Corporate & Intercessory Prayer
Review – What kind of diet are you on?
What do you fill your appetite with?
Did you “diet” this week from sawdust and try some bread of life?
Testimonies?
Preview
A recent survey of Discipleship Journal readers ranked areas of greatest spiritual challenge to them:
Materialism, Pride, Self-centeredness, Laziness, Anger/Bitterness, Sexual lust, Envy, Gluttony, Lying.
But do you know what the number one challenge for every Christian is? It is prayerlessness.
Text:
Exodus 17:8-15
“Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." 10 Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. 13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." 15 Moses built an altar and named it Jehovah-nissi, “The LORD is My Banner;”
Background Notes
The Amalekites were the descendents of Esau, who hated Jacob because of the birthright and blessing.
You might remember that Jacob stole his brother Esau’s birthright, they were twin brothers, Esau born first, Jacob second. Esau was a hunter, Jacob a herdsman. Jacob was preferred by his mother while Esau was favored by his father. When Isaac was getting old and close to death, he asked Esau to hunt a good meal for him and after that he would give him his blessing. While Esau was out, Jacob’s mother alerts him to what is about to happen and encourages him to dress up in sheepskins (so he would have rough arms and stink like an outdoorsman) and serve him a special dish. As he does, Isaac then gives the blessing reserved for Esau to Jacob. Later, Esau comes in with the meal and asks for his blessing and both Esau and Isaac are grieved that his blessing has been given away already. Esau is angry at Jacob and they spend years in animosity. Finally, Jacob returns after many years and they make peace. Eventually, Jacob’s sons take him to Egypt during a famine, and 400 years pass. Now Jacob’s descendents come out of Egypt and meet Amalek, who apparently still carries the animosity of his ancestors (not unlike the Palestinians) and attacks the Israelites from the rear.
They came at the rear of the camp, killing the weakest, the baggage carriers and those who are slower than the rest.
There are two key positions taken by the leaders of the Israelites:
Joshua takes his position as warrior.
He is ordered to draw out a detachment of choice men from the thousands of Israel and to drive back the Amalekites
He becomes the general of the army and leader in training to follow Moses.
God doesn’t waste anything. Joshua is being trained in the art of war for the eventual, 40 years hence, entry into Canaan where they will need to displace strong warring peoples.
What has God been training you in? Do you think it is just coincidence that you enjoy children? Do you think its just happenstance that you are driven to passion and tears every time to join others in praying for lost souls? These things point to God’s use of you!
He has a plan for every person. He will use you to change your world!
Moses takes up his position as the standard bearer.
“I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand,” Exodus 17:9.
Years ago when soldiers fought, the flag-bearer or standard-bearer played a crucial role. With his banner held high, he let soldiers know where their help was. If they got disoriented, they could spot the banner. It gave them courage. It gave them perspective. It revealed where the strength of their side was and it reminded them that they were not alone. They were still in the fight. They had not lost. When Moses raised up that staff, it gave comfort and courage to the soldiers who spotted it.
The staff wasn’t the banner. Moses called the Lord his banner not the staff.
Moses called the Lord his banner, the Lord his comfort, the Lord his courage, the Lord his strength, because his hands were lifted up to the throne of God where the fate of human kind is decided.
That’s why many Christians around the world raise their hands in worship and prayer. They are telling God that he is their banner, their trust and strength.
The staff of God was clearly a symbol of the presence of God’s omnipotent power over evil, over nature, over every circumstance however hopeless (click comment)
"Seeing the Lord and rallying behind him as our banner lifts us above the demands and accusations; it frees us from their crushing effect. And amazingly enough, it also frees us to invest in those who make the demands and accusations. And as they see us rally behind the Lord, they do as well, even those who may have been griping about us earlier. In the First Battle of Bull Run in the Civil War, Gen. Thomas Jonathan Jackson was leading the Virginia troops of the Confederacy. One man from another division saw Jackson mounted on his horse, leading his troops, and pronounced, "There stands Jackson like a stone wall! Rally behind the Virginians!" They did so, and the Confederacy won a decisive and surprising victory at the outset of the war, dashing the Union’s hopes for a quick victory. And Thomas Jonathan Jackson was thereafter known as Stonewall Jackson. That day, he was the "banner" for the Confederate troops. Although shots were flying all around them, they saw Jackson, standing before them, as impregnable as a stone wall, and rallied behind him. Similarly, the LORD is our Banner. (Jehovah Nissi) Although demands and accusations may be flying all around us, we are to look to the LORD who stands before us and rally behind Him...the LORD gives us a vision of Himself, in the Scriptures and in our own experience, of His trustworthiness. And it is that vision that inspires us to rally to the LORD
Praying with our eyes open:
That day Moes showed us how to pray not so much with our arms and hands but with our eyes.
