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Moving Mountains: Praying with Passion, Confidence, and Authority
New York Times best-selling author of Wild at Heart John Eldredge offers readers a step-by-step guide to effective Christian prayer.
How would it feel to enter into prayer with confidence and assurance—certain that God heard you and that your prayers would make a difference?
It would likely feel amazing and unfamiliar. That’s because often our prayers seem to be met with silence or don’t appear to change anything. Either response can lead to disappointment or even despair in the face of our ongoing battles and unmet longings—especially when we don’t know if we’re doing something wrong or if some prayers just don’t work.
New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge confronts these issues directly in Moving Mountains by offering a hopeful approach to prayer that is effective, relational, and rarely experienced by most Christians.
In a world filled with danger, adventure, and wonder, we have at our disposal prayers that can transform the events and issues that matter most to us and to God. Moving Mountains shows you how to experience the power of daily prayer, learn the major types of prayers—including those of intervention, consecration, warfare, and healing—and to discover the intimacy of the cry of the heart prayer, listening prayer, and praying Scripture.
Things can be different, and you personally have a role to play with God in bringing about that change through prayer. It may sound too good to be true, but this is your invitation to engage in the kind of prayers that can move God's heart as well as the mountains before you.
Moving Mountains is also available in Spanish, Mueve montañas. To dive deeper into the Moving Mountains message, the Moving Mountains study guide and video study are available now.
How would it feel to enter into prayer with confidence and assurance—certain that God heard you and that your prayers would make a difference?
It would likely feel amazing and unfamiliar. That’s because often our prayers seem to be met with silence or don’t appear to change anything. Either response can lead to disappointment or even despair in the face of our ongoing battles and unmet longings—especially when we don’t know if we’re doing something wrong or if some prayers just don’t work.
New York Times bestselling author John Eldredge confronts these issues directly in Moving Mountains by offering a hopeful approach to prayer that is effective, relational, and rarely experienced by most Christians.
In a world filled with danger, adventure, and wonder, we have at our disposal prayers that can transform the events and issues that matter most to us and to God. Moving Mountains shows you how to experience the power of daily prayer, learn the major types of prayers—including those of intervention, consecration, warfare, and healing—and to discover the intimacy of the cry of the heart prayer, listening prayer, and praying Scripture.
Things can be different, and you personally have a role to play with God in bringing about that change through prayer. It may sound too good to be true, but this is your invitation to engage in the kind of prayers that can move God's heart as well as the mountains before you.
Moving Mountains is also available in Spanish, Mueve montañas. To dive deeper into the Moving Mountains message, the Moving Mountains study guide and video study are available now.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2016
982 people are currently reading
2228 people want to read
About the author
John Eldredge
227 books1,921 followersJohn Eldredge is an American author, counselor, and lecturer on Christianity. He is known for his best-selling book Wild at Heart.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
July 5, 2022
This author always blows my mind and gives me so much to think on. I'll be rereading this one...
June 29, 2017
I highly highly recommend this book to any Christian who has felt a major disconnect between the way he/she talks about prayer and the way it is actually experienced in reality. That would be me. If I was ever specifically trained to pray in the way Eldredge teaches, it must have gone in one ear and out the other, or I just wasn't ready to ingest it. That being said, I think many people who have been trained in effective prayer will probably find the information in this book common sense. For me though, it was revelatory, and has been a crucial component of what I have felt to be a calling from God into a new season of prayer.
My experience of certain types of prayer throughout my life has been one of frustration, fear and dissatisfaction. I've never struggled to talk with God, but I've also never felt that my intercessory or warfare prayers were all that effective. Eldredge repeatedly exhorts his readers to remember that with with almost everything, "there is a way things work" in prayer. When we don't have adequate instruction in this area, we find ourselves shadow boxing.
*Moving Mountains* is mainly a guidebook, with chapters covering several different types of prayer, introduced with some important theology. He backs himself up vigorously with Scripture, while also allowing for some insight for our current day prayer battles that come through experience.
