How Can I Take Ground in Prayer? (Part 1)

A believer running around in Jesus’ Name, setting out to do all they can in their own strength, is not a great concern to the enemy.

However, when a believer’s knees hit the floor, the ceilings of sheol shake and the alarm bells of hell go off. A believer asking God to do what only God can do, that is a great concern to the enemy.

We must understand that at the intersection of God's sovereignty and human responsibility, there is one practice that is more potent than any: prayer.

We have been given a task. It’s our responsibility.

It’s also an impossible task. We need His help.

When we see that, we know prayer is the most important of our activities.

If you want to be one of those people who are used by God to take new ground – literally being an agent for the changing of lives and eternities through powerful prayers – this article is for you.

So many of our prayers are defensive. Have you ever noticed that? They are about protection.

But, there is a way to pray that is offensive. There is a way to pray and take ground. How? 3 steps.

Step One: Secure

Step Two: Enforce

Step Three: Advance

For this article, we’ll focus on Step 1: Secure.

Often, in traditional warfare, ground is first gained by the long range weapons. Arrows flew first. In later technology, the bombs were dropped first.

In the secure phase of prayer, the arrows of intercession are falling upon enemy soil. All new ground is taken in this way. The arrows go; they devastate and claim; the ground is now granted and now gained. That is what securing is.

How, in practice, does that happen?

Securing is praying to the point of breakthrough. It is when what has been asked for is granted or gained, when there is assurance that it has been accomplished. It is the point at which there is peace in the prevailing.

Many people have never prayed to this point. They stop short of it. But, when you are praying for ground to be gained, take note when suddenly the peace of God comes over you. That is what praying to the point of breakthrough means.

The old saints called it praying through. It’s a moment when something has been granted in the heavenlies, gained in the Spirit.

Securing is by faith. It’s not by sight.

When securing is done a person is confident, and now they are just waiting for history to catch up to the promise.

2 Chronicles 20 illustrates this in an unforgettable way.

“So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the Lord.”
— (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 2 Chron. 20:4)

Jehoshaphat is king. Two foreign countries – Moab and Ammon – are coming together to contest the land belonging to Israel.

Then Jehosaphat leads them in prayer. Let’s read it.

“And he said, “O Lord, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Did You not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever? They have lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary there for Your name, saying, ‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.’ Now behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt (they turned aside from them and did not destroy them), see how they are rewarding us by coming to drive us out from Your possession which You have given us as an inheritance. O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” All Judah was standing before the Lord, with their infants, their wives and their children.”
— (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 2 Chron. 20:6-13)

You can see they are all hopeful and seeking the Lord in prayer, but you can also see a good amount of angst and desperation in their prayer.

They have hope.
They are praying.
They are doing the right thing.

But, we don’t sense peace, yet. We don’t see complete confidence, yet. Notice Jehosaphat prays, “Will you?” and “We do not know what to do!”

This is prayer before something is secured.

Then, in verses 14 and 15, the moment of securing takes place. Let’s read it.

2 Chronicles 20:14-15: Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; 15 and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. (New American Standard Bible, 1995. 2 Chron. 20:14-15)

Then look also at verse 17: “You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.” (New American Standard Bible, 1995. 2 Chron. 20:17)

This is the moment. Securing took place right then.

Remember, breakthrough is securing.

It’s the differentiation between hope and faith. Hope is a positive expectation of a favorable outcome, based on knowing who God is and who we are to Him. Faith, however, is confidence birthed from hearing.

When the Spirit of the Lord came, and the prophetic word was heard and believed, they no longer were praying in hope, but they now had a promise. It was secured in prayer.

By the way, that is the definition of biblical rest. Rest is NOT escape. Biblical rest is not assuming life is a field without a battle. Biblical rest is not most of what people think it is. Rest is having assurance in the promises of God, so much so, that the sky can be darkened with arrows, and one prays against them from a place of victory, not scare, not fear, not fretting, no defeat. That is biblical rest.

After this moment of securing, after this moment of breakthrough, did the opposing army get any smaller in this passage? No. Did the threat get any smaller? No. Did the battle just go away? No.

Yet, the people have rest. They have peace. Why? Because they prevailed in prayer until they received a promise, and they knew God is faithful to keep His every promise.

And in addition to peace, they had praise.

“Verse 18: Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. ”
— (New American Standard Bible, 1995, 2 Chron. 20:18)

When you pray and peace comes over you, the burden lifts. That is breakthrough! That is the moment new ground has been secured. Follow it with praise.

Securing is the moment a prayer becomes a promise.

After securing, however, the work is not yet done. We must then enforce and then advance.

If you’d like to learn more be sure to check out the next article, “How Can I Take Ground in Prayer? (Part 2)!

Back to Articles