He showed us the importance of praying with eyes open to what God is doing.
If he had not watched and prayed, he would have never known to keep his hands up.
If he had not observed the battle and the effects of his prayer, he may have given up when his prayers were needed most.
If he had not watched and prayed, he may have never discovered the necessity and power of persevering prayer in shaping our experience.
Moses also discovered that he needed help.
He needed people to join him and help him with his prayer burden.
He couldn’t go it alone.
Do you remember what Jesus did in his lowest moments?
It was minutes before his betrayal and the night before his crucifixion.
He didn’t want to be alone. He didn’t want to pray alone.
He called three of his friends, three of his disciples to pray with him. He said, “Stay here and keep watch with me.” “Watch and pray,” he pleaded.
When you pray with open eyes, when you pray with alertness to God’s response.
When you pray and watch for God’s response, you begin to see reality in a way you never fathomed.
You also see the results of your prayers. Those results inform you.
They cause you to pray differently.
Where others see no God, you see God moving in great power.
Praying with your eyes open also keeps you praying, because prayer not evaluated becomes prayer evaporated.
If you don’t see what your prayer is doing, if you don’t watch for its effect, are you that serious, will you really keep praying?
As you pray for someone to come to Christ, do you look with hope for little answers and changes? You don’t just pray they come to Christ, but as you see God working in their life, you pray for their breaking, you pray for Christian’s to make friends with the person, you pray for events to line up…and as you see answers, you are both encouraged and you pray more fervently.
Praying with your eyes closed is just religion. It somehow assumes that you have done your duty…lifting a need to the skies.
But true prayer is relational.
Moses conducted what we now call “intercessory prayer.”
Moses was not only a standard-bearer, but an intercessor, pleading with God for success and victory.
It takes intercession on the mountain as well as intervention in the valley for God’s people to win the victory
The army of the Lord is most often victorious when it marches forward "on its knees".
The Christian missionary martyr Jim Elliot added...”That saint who advance on his knees never retreats".
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but prayer is mightier than both.
What is Intercessory prayer?
When we hear the word intercession we automatically assume its reference is prayer.
It does involve prayer. But there’s more to intercession than prayer.
Intercession is the act of intervening for another.
Look at Luke 5:18: “Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. (19) When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.”
They intervened on behalf of someone who could not do it for themselves. They “took him to Jesus.”
The New Testament records Jesus supernaturally ministering to forty people that were sick, diseased, or deceased.
Of these forty cases thirty-four involved others interceding.
Eighty-five percent of those Christ cured involved intercessors!
Only six sufferers received help otherwise.
Some people will never receive a miracle until others intervene for them!
When intercession takes place God’s power is released
Notice how Moses was tired (Exodus 17:12): 12 But Moses’ hands were heavy.
His hands were heavy.
We do not find that Joshua’s hands were heavy in fighting, but Moses’s hands were heavy in praying.
The more spiritual and eternally valuable a service is the more apt we are to struggle with it.
Praying is work, if done with due intenseness of mind and vigour of affection, it will be found hard work, and, though the spirit be willing, the flesh will be weak.
The church’s success in its mission is totally dependent upon whether its people are strong in faith and fervent in prayer.
Notice that though Joshua fought with great disadvantages--his soldiers undisciplined, ill-armed, had been slaves all their lives, and were prone to murmur; yet by them God brought victory.
The difference was not the warriors but the prayer.
The difference was not the talent, it was not leadership, it was not even the weapons. It was prayer that brought God’s presence and victory.
Joshua learned this lesson and at the command of Jehovah performed almost an identical role for his army taking Ai as Moses had done for Joshua (Joshua 8:18)
"Then the Lord said to Joshua, Joshua 8:18, 26 “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” So Joshua stretched out (same Hebrew verb used repeatedly of Moses’ outstretched staff in Exodus) the javelin that was in his hand toward the city....26 For Joshua did not withdraw his hand with which he stretched out the javelin UNTIL he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai."
So as long as Joshua’s javelin was stretched out Israel was victorious, eventually blotting out Ai.
Learn the basic spiritual warfare principle that Joshua had learned so well -- that is, that strength and success in battle against God’s foes lay not in the "arm of flesh" (2 Chr 32:8) but in a constant and complete dependence upon The Lord’s power.
Application: Corporate Prayer and Intercessory Prayer.
Did you notice that Moses did not hold up the banner alone? He had help. Two people. Aaron and Hur. They combined as one in the effort to hold up the banner.
They were having the first “corporate prayer meeting” in the bible.
