A Unique Experience
Theme of the week: The Power of Praying Together
Thursday, September 16, 2010
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Key Bible Verse: "When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there." (Matthew 18:19-20, The message) Dig Deeper: Acts 12:1-16
Jesus promised that "where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them" (Matthew 18:20, NIV). It's one of the most compelling promises in God's Word. But it's also frequently misunderstood. For years, I thought these words simply meant that any time a few Christians got together, [Jesus] would be there in a general, spiritual sense. True as that is, it isn't what Jesus is promising here.
Take a closer look, and you'll notice that Jesus is describing people who are coming together for the specific purpose of prayer. To understand his promise correctly, we have to read this verse along with the one before it: "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven (Matt. 18:19, NIV, emphasis added). When we are seeking him together, Jesus promises his presence in a unique and powerful way. When Christians pray together, the Spirit of God is at work in a special way that is different from his work in any other actions that Christians undertake. When we meet as one to reach for God's will together, Jesus makes his presence known.
—James Banks in The Lost Art of
Praying Together
My Response: When have I experienced Jesus' presence "in a unique and powerful way" during a time of group prayer?
Thought to Apply: When I work, I work. But when I pray, God works.—Bill Hybels (pastor, writer)
Adapted from The Lost Art of
Praying Together (Discovery House, 2009) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.
Copyright © 2010 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Heavenly Father, show me the importance of praying regularly with others; help me to overcome any fears or misconceptions I have about praying out loud; reveal to me the power to be found through praying with fellow believers.
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