gives them a heart for people and their needs. It enables believers to intercede with power for people in their cities and communities.
.....Prayerwalking is defined as "praying on-site with insight." It is an active strategy that calls Christians to identify targeted places and then physically move about those premises to cover them in prayer. It is praying in the places that you long for God to work. It is moving outside the four walls of the church and praying on city streets or roads for the people and places around you. When you go on the scene, different sights, smells, and sounds will prompt you to pray in ways that you would probably never think of if you were to pray from a remote location.
.....There has been an explosion of prayerwalking in the last twenty years. Prayerwalking does not have a father; no one person can be identified as the founder of the movement. One cannot find an original prayerwalker who devised the idea years ago. There has been a mutual sharing of ideas, but God has apparently authored the idea in the hearts of many of the pioneers who have quietly gone on with the job and have passed the idea on to countless others.
.....Prayerwalking is just what it sounds like it would be: praying while walking. Since there are different kinds of walks and different kinds of prayer, we need to have a sharpened, narrow definition of prayerwalking. As defined earlier, it is praying on-site with insight. This definitions reveals that there are three distinct parts to prayerwalking. These three elements are necessary to carrying out a successful and powerful prayerwalk.
.....The first part of prayerwalking is prayer. It is intercession for people and their needs. While you walk, you call on God to work in and bless the people of a street, a road, a community, or a city. It is the deliberate activity of interceding for others as one walks by their homes or businesses. In prayerwalking, a believer focuses on people and their cities or communities with a specific plan of intercession. The believer calls on God to bless, to save, to change, and to use the people who live in the houses or work in the businesses. Prayerwalking is not occasionally beaming bundles of religious sentimentality toward people. It is directed and focused intercession. This is the strength of prayerwalking. It is quality intercession for people. The best praying is always done on purpose and not as casual happenstance. Quality intercession is not incidental; it is intentional!
.....Prayerwalking is on-site prayer. It is simply praying in the very places where you expect your prayers to be answered. It is praying in the places where you long to see God work. One can pray as he or she walks by a building or house. There can be exceptions to this. One can routinely break from walking to take a deliberate stance at special spots or station oneself at elevated viewpoints. This is for the purpose of intentionally praying for a place and the people who are there. Whether walking or stationed at a place, you are praying at the place where you desire and long for God to work and to pour out His abundant blessings. It is going to the place and praying where you hunger for God to send His power and His blessings.
.....Finally, prayerwalking is praying on-site with insight. You can receive this insight in a variety of ways. One way is responsive insight. This is the insight that you receive as you look at and observe the people and the surroundings. When people prayerwalk, they do it with their eyes wide open. By seeing the people, their homes, and their businesses, it floods their prayers with significance. The ordinary powers of observation yield tremendous insights about the best focus in prayer. These insights will refine their prayers and will give a more powerful and sharper focus to their prayers. By having this more powerful and sharper focus in prayer, it will lead to more fervent intercession.
.....The insight of the prayerwalkers may be researched insight. Before going on a prayerwalk, believers can do research about their community or city. They can therefore understand the problems of the area and the hindrances to the gospel in this area. By doing this, they can develop a prayer strategy that will address these problems and these hindrances. This will allow them the opportunity to pray for solutions and for the removal of any obstacle to the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ Insight on how to pray can be given to the prayerwalker as he or she prays through the Scripture.
.....Another way that you receive insight during a prayerwalk is revealed insight. The Holy Spirit will reveal specific needs and concerns to pray over during your prayer walking. Because of this, it is crucial that the prayerwalker pray the Scripture as he or she walks. This is due to the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the truth of Scripture and who enables the believer to pray. As a believer prays the Scripture, the Holy Spirit will grant specific guidance in how to pray for individuals and cities or communities. As a believer saturates his life and prayers with the Word of God, the Holy Spirit can and does grant specific promptings to pray for a city or community and its individuals. Praying the Word of God opens your ears to listen to the prayer guidance of the Holy Spirit. The will enable the prayerwalker to pray more specifically and more intensely.
.....The insights gained through prayerwalking can lead to powerful intercession for a city or a community and its people. These insights will enable the believer to seek God to deal with the problems and the barriers to the gospel so that God can be glorified by the advancement of His kingdom and the transformation of lives in cities and communities. These insights blend together to fortify prayer with a starkly relevant authenticity. It is no longer prayer as usual. This up-close and personal prayer becomes an adventure.

