The Power of United Prayer

SPEAKER B Greetings and a warm welcome to You Shall Receive Power. I'm Ettienne McClintock and my co host in the studio with me is Colin Hone. Colin, welcome. SPEAKER C It's great to be here. SPEAKER B Idian always good to have you here. Now Colin is the international director and speaker of a Holy Spirit ministries and he also has another job, another title. He works for the North New South Wales Conference as the prayer director. Now we are continuing our series of programs featuring the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter rain and Christ return by Pastor Dennis Smith. And today our topic comes out of day 17. It is the power of United Prayer. So we look forward to discussing that with you. But as we're discussing prayer, let's just go to our Heavenly Father very quickly and just ask him to bless you, dear listener, and also us as we go through this study. Father in heaven, it's such a privilege to open your word again to just to come into your presence and have this opportunity to share the good news of salvation, the Gospel, the importance of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and to also unite together in prayer and have our prayers directed by the Spirit. And as such Father, we just pray for your blessing on every person who is listening to this presentation and also on Colin and myself. Father, may you infuse your spirit, may you guide and direct our thoughts and our minds and our speech and we just commit ourselves into your care in Jesus name, amen. So we've got another interesting topic here on prayer today, colin and United in Prayer and the Spirit. So the power of United Prayer, we're. SPEAKER C Going to go unpack the Bible, what the Bible says about God's people uniting in prayer and how there's even more power by uniting in prayer. SPEAKER B Amen looking forward to it. SPEAKER C So Christians uniting in prayer, usually for a specific purpose, has long been understood by believers as an essential part of the Christian life. So one time I thought United Prayer referred to maybe two or three Christians coming together to pray. That's what I thought United prayer was. We just come together and we pray. Yes, I thought that during prayer time, each one would pray for whatever came to their mind. Some things might come to yours and some things come to mine, and each prayer would have some common elements, but each would have also a number of quests that varied from others who prayed. As I've studied this further and further, I found that this is not necessarily the biblical definition of Christians uniting together and prayer. SPEAKER B Okay, so we're going to learn a little bit here because I think that's quite a common held view on United Prayer. SPEAKER C Well, that's what I believe. For many years I thought United Prayers, we just come together and pray you pray for whatever you've got, what you want to pray for, and I put what I want to pray for. But now you know, United Prayer is two or more Christians praying for the same thing. That's what we want to talk about. I believe United Prayer is two or more Christians praying for the same thing. So united, together for the same request. SPEAKER B Okay. SPEAKER C So they are united in desire, purpose and request. They pray together at the same place and time with one prayer focus. If they cannot meet at the same place or time, they will pray at the same time with one prayer focus. Or may pray together on the phone. However, if possible, meeting together is more strengthening to each individual who attends. If they actually meet together, pray. So you can still pray together on the phone, but it's better to come together. SPEAKER B Oh yes, there's something special about being know. SPEAKER C I believe United Prayer with fellow believer is a powerful force against Satan in our personal lives. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C And that's why James counsels us to join together when praying for the sick. For example, doesn't he, when he says come together and pray for the sick? That's right, he says come together. Let's read James chapter five, verse 14 to 16. SPEAKER B If anyone among you is sick, let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. SPEAKER C So the prayer is not only praying for the healing of the sick yes. But it's the healing of the soul unconfessed sins. And so that's why he says confess your faults to each other. SPEAKER D That's right, yeah. SPEAKER B Sins to God and your faults to one another. So verse 16 says, confess your trespasses to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C It's an incredible Bible promise. So in fact, it's necessary to those who be ready to meet Jesus, I believe, when he returns to have entered a genuine united Prayer for one another. To be praying for one another. We weren't created to stand alone in our battle against Satan or against Satan. We need one another's prayers for the complete victory over the So. And I believe United Prayer is also essential for the advancement of God's kingdom on the earth. SPEAKER B I agree. SPEAKER C And Satan will resist every forward movement of God's work. Everything God wants to do, he will resist. He will resist and United Prayer will significantly increase God's power to advance his kingdom. SPEAKER B United Prayer so we can frustrate the plans of Satan through United Prayer? SPEAKER C Absolutely. And so let's look at the Old Testament and some examples of United Prayer. And so we see in the Old Testament, it's got numerous reference to believers where they united together to pray. The Teacher in Ecclesiastics provided a very significant lesson on the importance of others joining with us in the battle against our enemy, who was Satan. And this is what he wrote in Ecclesiastics, chapter four, verse twelve. SPEAKER B Though 1 may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. SPEAKER C Wow. So he's saying when we come together, like one might be overpowered, but two or three might not. I mean, you know what it's like in a rope. You put rope together in chords of three, it comes stronger, doesn't it? SPEAKER B Much stronger than just one. That's a wonderful statement. SPEAKER C So if we try to stand alone in the battle against Satan's temptations, we'll be more easily overcome. As the Teacher says in Ecclesiastics, one alone may be more easily overpowered, while two can defend themselves and three are even stronger. So it's vital for every Christian living the last days to be unite together in prayer for each other and to be united in purpose. