Topic: Praying Circles Around What God Has Placed Before Us
The Circle Maker Book, Chapters 1–5
Key Scripture:
“You will also declare a thing, and it will be established for you; so light will shine on your ways.” Job 22:28 NKJV
In The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson uses the story of Honi, a Jewish sage traditionally associated with praying for rain, to introduce the idea of drawing a circle and refusing to stop praying.
The power wasn't in the physical circle. The circle represented persistence, faith, focus, and dependence on God.
What has God put in front of me that I need to begin circling in prayer?
There may be something you've stopped praying about because it has taken too long. There may be something that feels impossible.
There may be something God has promised, but you haven't seen any evidence of it yet.
CHAPTER 1 — THE CIRCLE MAKER
Main Thought: Desperate situations require dependent prayer.
Honi lived during a season of drought. The people needed rain, and the situation had reached the point where human effort couldn't fix it. Honi drew a circle, stepped inside, and prayed.
What stands out to me isn't simply that he prayed.
He positioned himself in dependence.
There are situations in our lives where God allows us to reach the end of what we can manufacture, control, manipulate, organize, or figure out. And sometimes that's exactly where prayer becomes different.
Instead of:
“God, help me execute my plan.”
Our prayer becomes:
“God, I need You.”
Where have you reached the end of yourself?
What situation can you no longer fix with your own strength?
Maybe it's your family. Your marriage or desire for marriage. Your children. Your finances. Your purpose. Your business. Your ministry.
Your future. Your healing. Your next season.
Don't run from the place where you don't have the answer.
Turn that place into a prayer circle.
CHAPTER 2 — CIRCLE MAKERS
Main Thought: God is bigger than the problem inside your circle.
One of the challenges with prayer is that sometimes we pray according to the size of our circumstances instead of the size of our God. We look at what we have. We look at who we know. We look at what's possible. We look at how much time has passed. And then we reduce our prayers accordingly.
But faith asks a different question:
“How big is my God?”
Sometimes the thing you're praying about is supposed to be bigger than your ability. Because if you could accomplish everything yourself, you wouldn't need faith. Have I made my prayer smaller because the situation looks impossible?
If I truly believed God was able, what would I be praying?
Not demanding. Not manipulating God. But believing that He is capable of doing what you cannot do.
Scripture
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…” Ephesians 3:20 NKJV
Your prayer isn't powerful because you can imagine the perfect outcome. Your prayer has power because of the One you're praying to.
CHAPTER 3 — THE JERICHO MIRACLE
Main Thought: Some breakthroughs require you to keep walking when nothing appears to be happening. Jericho is one of the clearest pictures of persistent obedience. God told Joshua and Israel to walk around the walls. Imagine how strange that must have felt.
Day one walk.
Walls still standing.
Day two walk.
Walls still standing.
Day three.
Day four.
Day five.
Day six.
Nothing visible had changed. But obedience was still occurring. This is important: No visible movement does not mean God isn't moving. Sometimes we stop on lap six because we didn't realize lap seven was coming.
What have you been circling where you're tempted to say:
“This isn't working”? You've prayed. You've obeyed. You've waited.
You've tried to remain faithful. And the wall still looks exactly the same.
Your assignment today may simply be: Keep walking.
Scripture
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV
Faith doesn't mean pretending the wall isn't there.
Faith says: “I see the wall, but I also heard God.” Every step represents obedience.
With each step, think: “I'm still walking.” I'm still believing. I'm still obeying. I'm still praying. I'm still trusting.
CHAPTER 4 — PRAYING THROUGH
Main Thought: Don't just pray for something—learn to pray through it. There is a difference between praying for something and praying through something.
Sometimes we pray once and think: “Well, I prayed about it.”
But persistent prayer says: “Until God gives me peace, direction, release, an answer, or tells me to stop, I'm going to keep bringing this before Him.” That doesn't mean we try to force God's hand. Persistence isn't about wearing God down. It's about refusing to let circumstances disconnect us from God. Where have you stopped praying because you became tired of waiting?
Maybe you didn't stop believing in God. You simply stopped expecting anything in that particular area. Today, bring it back.
You can say: “God, I don't know what You're going to do with this, but I'm willing to talk to You about it again.”
Scripture
“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 NKJV
CHAPTER 5 — CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF QUAIL
Main Thought: Stop measuring God's ability by your resources.
One of the most powerful questions in Scripture comes when God challenges Moses' limited thinking: “Has the Lord's arm been shortened?” Numbers 11:23 NKJV
Israel needed provision, and Moses began thinking practically:
How could this possibly happen? Where would enough provision come from? And God's response essentially redirected Moses' attention from the supply to the Supplier. We do this too. “God, how could You do this?” “I don't have enough money.” “I don't know the right people.” “I don't have the resources.” “I don't see an opportunity.” “I don't see how the timing could work.”
And God reminds us: You don't have to know how God will provide in order to trust that God can provide.
Think about your biggest prayer right now. Now identify the limitation you've attached to it.
“I don't have enough ______.” “I don't know ______.”
“There isn't enough ______.” “It's too late because ______.”
Then ask yourself:
Am I measuring God's ability according to what I currently have access to?
DRAW YOUR CIRCLE
Identify one thing you're going to intentionally circle in prayer.
Ask yourself: What is my circle?
Tell Him: God, this is what I'm believing You for. This is where I'm struggling. This is what I'm afraid of. This is what I don't understand. This is what I need from You.
And then finish with: “Nevertheless, I trust You with the outcome.” Because circle-making prayer isn't ultimately about getting God to do what we want. It's about remaining close enough to God that our faith survives the wait.
Closing Declaration:
I will pray boldly. I will walk faithfully. I will wait expectantly. I will obey consistently. I will not allow what I see to cancel what God has spoken. I surrender the how. I surrender the when. I surrender the outcome. But I will keep walking with God. I will keep praying. I will keep believing. And I will trust the Lord with what happens inside my circle. In Jesus' name, Amen.