.....For most Christians, prayerwalking is a new and rather strange concept. As with anything new, people may be skeptical and wonder why they should consider this practice. There are some vital reasons why you need to consider this practice. Prayerwalking is not a technique that has been devised in order to get results. It is not a gimmick to get God to hear you. You may be wondering, "God can hear me when I am praying in my living room or in my church. Why should I walk all over the place praying?" There are some vital reasons why you need to consider this practice.
.....The first reason to consider this practice is because it helps the struggling intercessor. For most believers, prayer can be difficult and at times boring. And, let's face it, most prayer meetings in churches are boring. They consist of people using and repeating the same phrases and clichés that they have always used. Prayerwalking can stimulate new ways to pray. It stirs believers to pray in fresh and new ways. It can bring new life and power to the believer's prayer closet. It can bring new life and power to the church prayer meeting. It can refresh a church's prayer ministry. It is not a replacement for prayer meeting or any other responsibility of the believers. Yet, it can be a catalyst for stirring believers to gather in homes and church buildings to pursue focused and fervent intercession.
.....Prayerwalking can give you a heart for the lost and hurting people around you. As you walk down roads and streets or station yourself at points, you come to realize that the people you are praying for are not just names on a prayer list. You discover that these people are lost, enslaved by sin and headed for an eternity in hell. You begin to realize the pain and the heartache of people who are suffering in your neighborhood, your community, or your city. This can motivate you to intercede with intensity. You can no longer go down a prayer list simply calling out names and asking God to bless them. This creates a heart in you for lost and hurting people. It creates a longing to stand in the gap for them.
.....This practice can also show you needs and opportunities that you've never seen before in your city or community. Many of our prayers concern only our own interests. In church prayer meetings, the focus of the praying is primarily for the members and their loved ones and activities of that church. Our vision is turned inward rather than outward. Our praying has simply become focused on ourselves and the people that we know and that need our prayers. Prayerwalking will provide the opportunity to see the needs of a lost and hurting community or city. It will reveal opportunities to minister that have been hidden from our eyes by self-interest and selfishness.
.....Prayerwalking will mobilize and energize believers to evangelize and minister to people. It will create the desire to evangelize and minister because people have a tendency to pursue what they have prayed for. Added to this, people tend to be involved with what they have seen. These factors motivate believers to reach and minister to those for whom they have prayed. Prayerwalking is not an end in itself. It leads to all types of ministry, not the least of which is evangelism and prayer.
.....Prayerwalking helps you to focus your faith. As you walk through a city or community, you begin to see specific needs. Your mind and heart become saturated with the opportunities that are around you. As these things happen, you begin to call on God and believe God for the salvation, healing, deliverance, and blessing of people. You start believing God for specific blessings in the lives of those around you. You are put in a position where you trust God for specific blessings for specific people. You can no longer say, "Lord bless our city" or "Lord, bless our community." Your faith is focused to believe God for blessings in the lives of people in your community or city. You see the need and you are motivated to trust God for the blessing. When you draw close to who you are praying for, it strengthens your faith to plead with and believe God for what is needed in their lives. This focused, strengthened faith is crucial to receiving an answer from the Lord. The Word of God states in James 1:6-7, "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord."
.....Prayerwalking also helps you to agree in prayer. Power in prayer does not come through loud cries or eloquence. It comes when believers join together in agreement in prayer concerning a burden. As you prayerwalk, you can join others in specific intercession for people and their needs, agreeing that God's power and blessing has to be released into this situation. Agreeing in prayer is the desperate and united plea of believers who have been joined together by a common burden. It is the plea that the power of Jesus Christ, who is in their midst, might flow into and bring change in the situation (Matthew 18:19-20). Believers join in agreement and faith, pleading that the power of Jesus Christ will bring about the necessary changes. It is the desperate dependence on Jesus Christ to transform lives and situations, being expressed in prayer and faith.
.....Focusing on the same subject can be tough while sitting in a circle in a room. Yet, when you walk a street or road or stand in front of a building, you are confronted by the needs. You come to a clear understanding of what is needed. You see the problem with clearer vision. For this reason, it becomes easier to share the same concern and the same level of intensity. Prayerwalking can give sharper focus and intensity to the agreement of believers in prayer.
.....Prayerwalking will enable you to pray specific, pointed prayers. You will begin to see needs and opportunities that are around you. This will enable you to make razor-sharp requests of the Lord. You will be praying for specific families with names and faces. You will be praying for specific places and needs. This will generate more power and certainty to your prayers. As you walk, your perception is heightened and your prayers can be far more directed by the Holy Spirit of God.

The Basics of Conducting A Prayerwalk

.....There are a variety of ways to conduct a prayerwalk. The following is simply an offering of suggestions to help you get started. This is an explanation of the basics. These are the fundamentals that will help you begin and sustain healthy and powerful prayerwalks. You may have to make adjustments in light of your situation. Yet, these are the basics that needed to begin. A prayerwalk needs to be conducted in three phases.

Phase One:
The Preparation For A Prayerwalk

.....Before you prayerwalk, you need to make preparation. This is not something you do on a whim. If it is going to be powerful and effective, you must begin by preparing yourself. You need to take certain steps to get yourself ready to be an instrument that God can use.
.....Your first step in preparation is to commit yourself totally to God. Before you prayerwalk, you need to have a time of worship and surrender before the Lord. You are about to become a bridge of blessing between heaven and earth. Adore Him for His character and ways. Give thanks to God with a grateful heart. Confess your sins with honesty and brokenness. Read the Scripture. As you worship before the Lord, be still before Him for a short while with a readiness to sense special instructions regarding where you should walk or what you should pray. You need to have a definite plan about the place you should prayer and the prayer requests that you are going to make. Yet, be open to change at the guidance of the Lord. Go with the plans that you have formed unless you clearly sense otherwise.
.....The team also needs to pray on each piece of the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). God has granted this armor to the believer for help and protection in the midst of the spiritual war. Any time a believer prays, a spiritual war is going on. This is true also for prayerwalking. You are laboring to take back territory and people that the enemy has enslaved. He will not accept this passively. The team must put on the armor of God by faith and prayer.
.....Another part of your preparation should be the development of a prayer team or prayer teams. People can prayerwalk by themselves. God can and does use this. Yet, it is best if there is a team. Why should you have a team of prayerwalkers?

.....The teams should consist of three members. You can allow partners to find each other spontaneously. You might also consider mixing and matching teams on the basis of maturity, experience, and physical capabilities.
.....Before you prayerwalk, you need to designate where the teams will prayerwalk. Locate the area that the prayerwalkers will work. Sometimes this can be a roughly designated area. You can also give a specific area or route. It is important to have a definite area or route that you will prayerwalk. But, you must also be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leadership. Routes and areas should not be too tightly designated in order for the prayerwalkers to have the freedom to do as the Spirit leads. God may have a divinely appointed prayer appointment for them! Labor to strike a balance between structure and spontaneity.
.....Another part of your preparation is to determine how long the prayerwalk will be. You need to agree with the teams on the time that you will regather. It is difficult to gauge how long it will take to cover the territory assigned plus God's providential appointments. For this reason, you should allow reasonable flexibility in the schedule.

