A FOUNDATION OF PRAYER
A Foundation of Prayer
Praying together in a group is different to praying alone. There is a different dynamic when several gather together to pray. Here are some simple suggestions to help us make the most of our prayer times in groups.
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful to Him and bless His Name” Ps 100:4
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When we come together to pray, we need to leave our personal needs to one side in order to focus on praying for the ministry – this is the purpose of the time. One very good way to take our eyes off ourselves and put them onto the Lord is to spend some time in praise and worship. This is how we come right into His Presence. You can read aloud some praise scriptures from the Psalms, or sing together, or focus your prayers on matters for thanksgiving. It is good to do this first, before bringing up points for prayer.
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We all need to come with ‘clean hands and a pure heart’ (Ps 24:3-5) – take a moment to seek God’s forgiveness if you need to. Forgive others also, so that God can forgive you.
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“My sheep listen to my voice” John 10:27
Listen to the Holy Spirit. He will bring into our minds those matters into which He wants us to pray. In this way, we can receive the burden of His heart and pray according to His will for that time.
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“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” Matt 18:19
If you agree with another member’s prayer, express this with an ‘amen’ or by adding your own prayer in a similar vein. Unity in prayer is a powerful tool.
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“For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12
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Proclamation: declaring aloud the written Word of God. In this way we express our unity and agreement with God’s Word and we release it together into the heavenly realm. It is helpful to take just a few verses and to use the same Bible translation.
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In respect for each other, start and finish on time. Keep your joy in the place of prayer – we serve the Sovereign Lord, the King of the Universe, the Holy One of Israel!
