CORPORATE PRAYER
Corporate prayer is when we come together and pray as a group. It can be a formal setting like the church prayer meeting, or cell group, or simply just a few brothers and sisters in Christ assembling together in prayer
Personal prayer tends more focused on praying for your own needs. And when praying to God personally you tend to converse with Him in a more personal manner.
Corporate prayer tends to be more focused on praying for the needs of others. I think coming together in corporate prayer is sometimes a test of your commitment. It is always easier to pray for your own needs. It is more difficult to spend time praying for the needs of others or the needs of the church. That’s why generally speaking the attendance at a church’s prayer meeting is an indication of the level of commitment amongst its members.
In 1857, America was riding the wave of a strong economy, and, as tends to be true in times of prosperity, showed a radical decrease of interest in the things of God. There was a layman named Jeremiah Lamphier whose concern led to a call for prayer. He tacked up notices in NYC calling for a weekly prayer meeting on Wednesdays from noon till one at a rented space on Fulton Street.
The first prayer meeting was on September 23, 1857. Only six people came, and they didn't arrive until just before 12:30. The next week, the attendance jumped to 20. The numbers continued to climb week-by-week.
Then, on October 10th, the Stock Market crashed and financial panic ensued. Trouble had its humbling affect and the hearts of many turned to spiritual matters. It wasn't long until somewhere between 10 and 50,000 businessmen were meeting every day in NYC to pray at noon. By week 15, the meetings moved from weekly to daily.
In 1858, this prayer movement leaped to every major city in America. The Second Great Awakening swept our land. Estimates are that a million Americans out of a population of 30 million at that time were converted in less than two years. And it all started with prayer.
I. WHY SHOULD WE CARRY OUT CORPORATE PRAYER
1) The New Testament church model
The 120 were gathered in an upper room praying in one accord when Pentecost comes (Acts 2:1 - 4).
The disciples prayed for wisdom in knowing who Judas' replacement should be (Acts 1:24).
When Peter and John reported the Sanhedrin's threats, those gathered cried out to God in one accord for boldness, and the place was shaken where they prayed (Acts 4:24, 31).
The church prayed over the seven men appointed to serve the widows (Acts 6:6).
After James was martyred and Peter imprisoned by Herod, but the church was fervently praying, and God miraculously delivered Peter from his cell (Acts 12:1-11).
While the prophets and teachers were praying and fasting, the Holy Spirit called Paul and Barnabas to go on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-2).
Paul and Silas were praying when God sent an earthquake that resulted in the conversion of the jailer and their release (Acts 16:25).
From these passages, I want to sum up a few points –
• Every major decision was made after corporate prayers – appointment of Judas’ replacement, the appointment of 7 men to serve widows, setting aside Paul and Barnabas for the missionary journey
• The outpouring of the Holy Spirit happened after corporate prayer
• Many souls came to Christ after corporate prayer
• Miracles happened after corporate prayer – Peter delivered from jail, Peter and Silas released from jail
• Great boldness filled the disciples after corporate prayer
• The recording of all these events in Acts I believe were put there as an example for us to follow.
2) God’s house is supposed to be a house of prayer
Mark 11 : 15 - 17 – house of prayer
15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
• When Jesus drove out the traders and overturned the tables, this was a manifestation of the holy anger of God, not a demonstration of man’s anger.
• So, if this was a manifestation of the holy anger of God, then we really need to know what it was that made God so angry in the first place.
• What made God so angry is that whereas His house is supposed to be a house of prayer, it was otherwise used as a market place.
• A reminder for all of us that God’s house is first and foremost to be a house of prayer.
3) The priority of prayer
1 Tim 2 : 1 - 3 Paul’s instruction on prayer
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
• First of all – this phrase means what is most important. Everything else is not as important.
• This means it is a priority
• Reminder from Paul to Timothy in his capacity as a church leader
4) The exponential effect of corporate prayer
Lev 26 : 8 – exponential increase in group prayer
8 Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your 5enemies will fall by the sword before you.
