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Unless We Pray: The Hour is Late. God has a Plan and This is It!
"Hell is about to feel the fury of millions of praying lions - full of power, glory, and fire." - Todd Smith
Our world, increasingly ravaged by darkness, is in desperate need for much more than human solutions. We need true spiritual power and authority to break through. Now is the time for the Lion of Judah to roar through His people!
Pastor Todd Smith has witnessed tens of thousands of lives supernaturally transformed by the power of God as he has stewarded the North Georgia Revival in Dawsonville, Georgia. As people attend their revival gatherings and experience water baptism, documented miracle healings take place, irreconcilable relationships are restored, prodigals return to God, and the impossible become possible in one divine encounter.
But revival doesn't just happen. There is a secret behind it.
Pastor Todd shows how sustained revival, supernatural power, and divine encounter are directly connected to prayer. In short, power-packed chapters, you will receive tools, weapons, and strategies that arm you for victorious prayer!
You
Activate your "prayer voice" that deploys the reign of God and shatters darkness.Identify the Five Lanes of Prayer and learn how to pray the right prayers at the right times. Operate in your spiritual authority and function as Heaven's delegated authority in the earth realm. Expose satan's strategy to keep you prayerless—and learn to overcome his temptations every time.Discover what happens when we don't pray and recognize the vital role you play in the unfolding of Heaven's agenda on Earth.Read the Prayer Secrets from heroes of the faith who saw supernatural breakthroughs and victories in prayer.
Don't let the forces of darkness continue to reign. Now is the time to enter into earth-shaking, darkness-shattering, Kingdom of God-advancing prayer!
Our world, increasingly ravaged by darkness, is in desperate need for much more than human solutions. We need true spiritual power and authority to break through. Now is the time for the Lion of Judah to roar through His people!
Pastor Todd Smith has witnessed tens of thousands of lives supernaturally transformed by the power of God as he has stewarded the North Georgia Revival in Dawsonville, Georgia. As people attend their revival gatherings and experience water baptism, documented miracle healings take place, irreconcilable relationships are restored, prodigals return to God, and the impossible become possible in one divine encounter.
But revival doesn't just happen. There is a secret behind it.
Pastor Todd shows how sustained revival, supernatural power, and divine encounter are directly connected to prayer. In short, power-packed chapters, you will receive tools, weapons, and strategies that arm you for victorious prayer!
You
Activate your "prayer voice" that deploys the reign of God and shatters darkness.Identify the Five Lanes of Prayer and learn how to pray the right prayers at the right times. Operate in your spiritual authority and function as Heaven's delegated authority in the earth realm. Expose satan's strategy to keep you prayerless—and learn to overcome his temptations every time.Discover what happens when we don't pray and recognize the vital role you play in the unfolding of Heaven's agenda on Earth.Read the Prayer Secrets from heroes of the faith who saw supernatural breakthroughs and victories in prayer.
Don't let the forces of darkness continue to reign. Now is the time to enter into earth-shaking, darkness-shattering, Kingdom of God-advancing prayer!
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2022
79 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Todd Smith
102 books19 followersTodd Smith and his wife Karen have served as the senior pastors of Christ Fellowship Church for eight years. Along with serving in pastoring roles for over 25 years, Pastor Todd has preached the Gospel, led crusades, traveled to the missions fields, and participated in pastors conferences in over 25 countries around the world, as well as hosting the outbreak of the North Georgia Revival that began on February 11, 2018. Pastor Todd and Karen are currently traveling all over the world and spreading revival fire wherever they minister.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 21, 2023
This book does a good job explaining the TRUE power of prayer by giving numerous examples of revivals that were spurred by corporate prayer. It also provides real life examples of praying men and women whose prayer lives changed communities. It’s a well organized study of prayer with the last 2 chapters digging into types of prayer. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in how to build a culture of prayer individually and corporately.
March 1, 2024
This book was ABSOLUTELY amazing & has refined my perspective for 2024. Our relationship with Christ is such a deep gift of grace...why wouldn't we share urgently with others if we believe in eternity with Christ & all the goodness that comes with it? People are seeking after Christ & it's time Christians are BOLDER, FREER, & FEARLESS in their faith.
