INTRODUCTION
You are nearing a journey that will alter your prayer-life forever.  Beyond your prayer-life, this journey may well change your entire life.  The purpose of the manual is to help prepare you for this incredible journey.  
A Prayer Journey is going somewhere - around the corner or around the world - for the primary purpose of intercessory prayer on location.
Prayer-walking is a method of intercessory prayer that involves walking while praying at the location of the Prayer Journey.  Prayer-walking may also include riding, jogging, boating, biking, flying, riding a train, or any other means of transportation.
Many of you have been practicing prayer-walking for years without knowing what to call it.  In 1993, Creation House Books of Orlando, Florida released a book co-authored by Steve Hawthorne and Graham Kendrick entitled, Prayer-walking: Praying On Site With Insight.  This was the first book devoted exclusively to the method of prayer-walking.  While the book has some problems with biblical interpretation, it does offer creative prayer strategies and a name for what you may have been doing.
A valuable insight into the purpose of prayer-walking was offered by a missionary couple serving among an unreached people group in east Asia.  They said, "We would like to see a spiritual harvest, but we are seeing none.  We would like to say that we are busy watering seed that has been planted, but neither are we doing that.  We'd like to tell you that we are faithfully planting seed for a future harvest, but this has not yet been our ministry.  We wish we could share with you that we spend our time breaking up the soil for the planting of seeds.  Not so. Quite honestly, ours is a ministry of rock moving."  
"Rock moving" is the job of intercessors.  A Prayer Journey allows you the privilege of walking and praying among the rocks.   
So, a definition is in order.  Prayer-walking is intercession on location, with information, in cooperation, against opposition, for glorification.  This definition will also serve as the orientation outline.  
While not covered in this manual, it is strongly encouraged that the prayer-walker be in right relationship with God before beginning such a strategic assignment. Walking with the Lord should always be a prerequisite to walking and talking with the Lord.  You may need to pause right now and update your relationship with God.  Then ask God to give you an open mind and a receptive spirit so that you might be a more effective prayer-walker during your prayer journey.

 PRAYER-WALKING IS INTERCESSION
Intercessory prayer is a biblical priority.  Paul instructed young Timothy as follows: "I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men." (1 Tim.2:1)*
The Bible mentions many kinds of prayer, such as supplications, petitions, thanksgivings as well as intercessions.  Intercession is that type of prayer that focuses on the needs and concerns of others.  During your prayer-walking, God may reveal some personal need to you for which you must offer petition, but primarily, prayer-walking is offering prayers of intercession.
T. W. Hunt, long time prayer leader among Southern Baptist, calculated that among the prayers of the Bible where we know the answer given, 78% are prayers of intercession.    While the term, "prayer-walking" does not appear in the Bible, nor does the Bible describe any person as actually practicing "prayer-walking"as we know it, it is a method that God is using today.  It is a method of the biblical priority of intercession.
An early warning is in order:  Refrain from worshiping the method.  Rather, use a method that God is currently blessing while worshiping the God of the method.
Prayers of intercession are offered...
...to the Father.   Prayer-walking is primarily talking to God about the people rather than talking to the people about God. God said to Jeremiah, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you   great and mighty things, which you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).  Note the instructions in    Matthew 6:6; Matthew 18:19-20; John 16:23.
...to and in the Name of the Son.  Prayer-walking is done in the authority of Jesus Christ rather than in your own authority.  Note the experience of the disciples in Luke 10:1-20. See also John 14:13-14; John 15:16; Romans 10:12; Romans 8:34; II Corinthians 12:8.
...in and with the Holy Spirit. Prayer-walking is done in harmony with God's agenda, rather than  your own agenda.  Note Paul's experience in Acts. 16:6-10. See also Romans 8:26; Ephesians    6:18; Jude 20.
As you walk and pray you will be a person of secret influence, interceding to the Father, in the Name of the Son, with the Holy Spirit to the One who works where no man can work, who accomplishes tasks beyond man's ability to accomplish, and who gains glory where man sees no glory.  God will respond to your intercessions, not because He has too, but because He has chosen to do so.
*Unless otherwise noted, all scripture is from The Holy Bible, New King James Version.