The appendix includes an extended daily prayer that I have been praying every morning for a month, not because I made a resolution to do so, but because it was so revolutionary and life-changing, I just kept doing it. Those pages in the book are now completely marked up, as I have made the prayer my own.
Some highlights:
- "A slave feels reluctant to pray; they feel they have no right to ask, and so their prayers are modest and respectful. They spend more time asking forgiveness than they do praying for abundance. They view the relationship with reverence, maybe more like fear, but not with the tenderness of love. Of *being* loved. There is no intimacy in the language or their feelings. Sanctified unworthiness colors their view of prayer. These are often 'good servants of the Lord.'
An orphan is not reluctant to pray; they feel desperate. But their prayers feel more like begging than anything else. Orphans feel a great chasm between themselves and the One to whom they speak. Abundance is a foreign concept; a poverty mentality permeate their prayer lives. They ask for scraps; they expect scraps.
But not sons; sons know who they are" (p. 49).
- The whole discussion of the question of whether people actually make meaningful choices, chapter 5 on Bold Authority.
- The final chapter, Holding the Heart in Every Outcome, which refocuses the newly victorious prayer warrior onto union with Christ, not on effective prayer (definitely what I needed to hear!)
If you know John Eldredge, you know his cheese-factor is high, but like Ann Voskamp, his content is unmissable. I think his writing would benefit from some editing out of references to his horses and his trips to Hawaii, which place him in a world of privilege which will be utterly unrelatable to many. But overall, I'm so grateful for this book.
My experience of certain types of prayer throughout my life has been one of frustration, fear and dissatisfaction. I've never struggled to talk with God, but I've also never felt that my intercessory or warfare prayers were all that effective. Eldredge repeatedly exhorts his readers to remember that with with almost everything, "there is a way things work" in prayer. When we don't have adequate instruction in this area, we find ourselves shadow boxing.
*Moving Mountains* is mainly a guidebook, with chapters covering several different types of prayer, introduced with some important theology. He backs himself up vigorously with Scripture, while also allowing for some insight for our current day prayer battles that come through experience.
The appendix includes an extended daily prayer that I have been praying every morning for a month, not because I made a resolution to do so, but because it was so revolutionary and life-changing, I just kept doing it. Those pages in the book are now completely marked up, as I have made the prayer my own.
Some highlights:
- "A slave feels reluctant to pray; they feel they have no right to ask, and so their prayers are modest and respectful. They spend more time asking forgiveness than they do praying for abundance. They view the relationship with reverence, maybe more like fear, but not with the tenderness of love. Of *being* loved. There is no intimacy in the language or their feelings. Sanctified unworthiness colors their view of prayer. These are often 'good servants of the Lord.'
An orphan is not reluctant to pray; they feel desperate. But their prayers feel more like begging than anything else. Orphans feel a great chasm between themselves and the One to whom they speak. Abundance is a foreign concept; a poverty mentality permeate their prayer lives. They ask for scraps; they expect scraps.
But not sons; sons know who they are" (p. 49).
- The whole discussion of the question of whether people actually make meaningful choices, chapter 5 on Bold Authority.
- The final chapter, Holding the Heart in Every Outcome, which refocuses the newly victorious prayer warrior onto union with Christ, not on effective prayer (definitely what I needed to hear!)
If you know John Eldredge, you know his cheese-factor is high, but like Ann Voskamp, his content is unmissable. I think his writing would benefit from some editing out of references to his horses and his trips to Hawaii, which place him in a world of privilege which will be utterly unrelatable to many. But overall, I'm so grateful for this book.
February 21, 2017
Writing style is engaging and fun to read. Subject matter is shallow...at least for me.
March 10, 2016
Admittedly, I havent finished this yet but I'm very close, but I'm having difficulty pushing through to the end. That is something I've never experienced with a John Eldredge book before. As an avid Eldredge fan I'm a little disappointed at my lack of enthusiasm for Moving Mountains. His whole thing about "consecrating"(I think thats how he put it) yourself and other things, is far too formulaic for my brain. It seems like his way of focusing himself before prayer, which I think is great, but it comes across as "this is the exact way you need to do this or it wont work". I know he doesn't mean that exactly but it really does come off, to me, like there is this magical incantation that you need to utter before God will hear you. I totally understand the need to focus yourself and that this works for a lot of people.
