Will Davis - Pray Big: The Power of Pinpoint Prayers

I am alive today because of the kind of bold praying youll find in Pray Big. This important book can change your expectations about prayer, challenging you to seek God much more intimately, to ask for audacious requests more boldly, and to see big answers to prayer that change lives for eternity. I highly recommend it!

Don Piper, bestselling author, 90 Minutes in Heaven

Will Davis Jr. does two important things well: he challenges you to rethink some of the ideas you have ceased to think about because they are such a central part of your life, and he writes in such a graceful and natural style that you feel as though you are conversing with him. Although I have never had the opportunity to have a real conversation with him, I feel as though I have known him well for a long time.

Dr. John M. Lilley, president, Baylor University

Will Davis has furnished his readers with a wonderful perspective on the relationship and communication between God and man. Pray Big has challenged my thinking, made sense of my struggle with prayer, and reminded me of Gods power and promises.

Cody Carlson, businessman and former NFL quarterback

Will Davis is onto something powerful. His honest and straightforward style has opened my eyes to untapped spiritual resources. This book has literally changed the way I pray!

Dr. Samuel Adams, coauthor, Out of Control

Effective prayerwe all want it! Will Daviss writing is intriguing as a practical, focused, and Scripture-based reference tool to enhance a believers prayer life. Essential for both the young believer and the mature Christian, this book causes the life of prayer to come alive. A must-read for all.

Alan T. Nagel, director, City Resource Team, Europe and Russia;
Campus Crusade for Christ

Words of wisdom from a young man Ive known since his college days over twenty years ago. He walks and talks the Word of God now just as he did then. No one person I have ever met believes more strongly in prayer than Will.

A powerful book for Christians and seekers alike. Chapter 5 alone makes this a must-read book. It will change your life!

Bob Hughes, chairman, Prime II Investments

When Will asked me to read and provide an endorsement for his book about prayer, I was happy to do so, but I expected it to be along the lines of pray without ceasing and pray for the lost. The book was nothing like what I expected; instead it rocked my spiritual life, causing me to pray very differently. It inspired me to discuss everything with God, from my simplest concerns to those things that seem impossible if not for faith in God. Its grounded in Scripture with practical, realistic, and simple explanations of why we should pray, what we should pray about (everything), and how we should pray (simply and pointedly). I love Wills exhortation to pray big, hairy, audacious prayers (BHAPs). It is my hope that Christians everywhere will read this book, and that the changes God would make in our world with Christians praying BHAPs would be incalculable!

Marcia K. Byrd, attorney-at-law

Thanks, Will! Ive got my BHAPs; Ive got my pinpoint prayers; Ive got a more regular prayer time, place, and plan. As a result, Im praying more, Im praying simpler, and Im seeing my prayers answered! Your book has been a real encouragement to me about how God longs for us to talk with him and how he is waiting to respond. It has reenergized my spiritual life. Thank you for your insights.

Dr. Andy W. Neillie, president,
Deep in the Heart Leadership Group

Simple, unparalleled prayer advice for every situationin the everyday or in a crisis, for individuals or for groups. The book addresses to-the-point prayers and gives great biblical examples as well as Wills personal examples of prayers being answered. No situation is too small for Gods attention, and this type of praying increases our communication and dependence on God. This can only be good for us. Many of us tend to pray in generalizations, afraid we will offend God by asking for the wrong thing. This book has certainly impacted my prayer life, and I feel much closer to God on a daily basis (although he may get tired of me asking for help in finding lost keys).

After I read this book, I started praying pinpoint prayers. Ive used the books themes every day and in a recent crisis situation. They have been very comforting and helpful.

Very inspirational. Prayer is a vital part of personal happiness in anyones life.

Drue Dillard Corbusier, executive vice president,
Dillards Department Stores

PRAY
BIG
the power of pinpoint prayers

WILL DAVIS JR.

2007 by Will Davis Jr.

Published by Fleming H. Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Davis, Will, 1962
Pray big : the power of pinpoint prayers / Will Davis, Jr.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 10: 0-8007-3204-9 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-8007-3204-2 (pbk.)
1. PrayerChristianity. I. Title.
BV210.3.D38 2007

248.32dc22

2006037330

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture marked NLT is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Dedicated to the memory of Little Management,
Carie Lynn Fontenotfellow Christ-follower,
ACF staff member, and good friend

Thanks to the following people:

Susie, Will III, Emily, and Sarafor being the greatest family ever and for loving me unconditionally

Rick Reynoldsfor keeping me in the game

Les Stobbefor taking a risk on me

Bill Jensenfor first believing in me and encouraging me to keep writing

Wendy Browningfor tireless and selfless service. You are amazing!

Teri Crowfor being able to provide awesome proofreading services and have a baby at the same time!

The Austin Christian Fellowship familyfor being a praying church and for putting up with me

The ACF overseersfor giving me permission to write

The ACF stafffor giving me grace when Im out writing

Joni Kendrickfor being a great friend and for listening to me rant on and on about this book

Julie Crain Washingtonfor being a great staff translator

Stephanie Mortonfor including me in her search process and for allowing me to tell her story

Wendy and Jim Jimmersonfor sharing Abbys story and for being such godly examples

Ralph Smithfor being my pastor

Isabel Nelsonfor modeling simple, childlike prayer

David Walkerfor praying that I would love to pray

Contents

1. Lord, Teach Us to Pray