I wish we could learn afresh the power that resides in united fervent prayer. It wouldn’t surprise me one day in Heaven to have the Father show us how much we missed just because we failed to unite in fervent prayer.
Recently, Polla and I have had a refresher course on prayer. We have been praying fervently in the midst of a specific situation. No human could transform this situation. God alone could provide the answer. Have you ever been there? Are you there now?
I have discovered that God often has to reduce our abilities to zero before He can move. He is a jealous God. He desires to receive glory, and He is the only one who deserves glory and praise. As long as we think we can be a part of the solution, He must hold back. But when we have no other alternative, He alone can receive praise.
It has been made abundantly clear that prayer borne in the heart of one who has nowhere to turn is more fervent, humble and raw than at any other time. When God alone is our answer, we do not spend time clogging up our prayers with pious and embellished language. When God is our only hope, we humbly and fervently cry out to Him. The language is simple and plain.
Much of our praying is kept too private. We fail to understand that God has created the body to pray in unity. Life’s challenges and opportunities are often held inside, and we never understand the joy and power of praying together for God to move. I’m convinced the church must recapture the power of the “two or three gathered in My name.”
There is great value and power in concentrated and united prayer. Greg Frizzell calls it “prayer blitz.” In football, a blitz means defense players storm the line of scrimmage to sack the quarterback. A prayer blitz calls on a large group of prayer warriors to storm the throne of Heaven against the gates of hell to sack the enemy in a situation or a person’s life. I am convinced the church needs to fervently and in unity blitz many situations and stand to see the hand of God at work.
In her quiet time recently, Polla found a very powerful statement regarding prayer. The writer challenges us to spend as much time praising God when the answer comes as we did in crying out to God in the midst of the circumstance. I must admit my praise usually does not approximate the request side of my prayers. While I always give thanks when the answer comes, I move far too quickly to new crises and new requests. Celebration over answered prayer deserves far more time and energy than we give. Our thanksgiving and praise ought to be as fervent as our petitioning.
I admit, after decades of reading, studying and practicing prayer, I still stand in awe of the way God allows us to enter into this wonderful spiritual discipline. I am amazed He would privilege me to join Him in His mighty work through prayer. He never answers that my heart is not filled with wonder at the grace and power of God.
What circumstance or situation seems impossible to you? What are you facing that if God does not show up, there will be no solution? Congratulations! You are in position to experience the awesome privilege of fervent and united prayer. Find some friends and blitz the throne with prayer. Then stand and wait to see the demonstrated power of God transform the situation to His glory and your good.