Now, I have no doubt that I will sound like the young, Jesus following rebel that I was of days gone by, but Johns comment about a previous owner of a house letting evil spirits in by listening to "heavy metal" was too much for me to handle. I am so disappointed to find out that he is so unbelievably ignorant about an assumption I thought had been, for the most part, murdered somewhere around 2004. Growing up, I found much comfort and connection with "heavy metal"(although "heavy metal" is a disgustingly broad term) in my journey to finding and journeying with Jesus, and still do. The idea that a style of music is more evil than another is like saying a painting is more evil than another, not because of content, but because they used too much red and that's the color of Satans pajamas. Take any self worshipping pop song and compare it to Sleeping Giant or Advent. In content, in expression of deep human emotions, and in talent, I'd say, if evil spirits are drawn to music, they will love your pop music in comparison. I'm not saying there isnt evil "heavy metal". Just pointing out that heaping this huge genre in the evil pile is ignorant.
I do love John Eldredge. His books have really helped me be a better follower of Jesus, but I kind of wish I hadn't picked this up. There is a lot of great content and encouragement about the eminence and mind blown power, that we have been given as followers of Christ, to almost bend reality and what others might call fate, in order to bring glory to God. If you want to read a similar about prayer, I would suggest you go check out A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World
Now, I have no doubt that I will sound like the young, Jesus following rebel that I was of days gone by, but Johns comment about a previous owner of a house letting evil spirits in by listening to "heavy metal" was too much for me to handle. I am so disappointed to find out that he is so unbelievably ignorant about an assumption I thought had been, for the most part, murdered somewhere around 2004. Growing up, I found much comfort and connection with "heavy metal"(although "heavy metal" is a disgustingly broad term) in my journey to finding and journeying with Jesus, and still do. The idea that a style of music is more evil than another is like saying a painting is more evil than another, not because of content, but because they used too much red and that's the color of Satans pajamas. Take any self worshipping pop song and compare it to Sleeping Giant or Advent. In content, in expression of deep human emotions, and in talent, I'd say, if evil spirits are drawn to music, they will love your pop music in comparison. I'm not saying there isnt evil "heavy metal". Just pointing out that heaping this huge genre in the evil pile is ignorant.
I do love John Eldredge. His books have really helped me be a better follower of Jesus, but I kind of wish I hadn't picked this up. There is a lot of great content and encouragement about the eminence and mind blown power, that we have been given as followers of Christ, to almost bend reality and what others might call fate, in order to bring glory to God. If you want to read a similar about prayer, I would suggest you go check out A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World
November 5, 2023
I began reading this book out of desperation. I was very sick and could barely function at the time because of this sickness that lasted a little under a week. All other sources of peace exhausted, I went to my dad and asked for him to recommend a book. He gave me this one, so I began to read. Those first few days I gleaned much from this book, and I cannot deny that much of the wisdom held within its pages saved me from an even more difficult situation.
A couple weeks of the summer pass as I continue to slowly read through this book. Then I again became very sick (externally unrelated to the first sickness) and found myself not entirely wanting to be alive, to put it plainly. Again, all other help exhausted, I continued to read this with a certain desperation not unlike when I first began. Unable to sleep, eat, and in extreme constant pain, all I longed for was to be reminded of the hope of Christ every moment that I had, and this book served to be one of those reminders.
Through this book, I learned about physical healing in a time when my body was under attack. In a time where I felt unloved, I was reminded of His love for me. In a time when everything seemed to be going wrong, I was encouraged to remember the many answered prayers of my past. When heartbreak was real and raw to me, I read how healing of the heart is possible. Lastly, in a time of many struggles, I was reminded to give it time. Even though I learned many practical skills and disciplines that have made a huge difference in my recent life, I think the greatest thing that I gleaned from this book was to give myself time. Eldredge often emphasized the importance of waiting and listening for the Lord, instead of rushing through a prayer as we often do.
