I have been looking through Lively Hope articles in the past to know what topics we have been reading over the years.  It helps me know what I should study to write something else in the coming weeks.  While I was reading through the topics of the Lively Hope articles, I came across a few of them which are still very relevant to us today.  In particular, as we have been studying about early churches from Acts 2, there are a few good articles which we could relate to our current study.  I am thinking to reuse a couple of them, and they happen to be written by our late brother and Deacon, Yaw Chiew Tan, who was ordained to be a deacon at Hope Church on August 15, 2004 and served the Lord in that capacity until he went into glory on December 3, 2013.  The following article was written for the Lively Hope, 8 August 2010.  I have titled it, “A Voice From Heaven.”  The following are his insights on corporate prayers.

 

Why Do We Need Corporate Prayer?

The corporate prayer meeting is probably the most neglected function in the church; it usually has the smallest attendance of all church functions. This should in fact be well attended because it is an important part of the growth of the church.

 

We must learn the importance of corporate worship. The word “corporate” means combined into one. This is how a church should function, as one body. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is: but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” A church is not a building. It is God’s people coming together to become a house of prayer. Isaiah 56:7 explains, “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: …..; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” We are many members, but only one body and each part is just as important as the next. Thus, each member of the body must come together and worship together. For without any member, the body is incomplete and lacking.

 

When we pray together with other believers, the effects can be very powerful. In Matthew 18:20, our Lord Jesus said: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” This tells us that God is with us when we are gathered together. What better time is there to talk to God than when He is in our Midst?

 

Corporate prayer edifies and unifies us as we share our common faith. The same Holy Spirit who dwells within each believer causes our hearts to rejoice as we sing praises to our Lord and Savior, knitting us together in a unique bond of fellowship found nowhere else in life.  The power of corporate prayer is released through everyone being in “one accord” in the Spirit. To be in one accord means to agree. Those who pray together must be in agreement with God first, then with one another. Unity and agreement are the force of corporate prayer.

 

There are scriptural evidences of the power in corporate prayer.  The Bible recounts many occasions when people assembled to “cry out to the Lord” and God would liberate them out of their troubles.

 

Like in the Book of Acts: Acts 2:1-2, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.”  Here, we see the power of corporate prayer being released through everyone praying in “one accord” in the Holy Spirit.

 

Take a look at what happened to Peter also in Acts 12: 5 & 7.  “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And behold, the angel of the lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.”  This corporate prayer was answered by God when an angel of the Lord supernaturally released him from prison.

 

There were times in the Old Testament when the whole nation gathered to pray corporately with remarkable results.  One of those occasions was recorded in 2 Chronicles 6:3 & 12, 7:1.

 

 2 Chronicles 6:3, “And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.”  2 Chronicles 6:12, “and he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands.”  2 Chronicles 7:1, “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.”  How powerful and dynamic is corporate prayer? Here the entire nation congregated, Solomon prayed and the glory of God came and filled the temple.

 

Praying together in one accord produces true and complete fellowship because it links us with the Father and with the Son.  Corporate prayer connects the church with its Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. We as the body of Christ can lose connection with the Head if we do not meet Him and talk to Him in prayers.   Corporate prayer keeps us from praying selfishly. We become unified in the mind, heart and spirit. Through the sharing of faith we understand more about God, ourselves, and how we should pray.

 

The unresponsive church grieves God.  The church at Ephesus neglected its first love and in Rev. 2:4-5 Our Lord Jesus said, “Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”  Here, Our Lord Jesus Christ warned the church at Ephesus to repent or He would remove the light from its midst.  The Laodicean church became lukewarm, and our Lord Jesus Christ said He was ready to spew it out of His mouth saying in Rev. 3:16, “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

 

Do you want our church to be like the church at Ephesus or the Laodicean church?  There is a time and place to pray privately; there is a time to pray for the needs of others; but then there is also that time when the “body” needs to come together and pray for the needs of the “body”.  When was the last time you prayed together, in unity, with your brothers and sisters in Christ?   So do you think you are ready?  We urge and encourage you to join us on Wednesday nights (fortnightly – weekly now) for the corporate prayer meeting and discover the power and the rewards of praying together. You’ll be amazed at what God can and will do when His people come together and pray.  “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

 

The late Deacon Yaw Chiew Tan

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