The Blessing of United Prayer
Bishop David Ibeleme
Scriptures encourage believers to come together especially in prayer - Acts 2:41ff.
This type of prayer which involves a congregation or a group of believers is also called Congregational or Corporate Prayer.
It is operated through the principle of agreement, hence the term United Prayer.
We cannot pray this prayer effectively unless we are in agreement - Matt. 18:19-20; Acts 4:23ff; Ps.133:1ff; Amos 3:3.
There is a blessing in United Prayer because in the place of unity God commands His blessing - Ps. 133:3.
United Prayer is the key to;
1. Having God’s presence - Matt. 18:18-20.
We cannot succeed in life without the presence of God.
For in Him we live we move and have our being - Acts 17:28.
Moses understood this - Ex. 33:14ff.
All we need for life is in His presence - Ps. 16:11.
2. Walking in Abundant Life - Ps. 133:3; 1 Cor. 3:21ff.
We cannot walk in the fullness of life unless we are connected to others in the body of Christ.
We can draw from the grace upon one another - Eph. 4:3ff; 1 Cor. 12:7; Rom. 12:3ff.
3. Comprehending the Love of God - Eph. 3:14ff; 6:18.
No one can fully appreciate the love of God unless they connect with somebody else.
Enjoying love will involve relating to someone else - Eph. 4:16.
It is one of the Christian standards set by Jesus - Jn. 13:34ff and the early church leaders - Acts 2:41ff.
4. Destroying the Spirit of Loneliness - Ecc. 4:9.
Loneliness is a curse - Ecc. 4:9ff.
It is always accompanied by depression and a feeling or sense of incapability.
It is a hindering force.
You cannot be lonely and excel.
Being lonely is not the same as being alone.
While loneliness is a curse aloneness can be the key to God’s blessing - Is. 51:1ff; Mk. 1:35; Lk. 6:12.
We are encouraged to be "Alone with God" - Ps. 91:1; Matt. 6:6ff.
Unity in prayer connects us to us to a sense of capability as we draw on our inter-dependence.
This produces a multiplication effect in prayer - Deut. 32:30; Lev. 26:8ff.
God’s presence is the key to this multiplication - Matt. 18:20.
Our faith determines the "multiple" for multiplication.
5. Overcoming satanic Attacks - Acts 4:23; 12:1ff.
We are involved in a spiritual warfare against the forces of darkness - Eph. 6:12; 1 Pet. 5:8.
There are aspects of this war that cannot be fought alone, corporate help is needed.
The early church knew and practiced this - Acts 4:23; 12:1ff.
6. Restoration and Revival - Joel 1 & 2.
As we develop in Christ, we would not necessarily "win" every battle - Joel 1:4ff.
Remember that just men can fall - Pr. 24:16.
The things we lost at those times can be restored through United or Corporate Prayer - Joel 2.
This is also essential to bring about revival in individual lives and the land as a whole - Acts 3:19ff.
The concept of "tarrying for the Holy Ghost" in our relationship with God is often related to United Prayer - Lk. 24:48ff; Acts 1.
7. Walking in God’s favour - Pr. 14:9
Among the righteous there is favour.
The early church experienced unprecedented favour as they practiced this - Acts 4:33.
Favour always results in a dimension of supernatural peace in the environment we live in - Acts 9:31.
This peace is harnessed in the place of United Prayer - 1 Tim.2:1-4.
We must develop a "Culture of United/Corporate Prayer" - daily, weekly, monthly or annually.
The Jews and the Early Church practiced this - Zech. 8:19; Acts 3.
United Prayer makes "All of God" available to us because "no one can have all of God on their own" - 1 Cor. 12:7, 11, 28ff.
Copyright 2006 Dr. David Ibeleme
Victorious Faith Ministries,
P.O. Box 4378, St. Ann’s, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
+1(868) 625-6863; (868) 623-1020 (fax)
E-mail: vfmwo@hotmail.com; info@vfmwo.org; Website: vfmwo.org
