Transforming Prayer Book Review

[William Richard Ezell]

Transforming Prayer by Daniel Henderson Reviewed by Rick Ezell Prayer is more about God than about us. Daniel Henderson in Transforming Prayer drives home this point with clarity, wit, and candor. While he confesses that he is not a natural prayer guy, Henderson reveals how he had to relearn prayer after growing dissatisfied with his early prayer life. His dissatisfaction led him to a life-changing prayer strategy he calls worship-based prayer. This approach seeks the face of God before the hand of God. In other words, one desires God’s presence before his provisions, who he is before what he does. The reality, according to Henderson, is that if we seek God’s hand first we may miss God’s face, but if we seek his face, God will open his hand, satisfying the deepest desires of our hearts. The fruit of such a prayer strategy is that God is glorified; believers are sanctified; the church is edified; the world is mystified; and the enemy is mortified. The result is utter transformation, a worshipful life that is satisfied with God himself. God becomes the focus of such praying with our eyes taken off ourselves. The heart is fixed on God’s majesty, Christ’s love, and God’s Word. The motive for prayer is changed from one’s will done on heaven to God’s will done on earth. The Bible is essential and foremost with worship-based prayer. The Word saturates our minds and guides our words. It is only when God’s Word is present in our lives that our prayers will be answered because then we are praying from God’s agenda not ours. Henderson provides a great pattern for worship-based prayer that comes from the Lord’s prayer: The starting place is reverence as we focus on God and his Word; that leads one to response as we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s control; then comes requests, but one does not know what to ask for until they have worshipped God and surrendered to him; then comes readiness as we get off our knees going into battle; and, lastly, is reverence again as we give glory to God, ending the prayer the same way we opened it—with praise. Such a lifestyle and commitment to prayer results in transformation, both individually and corporately. As a student of prayer and having read many books on prayer, I highly recommend Daniel Henderson’s book, Transforming Prayer. Like a trail guide, Henderson has much to teach a person at any stage in their prayer journey about the great adventure called prayer.