June 15, 2023
Unless We Pray by Todd Smith is a book that encourages us to pray. What could be wrong with that? Certainly the call for prayer is laudable. However, doctrine matters and if we are praying, we must understand who we are compared to God, who we are praying to, what we are praying about, and our attitude toward a sovereign God as we pray. There are some outright heresies that Smith expresses in his book - more on that below - but there is another clue that his general call to prayer may be bringing us into a place a believer should not be going. If I were to write a book on our constitutional republic and shared quotes from Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and other patriots. I think you could be reasonably assured that I was probably expressing an orthodox belief in the real American experience. However, if along with these patriots I backed up my belief in our system of government with positive quotes from Mao, Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler, and Lenin, I think you would be reasonably assured that my position was less than orthodox. Well, that is one of the problems with Todd Smith. He quotes Spurgeon, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, C.S. Lewis, Thomas Watson, and other Godly men - so far so good. But then he quotes and in many cases shares extensive stories from charlatans and false teachers like Kathryn Kuhlman, Myles Munroe, Charles Finney, Rick Joyner, Richard Eby, Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, and Dr. Paul Yongi Cho. Certainly the latter's teachings on prayer would be as suspect as their other claims. But Todd Smith just piles all the quotes together and we are left with his mix of Biblical calls for prayers (some of which are good) and heretical prayers of declaring and commanding.
Todd Smith's primary heresy is the Word Faith belief that believers can more or less direct God to do their wishes. He says God is limited in what He can do on earth by our lack of praying and that we are responsible for activating and releasing His Kingdom on earth! God forbid! Psalm 115:3 says, "God is in heaven and does as He pleases." God is sovereign and though we are commanded to pray, that is a privilege we are given by God to take part in His will NOT a way to limit or hinder God. As Mordecai told Queen Esther, "If you will not, God will find another method of deliverance for the Jews." (paraphrased). Certainly we are called to prayer but prayer is not the strongman of the Church that Todd Smith says it is, Christ is the Strongman of the Church!
Todd Smith also says: "Prayerlessness can actually delay and even defeat the purposes of God." He makes many other similar statements in his laudable desire to get the church praying. That is a good goal but his view of God is very low if he thinks my actions or inaction can thwart the will of God. Isaiah 46:10 says, "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" Beware of teaching that elevates man over God!
Chapter 12 of Todd Smith's book Unless We Pray is perhaps the most disturbing section yet. The title of this chapter is It Can Be a Matter of Life or Death. The way he comes to the conclusion that our lack of praying can lead to our death is his poor hermeneutics. He concludes that because James was beheaded and there is no record of the church praying for him, that means the church obviously did not pray for him. Therefore, he died. On the other hand, the church prayed for Peter and he was miraculously delivered, therefore, if the church does not pray fervently for each member, they will die. What a load of guilt to lay on believers! When believers die, it's our fault?! By extension, I am sure that any lack of healing, prosperity, or any good outcome of prayer should be laid at the feet of the person who prayed due to his or her lack of faith or fervency. However, let's look at what Jesus said of James (and his brother John - the sons of Zebedee): Matthew 20:20-24 tells this story: "Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons, doing obeisance and asking for something from him. 21 He said to her: “What do you want?” She replied to him: “Give the word that these two sons of mine may sit down, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your Kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered: “You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him: “We can.” 23 He said to them: “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten others heard about it, they became indignant at the two brothers." Discussion: So Jesus predicted that both James and John would suffer for the Gospel in a way comparable to what the Lord Jesus would go through. So was Jesus mistaken and a lack of prayer was the reason for at least James's death? No. It was the will of God. Simply because something is not mentioned in Scripture is no proof that it did not exist. At least two possible explanations for the Bible not mentioning the prayers of the church for James: 1. The church prayed but it was not recorded. 2. The event happened so quickly that the church was not even aware that James had been captured and killed and had no opportunity to pray.
As for Peter, Acts 12:5-7 describes Peter's capture and notes the church's prayers for him: "Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands." So, Smith concludes, it was the fervent prayer of the church that allowed Peter to escape jail and death. But Acts 12:13-15 tells the rest of the story: "And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”" Well, so much for fervent prayer - they did, indeed, pray but how much faith was in those prayers if they doubted that Peter could actually be released and was at the door. They thought, instead, that perhaps he was dead and an angel appeared in his likeness - most likely.
Todd Smith is not wrong in his desire for the church to pray but misusing Scripture to support such a laudable effort is wrong (as is quoting false teachers to support it). God is sovereign and does as He pleases. That should be enough for a believer. We do not have to insert ourselves into God's sovereignty and insist that it was our prayers rather than God's power and will alone that caused the outcome we desired. God tells us to pray - Todd gets that right - but it is a gracious act of God that He allows us to be a part of the means of His power through our prayers according to His will.
