I want to center our thoughts today around the question of "Why corporate intercession?" Why do we need to come together to pray? Why not just pray alone? It's a lot more convenient. Surely God doesn't care if we are alone or together. What difference does it make?
 

1)  THERE IS STRENGTH IN UNITY

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: 10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. NIV

a)  The reason to pray together is because God has made us to need each other. We have been called by God into community, not just some superficial unity. It is not enough to merely give lip service to God's call to unity. It is not enough to simply hold to a doctrine of unity. There must be an expression of unity. Unity demands community. We are not called to be Lone Rangers! We have been joined to the Body of Christ.

b)  The truth is, our flesh is weak and we will pray better if we come together; we will pray more consistently if we come together; we will pray more faithfully if we come together. There is strength in unity.

2)  THERE IS POWER IN UNITY

a)  Deuteronomy 32:30 says of God's army that "one will chase a thousand and two will chase ten thousand!" If one chases a thousand, it would seem that two would chase two thousand. But the Lord is trying to tell us that there is multiplied effect in being together! Our power is multiplied when we worship and war together, rather than alone.

b)  We need the Holy Spirit to come in like a flood. The church will be filled with the power of God when she learns to come together and pray. There is power in unity.
 

3)  THERE IS WITNESS IN UNITY

John 17:20-23 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. NIV

a)  How much of man's efforts in building the church has been "to make a name for ourselves?" "Look at what we've done! Look how big we are! Look how well known we are!" We must stop making a name for ourselves. Selfish ambition must be destroyed and the glory of Jesus established.

b)  We must become the church of the living God–the spotless bride of Christ dressed in white garments of righteousness and prepared for our holy, glorious bridegroom! We need a heart for our Lover.

c)  Corporate prayer will break down the walls that divide us. Corporate prayer will bring unity and oneness. Corporate prayer will fit us together to be the city whose architect and builder are God. Corporate prayer will make us into "a city set on a hill." There is witness in unity.

4)  GOD HAS COMMITTED TO WORK HIS WILL THROUGH THE MEANS OF PRAYING PEOPLE

a)  Prayer is one of God's ordained methods. God works his will through praying people. We will not simply wake up one day and find all of the Scriptures fulfilled without any activity on our part. Even the birth of Jesus was accomplished by God raising up people like Simeon and Anna and "all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38). They had been interceding for years for the Messiah to come. The first coming of Jesus was birthed by believers praying in cooperation with the purposes of God. Even the release of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost was precipitated by the prayers of the 120 in the upper room.

b)  Now it is our turn to pray together for his holy purposes. We must take our place in the history of faith and give birth to God's intentions for our generation. To pray is to dream the dreams of God. God has included us in the unfolding of his purposes in the earth.

 

5)  A WORD ABOUT FASTING

a)  Fasting does not earn us anything or purchase favors from God. It is not qualifying for a spiritual merit badge or coercing God to respond.

b)  Fasting is primarily the embodiment of prayer and humility (Isaiah 58:5-9), both of which are powerful instruments in the heavenly places. We know that God is "opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5). Fasting reminds us of our weakness and our dependence upon the grace of God. It is an opportunity to acknowledge our need of Him.

c)  Fasting is not only an expression of humility but it is a cry for intimacy.

Zechariah 7:5-6 Ask all the people of the land and the priests, "When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted?" NIV

Fasting is an expression of the Spirit and the Bride praying the prayer of Revelation 22, "Come, Lord Jesus." It is embodying our desire for the presence of the Lord.
 

Kinds of fasts:

1)  Water Fast
2)  Fruit juice and water
3)  Daniel Fast: abstaining from meats, sweets, and wine (Daniel 1:12 and 10:3). Eat only vegetables and drink only water. God looked at Daniel fasting and praying and called him "highly esteemed" (Daniel 10:11).
4)  Alternate Fasts: media, sports, etc....
 

Our Global Bridegroom Fast:

1)  We will fast together from Monday morning 6 a.m. until Wednesday evening 6 p.m. on the first Monday through Wednesday of each month.

2)  On Monday evening, we will have a corporate time of worship and prayer beginning at 7 p.m. This time will begin with a 30 minute devotional period. Sehoy will be playing–come and rest your soul and be bathed in the Lord’s presence, or read Scripture, or do your personal devotionals for the day. It will be a quiet period of 30 minutes without speaking or corporate singing.

3)  At 7:30 I will lead us into a time of corporate worship and prayer. I will use a prophetic prayer team to help me guide the service, along with Bro. Robert and our musicians. We will close no later than 9 p.m.