At the Assembly, we recently concluded a class for new Believers called, "The Foundation Experience." In feedback I received from several participants, it was noted that praying with and for each other was the best part! That group did experience some wonderful answers to prayer, including healings, personal guidance, and even a report about God helping with a custody issue in court. I hope those who were part of that class never forget the privilege and joy of praying for others. God answers prayer! Do I understand exactly why an all-knowing Father asks us to pray? No, but I obey anyway.
When we gather for Sunday worship, I love our prayer time! When I extend the invitation to people to come for prayer, anywhere from 20-30% of the congregation makes their way down to the front of the church. There I see extended families stand with their arms around each other. Tears fall freely as hearts are open to God's presence. As I, and other elders from the church, move down the line anointing people in the Name of Jesus, (see James 5:16) we are calling on the Spirit of God to bring healing, hope, and restoration. Over the years, I have seen the light of faith come in the eyes of those who are standing there! Sometimes the crush of the weight of the human need standing in front of me breaks my heart, and I too, begin to lead in prayer only to find myself too choked with emotion to speak. People bring cancer diagnosis, pending divorce action, threatened lay-off, hearts broken by disappointment - and so much more to their Heavenly Father.
The connection that is formed by the Spirit of God, the pure love that fills the room at that moment, is indescribable. It is a holy moment. To someone seeing this with human eyes it might appear to be foolishness, just an exercise in wishful thinking. To me it is a miraculous intersection of Heaven and Earth: powerful, and unbelievably life-giving. The Bible says, "Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with." (James 5:16, The Message)
Do you pray with others? Honestly, I find a lot of "prayer meetings" among Believers distasteful. Too often, once a person thinks he is grown up in Christ, he loses the earnest childlikeness of genuine prayer. When prayer becomes a time to display one's piety, or when some feel the need to go on and on, stringing Bible phrases and church clichés together in long, boring speeches to God, I just want to get away and get real! Jesus says, "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." (Matthew 6:7, NLT) Some of the most powerful prayers I have ever known were just a wordless hunger for God's Presence, a humble silence before Him that brought people together. In the quiet and submission to His will, the Spirit of God connected them together with a divine 'electricity.'
Even Jesus knew the value of shared prayer. On the night before He became the Sacrifice for the sins of the world, He was crushed by the knowledge of the way of Cross that lay before Him. The Lord of Glory made this request of his friends - "They came to an area called Gethsemane. Jesus told his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter, James, and John with him. He plunged into a sinkhole of dreadful agony. He told them, "I feel bad enough right now to die. Stay here and keep vigil with me." (Mark 14:32-34, The Message) Somehow Peter, James, and John failed Him that night, falling asleep when just needed them to be with Him. They missed the opportunity to experience the Presence of God.
So, when your pastor says, "let us pray," don't allow your mind to wander off. Don't just go to sleep. Instead, join your heart with others. Pray earnestly for the needs presented and your own needs as you enter in to His love.
Ponder this amazing promise - "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, NIV) Let us pray!
Here's a blessing to claim, a promise from the Word. Take these words with you today.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:16-21, NIV)
No comments:
Post a Comment