Another of Todd's misguided attempts to make his point is in the last chapter of the book. Rather than use the fully adequate descriptions of Hell in the Bible, he quotes a long description of "hell" from Dr. Richard Eby, who was supposedly transported to Hell. The Bible is not sufficient for false teachers!
Finally, Todd leaves us with "How to Pray for the Unsaved" in his last chapter. Here's his steps: 1. Pray to the Devil - well, he does not actually say that, instead he says, "command the devil to cease and desist his activity in Jesus' name." Nowhere in Scripture are we told to engage the devil in conversation. Instead, we resist him and even the archangel Michael simply said, "The Lord rebuke you." This is a dangerous heresy being taught! 2. "Pray they would fall under terrible conviction as they become aware of their sinfulness and separation from God." - This is a good prayer - perhaps calling it a prayer for repentance would be more Biblical. 3. "Pray that the fear of God would fall upon them and . . . an awareness of the goodness of God". Certainly, a laudable sentiment and prayer. 4. "Pray that God's voice would be heard and irresistible as God calls them out of the darkness. I ask the Lord to use dreams, visions, and natural circumstances to speak to their heart." A call from God is Biblical but why he does not simply share the Gospel with the unbeliever or ask that someone is sent to share the Gospel with the person is inexplicable. His focus is, instead, on signs and extra-Biblical miracles. 5. "Pray for God to strategically maneuver Christ-loving believers into their life who will demonstrate authentic Christianity without hypocrisy." Again, rather than the Gospel, we are to teach Christ by our example of "authentic Christianity"? No, it is the Gospel that saves us! Repenting (turning from our sins and to Christ) and trusting that Christ's death on the cross paid for our sins and His resurrection justifies us before a Holy God is what unbelievers MUST be confronted with! As if the above non-gospel were not enough, Todd caps it off with this gem of heresy: "You will know that the battle for their salvation is won when you get a note of victory in your spirit. A peace will come to you that is unexplainable. You will know in your heart that the enemy's plans for your loved one have been defeated." But Jeremiah 17: 9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Do NOT rely on a feeling in your heart - rely on the Gospel and the Holy Spirit's ability to convict and save sinners through faith in Christ alone for salvation! Avoid this book but please pray!
Todd Smith's primary heresy is the Word Faith belief that believers can more or less direct God to do their wishes. He says God is limited in what He can do on earth by our lack of praying and that we are responsible for activating and releasing His Kingdom on earth! God forbid! Psalm 115:3 says, "God is in heaven and does as He pleases." God is sovereign and though we are commanded to pray, that is a privilege we are given by God to take part in His will NOT a way to limit or hinder God. As Mordecai told Queen Esther, "If you will not, God will find another method of deliverance for the Jews." (paraphrased). Certainly we are called to prayer but prayer is not the strongman of the Church that Todd Smith says it is, Christ is the Strongman of the Church!
Todd Smith also says: "Prayerlessness can actually delay and even defeat the purposes of God." He makes many other similar statements in his laudable desire to get the church praying. That is a good goal but his view of God is very low if he thinks my actions or inaction can thwart the will of God. Isaiah 46:10 says, "Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.'" Beware of teaching that elevates man over God!
Chapter 12 of Todd Smith's book Unless We Pray is perhaps the most disturbing section yet. The title of this chapter is It Can Be a Matter of Life or Death. The way he comes to the conclusion that our lack of praying can lead to our death is his poor hermeneutics. He concludes that because James was beheaded and there is no record of the church praying for him, that means the church obviously did not pray for him. Therefore, he died. On the other hand, the church prayed for Peter and he was miraculously delivered, therefore, if the church does not pray fervently for each member, they will die. What a load of guilt to lay on believers! When believers die, it's our fault?! By extension, I am sure that any lack of healing, prosperity, or any good outcome of prayer should be laid at the feet of the person who prayed due to his or her lack of faith or fervency. However, let's look at what Jesus said of James (and his brother John - the sons of Zebedee): Matthew 20:20-24 tells this story: "Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons, doing obeisance and asking for something from him. 21 He said to her: “What do you want?” She replied to him: “Give the word that these two sons of mine may sit down, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your Kingdom.” 22 Jesus answered: “You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?” They said to him: “We can.” 23 He said to them: “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten others heard about it, they became indignant at the two brothers." Discussion: So Jesus predicted that both James and John would suffer for the Gospel in a way comparable to what the Lord Jesus would go through. So was Jesus mistaken and a lack of prayer was the reason for at least James's death? No. It was the will of God. Simply because something is not mentioned in Scripture is no proof that it did not exist. At least two possible explanations for the Bible not mentioning the prayers of the church for James: 1. The church prayed but it was not recorded. 2. The event happened so quickly that the church was not even aware that James had been captured and killed and had no opportunity to pray.
