A Defense of Prayer Walking

John Botkin

Over the last year, I have heard and read different people deride the act of prayer walking. Since
I have engaged in prayer walking, and encourage it at my church, and many of those critical of
prayer walking would be in my camp theologically, I felt like I needed to write something
simple that would correct some misunderstandings.

So what is prayer walking? I think its important to define our terms because there are two basic
definitions of prayer walking and they are worlds apart. The first understanding of prayer
walking basically sees it tied to the spiritual fight against territorial spirits. In this view,
prayerfully walking through an area is a means of pushing back demonic forces that have taken
up residence in a given area. C. Peter Wagner is one proponent of this view:

Spying out the land is essential when warring for a cityChristians should walk or
drive every major freeway, avenue, and road of their cities, praying and coming against
demonic strongholds over every neighborhood Even if you dont see instant results,
keep the trumpets blowing.. Always remember, God is not slack concerning His promise;
the walls will come down! (Engaging the Enemy: How to Fight and Defeat Territorial
Spirits, Ventura: Regal , p. 98).

This is the kind of prayer walking that is often criticized. And rightly so. This is not how I define
prayer walking, and I can see how many would have problems with such a view. However, not
everyone who engages in prayer walking would view it the way Wagner and others like him
would understand it.

Like many others, the kind of prayer walking I engage in is much more about me praying for
things passionately and accurately than about territorial demons. It has been said that prayer
walking is praying on sight with insight. Can you pray at home for anything imaginable? Yes!
But does your heart become as impassioned and your prayers as fervent when you can see those
youre praying for?

For many, thats what prayer walking is all about. It is very much in line with what Jesus said to
his disciples: Lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest (John 4:35). Jesus
could have simply said, the fields are white for harvest. But he wanted his disciples to see those
who would be part of the harvest. He wanted his disciples to feellike He didcompassion for
the people. This is the essence of my prayer walking: uniting my heart and mind in prayer.
Thus, as John Smed says,

[Prayer walking allows] you [to] see the mission field head on. You see the whole man
in his community . . . . Prayer walking stirs your heart to see people, places and needs
through Gods eye. It gives you harvest eyes rather than cloistered fear. (Redeemer
Prayer Conference Handout, accessed online at www.redeemer.com/connect/prayer).
As I try to cultivate a love for my city, its possible to just make it a priority to pray for them. But
for me (and others) it helps to actually walk or drive around the city and see who youre praying
for. Having some faces, or houses, or city buildings in mind, knowing first hand the conditions
people live in, or the evidences of spiritual need makes your heart break in prayer for your city.

Likewise, in praying for missions. Can you simply kneel in your study and pray for world
missions? Yes! But for me, opening a book or a magazine or looking at a website, reading about
actual missionaries, seeing the city and the people they are trying to reach - these things help
create in me a stronger desire to pray. It causes my love for them and the lost to run deeper.

One of the most powerful prayer walking experiences for me came on my last mission trip to
Niger. Walking down streetsseeing, smelling, and taking in the culturehelped me to feel the
urgent need for the gospel for the people. It helped me feel the depth of encouragement the
missionaries needed to not become discouraged at the enormity of their task. Seeing many stop
and bow in the streets, praying to a false god, drove home the blatant spurning of God and his
Son, and grieved me, and made me long to see Him honored in that city. All of these things made
my prayers more focused, more specific, and more passionate.

In the end, I believe that the kind of prayer walking that is simply focused on creating deeper
affections for those things God would have us to pray for is not contrary to Scripture and even
helpful to many a prayer life. But I also believe that prayer walking is not prescribed by
Scripture. If one chooses not to prayer walk, thats fine, but its not an indicator of spiritual
maturity. At the same time, there should also be an understanding among my Christian brothers
and sisters that this kind of prayer walking is not harmful or un-Scriptural, and should not be so
easily condemned.