Is Prayer Walking Biblical?

[alwaysreforming]

I have a group of Christians who are proposing a "prayer walk" in a neighborhood of one of the sisters in the group to speak against strongholds (ie. crime, alcohol/drug abuse, etc.) and to bless the area and particularly her home.

For some reason, something about this idea is striking a hesitant chord in me. Should I join in this undertaking? Thanks for your guidance.

 

[Semper Fidelis]

Sounds like word of faith stuff to me. This kind of idea always reeks of some sort of incantation to me as if you're calling God into an area He doesn't know about. It's superstitious.

I don't think there's anything wrong with praying for a city but these kinds of things are just completely un-Scriptural.

This reminds me of something that I heard about a couple of years ago in D.C. There's a Christian Radio Station in the D.C. area that has a mixture of good stuff (Sproul and MacArthur) to absolutely horrid stuff (they would advertise for Word of Faith conferences and the like).

Anyhow, a couple of years ago they hosted an event where Christians were encourage to mass together in the parking lot of some Mall and then everyone would drive off and drive around the Beltway of DC (goes through VA, DC, and Maryland) and pray for the city of DC as they drove around it. They spoke of "surrounding" the city in prayer as if prayer is some kind of substantive power flowing from the believer into the city to make things change.

I don't have the exact words I want but it seems very much like witchcraft re-branded as prayer. I think it's very wicked.

 

[Ranger]

I don't think there is anything mystical about prayerwalking as some people do, but I do see a purpose in it. There is something about seeing the area that you are praying for that moves the heart, and creates a greater desire to see God glorified through the redemption of the people in that area for Himself. Now I don't believe that the purpose should be "speaking against strongholds," but I do not see a problem with praying while using the walk to visualize the area and people for which you are praying.

I do agree with Josh that the prayer closet is just as effective in God using the prayer to turn your heart toward his purposes, but I also believe that God may use the visualization that comes through prayerwalking to shift your affections toward His purposes as well.

 

[Pilgrim]

See this by Donald Whitney here.

But Whitney uses the term "prayer walk" in the context of meditative prayer, not getting everyone together to take dominion over the city, which is a feature of the charismatic "spiritual warfare" movement, speaking against the demonic strongholds, etc.

 

[govols]

I often have to walk around whilst I pray or I'm asleep. I had to study that way for college as well. If I get comfortable and stay still, then I'm gone.

 

[Ivan]

Originally posted by Pilgrim
See this by Donald Whitney here.

But Whitney uses the term "prayer walk" in the context of meditative prayer, not getting everyone together to take dominion over the city, which is a feature of the charismatic "spiritual warfare" movement, speaking against the demonic strongholds, etc.

Whitney is SBC and Calvinistic. I trust what he says. If I recall correctly Jonathan Edwards use to take to the woods to pray.

 

[alwaysreforming]

THis is the email for the Prayer Walk

"PRAYER-WALKING / RIDING:

If you want to do some prayer walking around Metro West with me Sept 1 , let me know.
We'll just walk / ride our bikes around the perimeter and pray against the
strongholds the enemy has set up, such as: poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism,
despair, anger out of control, mental illness, disrespect for women, and
just an overall disregard for human life. We will speak directly against all
spiritual warfare with the authority of the name of Jesus Christ.

I know it will make a real difference since prayer is the most powerful
weapon we have against the enemy. Our Lord said that wherever 2 or more are
gathered in His name, that He will be there......

Please read / respond."

That was the email. Does anyone have any further comments/clarifications? Thanks, guys!

 

[R. Scott Clark]

Christopher,

As I understand this practice it considers that praying in a particular area gives the prayer more efficacy. Is this correct?

If so, such an idea is sheer paganism.

What is the point of "blanketing" a certain area with prayer? Aren't there deeply flawed notions embedded in the very idea?

Does Scripture teach or do we confess any such notion of prayer?

Has our God promised to "respond," as it were to such prayer? Is our God bound, moved, manipulated, or controlled by such acts? I don't think so.

There's nothing wrong with praying for a particular need or area of concern, but I don't see the point of prayer walking unless someone has an idea that this somehow makes a prayer more efficacious.

rsc

Originally posted by alwaysreforming
"PRAYER-WALKING / RIDING:

If you want to do some prayer walking around Metro West with me Sept 1 , let me know.
We'll just walk / ride our bikes around the perimeter and pray against the
strongholds the enemy has set up, such as: poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism,
despair, anger out of control, mental illness, disrespect for women, and
just an overall disregard for human life. We will speak directly against all
spiritual warfare with the authority of the name of Jesus Christ.

I know it will make a real difference since prayer is the most powerful
weapon we have against the enemy. Our Lord said that wherever 2 or more are
gathered in His name, that He will be there......

Please read / respond."

That was the email. Does anyone have any further comments/clarifications? Thanks, guys!

 

[alwaysreforming]

Wow! To have the honorable Dr. Clark to respond to my little old question is quite something!
Thank you for being so humble and generous as to weigh in your thoughts on the matter!

(and yeah, the rest o' you guys ain't bad either!)

