How Should We PrayThe need for Corporate Prayer
Corporate prayer is no different from private prayer except that you are praying with other people. So you might ask yourself, "Is corporate prayer important or is it necessary ?" This is a good question and you must know that corporate prayer is not only important but it is essential for the growth of a church.
You will, I'm sure, remember the scripture that tells us that God is with us when we are gathered together. What better time is there to talk to God than when He is in our Midst.
Matthew 18:20 MKJV
(20) For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.
This is not the reason for believers to pray together; it is a good place for believers to pray together.
Many people pray together but not with each other, they pray on their own. You know the way that this works, you pray in your own home and I will pray in my own home about the same thing. There is nothing wrong with this practice. If two of you are in agreement about something then you should pray for it any way that you can. However, this is not what corporate prayer is.
Corporate prayer is a little more than just praying together, it is being in agreement with each other.
Amos 3:3 MKJV
(3) Can two walk together unless they are agreed?
You cannot agree with someone if you don't know what they are praying for. Let me give you an example of this problem. Many years ago, when I was a new Christian, the church was called to pray for a sick man. We gathered together in threes and fours and started to pray. I was asked to join three other people, one of whom was this man's wife. Three of us were praying fervently for this man to be healed, we were declaring scriptures over his life and we were taking authority over the devil. His wife was praying for him to die so that he would be released from his suffering. I had to walk away from that prayer group. I believe God did as well.
It is also important that you follow the direction that God is taking when you pray. It happens so often that when you are in corporate prayer you come to a point where you think that you have finished only to find that someone else prays and you get fired up all over again.
There is scriptural evidence of the power in corporate prayer. Take a look at what happened to the sons of Israel when they cried out together.
Exodus 2:23 MKJV
(23) And it happened after many days the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
It is inconceivable to think that individual people had not cried out about this before. But when they came together there was a difference.
Matthew 18:19 MKJV
(19) Again I say to you that if two of you shall agree on earth as regarding anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father in Heaven.
Look at what scripture tells us about Jesus' disciples after He ascended to heaven.
Acts 1:14 MKJV
(14) these all were continuing with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Shouldn't we do the same? Not long after that, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. They were in one accord; they were in unity with no distractions.
We also have the scripture about Peter in prison to look at.
Acts 12:5 MKJV
(5) Then, indeed, Peter was kept in prison. But earnest prayer was made to God for him by the church.
This corporate prayer was answered by God when an angel of the Lord supernaturally released him from prison.
These are all very good reasons to believe in the power of corporate prayer. However, there is one thing to consider above all of these. It is God's will! Look at what the prophet Isaiah wrote:
Isaiah 56:7 MKJV
(7) even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted on My altar; for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,
This is the reason why corporate prayer is necessary. The church is not the building, it is His people coming together to become a house of prayer. Time and time again God put this scripture in the bible Mat 21:13, Mar 11:17 and Luk 19:46 so that we may read it and understand from it.