Phase Two:
The Practice of Prayerwalking

.....When you prayerwalk, your prayers need to be balanced between three topics: worship, warfare, and the preparation of the way for God's blessings. Every prayerwalk should have the worship of God included. As you walk, praise God who made all the things that you see. Adore God who has created the people that you are praying for on the prayerwalk. Give God the glory for what He is going to do in that area. The purpose of this worship is to glorify God and to seek God's manifest presence. God inhabits or dwells in the praises of His people. His power flows when His people praise Him. God is always present. Yet, in worship, we are seeking God's presence to be made real and vital in peoples' lives. Praise is crucial to this. When the praise goes up, the power comes down!
.....You also need to do warfare on the prayerwalk. The purpose of this is to deal with evil spirits that are working in the area in which you are prayerwalking. It is to begin the process of tearing down strongholds and weakening the grip of Satan in the lives of the people by prayer. Satan and his demons work to blind and keep unbelievers in bondage (2 Corinthians 3:3-4). Satan and his demons work to hinder and lead believers into bondage (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). There must be a resistance and binding of these forces. Call on the Lord Jesus Christ to bind, confuse, and send these evil forces away. Ask Him to tear down any strongholds that Satan has built in the lives of people. Plead that the forces of hell will be broken and destroyed by the power of Christ's blood, Christ's cross, Christ's name, and Christ's Word. This is done in preparation for receiving the Word of God and bringing about true repentance and faith in the lives of those for whom you are praying.
.....There must also be the preparation of the way for God's blessings and salvation. The purpose of this part of your praying is to ask for God's blessings on the people who live where you are prayerwalking. It is seeking God so that He will pour out His abundant blessings on the people for whom you are praying. Plead that the people will be receptive to the gospel. Cry out to God and ask Him to remove any obstacles that might hinder people from hearing the gospel. The purpose of prayerwalking is to prepare the way for God's blessings through prayer. It is using the channel of prayer to release God's mercy, love, grace, and peace into a city or community. It is pleading for a genuine and open welcome to the reign of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
.....As you walk, keep these suggestions in mind:

Phase Three:
The Evaluation of The Prayerwalk

When the prayerwalk is finished, it is beneficial to have meeting of the prayerwalkers. This is for the purpose of discussing the prayerwalk and how they felt about it. At this meeting, you need to discuss what insights were gleaned during the prayerwalk. Insights will fade over time unless you discuss them and record them. These insights should be compiled and given to each member of the team and other intercessors. This will serve as a further guide to prayer as one continues to intercede for the area in the personal prayer closet or in the church meeting.
This meeting should also include strategies for ministries in these areas. From the insights that were gained, what ministries could be started to reach people with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Again, the prayerwalk is not an end in itself. It is just the beginning--the beginning of intercession and prayer for the area that one prayerwalks. Along with this, team members should evaluate the prayerwalk. From this session, they may be able to offer suggestions to improve future prayerwalks. This should lead to a decision of where, when, and how to prayerwalk again.
Some basic guidelines for the reporting about the prayerwalk include:

     Prayerwalking is a dynamic and powerful spiritual experience. God will honor it and use it to touch and transform the lives of people. Believers can have an enormous impact on their cities and communities through prayerwalking.
     We have already defined what prayerwalking is. It is praying on-site with insight. It is moving your prayer closet outside and into the city and community around you. And we have examined reasons why believers should practice prayerwalking. It will affect both those who practice it and those for whom they pray.
     Prayerwalking is an essential tool for believers and churches. Yet, it is important to remember what prayerwalking is not. You must maintain a balance in this issue. Keep the following in mind:

    • Prayerwalking is not a substitute for personal prayer. Prayerwalking can invigorate your prayer life. It can breathe new life into your prayer life. It can strengthen and intensify your prayer life. But, it should never be seen as a substitute for a personal, daily time when you get alone and get with your Father. Jesus taught the necessity of spending time alone with the Father, "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly" (Matthew 6:6). It is not a matter of choosing between your time alone with God and your prayerwalking. It is a matter of striving to maintain a balance between your time alone with God and your prayerwalking.
    •  Prayerwalking is not a replacement for the church's prayer meetings. Again, you should work for a balance between these things. Prayerwalking can have a positive and transforming affect on your church's prayer meetings. It can rejuvenate the prayer meetings in your church. It can bring refreshing to the same old, tired, boring times that we call prayer meeting. Yet, it does not replace believers getting together in churches or homes to pray. The Bible declares the need for believers to join together for prayer, "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers" (Acts 2:42). Prayerwalking can be a healthy and vital extension of the church's praying. In turn, it can breathe new life into the church's prayer meeting.
    •  Prayerwalking is not an alternative to evangelism. Prayerwalking leads to evangelism. Prayerwalking opens the door for witnessing. It removes the barriers to the gospel in cities and communities. Prayerwalking and evangelism go hand in hand. They complement each other. Prayerwalking enables the church to fulfill its Great Commission, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen" (Matthew 28:19-20). Prayerwalking is not an alternative to evangelism; it is a crucial key to winning people to Jesus Christ and discipling them.
    •  Prayerwalking is not a substitute for ministering to the needs of people. Prayerwalking enables you to see and discover the needs of people. And it will produce compassion in your heart for people. It is one thing to hear about a need. It is quite another to see it in living color. Ministering to people requires a heart of compassion and an understanding of their needs. Prayerwalking equips the believer with both these things. Prayerwalking is not a substitute for ministry; it is a prerequisite for ministering the people. Jesus declares that His people will minister to the needs of others, "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to You, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me" (Matthew 25:37-40). Prayerwalking can empower you to minister to the needs of others. It puts you in the position to do this.

     Prayerwalking is a powerful tool for believers. It can release God's power and blessing into the lives of people. Yet, it must be remembered that it goes hand in hand with personal and corporate prayer, evangelism, and ministering to the needs of people.

