How to Pray Article Series: Effectiveness of Praying with Others
Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
by Babes Tan-Magkalas
http://www.stjosephsite.com
One of the frequently asked questions about how to pray is about the effectiveness of praying with others. Whenever people ask me if praying with other people is effective, I remember some verses in the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 4, verses 9-11. It states:
" Two are better than one for they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to the one who is all alone and falls and does not have one another to help." Ecclesiastes 4:9-11
Prayer is more of a shared activity. We are all part of a community and members of the body of Christ. In the book The Art of Prayer' by Timothy Jones, Jones states that:
" Spirituality is not a spiritual do-it-yourself project. We were made for others in life and love, and we were made to be with others when we pray."
Individual prayer is a way for us to build a personal and intimate relationship with God. I do not mean that an individual prayer is not powerful and effective. It's just that there will be times when God would want us to unite with other people and pray together.
Jesus did both praying alone and praying with others and he wants us to do the same. In Matthew, chapter 6, verse 6, Jesus said:
" But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father, who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."
Matthew 6:6
In Matthew 18: 19-20, Jesus also said:
" Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Matthew 18:19-20
Let us also take into consideration that in the Lord's Prayer, Jesus used plural pronouns instead of singular pronouns:
Instead of " MY father", He said " OUR Father..."
Instead of " Give ME today", He said " Give US today..."
Instead of " Forgive ME", He said " Forgive US..."
Instead of " Lead ME not", He said " Lead US not..."
Instead of " Deliver ME from evil", He said " Deliver US from evil...."
We always have an opportunity to pray with other people. We can pray with our partners, with friends, with family, with a prayer group, as a part of a church congregation, etc.
There are people who prefer to pray alone. But we both need praying on our own and with other people. I personally find that praying with others is necessary in my prayer life.
Praying with other people is essential to our prayer life. Let us take hold of our opportunity to pray with those we love and with those who have the same faith as with ours. By praying with other people, we not only develop a closer relationship with God, but also with other people.
Signature:
Have you been praying for something for a very long time and still your prayer hasn't been granted? Go to www.how-to-pray-effectively.com and learn how to pray & develop a close relationship with God. Please also visit my blog for the answers to your biggest questions about prayer .
This Article has been viewed 148 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.