Friday, January 12, 2018                                                                                                The Meeting Place was Shaken

Powerful Prayer Develops Powerful Relationships

Scriptures to Consider: Psalm 145; John 16:13-15; Acts 1:14-2:1; Acts 2:42-47

What I can see throughout the Bible is that when God’s people pray together is that they grow together. God’s actions can be made powerfully visible when we love one another. The Lord frequently added to the number of the church when they were taking care of one another, serving others, and praying to God. It appears as if their favor with God flowed largely from the depth of their love for one another.

We pray best with those whom we are closest. When we do not know someone well, it is difficult to pray deeply with them or for them. When we do know someone well but there is a relational conflict, it is difficult to pray with them. When we spend time with one another, eat meals together, share burdens, and serve God with each other, prayer tends to come naturally.

Prayer meetings will only be dynamic in your church if you actually live life together more than one day a week. Activities that encourage relationship building also build up to dynamic and powerful prayer.

Being in “one accord” helps with powerful prayer. To have this kind of unity is to pray for the same things. When we are united in our desires, mission, and purpose, prayer can become very powerful. This kind of unity requires a deep love for others and the knitting of souls together. This kind of unity becomes powerful when the focus turns towards helping or seeing the good of others rather than our own selves.

When these kind of relationships and unity exist, it becomes easier to discern the guiding of the Holy Spirit for a church. This makes prayer powerful when we are under the leading of the Holy Spirit toward what and who to pray for and for how to respond and recognize God and His actions. With this discernment of the Holy Spirit, we can see and understand how others are affected by our prayers.

Prayer Focus: Ask God for ways and opportunities to spend time with the others from your church. Build deeper relationships with them. Come up with ways to spend time with others you pray with outside of church. With your church, come to a conclusion as to an assignment God has given you. Knit your heart closer to others by sharing with and serving others. Concern yourself and your prayers with the spiritual walk of others.    

Pray for Seventh Day Baptists in the Caribbean (Jamaica & Guyana).

You can get the booklet in pdf format here: 2018 SDB Week of Prayer Booklet