     Prayerwalking is a fun and exciting adventure. One of the reasons for this is because of the variety of ways that you can prayerwalk. God never intended for prayer to be boring. When you prayerwalk, you can discover hundreds of ways to pray for your area, your church, and the people around you. You will gain insights and grow as an intercessor. This variety will sustain your prayer life and create excitement and enjoyment concerning prayer.
     In this chapter, we will examine the various ways that you can prayerwalk. There are numerous ways that you can prayerwalk. God honors and blesses each of these ways. God will grant you insight and power for each of these ways. Consider practicing all the varieties of prayerwalking.

Prayerwalking Alone

     The Holy Spirit will inspire you to do impromptu prayerwalks. You may not have others who can or will prayerwalk with you. The Holy Spirit will bless and guide your personal prayerwalking. Many believers do this as they exercise, whether it be walking or jogging.
When you prayerwalk alone, keep the following in mind:

     Pray aloud. There may be times when God wants you to be silent and listen to Him. Yet, pray out loud if it is possible. Praying aloud helps you to stay focused as you prayerwalk. When you are prayerwalking by yourself, your mind will have a tendency to stray from praying. You may find it hard to concentrate.      Praying aloud will aid you in staying focused. A single person praying audibly in public may appear odd or strange to onlookers. A simple word of explanation will suffice in these situations. Be more concerned about what God thinks than what anyone else thinks.
     Prayerwalk the same route with other believers. Your solo prayerwalk may just be the beginning of prayerwalking an area. Once you prayerwalk a route by yourself, you might want to recruit other believers to prayerwalk that same route with you. You will be able to add power to that original prayerwalk with the agreement of other believers. You will be able to pray with added faith for the people, places, and situations along that route.
     Avoid engaging evil powers by yourself. When you prayerwalk alone, focus on pleading for the release of God's power and blessings on people, places, and situations. Pray for God's righteousness to be exalted and His kingdom to engulf the people and the area. Avoid confronting evil powers by yourself. There is a place for confronting and binding evil spirits through prayer. Yet, it is better to have other believers with you who can pray for you and support you in this type of situation.

Prayerwalking As A Family

     Prayerwalking as a family can help your children understand prayer and move them toward becoming powerful intercessors. It can be the beginning of a lifetime of intercession. It will aid you in involving your children in prayer. They will have a part in advancing God's kingdom. It can provide you with new and fresh ways of praying as a family.
     When you prayerwalk as a family, consider the following guidelines:

     Pray for God to speak to and touch your children through family prayerwalks. Ask God to make these prayerwalks a significant spiritual marker in their lives. Pray that this will create a heart for intercession in your children.
     Choose areas that are of interests to your children. Let your children help in planning the areas that you will pray.
     Plan short and varied routes. Don't let your prayerwalking as a family become too complicated or too long.
    Talk with your children about what prayerwalking is and how to do it. Talk to them about where you are going and the prayer topics for that route. You might even devise short and simple prayer guides to help your children. You might even consider helping them find verses of Scripture that they can use on the prayerwalk.
    Mix fun with intercession. Your children will not be able to focus on prayer for the entire prayerwalk. Be willing and ready to have times of fun mixed in with the prayerwalking. Even when you are having fun, talk with God about the fun that you are having.
     Pray specifically about your children's' concern. When you prayerwalk with your children, pray about those things that directly affect them. Pray about those things that bother them or make them fearful. Incorporate their interests in your prayerwalk.
     Invite other family members or friends to prayerwalk with you. At times, you might want to include extended family members in your prayerwalks. Your children need to see the most important people in their lives in the practice of praying.
     Affirm that God hears and answers prayer. After your prayerwalks, talk with your children about the truth that God hears and answers prayer. Share with them that God has heard your prayers and will answer them in His time and way. Use this as an opportunity to teach them about trusting Him and waiting on Him to answer.

Prayerwalking In Small Groups

     Prayerwalking can be done in groups of two or three people. It is best to have teams of two to three people. Praying with one or two team members enables you to pray in agreement. God loves it when His people pray together in agreement (Matthew 18:20). God's power and blessing are released when His people put this truth into practice.
When prayerwalking in small groups, remember the following general principles:

     Form prayer teams-Usually prayer teams will come together spontaneously. Yet, there is good reason to be deliberate in forming teams. You must consider matters of safety, local sensitivities, and prayer maturity of the individuals.
     Shuffle prayer teams. It is wise to place experienced intercessors with those who are struggling in prayer. When you do this, you are giving the experienced intercessors an opportunity to mentor and encourage the ones who are struggling. Prayer is contagious. Take advantage of this opportunity. There are times when a prayerwalk is designed so that prayer teams meet at certain points. When they meet, they rest and re-assign the prayer teams.
     Develop a rhythm of prayer. Allow each person to pray in the group. Take turns praying and be sensitive to what the others are praying. Seek the filling of the Spirit and allow Him to lead the praying of the team.

Prayerwalking In Large Groups

     There are certain situations that are ideal for prayerwalking in large groups. A large group for prayerwalking is from seven to twenty-four. This type of prayerwalking is ideal for prayer rallies, evangelistic crusades, or protests and demonstrations. Some churches have left their sanctuaries and made a broad sweep of their communities with prayerwalking.
     When you are planning or are involved with a large group for prayerwalking, consider the following:

     Pray fervently for the Spirit's leadership. Prayerwalking in a large group requires careful planning under the Spirit's direction.
     Plan the routes well. There are a variety of factors that you must consider when carrying out a large group prayerwalk. Think about how to negotiate the traffic lights and street signs. At what points will you stop and how long will you stop? Walk the route and estimate how much time will be needed to do the prayerwalk. You might consider dividing the large group up into teams of two and sending them out behind each other in one to two minute intervals.
     Stay within the legal restrictions of your area. Some places may have laws requiring advance permission to walk. They may have other laws concerning group functions. Make sure that you know the requirements and restrictions and then adhere to them.
     Prepare the way. You might consider sending teams of experienced intercessors on the route before the group prayerwalk. These intercessors can cover the route with prayer and prepare the way for the large group.
     Use prayer guides and music. You can allow for spontaneous praying and singing. Yet, you might also consider having prayer guides and programs of music for the people to use in worship.