What is Corporate Prayer? - The word “corporate” means “combined into one.”
Corporate prayer is prayer engaged by two or more persons, for the purpose of focusing upon one or more specific needs.
It is based upon Jesus’ teaching on prayer in Matthew 18:19, which states, “. . . 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.”
The Early Church and Corporate Prayer
In both the Old and New Testaments we read repeatedly of God’s people coming together in groups as small as two, or as large as thousands, for the purpose of praying corporately.
"They all joined together constantly in prayer. . ." Acts 1:14
They devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42
Why Is Corporate Prayer So Important?
Jesus’ Promise: All who have carefully studied the promise given in Matthew 18:19, agree on what Jesus is saying:
When more than just one person prays, there is greater spiritual effect than when we pray alone.
Look at some of the reasons why it is important to pray with others:
We need the strength of others.
Notice Moses was interceding. But solo intercession was not sufficient. Corporate cooperation was needed.
Aaron and Hur were needed to give him strength.
Corporate prayer keeps our praying from being selfish.
Selfish and self-willed prayer cannot find an answer from God.
It is harder to pray selfishly when we are praying openly with others.
It is humbling to pray with others.
We have to lay aside our pretenses and humbly submit ourselves to God, for our praying to be blessed (James 4:6).
I find few husbands willing to pray with their wives. I often thought it was because of the vulnerability involved, but I now believe it is a humbling act, one that many men find difficult, because it is to admit openly that they can’t do it or fix it by themselves.
Corporate prayer helps us to more clearly discern God’s will, through the greater objectivity that comes through others (Proverbs 11:14).
As others pray with us, it often helps to clarify what God wants
It builds unity of purpose and vision as we unite to approach the throne of God together.
Corporate prayer provides support for leadership:
A famous Christian leader was once asked the secret of his success. He humbly replied, “My people pray for me.”
This story of Moses, Aaron and Hur is a wonderful allegory of the role praying Christians play in the success of the ministry.
Literally, they uphold the hands of those who are called to lead the fight in the spiritual battles of the church.
How corporate prayer differs from individual prayer:
All of us know that we need to pray individually. Not all of us do it regularly, to our own loss.
But few of us have ever been taught how to pray corporately.
Those of us meeting on Wednesday are learning how to do so as well.
We have learned that it is not standing in line for your turn to give Santa Clause your list.
It is a conversation in which a group of people are having TOGETHER with God.
Imagine a conversation where one person dominated, and it was hard to get a word in edgewise.
Or if they talked for 5 minutes and then it was someone else’s turn to talk to God about whatever they wanted.
(that’s okay for individual prayer, but not for corp. prayer).
We have to learn how to do this. We must first encounter God – via worship.
That is why our Interim Worship Minister’s job description includes leading us to God’s throne on our night of corporate prayer.
Then we can praise and worship…which is the act of getting our eyes off of our selves.
Next comes encounter, which ought to lead us to confess our shortcomings.
Next should be a time of thanksgiving.
And then we can ask for our needs.
And we do each of these in such a way that allows someone else to join in and finish the paragraph we have just begun.
What About You?
Are you involved in a group who prays regularly for God’s directing and blessing of the church, its ministries and leaders?
If you want to see how popular the church is, attend Sunday morning worship. If you want to see how popular the pastor is, attend Sunday evening. if you want to see how popular God is, attend the prayer meeting.(Armin Gesswein Everything by Prayer, Fred Hartley, page 123)
Why should we pray so fervently?
Your Leadership Council and Deacons helped to put together a budget for next year that goes far beyond anything I would ever dream of doing…it is a budget that requires both faith and prayer to accomplish. We are no longer in the realm of being able to “do it” in our own abilities. We will have moved beyond that realm next year. And folks, I want to be very honest with you, unless you step up and join us in regular prayer, we will fail. This vision and its supporting vision will not happen without intense prayer support.
I believe that we are at a spiritual crossroads. From the place where we were tepid in prayer, and warm in faith moving to the place where nothing less than burning in prayer and faith will suffice. We cannot reach our community, we cannot hire an interim worship minister, we cannot build a parking lot or expand this space unless you begin to get serious along with me to pray and to pray together for God’s presence and power.
We are approaching the battlefield. We go forward beginning today. Will you hold my hands up? Will you stand beside me and your deacons who have been praying each week? Will you join us in storming the gates of hell? We cannot do it alone. We need you. God requires your prayers before He will act.
We have a group of about 6 folks who are faithful intercessors every Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
They hold up the arms of your pastor.
They work on your behalf.
They take the sick to the altar.
They bring the lost to Jesus in prayer. Won’t you be one of them? .
