Becoming a Prayer Warrior by Elizabeth Alves

This is a reprint of an earlier book by Alves. It is a great introduction to prayer from the charismatic viewpoint.

She covers the basics of prayer, such as what it is and why Christians should pray. She reminds us of the priority it was in Jesus' life. “Prayer is entering into relationship with God so we can determine His will in the matter and call His will into existence upon the earth.”

She explores what prayer does and includes suggested formats. She covers how to pray, when, and why. She helps readers understand the different kinds of prayer, including samples and guidelines from Scripture. She has a good section on how to hear from God, paying particular attention to the Holy Spirit and to journaling.

She has an extensive teaching on the essentials of spiritual warfare, including a good section on the armor of God. She covers each of the weapons of warfare, including praying in the spirit and fasting. She reminds us of the ministry of intercessors, to watch and pray.

This is a great introduction to prayer from the charismatic viewpoint. She includes examples from her own life, the lives of others, and the Bible to illustrate the principles of her teaching. She has a good section on unanswered prayer too.

It is a practical book. There are suggested outlines for prayer near the end of the book. She includes suggested daily prayer priorities and actual suggested prayers. That makes this book a great one for new Christians (or older ones) who need prompts to begin an effective prayer discipline.

Alves believes God has chosen to work through people. “Prayer makes a way for God to act sovereignly on earth.” “Heaven waits for those of us on earth to pray for things to happen.” I'm a strong believer in the sovereignty of God (that He does not need man's permission to act) and was disappointed in that part of the book. I was glad to read, however, that Alves encourages readers to find verses to apply to each need, making sure to be praying in agreement with God's will.

This is a good book for charistmatic Christians. They will find good guidelines to enhance their prayer life. Because of the soft view on God's sovereignty, I would not recommend the book to those of the Reformed persuasion.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Elizabeth Alves is an international speaker on prayer and hearing God's voice. She and her husband founded a ministry in 1973 and Alves is now president of Increase International. She founded a school in 2002, committed to mobilizing Christians in prayer. She is an adjunct teacher at Christ for the Nations in Dallas, Texas. She is also a affiliated with prophetic ministries. She is an ordained minister. She and her husband live in Bulverde, Texas, They have four daughters, seventeen grandchildren, and an increasing number of great-grandchildren.

Chosen Books, 256 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.