Acts 2:42 tells us that as the church was founded that “they [the Church] continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, in the breaking of bread, and in PRAYERS.” Many churches are strong in the first three aspects of that verse, but why is it that we have somehow given up the importance of corporate prayer. We can say all we want that prayer is important in the church, but examine the practice that is current in the American culture. Prayer Meeting is a dying service. We can say that it is because our lives have gotten to busy, but then we would have to admit that we make time for what is important. When most of us speak, we talk of prayer as either the last resort (“I guess all I can do is pray”), or as almost an apologetic response to a need (“If there is nothing else I can do, I will at least pray for you”). My friends, prayer is not the last thing to do, or the least important thing we can do, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND POWERFUL THING WE CAN DO! We not be concerned that we are not as articulate as some, we do not need to be concerned that our prayers and not long and flowery, It is the Holy Spirit that makes intercession on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27). The early church met regularly to pray, and many times as Americans, we have learned a self-dependence that has lead us to believe that we have the ability to accomplish great things on our own. The reality is that we must understand that we accomplish nothing apart from the direct intervention of God. He alone raises up and tears down. It is as we come before Him in prayer that we accomplish anything. It is our responsibility to come together to seek the mind of God, may we understand this and determine to join together with others to pray.
