Joining Others Day-Five Devotional Series

God responds when His people unite in prayer together. Jesus said, “Tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49, NKJV). What did they do? “These all continued with one accord in prayer” (Acts 1:14, NKJV). In response, “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost” (see Acts 2:1-4) and over 3,000 people were saved, baptized and added to the church.

God can do the supernatural in response to corporate prayer. “While Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him” (Acts 12:5, NLT). As a result, an angel led Peter out of prison and he was delivered.

What can we learn from these scriptures? First, join millions of others who are fasting and praying for the election. Second, if possible join someone else in your family, or a close friend, to pray together because unity gets results. Jesus said, “If two (or more) of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19, NKJV).

I was converted because a group of people joined together every morning in united prayer for God to do the supernatural in a small place called Bona Bella, Georgia. Two brothers from Columbia Bible College pastored the Bona Bella Presbyterian Church in the summer of 1950. Attendance grew from around 20 to 50 people because of their enthusiasm; every day they held a prayer meeting from 5:00 am–8:00 am.

It was not a large prayer meeting. Bill Harding told the congregation, “Come and pray on your way to work.”

Prayer could change their church, change their community, and change the world. At that time, they were praying specifically for sixty young people to get saved. Names were typed on two sheets of paper then given to those who came to the meeting. They began banging on the windows of heaven saying,

“Save Elmer Towns.”

“Save Arthur Winn.”

“Save Ann Perry.”

“Save . . .”

Those intercessors prayed for those sixty names on that paper, plus they prayed for revival, and finally they prayed, “Lord, may one of these young persons get saved and influence the world.”

In July 1950, the brothers invited a college buddy to preach an evangelistic service. Every night, seven or eight young people were converted.

When Rev. Brian Nicholson did research for his doctoral project for the Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, Mississippi, he noted that 19 young people from Eastern Heights Presbyterian Church went into full-time church ministry at the time. These 19 were saved at the Bona Bella revival. That number represented only one congregation of young people on that list of sixty names for which the people of Bona Bella were interceding.

On July 25, 1950, I received Christ as Savior. That night I refused to go forward thinking I was already saved, but was under tremendous conviction of sin. When no one went forward that Thursday evening Bill Harding stood by the Communion table and said, “Someone is breaking the revival tonight because you have said, ‘No!’”

I knew Bill was talking straight to my heart. He said, “Go home and kneel by your bed, look to heaven and say, ‘I have never done it before, Jesus, come into my heart and save me.’” I prayed that request about 11:15 pm that evening and instantly knew that I was born again. My life has never been the same.

Just as that humble group of people gathered in prayer to transform their community and send missionaries into all the world, you can change the world through your Daniel prayer and fast. Remember your vow to pray for the coming election. Just as God transformed Bona Bella, Georgia, He can transform the entire United States if enough people join together in intercessory prayer – Elmer Towns©

-My Time to Pray-

• Lord, I ask that many fasting and praying will be effective.

• Lord, we ask for You to change the world through our prayers.

• Lord, we ask You to save our nation.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.

To email Dr. Towns - eltowns@liberty.edu.