     At a prayer conference, we were taking a break when a lady encountered me in the hallway. I had started talking about prayerwalking before the break. She said, "I want to see God's power released throughout this community. I want to prayerwalk. But where do you do this at?" Perhaps that is your question. In previous chapters, we have dealt with what you are to do when you prayerwalk. Now we need to turn our attention to where you should prayerwalk. In this chapter, I want to introduce you to the many places that you can direct God's power and blessing through prayer.
     The following is a list of places where you can prayerwalk. This list is not exhaustive. But, its purpose is to open you to the possibilities of prayerwalking that are around you.

Churches
     You can prayerwalk around your church or neighboring churches. This is crucial for revival and unity among all believers. Many years ago, I was preaching a series of services in a church. Coldness and deadness characterized the first two services on Sunday. I was struggling to preach and minister to the congregation. On Monday, I arrived at the church before anyone else. I began prayerwalking around the church. I prayed the Scripture, pled for God's blessings on the church, and praised God. After I did this, I went into the sanctuary and prayed over every pew, pleading for the people who would be sitting there. I continued to do this each night through the week. I began noticing a difference each night in the atmosphere of the church. Through the week, there were numerous conversions. Believers repented and reconciled relationships. The Spirit of God granted refreshing in the midst of the congregation. Prayerwalking in and around churches can make a difference!

Schools
     You can prayerwalk around the schools in your area. The schools are one of Satan's primary targets. You can protect the children in the schools from his devious and destructive plans. You can also plead for God's blessings on the school. You can pray that God's glory and righteousness would be revealed in the school. Prayerwalking at schools does make a difference. God began burdening a church concerning the schools in its area. The children of the church were scattered among the various schools in the area. They determined that they were going to make a difference with prayerwalking. They developed teams of prayerwalkers who would go to the schools and pray. Each Saturday, different teams were sent to the local schools. These team would alternate and prayerwalk at a different school each week. They decided to make this an ongoing ministry. As they did this, the schools began to change. There were less discipline problems. The atmosphere in the schools grew more conducive to learning. Students were surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ. The believing students were forming prayer meetings and were ministering to the unsaved students. Prayerwalking can release abundant blessings on schools and bring about genuine change.

Sites Of Past Sin
     You can select and target sites of past sin. The reason for this is because sin has consequences. Those consequences do affect those who commit the sin. Yet, there will be ongoing consequences for those who follow. Just as a parents' sins affect their children and grandchildren, the sin of one generation will impact the following generations. Sin in one generation can be passed on and multiplied in the next. Rampant sin in one generation started with sin in a previous generation. This past sin opened the door for demonic power. As this sin continues, it grants the demons more power to magnify and strengthen the effects on the following generations. In order to deal with this, you must select sites where the sin or sins were committed. Cry out for the Holy Spirit's guidance in this matter. Plead for discernment. A wise way of determining this is by asking the question, "Is there anything in the past which is prohibiting God's work in the present?" Prayerwalk around the site, acknowledging the sin to God. Confess it to Him, admitting that it is rebellion against Him and His Word. Plead for God to grant repentance to everyone who is committing the sin in the present. Pray that they will seek Him and receive forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Sites Of Ongoing Sin
     You might consider prayerwalking at places where sin is being openly committed in the present. Plead for God to put an end to the evil that is being carried out. Pray that God will grant repentance to all that are involved in the sinful activity. Ask God to bless and help those who are being affected by the consequences of this evil.

Workplaces
     Believers can prayerwalk around their places of employment. Churches might consider sending prayerwalking teams to the various companies, businesses, and stores in its area. They can plead for God's blessing, good working conditions, and the work of the Spirit in these places.

Real Estate
     God often grants real estate to families, churches, ministries, and missionaries that has been faithfully prayerwalked. Churches and believers should consider prayerwalking around land and buildings that it can use for the purpose of ministry. Even a "For Sale" sign can prompt prayer. When you see a "For Sale" sign, plead that God will grant it to people that He will use in the area. Pray that it will be given to those who know Him and who will have significant impact on the area.

Overlook Points
     You can pray at an elevated place over a city or area. Use this as an opportunity to zero in on particular parts of the city or area. You might consider having a map of the area so that you can identify and pray specifically for each part of the city.

Sites Of Harm Or Tragedy
     Believers might want to gather at a site where tragedy or harm has taken place. The reason for doing this is to ask for God's blessing on those who suffered and those who inflicted the harm. You can plead for God's healing and help concerning the situation. In the case of crime, like murder, you can pray that this will not happen again and that justice will be carried out.

Courthouses And Government Offices
     Believers often complain about the courts and the government. Yet, how often do believers pray for a change? Believers should prayerwalk around courthouses and government offices. There are a variety of requests that believers can make: efficient use of time and money, wisdom, strength, protection and deliverance from corruption, true and lasting justice, and meeting the spiritual needs of all who work in these places.

Future Church Plants
     Prayerwalking prepares the way for church planting. It opens doors for the gospel, moves people to give and to support the church plant, and binds the power of the enemy. It is essential to starting and establishing a new work.

Segments Of The City
     You might consider dividing your city or area up into segments that teams can prayerwalk on a regular basis. By doing this, you will be covering your city or area with regular intercession.

Non-Christian Places Of Worship
     By using the phrase, "Non-Christian Places Of Worship," I am referring to worship centers for false religions and cults. In the Bible, God commanded His people to dismantle places of counterfeit worship. He spoke of them as being offensive to Him (Numbers 33:52; 2 Kings 17:11, 18:4; Psalm 78:58; Jeremiah 19:5, 32:35). You can pray that God would bind and remove the evil forces that fuel the group or cult. You can ask for God to see them free from their bondage. You can plead for God to save those who are involved.

