by Jim Hughes
Matt. 18:19-20 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.”
One of the things these verses tell me is that it is good and even necessary for us to pray with others. It is good to be in our prayer closets alone, but if we never invite others into our space, we are hindering God from working on our behalf. There is great power in two or more people being united together in one heart before the throne of God.
It is important that when we invite others to pray with us that we agree together on what we are praying for. If our hearts are joined together as one, Jesus said that we will have what we ask for. Perhaps one of the reasons why we don’t see as many answers to our public prayers is that we often aren’t united together in what we are praying for. When was the last time you were led in prayer by someone who prayed for things that didn’t concern you at the moment? When was the last time you sat down with someone before you prayed and carefully discussed what you were going to pray for? I have to admit that I have often failed to join my heart with another before I prayed and while I was praying.
When we are praying differently, it does not mean that the Lord is not with us and will not answer our prayers. It just means that we deprive ourselves of the strength in prayer that united hearts have in prayer. It only makes sense to think that there is strength in numbers. Don’t give up on praying with others.
Jesus said that when we are praying together with others, He is right there with them. Isn’t that an awesome thought? We know with our heads that God is with us when we pray, but have you really grasped it with your heart? The next time you pray with someone, think about it. Jesus is right there with you as you pray! Every time you pray over a prayer someone has prayed on your behalf, Jesus is right there with you as you pray!
Maybe we should be looking for more opportunities to pray with and over others!
About the Author:
Spending his formative years in Ft. Wayne, IN, Jim followed the love of his life to southeast Iowa where they married and have spent the majority of their lives. Jim has pastored several churches throughout his life and has worked many years in local factories to help support his family. The father of two married adult children and one son still at home, Jim is a first-time author.
C Through Marriage came into being through many years of pastoral and life experiences. The book first took on a life of its own over 20 years ago when I sought to address the much publicized moral failures of prominent leaders in the church. In the chapter on Chasity, I include the guideliness that I developed then to protect one’s self from such failures.
I am a firm believer in order to make sense out of life you have to use much common sense. We need to get back to the basics of what has worked for many, many generations. If is isn’t broke, why try to fix it? I strive to return to the basics of what really works in all my writings.