It’s been a few years since I heard Pastor Ron Halvorsen tell the following story, but when he came to an area to conduct evangelistic meetings, he always wanted prayer warriors to do “prayer walking”. Describing the process, he said it means that a person is to walk through a neighborhood and offer a prayer for each house he/she walk by. As Pastor Halversen was encouraging the church members to do it, one elderly lady objected. She said that she wasn’t up to knocking on doors like that. Pastor Ron told her that she didn’t have to knock on any doors; she just had to offer a prayer as she walked by. “Do you think you could do that?” he asked. “Well, I can try.”

Several weeks later, she ran into trouble. As she approached one particular home, she felt distinctly impressed that she should go knock on the door. She started arguing with the Spirit, “I don’t have to do that. My evangelist said I don’t have to.” The Spirit didn’t give up, and finally she, quite reluctantly, went to the door. When the lady answered the door, the prayer walker, sort of embarrassed, tried to explain that she was the neighborhood prayer walker and that she had been praying for each of the homes. The lady immediately responded that her husband was in the hospital and very ill, and would she please pray for him? So, she did.

I don’t remember every detail that followed, except that she continued her walks, faithfully praying—especially for that husband.

One day, as she approached the house, the door opened, and the lady called her to come in. So, she did. With a huge smile on her face, the lady told the walker that she wanted her to meet someone. She introduced her husband, who, thanks to the walker’s prayers, was now at home and completely well.

Inspired by this experience, the prayer walker began distributing printed cards to the homes where she had been praying. Before long, the neighbors didn’t turn first to their churches or pastors—they reached out directly to their prayer walker.

While walking is important for our physical health, it is just as vital, spiritually, to pray as we walk. Try it for yourself! There’s no need to knock on doors—unless the Spirit prompts you for a special purpose.

Blessings to you as your prayers make a difference in the neighborhood where you walk!