One Sabbath morning a friend and I were in New York, and we were out prayerwalking in Harlem. We noticed a man standing in front of his apartment building, so we approached him and asked if there was anything he would like for us to pray about for him. After we had prayed for his wife and daughter as he had requested, I sensed that he had some other needs.

"Do you know this God we've just been talking to?" I asked.

"No. I really don't, but I appreciated your prayers for my family," he responded.

He seemed open to our conversation, so I continued, "He created you, and loves you, and that's why we're here."

Then I said, "God really loves you and wants you to be in Heaven, but if He should ask you why He should let you in, how would you answer?"

"Well, I don't suppose I have any reason I could give Him. I've tried to do my best, but I can't say I deserve Heaven," he said.

"I don't deserve to be there, either, sir," I said.

He looked at me with big eyes, and I could see that he was ready for what I was explaining.

"No one could ever make it to Heaven if Someone hadn't made sure there was a way," I said. I told him that Jesus' death was what was necessary to take care of the sins of the world—his and mine included.

"This is a gift, and there is no way we can be good enough to earn it. But we do have to choose to accept it, and to ask Him to forgive us and to come in and take charge in our lives," I explained.

"Is there any reason why you wouldn't want to accept this free Gift?" I asked.

"No," he said, thoughtfully, "I need that Gift."

"Then we need to pray again, don't we?" I asked.

He repeated the sinner's prayer after me, and I am convinced he meant it. We talked briefly about his new family—the family of God. Then he shook my hand enthusiastically, and thanked me for stopping by his home.

We invited him to come to the church, and he said he'd be there. He was beaming as we walked away, and we were thrilled to have watched the Holy Spirit transacting His great business of salvation.

Prayerwalking is warfare. It is contending with evil. We are literally stepping out from a defensive, fortress mentality and coming physically near to the people whom we know Jesus died to save.

Prayerwalking has three different approaches or levels. First, it's just walking down the sidewalk, praying for others, taking cues from whatever or whoever we see, and asking the Lord to guide our prayers and to open the hearts of those for whom we're praying. You probably won't actually make contact with them at this time, but you're praying and taking them before the throne of the universe.

There is a second type of prayerwalking, involving some contact with those for whom you're praying. Maybe you see someone in their yard and have an opportunity to visit and introduce yourself; you might tell them that you're just out walking and praying. You could ask them if they have any special prayer needs so you can be specific in your prayers.

The third level of ministry in prayerwalking is to be alert for someone you can lead to Christ, as the occasion presents itself. This doesn't happen as often, but it can make obvious that this casual walk is really Kingdom business.

Ruthie Jacobsen has been coordinator of Prayer Ministries for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, North American Division, since 1995. She and her husband Don are semi-retired, and live in north Georgia. This article is an excerpt from Bridges 101, Ruthie's eleventh book.