Susie knew she was supposed to begin a chapter on the campus in her city, but she didn’t know where to begin. Truth be told, she was frightened of this assignment. But, in faith she gathered people to pray for her. For a summer she prayer walked the campus. The campus was softened and made ready for ministry, but Susie was also changed. She stepped on campus with faith and courage.
And the Lord said to Abram after Lot had separated from him,“Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the Earth; so that if anyone can number the dust of the Earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Arise, walk about the land through its length and breadth: For I will give it to you.” Gen.13:14-17
Prayer Walking is embodied intercession. Abram’s role is to rise up and walk the land. What is he doing, he is walking around, surveying, living into the promise. Stepping into the promise with his whole being. In intercession, we are mediating between heaven and earth. We look to God and ask Him what His intention is for the people and the land. We see the people and their reality. Then we pray alone or with others until we sense that the issue is resolved in the heavenly realm. When we feel a release we leave the prayer time with faith, believing that the Lord is at work, hearing our prayers, and pushing back the darkness in a way that will result in a future change on earth.
How to do it:
- Before walking, seek to understand everything you can about the place you are walking in. Learn about demographics, history, current leadership, and the movements of God. All these can help you understand how to repent representationally. Get others to pray for your prayer walk.
- Consider walking in threes. Pray for the right partners to join you. Invite them. Set a day and starting time. Set a closure time.
- Begin by asking, “What are you praying for here, Jesus?”.
- Be flexible on your prayer walk. There may be periods of silence, observation, repentance, or requests. Let the things you see guide you as you pray. Above all, let God guide you as you pray.
- Consider the authority you have as a child of God. You can ask the Lord of heaven to take back this land and these people to their intended relationship with the living God. He created them. The land and the people are rightfully God’s. The enemy has fooled us into thinking they belong to him. Pray for the restoration of what is true.
- Listen to see if God has any promises for the land. Abram got an outrageous promise that probably won’t be duplicated. But we will get promises too. Some will come through scriptures that come to mind. Some promises could come through images or words. Write these down to reflect upon in the future.
- After worshipping, repenting, and praying, a breakthrough presents itself as a feeling that you have been heard, a belief that something different will now come to pass, and a feeling of peace, lightness, and hope. It is best to pray until this happens to you and your team.
Where might God be calling you to participate with him in taking back a place for his purposes? Make a plan about how you will begin.
Resource: Prayer Walking: Praying On Site with Insight. Steven Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick. Charisma House, 1996