The Importance of Unified and Corporate Prayer
Jehoshaphat received word a great multitude was coming against him. Not just one enemy or one attack but there were going to be many attacks. How would you feel if you were Jehoshaphat? I think when the enemy attacks that one attack is enough! I sure am glad I don’t know in advance of many attacks. My response would not be as gracious as Jehoshaphat's response. I remember one week, my husband was taking a very dangerous chemo, my health was terrible, my stress was through the roof, my kids were sad and afraid, and then I get a call that my daughter has head lice. I come home to not one but three kids with head lice. My son starts running a high fever and my husband’s immune system is compromised. Talk about many attacks from the enemy. That was not the end of the enemy’s attack! There was more to come in the coming weeks! I think that might be a modern day version of what Jehoshaphat was about to experience.
Had I known in advance all that was going to happen, I think I would have had a nervous breakdown. I probably would have told God in no uncertain terms that my family could not endure! But Jehoshaphat didn’t respond in defeat ahead of time. I love what Scripture says. The first thing it says was Jehoshaphat was afraid. Scripture identifies with where we are in the middle of the enemy’s attack. We are afraid, just like Jehoshaphat. But what Jehoshaphat did next is what is profound. He didn’t set himself to grieving and feeling sorry for himself, or hanging on to defeat before the attack occurred. He sought the Lord. Not only did he seek the Lord, but he called all of Judah to come and seek the Lord together.
This is what the body of Christ is supposed to do! Come together and seek the Lord together. Sitting in a hotel room with an extremely sick husband, my health not good, and a 9:00 pm phone call that my little one had head lice was the icing on the cake for me. My response was NOT one of Jehoshaphat's. It was one of complete grief and defeat! But guess what happened in those moments, our local church body began receiving requests from people asking for prayer and support. The body stood with us in prayer. The body came to support us in our time of need. The body prayed with us and for us. And this my friends, is what carried us through some of our darkest days. Make no mistake, prayer is critical. Coming together with other believers in prayer and seeking God is the difference between defeat and victory. If we want to be victorious over the enemy, we must come together and seek God together.
—What is your response when an attack from the enemy comes? Do you accept defeat and grieve or do you seek God? Do you ask others to seek God with you? Today, ask three or four people to join you in seeking God over a struggle in your life. Wait together in expectation of the revelation that will come.
—What is your response to corporate prayer times? Is that a good time to skip church and get your to do list done? Or is there a pressing sense that you need to join with others and seek God? Will you commit to spend Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 with other believers in corporate prayer knowing it will be the difference between defeat or victory?
by Karen Smith
Comments
Post a Comment