What is the importance and value of group prayer?

Every careful reader of Scripture is aware of the large place that individual, private prayer has had in the lives of men of God in both the Old and New Testaments and some may think that private prayer is all that is necessary. We find, however, that there are special blessings in collective prayer and that the Lord gave a definite promise as to answering joint prayer. "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 18:19). Here is a special promise that can only be realized when there is united, collective prayer.

One may pray privately at home and receive blessings and answers, but there is nothing like the prayers at the prayer-meeting, for Assembly prayer besieges the throne of grace and brings down special blessings, because it is the Assembly's prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. If the effectual fervent prayer of one righteous man availeth much (James 5:16), how much greater a result may be expected from the effectual, fervent prayers of an Assembly of righteous persons who are united in their petitions and energized by the Holy Ghost?

Assembly prayer is not just so many individuals uttering so many prayers for one thing, but the presentation of a single prayer, intensified 25 or 50 times by the harmony wrought by the Spirit of God among the 25 or 50 persons present. They are all praying as one, presenting one petition and all saying, Amen, to the one petition going up to God in the name of the Lord Jesus. There is, therefore, special power in such united prayers. Such is the great power entrusted to the Church, which may be exercised in prayer and supplication for untold good and blessing for itself and others.

In addition to the breaking of bread they continued in prayers too. This does not mean individual prayers offered at any time and in private. It refers to the definite prayers of the assembled company, as such, because they could now all pray together as one. What had made them one? The Holy Spirit of God. They were united in heart and desire by Him, Who intercedes for them according to God (Rom. 8:27).

I am sure we do not realise, sufficiently what power there is in the assembly prayer-meeting. The prayer of those whose petitions are united in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ must bring down much blessing. Nothing can keep blessing away from the saints in their walk and service when the church of God prays in its corporate character and privilege and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

There were the prayers which are mentioned also. These were the regular prayers of the church as the church. The disciples had the extraordinary privilege of being able to unite their hearts in earnest supplication at the throne of grace, the Spirit Himself interceding for them and in them. It was not one man praying for another, but it was the continuance of them all acting together in prayer. They each had their individual prayers in the privacy of their own circle, but what is spoken of here was true of them all when they were together. So they continued steadfastly in the prayers of the newly-formed assembly.

We ought not to overlook the importance of assembly prayer. Two or three may pray anywhere, and at any time, having some specific desire before them; but that is not necessarily assembly prayer. The assembly prayer is when members of the body of Christ come together with the united purpose of seeking the face of the Lord in earnest supplication; and, being together as such, the Holy Spirit makes intercession for them unitedly with groanings that cannot be uttered. Such prayers are fruitful in blessing.

You find that when the church was praying in Jerusalem, the whole place was shaken — a remarkable token that God hears and answers united prayer. And it is still so. In the present broken and scattered condition of the church it remains true that we may continue steadfastly, if we will, in the assembly prayers. Let us not forget to do so.

The fellowship regulated by the apostles' teaching, expressed in the breaking of bread, is sustained by prayer. Praying, individually and collectively, bespeaks awareness of our own need and weakness, and at the same time expresses our complete dependence upon and confidence in God. How soon would our difficulties and troubles which do arise — often because we have been untrue to the fellowship through disobedience to the apostles' teaching — be solved were we brought down together before God in believing prayer. Our Lord is the Master of Assemblies, and He is sufficient for every situation and would gladly be entreated of. Instead of trusting to any fancied ability of our own let us get quickly to Him in prayer. He hears and He answers prayer. If we give ourselves to prayer we shall gain in His presence needed wisdom, so that every exigency might be met to His honour with consequent blessing. James says, "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."

But the point now before us is not secret prayer — though nothing more essential for a holy life — but united prayer, the petitions of saints met together for that purpose; in a word, the prayer-meeting, which we may well call a function of the assembly of God. It does not seem too much to say that there is no better evidence of the healthy condition of an assembly than the habitual attendance and the free supplication of the saints at the prayer-meeting. The lecture and the sermon may attract, and much interest may be taken in meetings for reading the word, where we may recognise not only gift where it is, but the teaching of the Lord in many souls; but these meetings are not so sure a test of spirituality, nor are they assembly-meetings, though every member of the assembly be present. Gifts were prominent at Corinth, but the moral tone and the spiritual intelligence were low. With all their gifts the apostle said, "Ye are yet carnal."

