Prayer Walking — Developing an Evangelistic Vision

Some time ago, I came across an outline of some hints about prayer walking.

This prayer walking outline mixes prayer, with walking a neighborhood, and inviting God to transform that place and the people who live there.

16 Prayer Walking Tips

Here are some ways you can do prayer walking (Adapted from Follow Me: Becoming a Lifestyle Prayerwalker):

• Prepare by confessing any sins you need to confess to God and asking Him for the grace to live in ways that are pleasing to Him.
• Ask God to fill you with His Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and knowledge about how He would like you to pray.
• Read the Bible often and ask God to bring verses to your mind when they relate to a particular situation.
• Invite God to show you where he wants you to prayerwalk, and be willing to visit the places He reveals.
• If you can, find a friend who will prayerwalk with you.
• Praise God while you’re walking, thanking Him for His presence and worshipping Him.
• Feel free to pray either silently or aloud.
• Be alert to what the Holy Spirit reveals to you as you walk, and also to what you observe about your surroundings.  Pray accordingly.
• Claim God’s Scriptural promises for the people in that place, and ask God to bless them.
• If you sense evil’s presence in the place you’re prayer walking, resist it through prayer in Jesus’ name.
• Look for opportunities to speak to people.  If someone approaches you, explain that you’re praying for people in that area, and ask if there is anything that person would like you to pray about for him or her.  Pray for the requests you receive right then.
• If someone asks you about your faith, be willing to share a brief testimony about what Jesus has done in your life.
• Pray with trust and eager anticipation, expecting God to answer your prayers.
• Expect God to transform you as well as the people you pray for, and be open to how God might want to grow you through the process of prayer walking.
• Help your church serve the community through regular prayer walks in local neighborhoods.  For example, your congregation might send postcards to local residents letting them know the date and time of an upcoming prayer walk and asking them to e-mail or call the church with specific prayer requests.  People will likely be watching for prayer walkers at the appointed time and may decide to visit the church sometime afterward.
• As a congregation, pray about God’s vision for your community, and adjust your church’s vision to incorporate that broader vision.

Let me ask you this:

Have you ever participated in a prayer walk?  If so, can you tell us what was it like?  How did God answer the prayers you prayed then?  Why would you recommend prayer walking to others?