United prayer among believers is potent - a weapon that Satan should fear.
Somehow, there is something special and powerful about group prayer as Jesus pointed out long ago.
He said in Matthew 18: "If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
Speaking personally, I have yet to fully understand how powerful praying together can be.
But there are many instances in the Bible and in history of how praying together can bring dramatic results.
Somehow, there is something special and powerful about group prayer as Jesus pointed out long ago.
He said in Matthew 18: "If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."
Speaking personally, I have yet to fully understand how powerful praying together can be.
But there are many instances in the Bible and in history of how praying together can bring dramatic results.
The early believers used to meet together regularly to pray and thousands of new converts flocked into the young church.
And when persecution broke out, they prayed in Acts 4 for boldness to preach the good news of Jesus Christ despite the threat to their lives. The gospel spread even faster.
Revivals throughout history have broken out when people prayed for the Holy Spirit to come down and change them and their world.
The Welsh revival of the early 20th century led to many thousands entering the kingdom of God and the entire society was transformed with jails emptying and bars closing.
Typically, revivals lead to many people with closed minds and hearts suddenly melting in the presence of God.
Why does this happen?
For two reasons that I can think of:
A friend of mine said this week that he experiences God's presence most easily when he prays with other like-minded believers.
I agree. I can remember coming home from work tired and reluctantly heading out to the weekly prayer gathering. And when I left the group that evening, I was revived, knowing that God had been with us.
I know without doubt that Christ is with us when we pray with one heart.
To see what God can do, I must first get my mind and heart in tune with what he wants.
And when persecution broke out, they prayed in Acts 4 for boldness to preach the good news of Jesus Christ despite the threat to their lives. The gospel spread even faster.
Revivals throughout history have broken out when people prayed for the Holy Spirit to come down and change them and their world.
The Welsh revival of the early 20th century led to many thousands entering the kingdom of God and the entire society was transformed with jails emptying and bars closing.
Typically, revivals lead to many people with closed minds and hearts suddenly melting in the presence of God.
Why does this happen?
For two reasons that I can think of:
- One is that the people who are praying want to do what the Holy Spirit is asking them to do. More than anything else, they want God's will to be done in their lives and in the lives of those around them. They want God's kingdom in heaven to come to earth.
- The other reason is that God wants his people to unite around what he desires for them. A divided body will have trouble seeing answers to prayer.
A friend of mine said this week that he experiences God's presence most easily when he prays with other like-minded believers.
I agree. I can remember coming home from work tired and reluctantly heading out to the weekly prayer gathering. And when I left the group that evening, I was revived, knowing that God had been with us.
I know without doubt that Christ is with us when we pray with one heart.
To see what God can do, I must first get my mind and heart in tune with what he wants.
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