So yeah, it was a good book.
I don't typically give such personal reviews, but I felt led to this time so I'm sure God has some purpose for it. If you read this whole thing, thank you. And now I bid thee farewell, as I shall now depart to go start the journey of reading yet another book.
A couple weeks of the summer pass as I continue to slowly read through this book. Then I again became very sick (externally unrelated to the first sickness) and found myself not entirely wanting to be alive, to put it plainly. Again, all other help exhausted, I continued to read this with a certain desperation not unlike when I first began. Unable to sleep, eat, and in extreme constant pain, all I longed for was to be reminded of the hope of Christ every moment that I had, and this book served to be one of those reminders.
Through this book, I learned about physical healing in a time when my body was under attack. In a time where I felt unloved, I was reminded of His love for me. In a time when everything seemed to be going wrong, I was encouraged to remember the many answered prayers of my past. When heartbreak was real and raw to me, I read how healing of the heart is possible. Lastly, in a time of many struggles, I was reminded to give it time. Even though I learned many practical skills and disciplines that have made a huge difference in my recent life, I think the greatest thing that I gleaned from this book was to give myself time. Eldredge often emphasized the importance of waiting and listening for the Lord, instead of rushing through a prayer as we often do.
So yeah, it was a good book.
I don't typically give such personal reviews, but I felt led to this time so I'm sure God has some purpose for it. If you read this whole thing, thank you. And now I bid thee farewell, as I shall now depart to go start the journey of reading yet another book.
November 29, 2023
This was SOOO good!! I want everybody to read it. I have felt my love for prayer grow and my understanding for prayer deepen. GOD IS WORKING
December 14, 2024
Another deep dive bible study, this one was on prayer. Sometimes, I loved what the author was saying. Other times, I didn't agree with him at all. This is part of my growth process. I definitely learned some good things I can apply in prayer!
March 9, 2021
John Eldredge authored one of my favorite books of all time - Wild at Heart. I loved it so much, I bought multiple copies and gave them away to friends. It is in that enthusiasm that I decided to tackle Moving Mountains, and now, how I wish I hadn't. As much as I loved Wild at Heart, I fought to just finish this book. It is that disappointing.
The premise of the book is simple: "Some prayers work, and some prayers don’t." Eldredge calls on numerous natural phenomena and human circumstances to buttress this obvious point. Some things work, and some things don't. Some methods work, and some methods don't. Some techniques work, and some don't. It's no different (to Eldredge) with prayer.
Now, that brings us to our first challenge. What IS prayer that works? Is prayer that works prayer that cures me of COVID-19 with no long-term side effects? Is prayer that works prayer that lands me a promotion at work? Or, drawing from the introduction to the book, is prayer that works prayer that preserves my home at the property line while every other home in the neighborhood is reduced to ashes? What exactly is "prayer that works?" Eldredge never defines that.
From that baseline, the book becomes a whirlwind of emotionalism and formula. Eldredge is clearly enthusiastic about his approach to prayer, and at times it comes across that the reader is supposed to buy into the validity of Eldredge's approach and understanding of the prayer-process simply because he is so enthused about it. His arguments for his methodology are borderline anecdotal.
Eldredge begins building his case based on an authority he identifies as being granted to us as joint-heirs with Christ. Based on that authority, Eldredge begins various rebukes and declarations against certain things, and similarly makes decrees and declarations positively toward what he has decided should happen. He gives orders to spirits, calls down judgments, binds demons. He "brings" the blood of Jesus against this and against that. It's all very formulaic and done incorrectly will not yield the results that constitute the undefined "success" in prayer that we are after.
There were times when the prayer methodology put forth by Eldredge seemed to differ little from pagan rituals with long-winded incantations, anointings, declarations, and proclamations. Some of his example prayers went on for pages at a time (Think Matthew 6:7, and being heard for your many words). At times he encourages us to just repeat the same word or phrase again and again, almost like chanting a mantra. All of this was (to me) contradictory to the relationship with God about which he wrote so eloquently, that had now devolved into a chanted script-prayer that said in the correct way, and with the correct anointing and consecrating acts would yield a successful result.