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And in this fellowship coming together, we will be fighting the battle together. And so their united prayers for one another will bring great victories than they could if they tried to stand alone in the conflict. So there's an Old Testament event that clearly illustrates the importance of united prayer in defeating the enemy. So we're going to go to Exodus chapter 17. Exodus chapter 17, verses eight to 16. And we're going to read a story about the Amalekites coming up against Israel during the wilderness journey. And let's just read that and see what happens. SPEAKER B Okay, verse eight from Exodus 17. Now, Amalek came and fought with Israel at referim, and Moses said to Joshua, choose some men to go out fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. So Joshua did as Moses had said to him and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron and her went up to the top of the hill. So it was when Moses held up his hand that Israel prevailed. And when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses'hands became heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and her supported his hands, one on one side and the other on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Then the Lord said to Moses, write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. SPEAKER C Wow. So here we see a clear example of the necessity of uniting together in prayer for victory. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They're holding up their hands, but they were praying for the victory, correct? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B And then says also Moses, then verse 15, built an altar and called the name of the place the Lord is my banner. And he said, Because the Lord has sworn, the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER C So Aaron and her, they joined Moses in prayer for victory by also lifting up their hands to the throne of God. By lifting up Moses'hands, they're also lifting their own hands up. Yes, their own hands. SPEAKER B What great symbolism. SPEAKER C So had they not joined Moses in this prayer for victory, israel would have been defeated because Moses would have got. SPEAKER B Tired and his arm was getting heavier already, so he couldn't keep it up there by himself. That's right. SPEAKER C So our battle against the enemy is too great for just one. We need to join together in prayer for one another and for God's work if we're to obtain the complete victory over Satan and his forces. So we have a great there illustration there in the Old Testament. Also, let's talk of what Jesus said in the New Testament about United Prayer. And Jesus gives a significant statement about the importance and even the necessity of two or more believers joining together in fellowship and prayer that's found in Matthew, chapter 18, verse 19 to 20. SPEAKER B Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in My name, there I am, and I am with them. SPEAKER C Jesus is with you when two or three or more come together. So even Jesus himself has made this statement, the same that was made in the Old Testament. Yes, about two or three being stronger. So when two or more believers pray in the Spirit, a subject discussed in the previous chapter we talked about, that they can be very confident that God will hear and answer their prayer. And we go to First John, chapter five. First John, chapter five, verse 14 and 15. SPEAKER B Now, this is the confidence that we have in Him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we will have the petitions that we have asked of Him. SPEAKER C That's right. Did you notice that he says us? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C Hears us. SPEAKER B He hears us. SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B If we ask anything according to his. SPEAKER C Will, he hears us. So, John's, inferring that we're praying, you know, if we allow ourselves to remain isolated from our fellow believers, we will not see the powerful answer to our prayers that we desire. We're to come together and pray together. Now, the Christian church was established on United Prayer. SPEAKER D It was. SPEAKER C So the Christian Church began or started with United Prayer for fulfillment of Jesus promise to send the Holy Spirit, which is found in Acts, chapter one, which is our theme text. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C One, verse eight you shall receive power. So Jesus himself said come together, go to the upper room and wait. And what had happened in Acts chapter one, verse 14? What did they do then? SPEAKER B All these continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the woman and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers. So the waiting wasn't done. Idly. They were waiting in prayer. SPEAKER C They were waiting and they were praying. And they were praying what, together? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C They all joined together constantly in prayer in Acts chapter one, verse 14. So this verse is saying that they united together for prayer. To pray for what? For the same thing? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C They were praying for the same thing. