Lets talk about PRAYER

 

Thursday Fasting and Praying

By Timalyn

As many of you know (or forgot by now), I lead the women's ministry for Iron Sharpens Iron. Over the past few months several women have to come to me struggling with health issues (miscarriages, depression, suicide, cancer, diabetes, and blood pressure). As women we do not put ourselves first nor do we lean on others as we allow them to lean on us. For the next four Thursdays, we will be fasting and praying for mental and physical wellness. I am not going to dictate how you fast, but any sacrifice you make scares the devil. To all of my girls (and guys if you would like to participate) out there struggling with something specific, inbox me or email tfranklin@imcgus.com. Now I will tell you that I don't do pity parties. If we pray and God gives you direction that you ignore, then I am going to keep it 100. Love you baby girls and let the devil know he isn't a match for the Diamond Divas.

Below is our prayer for fasting on Thurs.

"Father, we thank you for your mercy and your grace. Most of all we thank you for being in covenant with you. You are a covenant keeping God, for thousands of generations, so we know you will continue with us. You will not suddenly change on us. Therefore, our confidence is in knowing that your promise to heal and restore us will come to pass in our lives in Jesus name. For everyone having some form of physical and/or mental ailment, we bring them before you (*insert name here*). You said you sent forth your word and healed them......so we send forth your word RIGHT NOW to heal them, in Jesus name. You said you are the Lord God our Healer, Jehovah Rapha, so we bring as many in need of healing, and hide them under the shadow of your wings. You said you are our Shepherd, and we shall not be in want, and that even though we walk thru the valley of the shadow of death, we shall fear no evil. You promised that you are our light and salvation, and the stronghold of our life. Therefore we stand on these promises and speak divine health over the the lives of everyone in need of healing in Jesus name.

"And we are not ignorant of the devices of the enemy. We rebuke every form of sickness and ailment and disease in the name of Jesus. That name has been lifted up above every other name, so whatever name sickness and disease goes by, the name of Jesus is higher than it. In that name is POWER. In that name is HEALING and DELIVERANCE. That name is a strongtower for the righteous to run into and find safety in. So we speak that name over our lives, over the lives of our loved ones, and the lives of everyone that has been touched by any form of ailment. We decree that the power of sickness and disease is broken right now. And we seal their healing by the blood of Jesus.

"Thank you Father. We receive answers to our prayers right now. You said if two or three agree upon a thing here on earth, it shall be established in heaven. We have touched and agreed by faith, so it is established. We shall speak your word, and your word only. We shall not speak the lies of the enemies, or neither shall we be moved by what we see, but by your word, and your word alone. In Jesus name we pray. Amen"

Why Pray Together? (Corporate Prayer)

Why should we pray together as a group of Christians? I have access to God on my own, and I have a mountain moving faith; why should I take the time to join with a group of people I really don't know that well, and pray together?

PERSPECTIVE - The first prayer Jesus taught us was "Our Father, who art in heaven....". He came to earth to die for us to have a personal relationship with God through him, so he easily could have said "My Father, who art in heaven...", instead he taught us to pray from a corporate perspective. "Give US this day our daily bread....", "Forgive US our trespasses...."
If the prayer Jesus taught us to pray was from a corporate perspective, not a singular me, myself and I, then we should endeavor to pray corporately, regardless of how we feel about it, or our comfort zones.

PURPOSE - Why would Jesus teach us to pray together corporately, and not singularly? Just before he was arrested to be crucified, this was one of the prayers he made

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" - John 17:20&21


 The primary reason for praying together is oneness, just as Jesus and the Father are one. And through this oneness, the world would believe that God sent Jesus. The reason why the body of Christ seems so disjointed and ineffective is the apparent avoidance of becoming one. We claim to want to move as one, yet somehow conveniently avoid every inconvenience required to become one body. Distractions and excuses are our lifestyle.


Another purpose of corporate prayer is found in V22 of the same chapter


"And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one"


The glory that was on Jesus while he walked the face of the earth (and we all know the glory of God was on him powerfully), has been given to us as a body. When we come together in oneness, that glory is manifested. And the primary purpose of this glory is so we would be one. Miracles, breakthrough, etc all happen thanks to the glory, but that is not the primary purpose of it on us as a corporate body.

EFEECTS - We are all familiar with the Pentecost story of how the apostles were in a room praying together, and the Holy Ghost fell down on them endowing them with great power (Acts 2:1-4). But what many don't realize is that this event would never have happened is Acts 1:14 hadn't taken place

"These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers"


They CONTINUED to pray as one. It was a habit, a routine, a lifestyle. They prayed corporately as one regularly, and  this set the precedence for the power of the Holy Ghost to fall mightily on them. If they hadn't formed the routine or habit of regularly praying together corporately, the event at Pentecost wouldn't have happened.

Another place that shows the effect of praying as one is Acts 16:25&26. It says Paul and Silas were locked up in a jail, and they were singing and praying. The other prisoners didn't join in the praying, they silently listened. Yet when the deliverance came, the gates were flung open, and the chains of EVERYONE (both those praying, and those just silently listening and watching) were broken. Hallelujah!
Corporately praying together manifests the glory of Jesus in a level that you can't experience in your private one on one time with God. And when this glory manifests in power, it brings a divine intervention in the lives of everyone participating - the ones with super faith, the ones with not so super faith, the ones who were actively praying, and the ones who were not so actively praying. As long as you were a participant of the corporate prayer by faith, you are a prime candidate to receive a divine intervention and breakthrough in your life.