Lord God, I ask in the name of Jesus that You would draw the people here into a personal relationship with Your Son Jesus (John 6:44).

Father, I plead in the name of Jesus that You would grant the people here a hunger and a thirst for You and Your Word (Psalm 42:1-2).

Father, I pray that You would meet the emotional needs of the people in this place. Heal their emotional wounds (James 1:17; Psalm 147:3).

Father, I ask You to give physical strength to the people here. Meet all their physical needs (Matthew 7:7).

Lord God, I plead that You would bind the evil one and the demons assigned to this area. Render them ineffective in their evil plans (Mark 1:23-26).

Father, I plead that Your Spirit would encourage and strengthen the believers in this area (Acts 13:52).

Father, I ask that You would open doors for the gospel in this area. I pray that many would hear and receive Jesus (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Father, I pray that You would remove any racial or social barriers between the people of this area (Acts 10:34).

Father, I plead that this place will be filled with the knowledge of Your glory. As the waters cover the sea, let the knowledge of You cover this place (Habakkuk 2:14).

Father, I ask that You would bless the pastors of this area. Grant them power, insight, and protection as they minister (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

Father, I plead that You would fill the believers here with the Spirit and enable them to witness concerning Your Son Jesus (Acts 1:8).

Father, I pray that justice would prevail and that crime would be annihilated in this area (Psalm 82:3; Romans 13:4).

Father, I ask that You would destroy the poverty of this area. Grant economic growth and meet the financial needs of people (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

Father, I plead that Your Spirit would do a powerful work in the families of this area. Strengthen and bless every family (Ephesians 5:22-6:4).

Father, I ask You to have mercy on the people of this area. Deliver them from their sin (Lamentations 3:21-24).

Father, release a spirit of prayer and fasting among the believers in this place (Colossians 4:2).

Father, deliver the believers in this area from self-centeredness and indifference toward those who need Jesus (Matthew 20:28).

Father, I plead that Your kingdom would come to this area. I ask that many will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus (Matthew 6:9).

Father, I ask that Your will for this area will be done (Matthew 6:10)

Father, I plead that the people of this area will turn to You and will praise Your name. Let them see who You are so they can praise You (Psalm 66:4-7).

Father, build and empower the church of Jesus in this area. Enable them to smash the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18).

Father, I plead that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be powerfully proclaimed in this area (Luke 24:47).

Lord Jesus, I ask You to give the weary and the burdened of this area Your rest. Grant your hope and joy to them (Matthew 11-28-30).

Father, I pray that the people in this area would hear Your voice and that they would not harden their hearts (Psalm 95:6-8).

Matthew 6:9-13

This prayer guide is offered to help you pray the Lord's Prayer as you prayerwalk. Each phrase of the Lord's Prayer provides you with specific requests that you can make as you walk and pray.

Our Father

Father, I pray that the people in this area would surrender to Jesus and come to know You as their Father.

Father, reveal to the people in this area Your willingness to save and bless them.

Father, let the people in this area experience your abundant grace and goodness.

In Heaven

Father, I pray that the people in this area would know that You and You alone are the true God.

Father, I plead that the people in this area would know that You are the powerful God of time and eternity.

Father, I pray that the people here would turn away from their idols and sin to You, the living and mighty God.

Hallowed Be Your Name

Father, I pray that You will be praised and adored by the people in this area.

Father, I ask that the people in this area would reverence and love You with all their being.

Father, I plead that You will be explicitly exalted in this area as the only true God.

Your Kingdom Come

Father, I pray that the people in this area would hear the gospel and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Father, I plead that Your kingdom would smash and destroy Satan's kingdom in this area.

Father, remove any obstacles to the spread of the gospel in this area.

Your Will Be Done

Father, I pray that the people in this area will know what Your will is.

Father, I ask that the people in this area would be submissive to Your will.

Father, I plead that the people in this area will do Your will as it is done in heaven.

Our Daily Bread

Father, I pray that You would supply the daily needs of the people in this area.

Father, I ask that the people in this area would know that You are the Source of all good and blessing.

Father, I plead that You would teach the people here to depend daily on You.

Forgive Our Debts

Father, I plead that the people in this area would experience the forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ.

Father, I ask that a spirit of forgiveness would exist and reign in this area.

Father, I pray that there would be genuine reconciliation among the people in this area.

Do Not Lead Us

Father, set the people in this area free from the grip and power of sin.

Father, cause the people here to know and understand the consequences of sin.

Father, grant the people here a hatred of sin and a spirit of repentance toward You.

Deliver Us

Father, I plead that Satan and his demons would be bound and driven from this area.

Father, I ask that Your gospel and Your power will destroy Satan's schemes for this area.

Father, I pray that the people here will be delivered from Satan's kingdom and drawn in to Your kingdom through Jesus.

Kingdom, Power, And Glory

Father, let Your kingdom enter this area, expand with power, and conquer the people here.

Father, let Your life transforming power flood into this area.

Father, let Your glory be revealed and shine mightily in this area.

The following is a prayer guide designed to help you pray for the salvation and spiritual maturity of people in the area that you prayerwalk. This prayer guide will enable for you to pray for the salvation of sinners and then their growth and maturity in the faith. It is actually praying that the evangelized will become evangelists.

Admit their sin and guilt before God.

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and surrender to Him.

Confess Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives both publicly and privately.

Delivered from sin and the power of Satan.

Experience the assurance and joy of their salvation.

Faithful and active in a local church.

Grow and mature in the Christian faith.

Hear and heed the Word of God.

Invite others to repent and trust in Jesus Christ.