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They united prayer, praying for the same thing. They didn't stop their united prayer efforts for the film of Jesus promise. Until what? Until the promise was filled. Ten days after they began praying in Acts chapter two, verse one to four, they continued together praying for the same thing for ten days. SPEAKER B Now interestingly, it says there in Acts chapter two, verse one that they were together of one accord in one place, so that one accord they would have confessed sins to one another, things they've done wrong to each other. And as we just read previously there in the Book of James chapter five, about confessing their faults to one another, they would have done that as part of the process. So when we read that, it's not just idle words, it's something that we should do with one another as well as we come together in prayer. Confess your sins to God, confess your faults to one another. We've been wronged each other. And then when we come together and we are one spirit in one accord, then there's no reason why the Holy Spirit couldn't be poured out in the same way it did at Pentecost. SPEAKER C Were they of one accord before the day of Pentecost? They were other disciples. SPEAKER B I know well leading up to that they weren't those last ten days that brought them together. SPEAKER C That's right. Before that, before the cross, they were. SPEAKER B Arguing who would be the greatest, who would be first, who would be most preeminent, who would sit to the left and the right of Christ. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B And of Know, the mother of James and John was very ambitious for her sons and she obviously put that request in there with Jesus and the other disciples when they heard about to be. SPEAKER C The leaders of the church, maybe the conference presidents. Although there wasn't a spirit of humility, jesus taught them that, tried to teach that through three and a half years by his example of serving the way that he went and washed their feet. Yes, and served. He was trying to teach them about leadership comes servitude we're not to lauded over people. And so they were arguing who was going to be the greatest and now they came. It says they were one accord, one accord, not only together, but also one accord in praying for the same thing. And so this verse is saying that they united together to pray for the same thing. And they didn't stop their united prayer until it was fulfilled. And so in Acts chapter two also, we read together in Acts chapter two, verse 42, what happened after the day of Pentecost? What did the early Church do? What was there some common thing that they did? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B Says and they continued steadfastly. Obviously, if they continued, obviously they're together or devoted themselves. Yes. Steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in. SPEAKER C Prayers, four elements the early Church, they came together. It says they. That means not individually. They came together in groups and they studied God's word together. The apostles'doctrine are the teachings of God's words, doctrines that they've learned from Jesus. SPEAKER D Yeah, correct. SPEAKER C And to what fellowship? They spent time in fellowship, breaking in bread. They obviously spent time eating together, breaking bread and prayed. That was the elements of the early Christian Church. And that's why they had power. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C That's why they had power. And so we see here the Church daily uniting in prayer together. So, for example, whenever they faced a problem, they naturally joined together in prayer, asking God to give them a victory. For example, when Peter and John were threatened by the authority for teaching about Jesus, remember? Then the authorities brought John and Peter up. They basically said, don't do this anymore. But when they were told, the Church joined together in prayer. And we read about that in Acts chapter four, verse 24 to 31. Acts, chapter four, verses 24 to 31. Where the story of Peter and John being threatened by the Church, what did the Church do? SPEAKER B 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 the sea and all that is in them, who by the mouth of your servant David had said, why did the nations rage? And why did the people plot a vain thing? The King of the Earth took their stand and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. 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 to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before you to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. SPEAKER C And did they speak? Let's just stop there. Did they speak boldness? They did. SPEAKER B Absolutely. SPEAKER C Peter and John spoke in boldness. And I love what they said in Acts chapter four, verse 24, the very first verse, when they heard that Peter and John were going up to the council, they raised their voices together in prayers to God. That was the secret. Now, later in the Book of Acts, we read about Peter being imprisoned by King Herod. He just killed James. James had been just put to death by the King, and when he saw this and it pleased the Jews, so the king got excited because the Jews were pleased when he put James to death. He had Peter arrested, and so his plan was to have him killed also. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Now when the believers heard about this, what did they do? We read the church was earnestly praying for God, for him. In Acts chapter twelve, verse five, it. SPEAKER B Says, Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. SPEAKER C So here the church united again to come together to pray because there was a problem. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C You know what amazed me though, about that whole story is they prayed for it. Okay, they prayed for it. What did Peter do that night? SPEAKER B Slept. Yeah, slept like a baby. But he was total confidence in God. SPEAKER C Slept like a was. Peter was a changed man, wasn't he? I mean, imagine if you were going to be executed tomorrow. How would you sleep tonight? SPEAKER B Yeah, I don't know how many people would be able to do that. But obviously the confidence that he's in God's hands and he's got nothing to fear. SPEAKER C He had the peace and the courage that God gave him that so we see that happen. And the church was earnestly praying for him because why were they doing this? They realized that united prayer was a powerful force against Satan's effort to stop the advancement of God's work. We also see Paul. He certainly understood the necessity of united prayer. You'd read many times throughout his writings. He requests the church to pray and unite and pray for him and the work he was doing for the Lord to pray for the advancement of the Gospel. One example is found in the second letter to believers in Corinth. So he writes of this wonderful deliverance of God they had experienced. Paul said in two Corinthians, chapter one, verses ten to eleven. SPEAKER B Okay. