A Guide To Intercessory Prayer
by Rev. Richard W. LaFountain

Prayer Walking
Getting Started

Prayer walking in its simplest form is walking and talking with God. It is communion with the Heavenly Father in one-to-one fellowship of friend with friend. No wonder Abraham was called the friend of God. So let's start walking with God.

  1. Start simple.
    Wear comfortable sneakers, or walking shoes. Use clothing appropriate for the weather that day. Carry a small pocket testament or Bible. Some people like to carry a small notebook and pen so as to take notes on what the Lord teaches you. Try once a week, or once a month to get started. If you are a loner, go alone. If you are a people person then go with a friend with whom you can pray out loud together without feeling inhibited or embarrassed. Your might be more likely to stick with prayer walking if you have a friend to keep a schedule with.

  2. Start with a plan.
    Plan where you will walk to, by what route, and for how long. It may be through a woods, or around several blocks, or down an old railroad track. Plan some of your thoughts and prayer time too. Begin with thanksgiving and praise. You may wish to have your own praise concert with God as the audience for your praise. Use a walkman and earphones if you need quiet prayerful music. Avoid loud, and excessively instrumental music. Use what you can sing to. Stop along the route to sit on a rock, next to a stream, on an overpass or bridge, or on some high overlook. You might even want to schedule a stop for devotions and writing in your journal.
    • Pray with your eyes open.
    • Pray with Scripture.
    • Praise with Scripture.
    • Ask God all the questions you muse on.
    • Tell the Lord your troubles.
    • Talk to God about what you see around you.
    • Be silent, and listen for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

  3. Start with a reasonable time period.
    Everyone will have a different metabolism, walking speed, and stamina. Begin with 20 minutes if you are not used to walking, and work toward 45 minutes or an hour. There is no speed requirement. Walk at the pace that is comfortable for you. You can always do it again tomorrow, so be careful not to overdo it today.
"Walk with the King today, and be a blessing!"

Purpose:

   * Worship: Recognizing and exalting God where He is not known or
     praised.

   * Warfare: People and areas untouched by the gospel have remained that
     way because the enemy has held them captive (2 Cor. 4:4). We are not
     picking fist-fights with the enemy, but rather asking God to contend
     with the evil.

   * Welcome: Prayer teams help usher in the healing and restoring work of
     Christ's kingdom advance.

Purpose for us in the church neighborhood:

   * Bring worship, warfare, and welcome to our neighborhood as an
     extension of our church family.

Steps to basic prayerwalking:

   * Praise, prayer, scripture reading to clear the mind and set the tone
     of engaging in God's work.

   * Partner with each other to agree in prayer (2 or 3 are gathered...).

   * Walk and pray:

        o a. With open eyes for insight -- responsive, researched, and
          revealed insights.

        o b. Out loud -- so your group can hear and agree with you.

        o c. With Jesus! Talk with him about what you see and feel. Be
          sensitive to his guidance.

        o d. Sometimes in silence -- listening is half the conversation.

        o e. Reinforcing and multiplying each other's prayers -- building
          on not always changing the "topic."

        o f. With scripture -- blessing, requests, etc. God's way. For
          example, from Col. 1:9 (see back) you could ask God to fill those
          you see with "the full knowledge of his will" in their lives.

        o g. With relevance -- pray for what you see as you walk.

        o h. Bigger than yourself! Leave the list of burdens at home and go
          out on a mission for God.

   * Report: re-assemble to report prayers, insights, answers, and God's
     goodness!

But what do we pray?

   * Ask God to reveal the things that are on His heart.

   * Ask God to pour out his blessings on individuals, families, and
     households that you pass by.

   * Proclaim Christ as the answer to the neighborhood problems.

   * Pray for any people in positions of leadership that come to mind as
     you walk.

   * Declare Christ's truth in a place filled with falsehood.

   * Praise God that it is his desire for the people you see to know him.

   * Pronounce blessing in the name of Jesus on the people and places you
     see.

Use the following scriptures to guide your prayers:

Col. 1:9-14 "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not
stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of
his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this
in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in
every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of
God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so
that you may have great endurance and patie nce, and joyfully giving thanks
to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the
saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of
darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we
have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."

Eph. 1:16-21 "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in
my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that
you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be
enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you,
the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably
great power for us who believe. That p ower is like the working of his
mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all
rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given,
not only in the present age but also in the one to come."

1 Tim 2:1-6 "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers,
intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all
those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all
godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants
all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is
one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who
gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper
time."

Psalm 108:1-6 "My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music
with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will
praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the
peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness
reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your
glory be over all the earth. Save us and help us with your right hand, that
those you love may be delivered."

Psalm 25:4-11 "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in
your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you
all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are
from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. Good and
upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides
the humble in what is right and teaches them hi s way. All the ways of the
LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his
covenant. For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it
is great."

Jer. 29:11-14a "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will
listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your
heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD.

(All verses from NIV version.)


HINT: One of my favorite activities in a personal prayer retreat is to carry along a walkman with earphones and tapes of accapella worship music. It is simple, unembellished, Christ centered worship, and best of all I can sing along addressing each song from my heart to the Lord. You may choose to use music with instrumentation but be careful that it does not overpower, call attention to itself, or interrupt your communion with the Lord.