Why is praying with other people (corporate prayer) important?
It unifies and edifies the believer.
The book of Acts has many examples of results when people came together to pray. Let’s look at a few.
In Acts 1:15, 2:1-4 there were one hundred and twenty people in a room praying when the Holy Spirit came with wind and fire. Can you imagine 120 people meeting to pray? Most churches do not have a prayer meeting. Those that do, how many people show up? Two? Six? Ten? Can you imagine the firepower that would happen if one hundred and twenty people in your area regularly met together to pray? The largest prayer meeting I have attended had about fifty people, but most are between two and six people.
Staying in chapter 2, verses 42-47 tell us of their fellowship and habits, which included prayer. Salvation happened every day. Acts chapter 3 has Peter and John, together, going to the temple to pray. A man lame from birth is healed. Unified prayer results.
I love the story in Acts 12. Peter is put in prison after James was killed. The church fervently prayed for him. But they, at least the servant girl Rhoda, did not expect the miraculous deliverance. Corporate prayer shows the believers such as Rhoda that God answers prayer! Every time God answers our prayers, it encourages us. Edifying prayer results.
I encourage you to find a prayer meeting. Discover the unifying, edifying power of corporate prayer.
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