Ills. Archers shooting at enemy
5) The power of prayer
2 Chronicles 20 : 14, 15 – King Jehoshaphat
14 Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the Lord to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Ill- On February 24, 1991, a lightning ground offensive was launched by the U.S. and allied forces in the Persian Gulf War. Its effectiveness shattered the defending Iraqi forces. Within days the world’s fourth largest army was crushed, tens of thousands of prisoners of war were taken and the conflict was ended. What explains this stunning defeat? For over a month a relentless air campaign had targeted the defending forces. Its strategic penetration had broken the defenders’ infrastructure and dissolved their power. These events speak a powerful truth about prayer for Christians today, as we seek to take our communities and world with the good news of Christ. We have weapons with "divine power to demolish strongholds" (2 Corinthians 10:4), as "we struggle... not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12) Concerted personal and corporate prayer is our air offensive. An effective air campaign comes first. When it is waged and air dominance established, the ground campaign becomes effective and decisive.
II. WHAT IS INVOLVED IN CORPORATE PRAYER
1 Tim 2 : 1 - 3
Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
i) Supplications – requests, bringing needs before God
Ephesians 6 : 18
praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
ii) Prayers
The Greek word used her is the most common word used for the word prayer in the NT.
James 5 : 17
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
1 Thessalonians 5 : 17
pray without ceasing
iii) Intercessions
• Intercessions – lawyer who appeals to the judge on behalf of his client
• Holy Spirit makes intercession for us
• Jesus makes intercession for us.
• Pray on behalf of
iv) Giving thanks
• giving of thanks I think is an often overlooked aspect of prayer.
• Yet Paul told the Thessalonian church to give thanks in everything because this is the will of God
• Why give thanks? Because it is an act of faith. And without faith it is impossible to please God
• for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. – what should we pray for? We pray for all those in positions in authority that we may live in peace
• 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, - such prayers are pleasing to God. So if we want to please God, then offer up such prayers to Him
• 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – prayers must go before leading people to Christ. It is presumption to try and evangelise and spread the gospel without first of all praying.
III. WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR CORPORATE PRAYER
1 Timothy 2 : 8
8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting
i) … lifting up holy hands …
- lifting up hands was a normal gesture when praying. Note here that Paul instructs that ‘holy’ hand be lifted up.
- he was talking about holiness and how when we pray, there is a need for us to be holy.
Psalms 24 : 3, 4
Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
- Who can draw near to the Lord? Those with clean hands and pure heart.
- Holiness is required for corporate prayer to be effective
ii) … without wrath …
- wrath here refers to wrath against other men.
- in order to have effective corporate prayer, we cannot have wrath against other people
- My experience – it is very difficult to pray effectively when you have anger in your heart against someone. Because when you are praying, instead of being focused on God and the prayer item, you would find your mind wandering to that person you have wrath against.
- if we don’t forgive, neither will God forgive us
iii) …. (Without) and doubting …
- Have faith when praying
- Only need faith the size of a mustard seed
- the example of the Syropheonician woman and the Roman centurion
- the father who asked Jesus to heal his daughter
IV. WHAT IF MY PRAYERS DON’T GET ANSWERED
Genesis 32 : 24 - 26
24 Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the [g]breaking of day. 25 Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. 26 And He said, “Let Me go, for the day breaks.” But he said, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
- This passage has often been used to explain the principle of wrestling in prayer.
- Jacob wrestled with this man (God) and note his words …I will not let You go unless You bless me
- continue to wrestle in prayer until we get that blessing or that breakthrough from God.
Revelation 5 : 8
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 8 : 3 - 5
3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
- This is a difficult passage to interpret. But we can see that the prayers of saints are stored for a long time.
- Then there will come a time when these prayers which have been unanswered, God will answer.
- one principle here is that answers to prayers don’t always come immediately. But keep praying anyway
- my wife is involved in an intercession group which prays for our church youth.
