Sermon Title: The Practice of Corporate Prayer
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Practice of Corporate Prayer is sacred, serious business.
When the church got down to praying – even in their doubts, evidenced by their disbelief when Peter appeared at their doorsteps – God answered exceedingly, abundantly over all they thought or imagined.
But He did not end there.
Even if the believers in that prayer meeting laid the matter of Peter’s deliverance from Herod’s wicked grasp to rest and probably thought no more of it, our Lord continued to be on the case.
After executing Peter’s guards, Herod was judged by God as prideful at another incident, and was struck down by an angel of the Lord; “eaten by worms and died.” (Ref: Acts 12:19-23)
To which, Acts 12:24 dutifully records: “But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.”
Brethren, never be fearful, or remotely concerned, about the evil that the devil, and its worldly minions, can unleash upon us.
The Apostle Paul emphatically asserts in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17:
“16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”
The Church is God’s temple.
Herod tried to destroy God’s temple; and got destroyed by God instead.
The practice of corporate prayer is sacred, serious business.
The Church has existed – and thrived – for more than 2000 years since her birth with the first baptism of the Holy Spirit experienced by the earliest disciples of Jesus Christ.
When the disciples were first baptised in the Power of the Holy Spirit, they were gathered in prayer.
Our very existence today is clear evidence of Christ’s Victory over the forces of darkness - whose sole mission is to shut us down and drag every soul into the lake of fire.
However, true to His Word - the gates of hell will never prevail against us. (Ref: Matthew 16:18)
If God is for us; who can stand against us? (Ref: Romans 8:31)
The world may continue to threaten the reality of our experience, but they will never threaten the reality of our existence.
We will always be found in conflict with the ideologies of the world, but we will never be cancelled; because our God is greater!
It is never about whose way is more important, but rather, who is the Way
It is never about whose truth is more correct; but rather, who is the Truth.
It is never about whose life must dictate others’; but rather who is the Life.
We are already awakened to the reality of God and His Eternal Kingdom through Christ Jesus our Lord; nothing can ever transcend or trump such consciousness.
Question is: Are we truly God’s temple? Does God’s Spirit dwell in our midst?
In God’s temple, prayers are expressed, offered and proclaimed through:
- The written Word of God – the Bible; and
- The spoken Word of God – utterances, bestowed upon true believers who have received the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Does the definition of God’s temple describe our church? Do we pray together through the written and spoken Word of God?
The assurance of our victory over the world is premised upon the Holy Spirit dwelling in our midst – to pray, to worship, to serve and to live as empowered by the Spirit together as “God’s temple”.
The more we pray together as God’s Sacred Temple; the more courageous and certain we are that our existence is assured in the Victory already won by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Throughout the ages, the common thread that held the church to fulfillment of the Great Commission – which is, the purpose of our existence in the world - is the act of gathering together to pray.
Every revival of the land, every deliverance, every providence and every supernatural manifestation of God begins with corporate prayer; because in corporate prayer –
- We become the Temple of God (Ref: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17);
- We grow as disciples of Christ;
“ As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
- We manifest God’s glory in the world;
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.
They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)
- We participate in the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God;
“Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.” (Revelation 8:3-5)
- We triumph over the devil.
“They triumphed over him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Always bear in your heart.
Corporate Prayer leads to the great works of supernatural and extraordinary events; but more importantly, it leads to the greater work of securing our faith in God and setting our sights on the Kingdom of God.
Corporate Prayer brings about the necessary change of our hearts and minds in order to truly follow Christ; and empowers the church to live in the reality of God’s Kingdom today - it does not make us victorious; it keeps us in the reality that we are already victorious – because God is watching over us; and He continues to work on the inbreaking of His Kingdom with our participation, giving us power over every darkness that stands against Him.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, I ask that You fill me with the unction and power to pray corporately; for through our prayers in one accord, we will truly experience the purpose of our existence as Your Holy vessels for the work of inbreaking the Kingdom of God.
Even when we don’t know it, or see it – Lord, You continue to work in our midst; and through our prayers.
Indeed, may Your word continue to “spread and flourish” (Acts 12:24)
In Your mighty Name, may we never be fearful, or even concerned, about the persecutions that come against Your church.
I believe that when we are filled with Your Holy Spirit, we are – together – God’s temple.
And “if God is for us; who can stand against us?” (Ref: Romans 8:31)
In the Name of our victorious Lord Jesus Christ, the gates of hell will never prevail against us (Ref: Matthew 16:18)
We remain hopeful and victorious in the face of all oppression and persecution because God, You are Greater!
Thank You, Lord, for awakening me – through Christ - to the reality of Your Love, Salvation, Glory, Authority and Kingdom.
As Your Temple, may our prayers be offered in accordance to Your Sovereign Will; and proclaimed through through Your written and spoken word.
Grant me revelation to understand Your Scriptures; and resolve to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit.
May our church be Your Temple and House of Prayer;
As we pray together in Spirit and Truth, may we grow together as Christ’s disciples;
May we manifest Your glory in the world and participate even more in Your work of inbreaking the Kingdom of God;
Through Your Victory in us to triumph over the devil and every evil scheme, may the world see and know that You alone are God! Thank You for giving us Power over every darkness that stands against You.
When we pray corporately, I believe that You continue to change my heart and mind, O God, to truly follow Christ in the knowledge that You are constantly watching over us, and working through us to bring Your Salvation to the world.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
The Practice of Corporate Prayer is sacred, serious business.
