Prayer is not complicated neither is it a mystery. I like what Pastor's wife responded when I shared with her my frustration on the reducing attendance at the corporate prayer meetings - "I wonder what people are waiting for....an orchestra? ...an anointed prayer leader?....pastor to lead?....."
There are days when I am not anointed, there are days when there are no orchestra yet I know that every time we meet there is one person who is always in attendance - HE IS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
At every prayer meeting, we are sure to meet Him. This alone should be the reason for us to attend the Corporate Prayer meetings.
Pastor's wife encouraged me and said "Yes, we meet to pray...so we just do what we came to do...just pray"
Do we need to wait for lightning to strike or gold dust to fall or wind to blow during a prayer meeting? Do we need to wait for the chairs to shake, our hands to shiver and for an orchestra to lead us in worship? Do we need the lights to be off, the music to be a certain kind or the room to have a certain smell?
Do we need someone who can speak very well, be English experts or someone who is a Bible teacher and who knows the scriptures very well? Not at all! Do we need to have a good singing voice or a speaking voice? No we don't. All we need is the Presence of the Lord.
Of course there are days when the whole worship team comes and we have the drums, the electric guitar, the organs, the lead guitar and the back-up singers...those nights of corporate prayer were just great. One of my life group member just told me this morning that she just loved the corporate prayer.
Even more she loved the National Prayer Altar. No matter what meetings she had to attend that day, she would put everything aside to go with us to pray with other churches at Peacehaven. It's like dipping straightaway into a vast ocean of the Holy Spirit and swimming weightlessly in the ocean of His Glory!
Prayer is not complicated and neither does it need anything to prop it up. God only needs our hearts to bring to Him in prayer.
I like the incident in Acts 12 as it teaches me that prayer is certainly not complicated, neither is it a mystery.
Ingredients of a simple prayer meeting is found in Acts 12. It started with Herod putting Peter into prison.
"Then he imprisoned him (Peter), placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each...." Acts 12:4
Now Peter was receiving round-the-clock care that's for sure. Four squads of four soldiers each is a lot of guards to guard one prisoner!
Yet because of SIMPLE PRAYER, God sent His angel on assignment to free Peter from prison. Some characteristics of prayer meetings that are not complicated:
1. Prayer must be earnest
Prayer must be earnest (NIV). Prayer must be fervent (AMP). In the Message, the prayer made by the church for Peter was "strenuous".
Strenuous prayers indicate some kind of physical exertion. Maybe some may have to miss their sleep or may have to take leave or may even require some kind of fasting of self-denial. For me it could mean waking up at 5 to do my devotion and going to church for the morning prayers at 6 am!
In the NIRV, the church "prayed hard to God for him" Acts 12:5.
2. Prayer must be constant
Acts 12:5
"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church"
What is "constant prayer"?
The word "constant" does not mean that every minute you are praying. It means persist in prayer. Persevere in it. Stay at it. Be devoted to it. Don't give up or slack off. Be habitual.
It is the opposite of random, occasional, sporadic, intermittent. Paul is calling all Christians to make prayer a regular, habitual, recurring, disciplined part of their lives. Treat prayer the way you treat eating and sleeping and doing your job. Don't be hit and miss about it.
2. Prayer must have a focus
Even if the prayer meeting is prophetic - harp and bowl it is still a prayer meeting with a focus. The focus is on God and what He wants to speak to us. In this case the early church had a focus from the start they were praying for Peter to be released from prison.
3. Prayer should be with others (for the extra push)
Though not a must, it is easier to flow in the Spirit of Prayer when we are praying with others. We give one another the extra push that we need to keep on going. In this case, the church was having a corporate prayer meeting with many believers in attendance.
4. Prayer must be in unity
Let us not look down on people of different estate, age, race, occupation or financial means when it comes to prayer. In Acts 12:14 we were told that Rhoda was one of those who attended the prayer meeting in church. There were ladies in the prayer meeting - Mary the mother of John was identified with the many who were gathered together praying.
5. Prayer must be together in one place.
In Acts 12:12
"So when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying".
They were praying together in one place in a house. Venue is not an issue. Prayer can be held in a house as long as it was all together praying in one place!
This message gives me the assurance that there is nothing wrong with having a prayer meeting as a simple prayer meeting is just as anointed as a prayer altar!
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