Dr. Kevin Meador © 2005

.....This prayer model will help you pray for an area where there are plans to plant a church. It can also be used in an area with high concentrations of lost people. This prayer model will enable you to pray for people to move from curiosity concerning the gospel to churches filled with those who have surrendered to Jesus Christ. You can use this basic outline to cover an area. As you pray, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He may give you particular points to plead as you work your way through this prayer model.

Curiosity (John 3:1-2)
In this text, Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. He was curious about Jesus and His ministry. He came to Christ looking for answers out of curiosity. Pray that people will develop a curiosity about who Jesus is and the good news about Him. Plead that this curiosity will lead them to seek answers.

Conviction (John 16:7-11)
Pray that the people will go from curiosity about Jesus and the gospel to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Plead that, as they seek answers concerning their curiosity, the Holy Spirit will convict them of their need of Jesus and the necessity of faith and repentance.

Conversion (Acts 16:31)
Plead that the people will respond to Jesus Christ in faith and repentance as the Holy Spirit convicts them. Pray that they will see their sinfulness and will turn from their sin and selfishness. Ask that they will surrender themselves to Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

Churches (Acts 2:41-42)
Pray that those who surrender their life to Jesus will follow Him by being baptized and becoming a member of a church. Plead that many will be converted in the area and that numerous churches will be established from all these converts. Pray the truth of Acts 2:42 for these churches:

.....The following is a prayer model to assist you as you prayerwalk. Each point in this prayer model begins with a "W". It has been developed this way to make it easy to memorize and remember so that you can put it into practice as you prayerwalk. As you pray through this prayer model, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. He may give you particular insights as you pray through each point. Be careful to plead those insights that He gives you.

 

Worship (Psalm 22:3, 147:1)

Warfare (Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5)
Before you prayerwalk, make sure that you pray the armor of God on. As you prayerwalk, pray in the power and authority of Jesus. Ask God to:

Waiting (Psalm 46:10)
As you prayerwalk, take time to listen to God. Walk for a period of time asking Him to give you specific insight on how to pray for the area. Plead with Him to speak to you and guide you as you pray for the area. You might consider asking Him the following questions:

Witness (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8)
As you prayerwalk, pray for the spread of the gospel in the community. Plead that this area will receive a powerful witness to the gospel. You might consider praying the following:

Walk (Matthew 5:13-16; Colossians 4:5-6)
By the term "walk", I am referring to the lifestyle of the Christians in the area. Plead that:

 

.....This prayer guide will provide you with insight on how to pray for families when you prayerwalk. When you prayerwalk, you will pray in areas with large numbers of families. Because of this, you need to cover those families with intercession. Your prayer can make an eternal difference in their lives. This prayer model is based on Ephesians 5:22-6:4.

· Father, You have created the institution of marriage. For this reason, I plead that You would bless the families in this area. I ask for Your blessing on each family. You know what particular needs that they have. I plead that You will meet their needs according to Your glorious riches. I pray that they will see their need of Christ and will turn to Him in faith and repentance. I ask that they would surrender their family to Jesus and will build their lives on the Word of God.

· Father, I ask You to bless every marriage in this area. I plead that the wives will be gracious and submissive. I pray that the husbands will love their wives and that they will encourage, bless, and minister to the wife. Bless these relationships as never before in their lives. Whatever problems exist in these marriages, I ask in the name of Jesus that they would be dealt with and removed. Cause them seek You, O Lord. Let them build their marriage on You and Your Word.

· Father, I ask You to bless and encourage the divorced people in this area. I pray that You would have mercy on them. Pour out on them Your grace. Meet their needs. Provide the emotional healing that they need. I ask You to grant them healthy relationships that will bless and help them to heal. I pray that they would seek You and find the help, strength and healing that they need.

· Father, I pray that You would bless the single parents in this area. I pray that You would grant them grace for their stress, their struggles, and their frustration. Grant them the wisdom and strength that they need to raise their children and provide a home for the children. Lord, cause them to seek You. Cause them to know that You will be a Rock and a Refuge for them.

· Father, I ask You to bless the parents in this area. Grant them the strength and wisdom to raise their children. Provide them with all that they need in order to protect and guide the family. Cause them to see their need of You. I pray that they would turn to You and would raise their children in the nurture and fear of the Lord. Teach them their need of You. Show them that it is only through You that they can receive what they need to guard and guide the family.

· Father, I pray that You would bless the children in this area. I ask that You would protect these children. Put Your hedge of blessing and protection around them. I ask that they would grow into healthy, productive men and women. I plead that they would come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Draw them to Jesus in true faith and repentance. I ask that they would grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

· Father, I pray for the children who are in crisis in this area. I know that there are children who are suffering in this area. It could be a variety of reasons-physical and/or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical and/or emotional abandonment, poverty. O God, have mercy on these children. Father, deliver them out of their crisis. Set them free from their suffering. Father, You are good and wise. Touch and bless the children in crisis in this area. Show them that You love them. Help them because You are the God of all comfort and the Father of mercies.

· Father, I ask You to bind Satan's work against the families in this area. He is a liar and a murderer. He has plans to cripple and destroy the marriages and families in this area. I plead in the name of Jesus Christ that his wicked plans would be destroyed. I pray that You would bind and remove him. I ask You to cast out all his demons by Your mighty power. Stop his devious plans against the marriages and families in this area. I pray that Your purpose for the marriages and families in this area will go forth in power, unhindered by the evil one.

Dr. Kevin Meador © 2005

.....The "79" Prayer is based on Psalm 7:9. The Word of God declares there, "Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish the just; for the righteous God tests the hearts and minds." This prayer model is built around the three phrases of the verses. You can use the "79" prayer for a community or city as you prayerwalk.

End-"Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end"
-Praise God for His righteousness and justice.
-Praise God for His ability to bring an end to wickedness.
-Praise God for His power and forgiveness that can deal with wickedness.
-Pray that crime would be eradicated in the area.
-Pray that true justice would be administered in the area.
-Pray that any obstacles to true justice would be removed.
-Ask Him to destroy the evil of the area and that righteousness would reign in its place.