As for Peter, Acts 12:5-7 describes Peter's capture and notes the church's prayers for him: "Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. 6 And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. 7 Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands." So, Smith concludes, it was the fervent prayer of the church that allowed Peter to escape jail and death. But Acts 12:13-15 tells the rest of the story: "And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”" Well, so much for fervent prayer - they did, indeed, pray but how much faith was in those prayers if they doubted that Peter could actually be released and was at the door. They thought, instead, that perhaps he was dead and an angel appeared in his likeness - most likely.
Todd Smith is not wrong in his desire for the church to pray but misusing Scripture to support such a laudable effort is wrong (as is quoting false teachers to support it). God is sovereign and does as He pleases. That should be enough for a believer. We do not have to insert ourselves into God's sovereignty and insist that it was our prayers rather than God's power and will alone that caused the outcome we desired. God tells us to pray - Todd gets that right - but it is a gracious act of God that He allows us to be a part of the means of His power through our prayers according to His will.
Another of Todd's misguided attempts to make his point is in the last chapter of the book. Rather than use the fully adequate descriptions of Hell in the Bible, he quotes a long description of "hell" from Dr. Richard Eby, who was supposedly transported to Hell. The Bible is not sufficient for false teachers!
Finally, Todd leaves us with "How to Pray for the Unsaved" in his last chapter. Here's his steps: 1. Pray to the Devil - well, he does not actually say that, instead he says, "command the devil to cease and desist his activity in Jesus' name." Nowhere in Scripture are we told to engage the devil in conversation. Instead, we resist him and even the archangel Michael simply said, "The Lord rebuke you." This is a dangerous heresy being taught! 2. "Pray they would fall under terrible conviction as they become aware of their sinfulness and separation from God." - This is a good prayer - perhaps calling it a prayer for repentance would be more Biblical. 3. "Pray that the fear of God would fall upon them and . . . an awareness of the goodness of God". Certainly, a laudable sentiment and prayer. 4. "Pray that God's voice would be heard and irresistible as God calls them out of the darkness. I ask the Lord to use dreams, visions, and natural circumstances to speak to their heart." A call from God is Biblical but why he does not simply share the Gospel with the unbeliever or ask that someone is sent to share the Gospel with the person is inexplicable. His focus is, instead, on signs and extra-Biblical miracles. 5. "Pray for God to strategically maneuver Christ-loving believers into their life who will demonstrate authentic Christianity without hypocrisy." Again, rather than the Gospel, we are to teach Christ by our example of "authentic Christianity"? No, it is the Gospel that saves us! Repenting (turning from our sins and to Christ) and trusting that Christ's death on the cross paid for our sins and His resurrection justifies us before a Holy God is what unbelievers MUST be confronted with! As if the above non-gospel were not enough, Todd caps it off with this gem of heresy: "You will know that the battle for their salvation is won when you get a note of victory in your spirit. A peace will come to you that is unexplainable. You will know in your heart that the enemy's plans for your loved one have been defeated." But Jeremiah 17: 9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Do NOT rely on a feeling in your heart - rely on the Gospel and the Holy Spirit's ability to convict and save sinners through faith in Christ alone for salvation! Avoid this book but please pray!
June 4, 2023
New conviction
Be ready to pray and pray until .... These stories we've heard for years ...but reading them adds a spark that 'I' can bring requests to God and can pray with persistence until He answers - not necessarily the way we ask or the way we want it to happen..but when we pray...He listens.
Be ready to pray and pray until .... These stories we've heard for years ...but reading them adds a spark that 'I' can bring requests to God and can pray with persistence until He answers - not necessarily the way we ask or the way we want it to happen..but when we pray...He listens.
December 1, 2022
This book is primarily a clarion call to the church to recognize the value of prayer. It was the final chapter, however, (on praying for the unsaved) that bumped up the value of this book for me personally.
March 27, 2023
INCREDIBLE!!!!
May 19, 2023
Amazing
November 24, 2023
This is the best book I’ve ever read on prayer. Technically not that well written but the content is very challenging and incredibly impactful to my life.
February 25, 2025
Incredible book
September 25, 2025
Soooo convicting
September 30, 2025
Amazing, biblically based, in-depth study on prayer. This book challenged me in my prayer life and I am the better for it! Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews