Date: Saturday, 20thJanuary, 2024
Text: Matthew 18:18-20
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
Yesterday, we discussed the importance of praying with the Spirit as a higher level of prayer. But does that overrule praying in understanding (in a known language)? No! The word of God says, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” 1 Corinthians 14:14-15
Today, we are looking at another dimension of effective praying called, Corporate Praying. The word “corporate” comes from corpus, the Latin word for body, or a “body of people”. This type of prayer involves at least, two people. It is very potent, if done correctly.
In today’s text, our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Mathew 18:19-20.
Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labour in prayer. This type of prayer is also called, “Prayer of Agreement”. This is very instructive because for corporate prayers to be work, all parties involved must have one mind and be in one accord. There must not be any room for malice, grudges, unbelief, unforgiveness, doubt etc
It was easy for God to pour down His Spirit on the 120 believers who gathered at the Upper Room because they were in one accord- Acts 1:13-14; 2:1-4.
When Peter was arrested by Herod, the king, and was marked for execution the next day; the church gathered together for a vigil, praying earnestly for him in one accord, and guess what? Apostle Peter was miraculously released by an angel that same night! Acts 12:1-19.
Corporate prayers work wonders!
Action Nugget: When you pray alone and it does not work, switch to corporate prayers, but do it in agreement.