Teach Me to Pray - Week #19: The Power of United Prayer

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:19,20

The Lord teaches us that both private and public prayer are necessary for His followers. In the Sermon on the Mount He speaks of the importance of praying in secret, and here He gives a wonderful promise to those who agree together in prayer.

"For its full development, a tree has its root hidden in the ground and its stem growing up into the sunlight. In the same way prayer equally needs both the hidden secrecy in which the soul meets God alone and the public fellowship with those who find in the name of Jesus their common meeting place...The bond that unites a Christian to his fellowman is no less real and close than that which unites him to God...Grace renews our relationship not only to God but also to man. We learn to say not only 'My Father' but 'Our Father.'"

A child needs to have one-on-one time with his dad in order to know him and enjoy him, but that isn't enough. The dad wants the children all to be together with him as well; and in that fellowship together, the children learn things about their father that they would never learn in purely one-on-one times with him.

Murray presents three marks of true united prayer that are found in the portion of Scripture quoted above:

1. Agreement in spirit and in truth; this requires knowing exactly what we're asking and whether or not we have the confidence that it is according to God's will. I'm discovering more and more that the Scriptures are our greatest material for prayer, and so praying the Word is important. Not only does it help keep us on track related to the will of the Father, but it makes it easier to agree with one another when our prayers are founded on Scripture rather than on human opinions and whims.

2. Praying together in the name of Jesus; His name must be at the center of our union in prayer. "...to meet in it (Jesus' name) is to have the Lord himself present. The love and unity of his disciples attracts Jesus." (Matt. 18:20) Without Him present among us when we pray, our prayer is in vain. Worship blended with intercession is a wonderful way to continually acknowledge that our gathering is first and foremost about Him and secondarily about the needs we present to Him.

3. The certain answer; "A prayer meeting for maintaining Christian fellowship or seeking our own edification may have its use; but this was not the Savior's view in its appointment. He meant it as a means of securing special answers to prayer. A prayer meeting without recognized answers to prayer ought to be an anomaly. When any of us has distinct desires for which we lack sufficient faith to believe for answers, we ought to seek strength in the help of others."

The Apostle Paul understood the power of united prayer so was always asking God's people to join him in prayer for the sake of the kingdom of God: Rom. 15:30; II Cor. 1:11; Eph. 6:18,19; Phil. 1:19; Col. 4:3; II Thess. 3:1.

"Most churches think their members are gathered into one simply to take care of and build each other up. They do not know that God rules the world by the prayers of his saints..."

The Holy Spirit is awakening a prayer movement that is spreading across the earth; I believe this will continue to increase until the Church at large finally moves into her primary identity as a praying and worshiping Bride. Jesus' prophetic words that His house would be called a house of prayer for the nations will be fulfilled.

Holy Spirit, thank You for what You are awakening among Your own in these days. Come and increase our hunger to know Jesus and to meet in His name for the sake of Your purposes at the end of the age. Lead us into our true identity as a praying, adoring Bride, for Jesus' sake. Thank You for hearing our cry!