Establish-"But establish the righteous"
-Praise God for His love for the righteous and His desire to bless them.
-Praise God for His desire and ability to sustain the righteous.
-Praise God for His compassion and love for His people.
-Plead that God would empower believers in the area to be salt and light.
-Pray that the believers would show the people of the area the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.
-Ask God to enable righteous men and women to gain and hold office in the government of the area.
-Pray that many will be converted in the area and that their holiness of life would change the whole community or city.

Examine-"For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds"
-Praise God for His ability to see all and know all.
-Praise God for the fact that nothing is hidden before Him.
-Praise God for His ability to bring wickedness to light and to justice.
-Pray that God would reveal and clean up the corruption of the area.
-Plead that God would cause the schemes and plans of criminals to fail; pray for their capture and imprisonment.
-Ask God to convict the believers about holiness; pray that any obstacles to living holy and godly lives would be revealed and conquered.
-Pray that He would purify the motives of the government officials in the area; plead for integrity and character.

Dr. Kevin Meador © 2001

.....When you prayerwalk, you are getting an area ready. Through your praying, you are setting the stage for the work of the Holy Spirit. One of the ways to do this is by pleading for the community to be prepared to receive the Word of God. God works through His Word to accomplish His purpose. He saves, heals, blesses and sanctifies through His Word. If people are going to be transformed, they must be prepared to receive the Word of God.

.....The following prayer guide is designed to help you prepare a community for the Word of God.

Father, I pray that you would remove every obstacle to Your Word in this area. Open the door for the Word in the hearts and lives of the people. As people hear Your Word, transform them and glorify Your Word. Accelerate its acceptance in this area. Move one person to tell another and then that person another and then that person another (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

Father, I ask You to give the believers of this area great boldness in sharing the Word of God. Empower them to declare the Word of God with fearlessness and clarity. As they share Your word, send Your power. Confirm Your Word with mighty acts of Your power. Transform and touch lives. I plead that miraculous signs and wonders would be done in the name of Your holy servant Jesus draw attention to Your Word (Acts 4:29-30).

Father, I plead that You would hinder the evil one from snatching the Word away from those who hear it. I ask in the name of Jesus that You would bind him so that he cannot hinder people from receiving the Word of God. Prepare the hearts of the people so that the Word will take root and transform their lives (Matthew 13:19).

Father, I ask that the people of this area would truly understand Your Word. Enable them to make a genuine commitment to You. Deliver them from a quick, shallow response to the Word of God (Matthew 13:20-21).

Father, I pray that the people of the area would not be hindered from receiving Your Word because of worldliness. I ask You to work into their hearts a dissatisfaction and discontentment with the world and its desires. Show them the temporal, vain nature of the world and all that belongs to it. Use this to prepare their hearts for the Word and a genuine commitment to You (Matthew 13:22).

Father, I ask in the name of Jesus that You would prepare the hearts of the people to hear and receive Your Word. I pray that they would turn to Jesus Christ in faith and repentance. I plead that they would bear fruit for You and Your kingdom (Matthew 13:23).

Holy Spirit, I plead that You would create faith in the people as they hear the Word of God. Faith comes through hearing the Word of God. The Word of God is Your instrument for producing faith in a person. Grant the people of this area genuine faith and repentance as they hear the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

Father, I ask that the people of this area would love Your Word. I pray that the Word would be their desire and delight (Psalm 119:97).

Dr. Kevin Meador © 2001

     When you prayerwalk, one of the things that you might consider is announcing the truth of God's Word. This is a mighty weapon in spiritual warfare. Satan masquerades and hides behind lies. He uses deception to blind and bind people. By announcing the truth, you are dismantling the lies and exposing the enemy. You are binding the enemy from using the lies and deception to enslave and condemn people to hell.
     The following is a basic list of biblical truths you can announce on the streets as you prayerwalk. Openly declare the truth and read the Scripture that corresponds to the truth. Announce and read the Word in faith, believing that the lies are being dismantled and that the forces of evil are being bound.

God, You are the only true God. There is no God but You and You alone. You are the living God of time and eternity (Exodus 15:11, Deuteronomy 4:35, 6:4, 32:39; 2 Samuel 7:22, 22:32; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 86:8, 135:5-7; Isaiah 37:16, 40:25-26, 43:3, 10-11, 46:9). All other gods are false and foolish idols that lead to meaninglessness and eternal damnation (Deuteronomy 4:9; Psalm 96:5, 115:4-8, 135:15-18; Isaiah 19:1, all of chapter 40, 42:22-24, 42:17, 44:9-20, 45:5-18, 46:1-7; Jeremiah 10:11; Acts 14:16, 1 Thessalonians 1:9). The Bible is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21; Psalm 18:30, 33:4, 119:89; Proverbs 30:5). Jesus Christ is God in human flesh (John 1:1, 14; Matthew 1:22-23, Colossians 2:19). Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation (John 3:16; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus Christ is the only Savior (Matthew 9:12-13; Luke 19:10; 1 John 4:14; 1 Timothy 1:15). Jesus has power and authority over Satan and all his demons (Mark 1:27; Luke 11:14-20; 1 John 3:8). Jesus Christ will judge every person (Acts 10:42, 17:31; Romans 2:16; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 4:1). The Holy Spirit deals with lost people (John 15:26, 16:7-11). All people have sinned against God and are guilty (Psalm 51:5-7; Romans 3:19-23, Ephesians 2:3, Isaiah 64:6). People must repent of sin and trust in Christ in order to be saved (Isaiah 55:17; 2 Corinthians 7:10; Luke 13:1-3, 24:47; Acts 3:19-20, 16:30-31; John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 3:23). Dr. Kevin Meador © 2005