When the church got down to praying – even in their doubts, evidenced by their disbelief when Peter appeared at their doorsteps – God answered exceedingly, abundantly over all they thought or imagined.
But He did not end there.
Even if the believers in that prayer meeting laid the matter of Peter’s deliverance from Herod’s wicked grasp to rest and probably thought no more of it, our Lord continued to be on the case.
After executing Peter’s guards, Herod was judged by God as prideful at another incident, and was struck down by an angel of the Lord; “eaten by worms and died.” (Ref: Acts 12:19-23)
To which, Acts 12:24 dutifully records: “But the word of God continued to spread and flourish.”
Brethren, never be fearful, or remotely concerned, about the evil that the devil, and its worldly minions, can unleash upon us.
The Apostle Paul emphatically asserts in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17:
“16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”
The Church is God’s temple.
Herod tried to destroy God’s temple; and got destroyed by God instead.
The practice of corporate prayer is sacred, serious business.
The Church has existed – and thrived – for more than 2000 years since her birth with the first baptism of the Holy Spirit experienced by the earliest disciples of Jesus Christ.
When the disciples were first baptised in the Power of the Holy Spirit, they were gathered in prayer.
Our very existence today is clear evidence of Christ’s Victory over the forces of darkness - whose sole mission is to shut us down and drag every soul into the lake of fire.
However, true to His Word - the gates of hell will never prevail against us. (Ref: Matthew 16:18)
If God is for us; who can stand against us? (Ref: Romans 8:31)
The world may continue to threaten the reality of our experience, but they will never threaten the reality of our existence.
We will always be found in conflict with the ideologies of the world, but we will never be cancelled; because our God is greater!
It is never about whose way is more important, but rather, who is the Way
It is never about whose truth is more correct; but rather, who is the Truth.
It is never about whose life must dictate others’; but rather who is the Life.
We are already awakened to the reality of God and His Eternal Kingdom through Christ Jesus our Lord; nothing can ever transcend or trump such consciousness.
Question is: Are we truly God’s temple? Does God’s Spirit dwell in our midst?
In God’s temple, prayers are expressed, offered and proclaimed through:
- The written Word of God – the Bible; and
- The spoken Word of God – utterances, bestowed upon true believers who have received the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Does the definition of God’s temple describe our church? Do we pray together through the written and spoken Word of God?
The assurance of our victory over the world is premised upon the Holy Spirit dwelling in our midst – to pray, to worship, to serve and to live as empowered by the Spirit together as “God’s temple”.
The more we pray together as God’s Sacred Temple; the more courageous and certain we are that our existence is assured in the Victory already won by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Throughout the ages, the common thread that held the church to fulfillment of the Great Commission – which is, the purpose of our existence in the world - is the act of gathering together to pray.
Every revival of the land, every deliverance, every providence and every supernatural manifestation of God begins with corporate prayer; because in corporate prayer –
- We become the Temple of God (Ref: 1 Corinthians 3:16-17);
- We grow as disciples of Christ;
“ As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)
- We manifest God’s glory in the world;
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.
They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)
- We participate in the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God;
“Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.” (Revelation 8:3-5)
- We triumph over the devil.
“They triumphed over him (the devil) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12:11)
Always bear in your heart.
Corporate Prayer leads to the great works of supernatural and extraordinary events; but more importantly, it leads to the greater work of securing our faith in God and setting our sights on the Kingdom of God.
Corporate Prayer brings about the necessary change of our hearts and minds in order to truly follow Christ; and empowers the church to live in the reality of God’s Kingdom today - it does not make us victorious; it keeps us in the reality that we are already victorious – because God is watching over us; and He continues to work on the inbreaking of His Kingdom with our participation, giving us power over every darkness that stands against Him.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Holy Spirit, I ask that You fill me with the unction and power to pray corporately; for through our prayers in one accord, we will truly experience the purpose of our existence as Your Holy vessels for the work of inbreaking the Kingdom of God.
Even when we don’t know it, or see it – Lord, You continue to work in our midst; and through our prayers.
Indeed, may Your word continue to “spread and flourish” (Acts 12:24)
In Your mighty Name, may we never be fearful, or even concerned, about the persecutions that come against Your church.
I believe that when we are filled with Your Holy Spirit, we are – together – God’s temple.
And “if God is for us; who can stand against us?” (Ref: Romans 8:31)
In the Name of our victorious Lord Jesus Christ, the gates of hell will never prevail against us (Ref: Matthew 16:18)
We remain hopeful and victorious in the face of all oppression and persecution because God, You are Greater!
Thank You, Lord, for awakening me – through Christ - to the reality of Your Love, Salvation, Glory, Authority and Kingdom.
As Your Temple, may our prayers be offered in accordance to Your Sovereign Will; and proclaimed through through Your written and spoken word.
Grant me revelation to understand Your Scriptures; and resolve to be filled with the Power of the Holy Spirit.
May our church be Your Temple and House of Prayer;
As we pray together in Spirit and Truth, may we grow together as Christ’s disciples;
May we manifest Your glory in the world and participate even more in Your work of inbreaking the Kingdom of God;
Through Your Victory in us to triumph over the devil and every evil scheme, may the world see and know that You alone are God! Thank You for giving us Power over every darkness that stands against You.
When we pray corporately, I believe that You continue to change my heart and mind, O God, to truly follow Christ in the knowledge that You are constantly watching over us, and working through us to bring Your Salvation to the world.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.