The Book of Acts has much to say about the subject of prayer. If you examine the individual accounts where prayer went up to the Lord and you will find a rich storehouse of information. There are instances where a corporate group of believers is seen praying. The early church spent much time together fellowshipping and praying. Let’s take a look at some of these cases and look at some of the common denominators involved in yet another kind of prayer. United Prayer is our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Episode Resources

You can find more information on the subject of ‘Kinds of Prayer’ by clicking on the links above.

1. #S6-003: Why It’s Important to Spend Time Talking to God [Podcast]
2. #S6-004: Five More Simple Secrets When Praying to God [Podcast]
3. #S6-005: Faith and Prayer: Important Lessons to Know [Podcast]
4. #S6-006: Why Praying in Faith Means to Believe You Receive [Podcast]
5. #S6-007: How to Build Your Life Praying Bible Prayers[Podcast]
6. #S6-008: Prayer of Agreement: the Power of Praying with People [Podcast]
7.  #S6-009: Why You Need to Tell God You Will Do Anything He Asks [Podcast]

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 42 years ago. He has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 38 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate it on Stitcher Radio and leave a review. If you have a suggestion for a Bible topic, you would like to see taught, or if you have a question, please e-mail me at emery@emeryhorvath.com

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Podcast Notes

Acts 1:4–5, 7–8 (NKJV) — 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”… 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

• Speaking of the 120 in the Upper Room, the Bible has this to say about how they spent their time obeying Jesus directive to wait in the city of Jerusalem.

Acts 1:14 (NKJV) — 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

• Remember this, the more that you line yourself up with God’s Word; the better things work both for the church and for you personally.
• That’s what the disciples did.
• They obeyed Jesus to the letter.
• They waited in the city of Jerusalem.
• But, they didn’t wait around by playing Bingo.
• The 120 prayed together.
• They supplicated together.
• ‘Together’ is the operative word because the scripture said they were with one accord.
• Let’s take a closer look at some of the elements necessary to make corporate prayer a success.

Elements of United Prayer

• The first element is unity.

The Power of Unity

• The 120 were in one accord.
• It is hard to pray in a united fashion if there is division in the camp.
• So, there is more to these prayers than just the simple act of mouthing some words because you are in the same room together.
• Jesus told us what to do if there is disharmony between people.

Matthew 5:23–24 (NKJV) — 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

• Husbands and wives should heed the words of the Apostle Peter.
• In one of his letters, he references the prayers of husbands and wives.

Husbands and Wives Praying

1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV) — 7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

• Do you understand the concept of what the Spirit of God is saying through Peter the Apostle?
• Defining some words may help us here.
• Look at the word ‘dwell.’
• The Greek word means to cohabit or to share living quarters; often used of a husband and wife.
• So in the home, husbands should operate with understanding where their wife is concerned.
• What does that mean?
• The word ‘understanding’ means the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned.
• Cognitive content which is the mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired, including perception, intuition, and reasoning.
• So, what is Peter saying?
• He is saying to learn something about your wife.
• Take the time to mentally understand and acquire knowledge about your wife, her personality, how to flow with it, her likes and dislikes, her quirks, because you as a man have them too.
• The result of this type of knowledge is honor.

Men Should Honor Their Wives

• The Greek word ‘honor’ means the state of being highly respected or revered.
• You should honor and revere and respect your wife.
• Now, if you say I don’t feel that way about my wife could it be because you don’t have the right knowledge you should have of her?
• Could it be you don’t have the proper understanding, that is, you are not dwelling with her the way the Lord told you to cohabit with her?
• One of the first understandings you need to have about your wife is that she’s God’s daughter and your wife second.
• Two of my daughters are married.
• Do you think they would have favor with me if they treated my daughters poorly?
• Think of treating your wife as God’s daughter in this vein.
• I’m still talking about prayer here.
• We are still addressing some of the rules of United Prayer.
• Husbands treat your wives right.
• If you don’t, your prayers will be hindered.
• The Greek word ‘hindered’ means to be obstructed or to be prevented in the progress or accomplishment of.
• So, what is the Word saying?
• It’s saying that if you don’t have things right relationally between husband and wife you are getting in your own way when it comes to answered prayer.
• So, learn the rules of United Prayer.

United Prayer from within Your Own Company

Acts 4:23–30 (NKJV) — 23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said: ‘Why did the nations rage, And the people plot vain things? 26 The kings of the earth took their stand, And the rulers were gathered together Against the LORD and against His Christ.’ 27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done.

The Prayer Request of this United Group

29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

More Common Elements

• Remember that all prayer has some common elements though different rules govern them.
• Faith is a common element.
• In last week’s podcast, we spoke on the Prayer of Agreement.
• Remember the reference to the fact that each person who is praying has to have faith for the thing that they are asking.
• Otherwise, there is no agreement.
• You cannot use the prayer of agreement as a cover for unbelief.
• If there is unbelief, there is no agreement.
• Well, it is the same for United Prayer.
• Faith is a common element in this type of prayer.
• There is no united prayer if there is no agreement in faith.
• Everybody must have faith for the thing that they are praying about.
• One of the main differences between the prayer of agreement and united prayer is the size of the crowd praying.
• The prayer of Agreement can be two people praying while United prayer takes place with more prominent groups.
• Now maybe some of these comments answer some questions for you.
• It may be that we have little power or production from our corporate prayer meetings because there is not sufficient faith in the crowd to make the thing that they are praying about come to pass.
• Sometimes when you get a huge, huge crowd, covers this is as the Spirit of God works through those who will yield themselves to His leading.
• So with that said, let’s look at some of the common elements in this portion of scripture.

