There is power in corporate prayer. All through the book of Acts we see the church joining together in corporate prayer. There is power in unity, and corporate prayer releases a power that will shake whatever circumstances are coming against your life. Whenever the early church had a problem the answer was always the same, corporate prayer. And their prayer meetings were without ceasing, they saw many miracles of deliverance and provision. Their churches MULTIPLIED from those who were believing and be saved.
We have been talking about 'how' to pray, and Jesus outlined three things by telling parables that deal with prayer. Persistence, aggressiveness and humility in prayer. Along with that we see examples of prayer in the bible. Today we will look at some examples from the book of Acts. These people were serious about prayer, because their faith put their lives in danger. Our facebook post go around the world. We are finding that when you deliver a facebook post to a third world country, even if 98 percent of that country is Muslim, the people there go crazy over our post, and like our page by the hundreds. Yet, you can go into a free country, or a developed country and our post will be literally ignored. There is a hunger in those countries that are not free to hear the gospel. We have lost our hunger for God in the richer countries of the world because we are like the church of Laodicea We think we are rich, and have need of nothing, but we don't know how blind, wretched and poor we really are...Those who have the freedom to assemble and pray waste that freedom because they don't think they have a 'need' to get together and pray with their brothers and sisters in Christ. But just like Jesus said, "It is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle."
If you are truly hungry to see a move of God in your life. If you really want to see your situations change. If you really want to impact the world around you for Christ continual corporate prayer cannot be ignored. We are powerless, lethargic and ineffective as a church because we do not pray together. There are many churches and spiritual leaders in America that have called prayer meetings. The sad thing is that very few see their need to show up to these events. Remember what Jesus said to the church of Laodicea? The church of today in the free world is the church of Laodicea. A lack of hunger, the inability to see our 'need' for more prayer, and a lack of corporate prayer are three of the biggest deterrent to prayer in our generation.
1. Our lack of hunger is because many are spoiled by our freedom, and our riches. Many in the world live on less than one dollar a day, so, yep, you are richer than most.
2. Our inability to see our 'need' for more prayer is the result of our arrogance and pride. We are like the Pharisee that thought he had no need for repentance, mercy or humility before God. Ever wonder why we have everything in the world and we are still unhappy? It is because we do not draw closer to God in prayer.
3. We do not gather for corporate prayer because we are too busy gathering at the movies, the ball games, the auctions, the bingo hall, the mall and other places similar, that we put before our devotion to God. We have time and the will to do everything under the sun but gather together for prayer.
Acts 1:14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Acts 16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a riverside, where prayer was accustomed to be made; and we sat down, and spoke unto the women who met there.
Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Why not o pen your home to prayer? People get together to play cards, watch sports, ride 4 wheelers and other activities that give very little benefit. Why not allow people to meet together for prayer?
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. You never know the people around you that could be impacted by your commitment to gather people together for the purpose of prayer.
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