At one point, Eldredge blamed a failed prayer on the fact that the one being prayed over "hated" his body. In John's logic, how can Jesus bless a body that the owner hates? Similarly, trouble at home was/is blamed on the fact that the new owners did not invest hours and days consecrating every room, and every door, and every piece of window trim. The evil of the previous occupants was apparently still causing trouble for the new owners. He even mandates that one must consecrate hotel rooms prior to staying in them. It does not border on superstition. It is neck-deep in it.
I am reticent to post this overly negative review but feel compelled to do so given my love of other Eldredge writings combined with the reality that this is just exceedingly bad theology. With the plethora of excellent material available on the market, your money can and will be better spent elsewhere.
The premise of the book is simple: "Some prayers work, and some prayers don’t." Eldredge calls on numerous natural phenomena and human circumstances to buttress this obvious point. Some things work, and some things don't. Some methods work, and some methods don't. Some techniques work, and some don't. It's no different (to Eldredge) with prayer.
Now, that brings us to our first challenge. What IS prayer that works? Is prayer that works prayer that cures me of COVID-19 with no long-term side effects? Is prayer that works prayer that lands me a promotion at work? Or, drawing from the introduction to the book, is prayer that works prayer that preserves my home at the property line while every other home in the neighborhood is reduced to ashes? What exactly is "prayer that works?" Eldredge never defines that.
From that baseline, the book becomes a whirlwind of emotionalism and formula. Eldredge is clearly enthusiastic about his approach to prayer, and at times it comes across that the reader is supposed to buy into the validity of Eldredge's approach and understanding of the prayer-process simply because he is so enthused about it. His arguments for his methodology are borderline anecdotal.
Eldredge begins building his case based on an authority he identifies as being granted to us as joint-heirs with Christ. Based on that authority, Eldredge begins various rebukes and declarations against certain things, and similarly makes decrees and declarations positively toward what he has decided should happen. He gives orders to spirits, calls down judgments, binds demons. He "brings" the blood of Jesus against this and against that. It's all very formulaic and done incorrectly will not yield the results that constitute the undefined "success" in prayer that we are after.
There were times when the prayer methodology put forth by Eldredge seemed to differ little from pagan rituals with long-winded incantations, anointings, declarations, and proclamations. Some of his example prayers went on for pages at a time (Think Matthew 6:7, and being heard for your many words). At times he encourages us to just repeat the same word or phrase again and again, almost like chanting a mantra. All of this was (to me) contradictory to the relationship with God about which he wrote so eloquently, that had now devolved into a chanted script-prayer that said in the correct way, and with the correct anointing and consecrating acts would yield a successful result.
At one point, Eldredge blamed a failed prayer on the fact that the one being prayed over "hated" his body. In John's logic, how can Jesus bless a body that the owner hates? Similarly, trouble at home was/is blamed on the fact that the new owners did not invest hours and days consecrating every room, and every door, and every piece of window trim. The evil of the previous occupants was apparently still causing trouble for the new owners. He even mandates that one must consecrate hotel rooms prior to staying in them. It does not border on superstition. It is neck-deep in it.
I am reticent to post this overly negative review but feel compelled to do so given my love of other Eldredge writings combined with the reality that this is just exceedingly bad theology. With the plethora of excellent material available on the market, your money can and will be better spent elsewhere.
January 12, 2023
This was the first book I had read not for school in over 10 years. I enjoyed it and took lots of notes. The various personal story’s the author gave were very intriguing. there are a lot of bibical principles to be taken away and a lot on the character of God, With that being said …. this book is heretical it gives a very systematic approach to praying for 10 different instances of prayer. “There is a way things work” There is not a right or wrong way to go about a certain kind of prayer so that there is a better chance that it gets answered…#whateverMyGodOrdainsIsRight
Also in the last chapter it talk about the Goal for human existence and says it’s “absolute union with God” I’m not really sure how I feel about that.
Also in the last chapter it talk about the Goal for human existence and says it’s “absolute union with God” I’m not really sure how I feel about that.
