Why Corporate Prayers?
(Acts 6:1-6 NIV) In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. {2} So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. {3} Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them {4} and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." {5} This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch
Introduction: Corporate Prayer is a non-negotiable and a necessity for a church. Prayer is to the church what the blood is to the human body. A living soul without blood is a contradiction. Prayer is the lifeblood and the powerhouse of the church. Some people ignore corporate prayers for whatever reasons and they rob themselves of the bountiful blessings that results from praying corporately. The writer of the book of Hebrews remarks: (Heb 10:25 NIV) Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
It must be noted that remarkable and miraculous things happen when the army of the Lord increases in number. Such a gathering mounts a very massive affront and offensiveness against the demonic networks, their command and control, and the empire of Satan. We miss a lot when we ignore to pray in unity. The Bible says, (Lev 26:8 NIV) Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
(Deu 32:30 NIV) How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
The Bible presents to us several reasons for corporate prayer. Three of those reasons are listed below.
First, Our Lord Jesus Christ Modeled Corporate Prayers
He says, (Mat 7:7-8 NIV) "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. {8} For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
He also exhorts us, (Mat 18:19-20 NIV) "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. {20} For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Jesus taught the importance of corporate prayers and he also practiced what he taught us.
In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to pray as follows:
(Mat 6:9 NIV) …"'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
Second, the Apostles Maintained the Primacy of Corporate Prayer
The apostles demonstrated the spirit of togetherness in their prayer as indicated in the following scriptures. Note the underlined phrases and words:
(Acts 1:14 NIV) They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
(Acts 2:42 NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
(Acts 4:23-24 NIV) On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. {24} When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
(Acts 4:31 NIV) After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
In the aforementioned Bible passages, we saw that the apostles prayed when they needed divine insight and when they faced crisis. In a nutshell, corporate prayer was their habitual practice.
Before the first set of deacons was chosen, the apostles once again re-emphasized their priority for prayers. The Bible says,
(Acts 6:1-4 NIV) In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. {2} So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. {3} Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them {4} and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
The apostles did not allow anything to take them away from prayer and the preaching of the word. The ministry of prayer is very important to them. They believed that waiting at the table for the widows is essential. But at the same time, they realized that everyone has his or her own specific calling. As such, they recognized the need for delegation of such ministry to others within the early church family. The idea of “waiting” at the table connotes ministering. The word translated “wait at the table” is the Greek word diakoneō. The word deacon is a transliteration of the word. The word means
1)) to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon
a) to minister to one, render ministering offices to
1) to be served, ministered unto
b) to wait at a table and offer food and drink to the guests,
1) of women preparing food
c) to minister i.e. supply food and necessities of life
1) to relieve one's necessities (e.g. by collecting alms), to provide take care of, distribute, the things necessary to sustain life
2) to take care of the poor and the sick, who administer the office of a deacon
3) in Christian churches to serve as deacons
d) to minister
1) to attend to anything, that may serve another's interests
2) to minister a thing to one, to serve one or by supplying any thing
This is an important lesson that deacons in modern day churches need to learn. Their biblical role is to be of service, just like a table-waiter would serve a customer in a restaurant. Assuming the role of the Pastor’s boss is a role that they claimed for themselves; the Bible did not assign them such role. They are to be servants of the Lord; serving the church with humility and respect.
A note is worth making here. The apostles did not relegate the ministry to those in need; they only indicated that such role should be given to some other people. They understood their primary priority as praying and preaching. They also modeled to us that as leaders, we must delegate authority to other people.
Children of God must take prayer seriously. When we take God seriously, He would do the same for us. Something remarkable happens when believers pray.
3. The Power of God is displayed Massively through Corporate Prayers
There are many benefits for corporate prayers.
First, when we pray corporately, the army of the Lord that fights against the kingdom of darkness is multiplied. There is a lot of power in number. The Bible says, (Lev 26:8 NIV) Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
Second, when we pray corporately, the results could be astonishing. For example, when the apostles prayed in unity, they increased in number. This is what happened in these Bible verses. (Acts 2:42 NIV) They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
(Acts 2:47 NIV) praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Third, there is a massive display of God’s power through corporate prayers. When there was a threat against the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, the apostles joined together in prayer. This resulted in a massive display of God’s power that was demonstrated by the shaking of the place where they were praying. Also, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and they have the ability to speak the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:24 NIV) When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
(Acts 4:31 NIV) After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
At a different time, when Paul and Silas were jailed, God displayed his power as these apostles were praying and singing. The Bible states that there was a God-driven earthquake. Because of this miraculous intervention of God, the apostles were freed and the Philippian jailer and his family surrendered their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 16:25 NIV) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
There is a story that is relevant at this point. A few days ago, I read about an interview of Jim Cymbala, the pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle, on the website of Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). In that interview which was conducted by the 700 Club, Jim Cymbala reported about a time when his church prayed corporately for the release of the niece of his church member who was kidnapped in Trinidad . The lady had been kidnapped for about a week. At that point, they knew that they needed something more than usual to effect her release. According to him, the entire church family prayed corporately to ask God for an extraordinary breakthrough. Jim Cymbala reports that “People began to cry out to God in prayer and with faith. Out of nowhere, the next day the call comes from Trinidad . The kidnappers just looked at her, put her in a car, drove her down the road, tossed her out, unhurt, unharmed, no ransom paid. God still answers prayer, and nothing is too hard for Him.” That is incredible. God surprised them and set the lady free miraculously. God effected the liberation of that woman. And no ransom was paid. God is still in the business of answering prayer.
I shared the foregoing illustration to confirm the efficacy of corporate prayer even today. The Bible says: (Heb 13:8 NIV) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
In the interview referenced above, Jim Cymbala says, “Prayer is the opening of the heart so we can receive all these good things that God has for us every day. It's like sitting down at a table that God has prepared for us.”
The Bible is filled with several references to God’s display of his power through corporate prayers.
Conclusion: While the entire focus of this biblical dialogue is on corporate prayers, it would be out of balance for anyone to assume that the writer is opposed to private and individual prayers. The answer is an emphatic No. The writer supports individual and private prayers also. There are several examples of the mighty move of God through private and personal prayers in the Bible. Each has its own place and use.
