Does the Bible say anything about prayer walking?
Prayer walking is just that: praying while walking. Often, those who prayer walk pick a location and go there to walk and pray on purpose—to pray for the people there, a special event, or for God to bless the area.Sometimes people walk and pray alone regularly, combining exercise with interceding for their neighbors. Other times, a group or church will organize a prayer walk or a series of prayer walks in a community or several communities at the same time.
Sometimes people who prayer walk have a specific thing in mind to pray about. Other times, people walk and ask God to bring to their attention what and who needs prayer. Sometimes both.
For example, a person may walk in their own neighborhood, praying for the people they know and praying to know the people they don't. Other times, prayer walks are in unfamiliar areas where poverty, injustice, and ill health impacts that community. Taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of whatever area a person is prayer walking is thought to help prompt specific prayer requests for the people who live or work there. Some find that being in the place for which they are praying helps to focus their prayers.
Sometimes people do a prayer walk in a place prior to a specific event or the beginning of a new year to dedicate it to God and ask for His provision for and protection of whatever will be occurring there. Such locales might include schools, government centers, prisons, new church buildings, or venues for special events. Christians ask God to bless those who are involved, to grant safety and peace, and to protect the area and the people from the enemy's plans.
Maybe the only biblical example of prayer walking was when the people of Israel were instructed to circle the city of Jericho once every day for six days blowing trumpets. On the seventh day, they walked around the city seven times, yelled, and the city collapsed (Joshua 6). However, there is no indication that the people were instructed to pray while they walked, blew trumpets, and shouted.
Prayer walking seems to be a relatively new phenomenon. There is no biblical underpinning for specific posture or relative nearness to the object of our prayers that makes prayer more effective. God, of course, is everywhere at all times and we have access to Him through Jesus Christ in all locations and at all times (John 15:7). Prayer is effective because of God's work, not ours.
While the Bible does not say anything directly about prayer walking, God does instruct us to pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17), which would also include while we are walking. What is important is that we are people of prayer; to the extent that prayer walking prompts us to pray, it is certainly a good thing.
What types of prayer are mentioned in the Bible?
What is the importance of daily prayer in the life of a Christian?
What is the importance of praying for others?
Are prayer and fasting connected?
Persistent prayer - Is it biblical? Is it acceptable to repeatedly pray for the same thing, or should we ask only once?
Truth about Prayer