What more necessary, then, to maintain the high position of being the pillar and ground of the truth than prayer? And when declension set in, and the few faithful began to be marked out from the mass, and distinguished as much for their weakness as for their faith, when the Lord Himself forbids all hope of restoration to the church's pristine position, and says, "I will put upon you none other burden; but that which ye have hold fast till I come" (Rev. 2:24), what more necessary to enable us to hold fast than the prayer-meeting? For it is the barrier against the inroads of the world, shuts the door against the wolf that seeks to enter and scatter the flock, keeps out heterodoxy and divisions, maintains the power of united testimony to the grace of Christ, is the expression of our dependence upon God, and opens the windows of heaven whence comes all we need. Had gathered saints been more mindful of the prayer-meeting, should we now behold the sad spectacle of saints once gathered to His name in present reckless scattering? But so much the more should there be confession, united confession, from the assembly. For if the scattering may not be wholly or at all healed, God will surely meet those who humble themselves on account of the common failure. There will be richer blessing, though not unaccompanied with shame for past unfaithfulness.

As to united prayer, we have precious examples in Scripture of the marvellous way in which God has honoured this. Our Lord too blessedly encourages our hearts on this point; and where are the Christians who cannot praise God for His mercy and faithfulness, in again and again giving most precious answers to their united supplications? Jesus said, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt. 18:19-20.) But observe, there must be agreement. This is of the greatest importance. It is not one praying, and the others merely listening; but hearts united before God in presenting certain requests to Him. All going together into "the holiest of all" to present common supplication. At Pentecost, the disciples were not only "in one place," but "of one accord," before the mighty blessing came. Oh, if God's dear children would only take God at His word in this particular, and seek Him earnestly and together in supplications, prayers, and intercessions, what blessed results there would be! This would soon put to flight the deadness and formality which so largely prevail in prayer-meetings at the present time. Thus crying to God, reckoning upon Him, and expecting only from Him, what rich and abundant blessing would follow!

Here we see a blessed result of united prayer in the Assembly and we learn that the way to spiritual power and boldness for Christ is by lifting up our voices to God with one accord in prayer. We must conclude, therefore, from this passage and numerous others about collective prayer in the Acts, that regular meetings for prayer are a necessity for an Assembly and that no Christian or gathering of Christians can prosper spiritually without coming together collectively for prayer. Stated meetings for prayer are a vital essential for every Assembly of believers. A weekly meeting for prayer ought to be a feature of every Assembly and special meetings for prayer should be called as special needs arise; this is what we see in the book of Acts.

In Acts 12, we find Christians in crisis. Herod had taken captive a number of them, killed James, one of the leading figures, and — seeing that this policy was popular with the Jews — proceeded to imprison Peter. The church in Jerusalem responds not by petition or protest but by a far more effective method — a prayer meeting: ‘unceasing prayer was made by the assembly to God concerning him’ (v. 5). Their prayer was unceasing, fervent, earnest and specific: it was ‘for him’. Personal prayer is powerful in itself but assembly prayer comes with the Lord’s special promise (Matt. 18:19).

Peter's arrest sent the church to its knees. Their appeal was to God and not to man. The last twelve words of verse 5 set forth in a remarkable way the essentials of effectual prayer. It was "to God," and therefore real prayer. It was "of the church," and therefore united prayer. It was "for him," and therefore definite — not wandering away over a hundred and one requests, but concentrated on a special object. It was "without ceasing," and therefore fervent and importunate — the kind of prayer that obtains answers, according to Luke 18:1 and James 5:16. The prayer of the church brought an angel from heaven to deliver.

Truly edification is not the immediate purpose of public prayer; yet that is one of its most important effects (1 Cor. 14:17). What could be more edifying than John 17? The prayers of the New Testament, and of the Old likewise, would richly repay our careful consideration of them. To a wise man it would be a great privilege to hearken to one who stood in high favour and honour with a mighty monarch, presenting a petition to his majesty. To mark his becoming bearing; to heed his dignified address; to listen to his lofty argument and appeal, would be highly instructive. How much more so to follow one who intercedes with God in the consciousness of the nearness and favour of which we have spoken.