They Went to Their Own Company

• It’s essential in life to have your own company.
• The religious leaders were grieved that the disciples used the matchless Name of Jesus.
• They were upset that their station in life was threatened due to all of the positive publicity surrounding the healing of this lame man.
• And so to try and put a halt to this move of God, they arrest the disciples.

Acts 4:7–10 (NKJV) — 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

• Now, dropping down to verse 18.

Acts 4:18 (NKJV) — 18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

• The religious leaders said we have to stop all this.
• They recognized that it was that Name of Jesus that was responsible for the miracle work.
• And they, after they were threatened, went back to their own company and had a United Prayer meeting and together they prayed this prayer:

Acts 4:29–30 (NKJV) — 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

A United Prayer for Miracles

• They all prayer and lifted their voice in unison.
• They all prayed for boldness to speak the Word.
• If they prayed that prayer together as a group, you could pray this prayer together as a group.
• But, that’s not all this group was in prayer about that day.
• They prayed a united prayer for miracles, for signs and wonders, for continued displays of God’s power through the Name of Jesus.
• They refused to back off their use of that Name.
• Now, note that they didn’t ignore the situation.
• They reported what the threats were from the chief priests and elders.
• The disciples did not play make-believe acting like the situation never happened.
• Faith is not denying the problem; it is doing something about the issue.
• So they acknowledged the problem, but they didn’t magnify it and blow it all out of proportion.
• They magnified God and not the problem.
• And they did this out loud.
• They lifted their voice.

Get Over Your Shyness

• So many prayer meetings people seem too shy to lift their voice and pray.
• These disciples weren’t shy.
• They prayed out loud.
• United praying is not quietly praying.
• If you are not willing to lift your voices, then you are not praying in a united fashion.
• United prayer is everybody crying out to God – everybody lifting their voices.
• So then those prayer meetings where people are gathering together and just praying silently is not united praying.
  How can you be praying unitedly when nobody can hear you?
• They got to the problem in verse 29.
• They said, ‘Now behold their threatenings.’
• Even though God is an all-knowing God and He knows what things you need before you ask, He says that you need to ask anyway.
• So as a group, they were specific.
• A significant place where some prayer meetings can fall apart and not get the desired results is when people come together to pray, but they are not praying about the same thing.
• It’s called United Praying for a reason.
• You have to be in unity, that is on the same page praying about the same thing.
• Sometimes that’s not what’s happening.
• This one is in this corner praying about Aunt Susie, who is sick and another one is praying about finances, the next person is praying about revival in the land, while yet another one is praying about wisdom for a particular situation.
• So, everybody is all over the place.
• Being all over the place is not united prayer.
• United prayer is when you are praying together as a group out loud about a specific thing.

Two United Prayer Requests

• This group in Acts four prayed specifically about two areas.
• Number one: that they would have a boldness to preach the Word.
• Number two: that signs and wonders would be done by their hands.
• Note that this last request was what got them in trouble with the religious crowd in the first place.
• So, in effect this group cried unto God and said, Lord, do it some more and do it stronger, and do it longer because we are not backing down.

United Prayer: Gang Up on the Devil

Acts 12:1–5 (NKJV) — 1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. 2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. 4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover. 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.

• This passage is yet another picture of United Prayer.
• Peter is in prison for his witness for Jesus.
• The enemy, the devil is using this king to harass the church.
• The Greek word ‘harass’ means to mistreat or to treat badly.
• And the church doesn’t just lay down and accept this lousy treatment.
• They don’t respond by accepting this as the will of God or their lot in life.
• No, they go to God in prayer, and they do it as a group.
• They pray a united prayer.
• This group of believers prayed specifically for him.
• The scripture says ‘prayer was made to God for him.’
• And they constantly prayed for Peter per this translation.
• They had one focus.
• They were only praying about one thing, Peter’s deliverance.
• And, they were constantly praying.
• Constantly means the following in the Greek.
• It means to persevere, be eager, be fervent, be constant.¹
• So, United Prayer means all of these things.

United Prayer and Perseverance

• To persevere brings to mind Ephesians 6:18.

Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV) — 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

• It brings to mind devotion; it means to keep on, to persist in²
• Jesus said it a different way.
• He said men ought always to pray and not faint or lose heart; that’s Luke eighteen and one.
• Now, this is not just one person in the group doing the heavy lifting.
• Everybody has to be in this frame of mind and heart.
• The group must persevere.
• So, can you see why being of one heart and one mind, and having that unity of spirit is so vital when praying together?
• Now if you read the remainder of this story, you will see that the supernatural kicked in while this group prayed.
• An angel was sent to the prison that housed Peter, and those prison bars were no match for that angel and Peter was delivered out of the harassment of the enemy.
• It all came via United Prayer.

#S4-036: Want Victory Look At Jesus Shocking Geographic Throwdown [Encore Podcast]

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