2 minute read
What? Pray?
WHAT? PRAY?
by Susan Rowe, M.D.
When most people think about prayer, they think about going to a place of peace and quiet to get alone with God. This is an essential discipline for all believers to develop. James 5:16 promises, “The effective, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much.” God’s Word promises, “If we seek Him we will find Him,” (Deuteronomy 4:29). Personal prayer is where our spiritual muscle is developed and the testimony of Jesus in our lives is birthed.
However, taking a look at biblical history, it was in the corporate expression of praise and worship that not only drew the presence of God, but changed the course of history. The corporate expression of praise and worship moves us beyond personal expression into corporate dimensions that can frequently expand our spiritual lives. Biblically, God moved supernaturally in response to corporate prayer and worship to deliver the nation of Israel from humanly impossible situations. There are multiple instances in which corporate prayer/worship moved God’s hand. Gideon defeated the Midianites with a small remnant of committed warriors, Judges 6. Jehoshaphat called all Israel into prayer and worship as a massive Syrian army descended upon the nation. As they bowed their heads in praise and worship, God moved to completely destroy the enemy. Not only that, it took the Israelites three days to collect all the spoil, (2 Chronicles 20:25).
Furthermore, when the day of Pentecost came, “They were all with one accord in one place,” (Acts 2:1). Corporate prayer and community birthed the New Testament church. Corporate prayer characterized the early church and catalyzed it into a great power, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved,” (Acts 2:46-47).
In revival history, committed prayer and community have been a recipe for revivals that lasted beyond a few years. Fleeing religious persecution, a small refugee community developed in eastern Germany, in the early 1700s. Fraught with cultural differences, God began to work. The owner of the property, Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf started to work with the villagers to help unite the diverse nature of the community. As the villagers began to work through their differences, they began to commit to pray together. Shortly after that, they named the village, Herrnhut, meaning “The Lord’s Watch.” By August 1727, the community’s commitment to each other and to prayer drew God’s presence in an outpouring of His Spirit catalyzing over 100 years of 24/7 prayer. Shortly thereafter, through the consistent, corporate prayer and community, the village became a center for sending missionaries into the nations. Some credit the outpouring as a Pentecost like experience, others credit it as the birth of the modern-day missions movement. In light of this powerful outpouring, Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf is credited as saying, “There is no Christianity without community.”
Isaiah prophesied, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations,” (Isaiah 56:7). Jesus re-declared this foundational call to the church in Mark 11:17. A house connotes a community. Today, what are we doing to contribute and build our church to be known as a house of prayer for all nations? Now, in the challenges of this time, God is calling His church to become the house of prayer as He prepares the His body to become His alert, ready and awakened Bride.
Dr. Susan Rowe, Author of Remnant Rising and The Amos 911 Call, along with her husband Dr. Fred Rowe, are the Directors of our Prayer Ministry at Canyon Hills and lead Pray Bakersfield praybakersfield.com
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