Its so hard to have fellowship with my group of friends because I always seem to have a "problem" with what they're doing. (like the other day they did the street witnessing using the phone million dollar bills).
And now to now show up and support this event is going to leave this sister very discouraged and rejected feeling. She won't be able to be reasoned with on this topic I'm sure, so I just don't know what I'll be able to do....

 

[satz]

It also seems they have identified all the wrong enemies....

If you want to do some prayer walking around Metro West with me Sept 1 , let me know.
We'll just walk / ride our bikes around the perimeter and pray against the
strongholds the enemy has set up, such as: poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism,
despair, anger out of control, mental illness, disrespect for women, and
just an overall disregard for human life. We will speak directly against all
spiritual warfare with the authority of the name of Jesus Christ.

 

[SRoper]

This is very popular and heartily endorsed at my church. I don't know anyone who believes it makes the prayer more efficacious (WCF 21: "Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable to, any place in which it is performed"). It's done for pragmatic reasons so the people praying know better what to pray for. Also one meets people while praying, and this can lead to opportunities.

When I get home I'll have to dig up the resources they gave us on this in Sunday school since it's been a while since I learned about it. I admit I went into the class somewhat hostile, but I came out thinking it was permissible.

 

[Pilgrim]

Originally posted by alwaysreforming
"PRAYER-WALKING / RIDING:

If you want to do some prayer walking around Metro West with me Sept 1 , let me know.
We'll just walk / ride our bikes around the perimeter and pray against the
strongholds the enemy has set up, such as: poverty, drug abuse, alcoholism,
despair, anger out of control, mental illness, disrespect for women, and
just an overall disregard for human life. We will speak directly against all
spiritual warfare with the authority of the name of Jesus Christ.

I know it will make a real difference since prayer is the most powerful
weapon we have against the enemy. Our Lord said that wherever 2 or more are
gathered in His name, that He will be there......

Please read / respond."

That was the email. Does anyone have any further comments/clarifications? Thanks, guys!

This is straight out of pentecostalism and is not the same practice as that advocated by Whitney, Edwards, etc.

The unspoken assumption of the practice seems to be that Satan is in control of the world and we have to go out and break the stronghold.

 

[CDM]

Originally posted by SemperFideles
Sounds like word of faith stuff to me. This kind of idea always reeks of some sort of incantation to me as if you're calling God into an area He doesn't know about. It's superstitious.

I don't think there's anything wrong with praying for a city but these kinds of things are just completely un-Scriptural.

This reminds me of something that I heard about a couple of years ago in D.C. There's a Christian Radio Station in the D.C. area that has a mixture of good stuff (Sproul and MacArthur) to absolutely horrid stuff (they would advertise for Word of Faith conferences and the like).

Anyhow, a couple of years ago they hosted an event where Christians were encourage to mass together in the parking lot of some Mall and then everyone would drive off and drive around the Beltway of DC (goes through VA, DC, and Maryland) and pray for the city of DC as they drove around it. They spoke of "surrounding" the city in prayer as if prayer is some kind of substantive power flowing from the believer into the city to make things change.

I don't have the exact words I want but it seems very much like witchcraft re-branded as prayer. I think it's very wicked.

Yeah, that station is WAVA 105. something. They are a mixed bag - Sproul and Joyce Meyers.

 

[Pilgrim]

Originally posted by SRoper
This is very popular and heartily endorsed at my church. I don't know anyone who believes it makes the prayer more efficacious (WCF 21: "Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now, under the gospel, either tied unto, or made more acceptable to, any place in which it is performed"). It's done for pragmatic reasons so the people praying know better what to pray for. Also one meets people while praying, and this can lead to opportunities.

When I get home I'll have to dig up the resources they gave us on this in Sunday school since it's been a while since I learned about it. I admit I went into the class somewhat hostile, but I came out thinking it was permissible.

I would doubt or hope that the class was not about going out and breaking the devil's strongholds, which is the purpose of the prayer walk in this thread.

 

[SRoper]

Yeah you are probably right. The closest thing I could find to that in the notes was a bullet point under "Prayer Walking: Why?": "Spiritual mission and warfare becomes immediate/here and now." The materials we used are from Grace Vancouver Church. It's called "Prayer Training for Urban Mission."

 

[SRoper]

What is meant by this "pray against the strongholds" language, and why is it so bad?

 

[Pilgrim]

Originally posted by SRoper
What is meant by this "pray against the strongholds" language, and why is it so bad?

This is tied up in the idea of "spiritual mapping" and so called "spiritual warfare" where if the demons in a certain area are not cast out first, the gospel will be hindered.

 

[jaybird0827]

Sounds like another gimmick based on someone's experience rather than Scripture.

 

[ServantOfKing]

Something that also jumped out at me right away after reading the e-mail was the idea that poverty is a "stronghold the enemy has set up."
Being poor is not evil.
Not working is wrong, but often that is different than being poor.
Sometimes I think being poor is better because we don't rely on our money as much.
Just my
Not a pun

 

[sola_gratia]

So would you say it's wrong when we do our service where we walk around the church property, and prayer over it?

I don't really know anything about praying against strongholds or whatever that is. That's not what we do.