May 4, 2016
Beautiful book on a crucial, but misunderstood topic. Prayer is something most people think they understand, but it's more nuanced than most believe--myself included. Parts of this book inspired me with eloquent reminders of what's true about God and us and prayer. And parts of this book challenged me to not be so narrow in my engagement with prayer. There were aspects of praying that I had let fade from my life--or never seriously engaged in before--that I'm now diving into thanks to this book. So, so glad this was recommended to me.
January 14, 2023
There were parts of this book I loved, but most of it felt like it treated prayer like magic spells that have to be executed just so to work. The first and last chapters are careful to emphasize that this is not true, but references to “experts in healing” and formulaic prayers throughout undermined those assertions.
I would not recommend this book for those reasons despite the things I did appreciate about it.
I would not recommend this book for those reasons despite the things I did appreciate about it.
June 15, 2022
I have read many books on prayer and this is one of the most practical.
June 2, 2018
Next steps in prayer
I believe that this book is the kind of book that can be read at any season of faith and you will always walk away with something. I rarely give out 5 stars and am only reviewing now after my third read. I wasn’t sure after the first and reflected on my practice and beliefs much, read it with more of an open heart after the second, and started to try out, practice, and teach others upon the third. I have much to learn but feel more than any other this book has changed my practice of prayer profoundly and will so as I live out the rest of my days until I go home to be in the place Jesus is preparing for me. What else is there, than to be stretched in a discipline that is much more than a requirement of our faith than an opportunity to be in union with God. It’s what I was created for and hope to continue to grow deeper into pray more each day. Greatful for how this resource pushed me and excited to see how God will use the seeds of faith this book has planted in me.
I believe that this book is the kind of book that can be read at any season of faith and you will always walk away with something. I rarely give out 5 stars and am only reviewing now after my third read. I wasn’t sure after the first and reflected on my practice and beliefs much, read it with more of an open heart after the second, and started to try out, practice, and teach others upon the third. I have much to learn but feel more than any other this book has changed my practice of prayer profoundly and will so as I live out the rest of my days until I go home to be in the place Jesus is preparing for me. What else is there, than to be stretched in a discipline that is much more than a requirement of our faith than an opportunity to be in union with God. It’s what I was created for and hope to continue to grow deeper into pray more each day. Greatful for how this resource pushed me and excited to see how God will use the seeds of faith this book has planted in me.
September 23, 2018
This might be one of the most transformational books that I have read on prayer in a long time! This is an area of my life that I have been struggling with greatly, and felt God speak through every page of this book. If you are looking to grow in greater intimacy with the Lord and in spiritual maturity through prayer, you need to read this!
September 28, 2017
My second John Eldridge book and he didn't disappoint. Prayer should be embraced as the author points out, not simple one minute prayers. I really recommend this book for those who would like a deeper prayer life, one reliant upon trusting and growing in the Lord.
September 21, 2025
A practical guide for how to pray with examples of prayers included in the book. Covers everything from a prayer for intervention, to a prayer for guidance/revelation, prayer for inner and physical healing, and spiritual warfare. Guides you not only to pray for yourself, but also how to offer prayer for others. Will need to revisit the examples when I want to engage in prayer and when I’m called to pray for others.
September 27, 2019
Well organized book about the power of prayer. Will utilize in upcoming sermon series.
May 3, 2020
Powerful book on how to transform your prayer life. Full of wisdom and practical suggestions.
January 21, 2024
Great book will change your entire perspective on prayer.
August 17, 2024
help me developed my relationship with Jesus through praying and growing up spiritually
August 22, 2025
A tug-a-war between 'you're not praying right' and 'pray only what God says to pray'
God is not limited like that
God is not limited like that
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2025
This is a wealth of knowledge that in all my years I have never read or heard taught with this depth. I'll need to keep coming back to this.
April 3, 2020
Transformational if you let it be. I’m not the type that can simply read and apply information like this. I need to sit down and write out the points and really chew on them. I look forward to doing that! Especially now that there’s time to be at home!
