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)
I have a confession to make – I love to pray alone. When I pray alone, I can say anything from pimples on my nose to the hungry children in China. I can say anything from my private needs to confessing my sins. But to pray with one another, that would be a problematic for me. Pray for one another is much desire than to pray with each other. But since we are one Body in Christ, we ought to pray with each other. Andrew Murray writes, ‘Christians cannot reach the full blessing God is ready to bestow through His Spirit until they seek and receive it in fellowship with each other.’
The reason prayer in Day 1 is ‘Alone with God’ is to teach us that the meaning of prayer is personal and individual contact with God. But once we understand this, it’s time for us to move on to another stage which is united prayer.
Agreement in prayer is important. Sometime during cooperate prayer meeting; people simply say ‘Amen’ without actually know what someone prayed for or not really understood what it mean. Say ‘Amen’ only if you’re agreed with each other. “If two of you on earth agree” mean both of you (or more) have the same mind, feelings and opinion. Rev. Peter Young when he talked about the Lord’s Prayer once said, I paraphrase, “I will not say ‘Amen’ if they didn’t pray for others in needs.”
Pray in the Name of Jesus. In Jesus’ name mean to pray by His authority, for His service, obedient to His Word and with the desire to promote His Glory. Tim Chester in The Message of Prayer writes, ‘When Christians pray we do so in the powerful name of Jesus, and his name, as the writer of Hebrews (He is referring to Hebrews 4 and 5) explains, gives us excess to the throne of heaven.’ If I pray in the name of Richard, Heaven will ask, ‘Who is he?’ but in the Name of Jesus the Heaven’s door is open.
“...it will be done for you by my Father in Heaven” Again, I need to remind us over and over again that God is not ‘the genie in the bottle’ but He moves according to our faith. It will be done only if you pray to the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit and with faith. When we pray in united prayer, the promise is this ‘it will be done for you’ according to God’s will.
United prayer is a cooperate prayer. It is the body of Christ. A gathering of believers which is what we call today – Church. United prayer invites the present of God. Jesus said, ‘…there am I with them.” God alone is everywhere present, and this word refers to His divine nature, His omnipresence. What a promise to the body of Christ!
(Picture taken from malaysianfirstlast.blogspot.com)
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