 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERCESSORY PRAYER-WALKING
1. Be spiritually prepared - Daily Bible reading, devotion and private prayer.
2. Wear comfortable, culturally-acceptable clothing.
3. Wear walking-shoes that are already "broken-in".
4. A light-weight back-pack or a "fanny-pack" may by useful in long walks.
5. Carrying a camera should be cleared with your local host prior to the walk.
6. Teams of three seem to be best, four is OK, five is too large.
7. Pray together as a team prior to the beginning of the walk.
8. Pray with your eyes open, sensitive to that which might prompt prayer.
9. Reinforce prayers of other team members before changing the subject of prayer.
10. Stop for more intense prayer as the occasion calls for it.
11. Forget phrases like "lead, guide and direct" and talk with God in a conversational manner.
12. Use scripture in your prayer - either direct quotes or paraphrases.
13. Don't be afraid of silence.  It is OK to walk and pray silently for a time.
14. Smile and be pleasant to people you meet.  God may be working in their life.  Pray for them.
15. It is OK if prayer-walking feels awkward the first few times.  It will feel more comfortable.
16. Singing is often an effective way to pray and praise.
17. When praying becomes difficult, admit it to your team and ask them to pray for you.
18. Be flexible as the Holy Spirit leads.
19. Conclude your walk on time especially if a share time is planned with others.
20. Pray together as a team at the conclusion of the walk.
21. Keep a daily journal at the conclusion of each day.
22. When the prayer journey is over don't worship the journey; get on to other ministries.

 HELPFUL RESOURCES
An excellent guide for planning a prayer walk is PrayerWalk Organizer Guide by Steve Hawthorne, published in 1996 by Prayer Walk USA.  Also a little booklet, Prompts for Prayerwalkers by Steve Hawthorne may be helpful.  Contact: WayMakers; Box 203131; Austin,Texas, 78720.

 PRAYER-WALKING IS INTERCESSION ON LOCATION
"Why could I not just as well stay at home and intercede?"  This is the oft asked question related to participation on a prayer journey.  
The answer is, "You can."  And God will as surely hear and respond to your prayer as He will to the prayers of those who go.  
While "location" may or may not be important to everyone, it is of utmost value to the prayer-walker.  To pray while seeing, feeling, touching, and hearing is to pray with more intensity.  After the prayer journey is over, you will never pray the same way again for the location of your walk and the people you met there.
While "prayer-walking" is not mentioned as such in the Bible, praying on location most clearly is mentioned.  When Jesus received the message of the illness of Lazarus, he could have prayed for healing in his present location, and may well have done so for he stayed there "two more days" before announcing to the disciples, "Lazarus is dead."  There may be other reasons why Jesus chose to go then to Bethany, but on arrival, he prayed before calling out, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:1-44).  This was intercession on location.  There are other biblical examples of such location-praying.  Perhaps you will want to study some of them before your prayer journey.
An additional value of location-praying has to do with presence.  Since Jesus lives within you and the Holy Spirit works through you, there is a sense in which your prayer-walking provides light in dark places and salt in unsavory places (Matthew 5:13-16).  If your body really is a "temple of God" (I Corinthians 3:16) then where you go, you represent His presence.  
Often the location of your prayer-walking will be in enemy territory.  One writer says, "Christians have lost the home-field advantage."  This is true in most, if not all of the world. The enemy and his influence will be obvious to you as you walk.  In times like these you need to remember that the battle has already been assured.  "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, `Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..." (Revelation 12:10-11).  Walk, not in fear, but in assured victory.

Some locations where you may want to prayer-walk (or stop for prayer) include:
1. Government buildings, especially those that effect missionary presence and work
2. Churches or locations for possible new-church starts
3. High places, such as mountains or tall buildings where you can get a perspective of the area
4. Neighborhoods or areas where there is no evangelical work
5. Schools
6. Hospitals
7. Business areas
8. Sites of other religions, false religions, sect groups or cults