By AL EARLEY

Religion columnist

A missionary couple reflected on the hard work they found sharing the Gospel in a non-Christian community 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 we have 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.  Quite honestly, ours is a ministry of rock moving.”

Rock moving is the job of intercessors — that is, people who want to pray for the advance of the Kingdom of God in the lives of others, and across the land these people live in. One form of rock moving is called prayer walking. Simply put, prayer walking is praying God’s power and blessing over a certain area of land and the people that occupy that land. 

I have always been intrigued by the scene in Exodus 3:5 when Moses is approaching the burning bush which was not consumed. God says, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Ground in the presence of God is holy ground, and God wanted Moses to know that the quarter inch of leather between Moses and God was too much.  He must take off his sandals. 

God also communicated to Jeremiah to write the people in Babylonian exile to pray for the land wherever they were located. Jeremiah writes, “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper” (Jeremiah 29:7). 

I began prayer walking when I stopped doubting satan existed, and found myself having to deal with his attacks (note: I don’t capitalize satan because he doesn’t deserve it). I first started prayer walking my home. It was not an overwhelming experience that blew me away, but a subtle experience over time that proved quite profound.  I gathered my family together, and we wrote three blessings we wanted God to place over our home. We anointed each door with three crosses, representing those three blessings, at the top and both sides of the door frame, like the Jews did with the blood of the lamb to protect themselves from the angel of death (see Exodus 12:22). 

Then, I began praying, walking the land and house God had given us as stewards, that God would protect it.  I basically kept praying the three blessings. Over time, I noticed positive changes in the way our family treated one another, an overall sense of peace, love and forgiveness that became common in our home. Most profound was the effect coming in our home had on visitors. Believers and non-believers alike would comment how peaceful our home was. People who came into our home that were spiritually sensitive were quick to say how safe it was to be in our home. 

There was a time when it seemed like evil was able to come into our home. I prayed to the Lord why this had happened, and it was about six weeks after we had replaced the doors of our home, and we had neglected to anoint them with the three blessings. We did so immediately, I continued to prayer walk my home, and we saw the darkness withdraw. Today, we continue to enjoy the benefits of consecrating our home to the Lord. It is not magic, but God honors our family for giving our home to Him as completely as we can, and praying for protection over the home and the land it sits on. 

Today, I am so convinced of the power of prayer walking that I continue to prayer walk my home regularly, my neighborhood, and the church where I am pastor. Whenever I am involved in a major spiritual event of any kind, I always show up early to prayer walk the grounds. I know many people are involved in prayer walking around our community schools. Can you imagine if every believer who reads this article were to start prayer walking their neighborhood? Can you imagine how many rocks would be moved to make way for a great harvest? 

If you are intrigued by prayer walking simply google search “prayer walking” for plenty of information about how to get started, and make a difference in your community and church.

To find out more about Al Earley or read previous articles, visit lagrangepres.com.