October 20, 2020
Best book I’ve read on communicating and communing with God. I recommend this book to all!
June 17, 2019
I knew nothing of this author until this book was recommended. Apparently, he is a celebrated Christian author and runs various kinds of ministries. And he has a thing or two about prayer as a spiritual practice or even a lifestyle.
First, he acknowledges the conundrum about typical prayers in general: why do some prayers of finding lost keys get answered, but prayers about preventing atrocities committed against children go unanswered. Furthermore, it seems that so many prayers at their essence are about minimizing our pain and maximizing our comfort—an approach that it wholly ego-centric and comes with it all kinds of theological problems, to say nothing of the practical and attitudinal issues that accompany a worldview that accommodates this kind of prayer.
Ultimately, he concludes that prayer is not "asking God to do stuff." Okay, that sounds reasonable, but then, wait, what's the point?
The most salient insight I gained from this relates to theological underpinnings of the Abrahamic faiths: that God created humanity for the purpose of co-governance (dominion) of creation, via the granting of concentric circles of authority and influence. We have authority over our bodies and, to some extent, our homes, and we have influence over those around us (our sphere of influence). By exercising that authority and exerting influence—when it aligns with God’s will—we are co-governing with God in enacting his will and being agents of his work. Thus, prayer is an articulation of—and an actualization of—God’s will becoming manifest in creation (scripture teaches us to pray for “on earth as it is in heaven”). Prayer, therefore, serves the purpose of aligning with God’s will (changing our own nature) and declaring diving intention as it relates to our sphere of influence: the boundaries within which we are capable of co-governance with God.
That insight aside, there was plenty of content that left me scratching my head. He relates this incident:
Okay, so... witches? Without providing any more context on what he’s referring to, I am left to imagine a cartoon witch casting spells on this random Christan author...for fun? To thwart his ministry? By means of magic? I’m all about keeping an open mind, but the matter-of-factness with which he describes this seemingly ridiculous affliction leaves me wondering about how off-kilter his worldview really is.
First, he acknowledges the conundrum about typical prayers in general: why do some prayers of finding lost keys get answered, but prayers about preventing atrocities committed against children go unanswered. Furthermore, it seems that so many prayers at their essence are about minimizing our pain and maximizing our comfort—an approach that it wholly ego-centric and comes with it all kinds of theological problems, to say nothing of the practical and attitudinal issues that accompany a worldview that accommodates this kind of prayer.
Ultimately, he concludes that prayer is not "asking God to do stuff." Okay, that sounds reasonable, but then, wait, what's the point?
The most salient insight I gained from this relates to theological underpinnings of the Abrahamic faiths: that God created humanity for the purpose of co-governance (dominion) of creation, via the granting of concentric circles of authority and influence. We have authority over our bodies and, to some extent, our homes, and we have influence over those around us (our sphere of influence). By exercising that authority and exerting influence—when it aligns with God’s will—we are co-governing with God in enacting his will and being agents of his work. Thus, prayer is an articulation of—and an actualization of—God’s will becoming manifest in creation (scripture teaches us to pray for “on earth as it is in heaven”). Prayer, therefore, serves the purpose of aligning with God’s will (changing our own nature) and declaring diving intention as it relates to our sphere of influence: the boundaries within which we are capable of co-governance with God.
That insight aside, there was plenty of content that left me scratching my head. He relates this incident:
Years ago I kept having repeated bouts of heart and chest pains...I went to the emergency room...I left with a clean bill of health...but my heart was still experiencing sharp pains. Then I went to see a man who was well educated in spiritual warfare...he knew nothing of my story, but...he explained that witches had placed curses on my physical heart; then he prayed for me, to break those curses, and the symptoms went away. (p. 179)
Okay, so... witches? Without providing any more context on what he’s referring to, I am left to imagine a cartoon witch casting spells on this random Christan author...for fun? To thwart his ministry? By means of magic? I’m all about keeping an open mind, but the matter-of-factness with which he describes this seemingly ridiculous affliction leaves me wondering about how off-kilter his worldview really is.
