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This pocket guide provides helpful information for Prayer Journey field teams and support teams to enjoy effective, specific prayer. Prayer Journeys expand the idea of prayerwalking to include everyone in the church. A Prayer Journey is an intentional coordinated effort to pray for and share Jesus with every person in a chosen geographical area or cultural community. It includes prayer walking, biking, driving, flying, skating, and every other possible form of transportation. Detailed Information is found in the Taking Prayer to the Streets: Prayer Journeys Resource Kit and at NAMB Prayer Evangelism.
I. While on your Prayer Journey, pray as the Spirit leads for personal spiritual need, for unbelievers you know or encounter, and for believers.
Sample Prayer
A sample prayer might be "Lord, we pray for this home and for Your Spirit to draw them into seeking the truth. I see a boat there and pray that while this family is on the boat that Your Spirit will prompt them to seek You. I see the children’s bicycles and pray that the children will grow in the wisdom and stature of the Lord. We pray for the congregation to be able to follow-through with these people and that they will be responsive."
Praying for personal spiritual need:
- Pray in repentance and belief in Christ (Mark 1:15).
- Pray in confession of sin (1 John 1:9).
- Pray for our daily bread (Luke 11:3)
- Pray that we can forgive everyone (Luke 11:4a).
- Pray that we can will not be led into temptation (Luke 11:4b).
- Pray for God’s will and not our will to be done in our lives (Luke 22:42).
- Pray for the fruit of the Spirit to characterize all that we say and do. (Gal. 5:22-23).
Praying for unbelievers:
- Pray for receptive and repentant hearts (Luke 8:5-12).
- Pray for their spiritual eyes and ears to be opened to the truth of Christ (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Matt. 13:15).
- Pray for them to have God’s attitude toward sin (John 16:8).
- Pray for the person to be released to believe (2 Cor. 10:3-4; 2 Tim 2:25-26).
- Pray for a transforming life (Rom.12:1-2).
- Pray for God to send them into His harvest field (Matt. 9:35-38).
Praying for believers:
- Christ to send believers into His Harvest fields (Matt. 9:38).
- Christ to keep Christians in His name and character (John 17:11).
- Christians to have Christ’s joy made full in themselves (John 17:13).
- Christ to guard and protect believers from the evil one (John 17:15).
- Christ to sanctify (set apart) believers in the truth of God (John 17:17).
- Christians to be unified in one mission, purpose and spirit even as the Father and Son are one (John 17:21-22).
- Christians to be where Christ is and join His work (John 17:24).
- Christians to be filled with spiritual wisdom, pleasing in all ways to Christ, strengthened spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and bearing fruit in every good work (Col. 1:10-11).
II. Specific Prayer
Consider these and other verses the Spirit brings to mind to help prompt specific prayer:
- Praying for workers to enter the harvest (Matt. 9:38),
- Praying for God to make a way for us to share the gospel (Col. 4:3),
- Praying for others, for the power of the Spirit, and for God’s people (Eph. 6:18),
- Praying for fearlessness and bravery to witness no matter where you are (Eph. 6:19),
- Praying for everyone with thankfulness (I Tim. 2:1),
- Praying for kings and those in power to be saved (I Tim. 2:2-4),
- Praying in confession of sin, (I John 1:9),
- Praying for spiritual awakening (2 Chron. 7:14).
III. Field Teams and Support Teams.
Prayer Journeys include field teams and support teams to cover the community in prayer by taking prayer to the streets. Everyone in the church can be part of a field team or a support team.
Field teams: Field teams travel into the communities for direct contact prayer with the areas they are seeking God to touch. Field teams may walk, drive, bicycle, inline skate, fly, or ride a subway or train. A field team that is walking may have two or three people in it. Field teams walk with heads up and eyes open. Team members listen for the Spirit to speak to them based on what they see, hear, and smell. It is not just a devotional walk or drive, but an intentional time of intercession for others. Walking and public transportation have the advantage of meeting more divine encounters. The teams usually do not stop in front of a home or business. As the teams walk or ride they pray silently or softly voice aloud a prayer based on what they see and feel. Take precautions for the safety of team.