July 24, 2017
Eldredge has a particular writing style and approach to faith that runs through all of his books. This is more of the same. If you haven't liked his other books, you probably won't like this one. And if you've enjoyed the others, then you'll know what you are getting into here. Personally, I enjoy his perspective, even when I don't agree with it. Always good to see the world from another point of view. I am glad that I read this in conjunction with several other books on prayer. It would have been annoying to read his "this is THE way to pray" certainty if I hadn't also been reading other white men telling me that their completely different approach to prayer was the correct one. Obviously they couldn't all be exclusively right so I was able to relax into learning what I could from the book while letting go of the annoying bits. There are brilliant points. Lots of great inspiration and instruction. Also, lots of stuff that doesn't work for me. Even if you will never use this type of prayer, it can be educational to realize that it does exist and some people practice it. Eldredge clearly states his case for why he prays the way he does and includes lots of specific examples of prayer. If you can ignore the annoying smugness - the author's self-assuredness at his own spiritual maturity, insight, and correct interpretation - then there are pearls of wisdom to be found here.
December 9, 2017
This was my first John Eldredge book. This book is no joke-- it's powerful and has a lot of very good advise and expertise. I believe it to be written for Christians who are pretty mature in their prayer lives or those who are serious about becoming so.
What stops me from giving this book 5 stars is that John assumes that all readers will see immediate effect from praying the prayers he's written. He gives many examples of his prayers bringing immediate answer. Because some of the things he discusses are so weighty and heavy, I'm not sure that every person who takes on reading this book will see immediate result unless they realize the spiritual warfare that rages and the importance of aligning with God before praying prayers of this type. I am concerned that in some cases this book gives false hope that God answers and speaks with immediacy simply by praying like the author. Eldredge also throws in a short blurb about curses, which I thought was strange and rather out of place for this book. Perhaps in a book solely devoted to spiritual warfare...
All in all, I got some really helpful things to consider from this book, but I also put it down praying that God would give me wisdom and discernment to know what He would have me learn about prayer.
What stops me from giving this book 5 stars is that John assumes that all readers will see immediate effect from praying the prayers he's written. He gives many examples of his prayers bringing immediate answer. Because some of the things he discusses are so weighty and heavy, I'm not sure that every person who takes on reading this book will see immediate result unless they realize the spiritual warfare that rages and the importance of aligning with God before praying prayers of this type. I am concerned that in some cases this book gives false hope that God answers and speaks with immediacy simply by praying like the author. Eldredge also throws in a short blurb about curses, which I thought was strange and rather out of place for this book. Perhaps in a book solely devoted to spiritual warfare...
All in all, I got some really helpful things to consider from this book, but I also put it down praying that God would give me wisdom and discernment to know what He would have me learn about prayer.
March 9, 2022
I don't always agree...
I started this book skeptical of what I may find within. There were things that I didn't agree with. But, this has been an eye opening book for me in my journey with Jesus. I realized that I never fully understood what it meant to pray.
Eldredge continuously brings it back to scripture and the cross of Christ. It is undeniable who is at work in prayer, not us, but Him. We must remember though... there is a way things work. It is our duty to look to Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father.
I started this book skeptical of what I may find within. There were things that I didn't agree with. But, this has been an eye opening book for me in my journey with Jesus. I realized that I never fully understood what it meant to pray.
Eldredge continuously brings it back to scripture and the cross of Christ. It is undeniable who is at work in prayer, not us, but Him. We must remember though... there is a way things work. It is our duty to look to Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Father.
March 18, 2016
This is a good, up to date survey of various kinds of prayer. It's autobiographical nature keeps it real & personal. There are plenty of the Biblical references we want plus excerpts from other books and authors many of us love and respect (C. S. Lewis, Neil T Anderson, LeeAnn Payne, etc). A fine encouraging read!
July 18, 2023
I forgot I had checked this audiobook out so I sped through it at 1.5x with my girlfriend in the next room before it returned itself back into the LibbyVerse. Good thoughts. I’ve been using his app The One Minute Pause where he incorporates a lot of these ideas. Same on the Wild At Heart app. Four stars.
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