Support teams: Support teams remain at the church to provide prayer support for the field teams. Those who cannot physically journey with the field teams will pray through church and home-based prayer support teams. The support teams will pray over maps of local and global areas. They will pray for each house, apartment and business on the streets where the field teams are journeying. Support teams intercede on behalf of church prospects and lost people. Support teams pray for the church facilities Each team can go separately to every room and pray for the teachers. They pray for the maturity and witness of the believers in the class and for unbelievers to come to church and to accept Christ. They pray for the staff, program leaders, and worship leaders. They pray for the Holy Spirit to empower the services and outreach and for the members to reach the lost and introduce persons to Jesus as their savior. They can even walk through the parking lot and pray for the light of the gospel to reach into the community. They pray for every visitor’s spot to be filled with visitors.
IV. Responding to Divine Encounters.
The field teams need to be prepared to respond to divine encounters. In every Prayer Journey the Lord causes encounters with believers that need encouragement and unbelievers that want to accept Christ or are willing to listen to the gospel.
Listen for the Spirit to instruct you to greet someone you encounter during the Prayer Journey. If they respond say, "We are from (name of) church and are out praying for our community. Is there anything we can pray for you about?" Most people will say yes. Take a moment to write it on the follow-up card. If the Spirit leads, ask them, "May we have your name so we can pray for you specifically?" Many people will say yes. Write it down and then ask if they would mind if someone came by from the church to pray for them or lead a Bible Study. You may be able to say "I see that you believe in prayer, are you a follower of Jesus or are you still in the process?" By this point many field teams are able to share a gospel booklet or testimony. Also leave the person a copy of the information brochure about the church.
A. Field team witnessing booklets. Take whatever witnessing booklet you like to use. NAMB’s Eternal Life booklet is available in 17 languages. Take a few minutes to look through the booklet. The booklet provides an outline on how to become a Christian. Read through it enough that you are comfortable sharing it with someone. You can read through it with the other person. Since it is available in so many languages you can read a copy in your language while the other person is reading it in their language.
B. "On Mission to Share Jesus (OMTSJ)" OMTSJ is an excellent way to present the gospel during a Prayer Journey. OMTSJ uses five colored beads on a bracelet to describe the gospel. The bracelet represents a person’s life. The first knot stands for the physical birth and God’s plan (John 10:10). The first bead is dark grey to represent our sin and our need (Romans 3:23). The red bead represents the blood of Jesus, the cross and God’s provision (John 3:16). The blue bead is for believing in Christ and receiving Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10,13). The white bead then represents forgiveness of sin, (Isaiah 1:18). The green bead represents growing in Christ, being baptized and sharing Jesus with others (Romans 1:16). The last knot represents eternal security (John 14:3). The field teams may want to wear the OMTSJ bracelets, caps and t-shirts as discussion starters with people they encounter. For more information contact the NAMB or visit namb.net/direct. There is a list of OMTSJ products and ordering information in Appendix D.
C. Take follow-up cards to record encounters. Be sure to get enough information for follow-up with those who share prayer requests, accept Christ or receive information.
V. Reporting What God Has Done
Conclude the Prayer Journey with a brief reporting session.
A. Lead in sharing. Each person should share what the Lord did through the Prayer Journey. Note the new spiritual sensitivity and burden for the area and people. How was God’s power released through the on-sight prayer? What impressions did they receive about the neighborhoods? Name the contact’s prayer requests. How many persons were led to become Christians? What is the possible impact on the community and the church?
B. Important benefits. This can become a very important time in the life of the church. These reporting sessions are often dynamic in their observations, reports and sharing. Most of the time, there are specific suggestions and requests for ways to reach into the community and respond to things they have seen. Ministries that have begun after Prayer Journeys include Jesus video distribution, English as a Second Language, homeless ministries, job-training, day care programs for senior adults, after school programs and "mother’s morning out."
VI. Follow-through on contacts and converts
The follow-through for Prayer Journeys concludes with the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. Do not stop with one or two Prayer Journeys! Every target area for a Prayer Journey will result in conversions, rededications, and new congregations. Each church needs to be sure that every contact and every conversion from the Prayer Journey is nurtured into a relationship with a Sunday School class/Bible study and prayer group.
VII. Prayer Journey Scriptures (NKJV)
These verses may be helpful as you pray for homes and people you encounter. Add to this list as the Lord brings scripture to mind.
"Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful" (Psalm 1:1).
I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O most High" (Psalm 9:1-2).
"I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer: my god, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:1-2).
"We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand" (Psalm 20:5-6).
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4).
"Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved" (Psalm 55:22).
" "Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth" (Psalm 78:1).
"The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them" (Psalm 89:11).
"Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:3).
"Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way"(Psalm 119:36-37).
"Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it: Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain" (Psalm 127:1).
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