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us on him we have set our hope, and he will continue to deliver us as you help us by your prayers. Wow, that's powerful. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Did you just realize all the deadly perils that Paul got out of? How did he get out of them? SPEAKER B Through the prayers of many? SPEAKER C Yes. So if you're going through perils in your life, whether it's in the church or your home, then unite together with people and pray. That's what he's trying to tell us here. The Lord's trying to tell us to come together and pray. So Paul clearly understood that united prayers of many believers played a major role in the deliverance from Satan's efforts to stop them from doing the Lord's work. And without these united prayers Eddie and on Paul's behalf, satan would have triumphed. SPEAKER B Yeah, no doubt. SPEAKER C Christians uniting prayer together for one another and the advancement of God's work is necessary for victory over the enemy. Do you have any experiences? SPEAKER B Know, often we go out and we'll pray and ask for God's protection. I think there's many times just for other people saying look, we've had nothing traumatic but the Lord quite possibly could just be shielding people anyway. I remember as a kid we had been at church, we'd been praying just for God's protection. And back in those days in Africa, there was no rules about sitting on the back of a know, you could sit on the side of the need while people was driving. You didn't need seatbelts for everybody. I don't know if that's still the case there or not, but we were on the back of a ute and my sister was sitting on the side and she was fiddling being silly with the driver playing around and all that. And as we went around the corner, the momentum of the car was about to throw her off as we came around the corner and her legs went up in the end I could really see her hitting the ground. I was just sitting just a little distance from her on the back of the ute as well and somehow it was like angel pushed her back and she sat upright on the ute and then grabbed into the post scared to death. She really felt fearful because she almost fell off. But somehow God protected her and she didn't hit the pavement, she stayed on the ute contrary to the momentum of the car and going around the corner. SPEAKER C Let me tell you a story that I experienced back in 2013. We were at a camp meeting and every morning a group of us got together and started praying. We were going through the ten days prayers and Devotions to experience the Baptism Holy Spirit by Dennis Smith. Yes, we'd just released the book and I'd been praying for this devotional to be distributed and go out to God's people and we came together and we started praying also for that in the group. And interestingly, what happened was that the Fijian president at the time, one of the guys in there was Fijian. He told his president, he came and saw me and said got this hold of this book. He says, we need this book for all our pastors in Fiji. And I said, awesome. I said that's great. I said what about the people? I said can we get it to the people if we get a right price? He says, that would be awesome. And so I left it at that and we kept on praying as a group. Well, a week later I get a call from the president of the conference. And he says, I'm running evangelistic meetings in July. I want you to go over to Fiji and preach for ten days right around, all around churches in Fiji to get them to come together and unite together, to pray for the baptism Holy Spirit, but to go through the ten days devotional, but also to pray for the evangelistic meetings. See, normally in the past they'd done newspaper ads and letterbox droppings and all these man made ways, and he says, let's do this one on prayer. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So they went out and all the churches came together in prayer. And I went over there and every night I saw people praying, uniting. I saw them forgiving one another in churches. This is every night. It was like Pentecost every night. It was the most incredible experience of my life. And what happened is I heard at the end, when they prayed, the evangelistic meetings that our conference presidents ran in Fiji in 2013. They had more baptisms than they'd ever had before from any other campaign. SPEAKER B And that just shows the power of. SPEAKER C Prayer, because they united together and prayed that God would pour out his spirit on the evangelistic meetings and also on the people. They started praying for people to invite to come to evangelistic meetings. And it said it was the most they ever had. SPEAKER B Praise the Lord. SPEAKER C And I'm seeing this happen time after time where people and churches pray together. SPEAKER B Come together to pray. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C They'll see greater results. So there's a clear example. And from that 5010 days prayers and devotions to experience the Baptist holies where Denis Smith went to all of Fiji, it was just amazing, just amazing. So, you know, I could tell you many other stories like that, that I've been around the world where people have prayed together and just seen incredible things happen. Yes, credible things happen. So we know that the early church was built on prayer. Now, what about Christians of the past? We're going to look in a minute of what Christians in the past, and I just want to give you one. How many Christians throughout the centuries have testified to the necessity of united prayer praying for the same thing? Let's read in the Testimonies for the church. Volume seven, page 236. What Ellen White says about United Prayer. SPEAKER B It is God's purpose that men entrusted with responsibility should counsel and pray together in Christian unity. In unity, there is life, a power that can be obtained in no other way. There will be a vast power in the church when the energies of the members are united under the control of the Spirit, then will God be able to work mightily through his people for the conversion of sinners. SPEAKER C Wow. Did you notice that last part? Then will God be able to work mightily through his people for the conversion of sinners. Yeah, but what did he say? First, she states, there is life and power in united prayer in the spirit that is experienced in no other way. You see, united prayer is powerful force for the advancement of God's work. If we united in our churches and prayed together, for example, for 40 days or ten days or whatever, 50 days before we ever did anything, we would see God's power in a mighty and more powerful way than we just go and do things in our man made ways. We just go and do it through our own efforts and ways and all the ideas we have. Instead of coming together and pray to God, god, you do something, you do something. I just think it'd be awesome. SPEAKER B We come together here on every morning and pray together at three ABN. And then we also just before lunch at 12:20, we all come together and we separate in little groups then and pray. We pray in twos and threes, but we have our corporate prayer as well. And when we come back from the break, I will tell you some answered prayers from our corporate prayer just in the last few months. SPEAKER D Oh, awesome. SPEAKER C Ian. SPEAKER B Okay, we'll be right back. To purchase this and other CDs, visit our online store at three AB. Naustralia.org Au. SPEAKER C This is a sample from Henry Higgins playing I Will Follow Thee from his. SPEAKER B CD near to the heart. Welcome back to you shall receive power. And you are with Colin Hone. And I'm Etienne McClintock. Now, just before the break we were talking about uniting together in prayer, and we do pray a fair bit here at three ABN, individually, in small groups, and collectively as well. And for the last number of months we've actually been praying that God would help expand our reach and our footprint so we can share the gospel, the good news of salvation. We can also have these programs go to a larger audience. So as far as FM stations and FM affiliates and having God work on the hearts and minds of people who want to support us in this way and become a licensee for an FM station. And we also prayed the same for expanding our reach on three airbnb, because we're only on satellite at the moment. And God has really answered our prayer in a remarkable way. As of the beginning of July, God has actually expanded our reach now into free to air television for those remote areas that can't get a terrestrial signal. In other words, they may have an antenna on their roof, but they can't pick it up. So even in cities there's some pockets where they can't pick it up with an antenna, so then they can actually reach it by satellite. And this is a government sponsored program called Vast. Now, we have just been added to the Vast program. We are the only Christian television station that's on Vast at the moment, right beside ABC and SBS and also the other free to air channels like Channel. Seven, nine and ten and so forth, and all their affiliates. So we're really excited about that. But that is an answer to prayer. Now, I've been praying this prayer individually by myself, and we've also prayed it collectively as a group that God would expand our reach for FM. And as I've been praying this all of a sudden, just in the last few weeks has dawned on me. When we started praying for this, around about February this year, we only had about 43 stations on our website. At the moment, we are around about 100 stations, FM channels and a couple of Am stations as well, that is broadcasting our messages in Australia and New Zealand. SPEAKER C So you've gone in six months or so? SPEAKER B Yeah, well, less than six months, yeah. SPEAKER C You came together as a group and you started unitedly praying to expand the Three ABN radio programs. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C And you had 42 affiliated stations and now you have over 100. SPEAKER B That's right, correct. Praise God and counting. So God is adding continuously. And the interesting thing is, with the Vast program, they have between 3000 homes being added to the Vast system every month. SPEAKER C So right now you started praying again for the television programs on Three ABN. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And now Vast has opened the door where there's over 310,000 households, there's about. SPEAKER B A million or so people who have direct access to this instantly since we've gone on Vast at the beginning of July of 2017. SPEAKER C So what I'd like to put out then, Eddie, and if I may so bold, is I like to put out to our listeners if you would join three ABN every morning and start praying specifically together. Remember uniting to pray for the same thing that those 320 or 10,000 homes that now have vast television, for example, that they god will put it on their hearts to actually go and listen or watch channel what channel is it on? SPEAKER B Channel six three on Vast. SPEAKER C So 603. That God will direct them to go and watch channel 603. So can you imagine if our Three ABN listeners on radio, we united in prayer and started praying, for example, that God will press upon those 310,000 families to start watching Three ABN on Vast? Six oh three on six three. And also that God will put it on people's hearts who have access to the radio stations, 100 radio affiliate stations, that God will put it on people's hearts to start listening to Three ABN. SPEAKER B Radio if they can pray for them to listen. And also God will expand our footprint because we're only scratching the surface. Still, as far as radio stations are concerned in Australia, and there's many people with lots of stations, some people own 100 or 200 stations that God may even impress their hearts, because God says there in Ecclesiastes, chapter Two, verse 26, that he gives the gathering, collecting to those people who are secular minded. But then later the spirit of god moves on them and they give it to God's people so they can proclaim their message. So I'm looking forward to that day when God will actually give us a big chunk of FM affiliate stations that we can spread the gospel around. And dear listener, if you are going to join us in prayer, by all means just send us a note on our Facebook page or you can even send us an email or just ring us and let us know that you are praying for us. We would love to hear from you and we'd like to give you an update on this program as it goes on as well. SPEAKER C Now, what time are you specifically praying, Eddie, and for the Vast television program so that people will listen, to watch it, and to get more radio footprint across Australia, et cetera, what time are you praying for that every morning? SPEAKER B Well, as a group, as a group we pay between eight and 815 in the morning. SPEAKER C So if you're available and you can now, you might be driving, you might be at home, you could be at work. But at that time, between eight and 815, when three Aben are praying for those specific needs, if you could join us, then we'll be fulfilling the promise. Where God says, when we unite together in prayer, there is power. And let's see what God does. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And maybe later down the track, we can report back to the listeners what God has actually has done. SPEAKER B Absolutely. SPEAKER C Because of our united prayer between eight and 815 every morning to pray specifically that God will increase the footprint on radio and television for Three ABN. That he will specifically impress upon hearts to go to channel 603 on Vast and listen to watch Three ABN and also to listen to on the hundred radio programs that Three ABN is broadcasting right now throughout. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B And also if you're busy at eight to 815 and you can't do it, we also pray at 12:20 every single day. SPEAKER C So 12:20 and 815, if you can pray with us, that would just be awesome and let's see what God will do. SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER C And we'll report back and we're going. SPEAKER B To report sometimes tells us to test me in these things and see if I will not open the storehouses and the floodgates of heaven. SPEAKER C I know he's going to do something, I know that few people praying. And now we put it out to our radio listeners, if you start praying with us, I know that God will hear and answer our prayers and I'm excited to see what he's about to do. That's exciting news. SPEAKER D So am I. SPEAKER B Praise God. SPEAKER C So many blessings come from united prayer as we've seen and testified in our own lives and some of the examples we've just given. And so many blessings await those who choose to unite with fellow believers in prayer. And the desire to pray is dependent on the participants, the more we pray, the more we desire to pray. It's almost like a drug. The more we pray, the more we desire to pray. Isn't it incredible? SPEAKER B Yes, that is incredible. SPEAKER C And we learn how to pray more effectively from participating with experienced prayer warriors, too. When we come together and pray in groups, we learn how to pray as well. SPEAKER B That's true. SPEAKER C You know, Jesus'prayer life had a power effect on his disciples. The disciples observed Jesus that he was a man of prayer. They sensed that his effectiveness in ministry was related to his prayer life. Yes, they saw all these Jesus was always in prayer and then they saw the powerful ministry of Jesus. So I remember one day they asked Jesus, teach them to pray in Luke, chapter eleven, verse one. We've covered this before about they asked him how to pray. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER B It says now, it came to pass as he was praying. So this is Jesus praying. So they're observing him praying in a certain place. When he ceased that, one of his disciples said to him, lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Wow. SPEAKER C So they came. And I love what Ellen White says in Christ object Lessons, page 140. Christ Object Lessons, page 140. She says that Christ's disciples were much impressed by his prayers and by his habit of communion with God. One day, after a short absence from their Lord, this is Ellen White commenting about the disciples coming to Jesus. They found him absorbed in supplication in prayer. Seemingly unconscious of their presence, he continued praying loud. The hearts of the disciples were deeply moved as he ceased praying, they exclaimed, Lord, teach us to pray. And then he gave them that wonderful prayer. Our Father and who art in heaven, that wonderful prayer. And then the illustration of the neighbor going to his neighbor and asking for bread to give to his friend. And then the beautiful prayer where Jesus illustrated that he was praying for the Holy Spirit power, and then says to them, ask six times, seek a couple of times. He's saying, this is the reason I'm filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray for the bread of life to give to others. Remember that quote where it says daily he received a fresh baptism, Holy Spirit, that he might impart grace to others. That's what he was praying for. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C To impart grace to others through the Holy Spirit. And I love also what Charles Finley wrote as well in Principles of Prayer, page 98. Can you read that for us? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B Nothing is more calculated to beget a spirit of prayer than to unite in social prayer with one who has the Spirit himself. SPEAKER C That's exciting. At our local church, we have started January this year. We're going through the 50 days prayers and devotions to prepare for the latter rain and Christ's return. So we're doing one day per week? SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C We come together, go through the devotional and we've got like between anywhere between eight and twelve people from the church turning up every week. And we're going through the devotional and praying and I'm just noticing this wonderful fellowship developing through coming together and praying together. And we're seeing prayers answered as we pray together, united in group. It's just been an amazing experience. And so I really encourage churches out there to get the 50 Days Prayers and Devotions by Dennis Smith and start a small group and go through it once a week and start praying for your church's needs. And I guess that brings me to the point that this United prayer brings unity. SPEAKER B Yes, it does bring unity. SPEAKER C It brought unity to the early disciples. It says they were one accord. It brought unity to the early church. It says how many times they were one accord because they were praying together and fellowshipping together. SPEAKER B As we draw closer to Christ, we naturally draw closer to each other as well. We become more like Jesus. SPEAKER C That's right. So United prayer promotes unity and love for one another. When we have fellowship and pray together, we will come to truly know and care for one another. And we see that again in the Book of Acts. We see Christians praying together often. And in chapter four, verses 21 to 32, we read that how this united prayer fellowship affected their attitude towards one another. We read like of this deep love and concern for each other that developed. So what happens? They're praying and what is the fruit of the Spirit love? So let's read what they said in Acts chapter four, verse 24 to 32. SPEAKER B So when they heard that, they raised their voices to God with one accord and said, lord, you are God who made heaven and earth a sea, and all that is in them, who by the mouth of your servant David have said, why did the nations rage? Why did the people plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand. The rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ, for truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate and the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. And verse 32, verse 32 says, now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. SPEAKER C Wow. They shared everything they had. SPEAKER D Yes, there was. SPEAKER C A spirit of generosity comes from uniting together in prayer. Can you imagine? You started doing that church. A spirit of generosity is the outflow of uniting in prayer together in fellowship. And so we see an effect of loving fellowship, genuine concern for one another. And also we read about the advancement of God's work. And we read in Acts chapter four, verse 33. Acts, chapter four, verse 33. What happened? SPEAKER B With great power, the apostles continued to testify of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. SPEAKER C This was the result of praying together. The fruits. There's fruits? Yes, there's fruits. And I love again, I just love Evangelist Charles Finney. What he said in Principles of Prayer, page 98. What does he say there, Eddie? In Principles of Prayer. Page 98. SPEAKER B Nothing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than praying together. Never do they love one another so well as when they witness the outpouring of each other's hearts in prayer. SPEAKER C Do you see the amazing how our church can be? That's why I love that Ellen White says a revival will only come in answer to prayer. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And so as we come together and pray, we see revival love one another. Prayer of supplication. And as we come together, our faith is strengthened. And you know why? Because more prayers are answered right. And the faith of a more mature Christian strengthens the weaker faith of the younger believer as well. So the weaker believers come together with the stronger believers, and their faith will be strengthened. And I believe united prayer is necessary if we want to experience revival in our personal lives, in our church. And again, as I just quoted in Selective Messages, book One, page 121, ellen White says a revival need to be expected only in answer to prayer. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C So if you want to have a revival in your home, in your churches, in your workplace, wherever you are, then come together and start praying together, and you will see a revival happening. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C I love what Ruben Tori, he was a late 18 hundreds to early 19 hundreds, gave the following he was a revivalist. His name was Ruben Tory, a famous revivalist. He said there were three basic requirements for revival. Okay, three basic requirements. The first one, he said, is the first step. He says, Let a few Christians get thoroughly right with God. If this is not done, the rest will come to nothing. So get right with God. And that talks about reconciliation. There's a lovely story. I just met the president of the Union in Papua New Guinea, and he was on an island over there that was Bougainville, which there was much division and problems and war, and he was the president there. And he prayed for 30 days, him and his wife. He was telling this story last weekend to me. He says, we prayed for 30 days, just my wife and I. When we became president, when he became president, what God wanted him to do. And after 30 days of prayer and his wife prayed for 30 days, he went to his wife and says, what has God revealed to you? And she says, God's revealed to me that we need to pray for reconciliation. He says, that's what God's been telling him. And so they started going out and doing presentations throughout Boganville on reconciliation. And what he told me was families were reunited, villages were reunited, even churches that were split reunited because they were fighting with each other. And even the government now is getting on board and saying, hey, you guys, can you go and do reconciliation? Because the message of the gospel is about reconciliation. SPEAKER D Yes, it is. SPEAKER C And so he told me about this, and now he's become the union of the whole Papua New Guinea. He's in charge of the church in Papua New Guinea for the 7th day Adventist Church. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C And he now is doing reconciliation, and he's saying there's more baptisms coming, more tithe, more joy family. The same thing's happening right throughout Papua New Guinea. And so they're focusing on that as prayer and revival of a message of reconciliation. SPEAKER B That's beautiful. So those three things you mentioned there, the first one, as you just mentioned, people that get right with God and then the rest will come, and if they don't do this, it will come to nothing. Then you also said there that they are to bind themselves together in prayer for revival until God opens the windows of heaven and comes down to earth. SPEAKER C So that was the second that was. SPEAKER B The second one, yes, that he said. SPEAKER C Let them bind themselves together. That means come together in groups, pray for revival, and keep praying for revival until God opens windows of heaven and comes down earth. Just like elijah had to go pray six, seven times, didn't he? SPEAKER D Yeah. SPEAKER B I was part of a church in Melbourne, and I remember there were some challenges, there was some infighting. As know, people had different views on theology and different disagreements. And we had a time of prayer. We're leading up to it that we had a program on a Monday night, a Wednesday night, and a Friday night before we to take communion at Sabbath morning. We broke off into little groups, and we had little prayers as well, one with another. And before we started the communion service, there was people confessing sins to one another. There were even some people in tears. The Spirit of God came down in a mighty way, and people made confession to one another. And when we took a communion, that was the most beautiful communion I've ever been part of. People were united together in harmony with God and with one another. But that only came in answer to prayers. The church got together and prayed for that to happen. SPEAKER C And the Spirit of the Lord moved upon hearts and softened people's hearts. SPEAKER D Yes. SPEAKER C To come together and forgive one another. That's amazing. I love what Leviticus, Chapter 26, verse eight says leviticus, Chapter 26, verse eight. SPEAKER B Says, five of you will chase 101, hundred of you will chase 10,000, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. SPEAKER C So he's talking this literally here, but it's talking about prayer. We unite together. We started off this chapter. We're in a great spiritual warfare against Satan. And his evil host. We're not wrestling against what flesh and. SPEAKER B Flesh and blood, but principalities and powers. SPEAKER C Our war is not against each other. Our war is against Satan's evil angels. However, we have nothing to fear. Christ gained the victory over him at the cross. Eddie, that victory becomes a reality in our lives through prayer. SPEAKER B That's right. But Jesus said, in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world and I love it. SPEAKER C United Prayer will bring the greatest victories for United Prayer multiplies prayer's effectiveness. Just like where it says five will chase 100, a hundred will chase 10,000, and your animals will fall by a scythe. That's why we're excited for our viewers to join us in prayer, to take this message even further. Yes, far and wide. And I love what that? The Charles Spurgeon. He's one of my favorite preachers and writers. He wrote this in the treasury of the Bible, volume three, page 268. Do you want to read that? Idiot. SPEAKER B If one Jacob can prevail over a wrestling angel, what can two do? What victory would come to two joined in the same wrestling. One of you shall chase a 1002, put 10,000 to flight. There is accumulated power and united intercession two do not only double the force, but multiply it tenfold. God grant to each of us a praying partner. SPEAKER C Well, that's awesome. And even in our local church, we've been praying for revival now for six months. Yes, we've been praying for revival and praying and we're starting to see the fruits. We've been praying to God to send more children and there's people turning up. SPEAKER B With children, children, praise God. SPEAKER C As a church is starting to fill up. People are coming. We've got now a little ministry where we're taking videos of the sermons and then putting them out on YouTube. And so you can see the fruits of a revival coming from prayer. SPEAKER B Praise the Lord. SPEAKER C You know, idiot. Satan fears more than anything else a praying Christian. Satan fears praying Christians more than an active Christian, working Christian. He also fears Christians who unite together in prayer more than he fears believers who remain isolated and alone in their battle with him. So I really encourage come together in small groups, start going to your prayer nights. If your church has a prayer night, come together on prayer night and start praying and watch what God will do. So it's vital that we determine we become more than individual prayer warriors and we are to pray individually. There is a time for that early in the morning where we pray individually, but there's also a time for genuine fellowship, of Christian fellowship, where we can partner up with prayer, with fellow believers. I believe when we do this, we will see victories in our own lives as never previous experience. I don't think United Prayer is an option for those who want to be ready for Christ's return. I believe it's a necessity. Even jesus says, Pray for what? The harvest? SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER C He says, the harvest is great. Pray for the workers to go in the he says, Pray for that. So I'm pretty excited about the possibilities of what's going to happen as we unite together and pray. Eddie and yeah, I agree with you as well. SPEAKER B We've covered a few topics on prayer so far, and there's got a few more to come. But that first one, there the importance of prayer and persevering prayer, where we've got to take our positions to the Lord. And even if we don't have our prayer answered immediately, god sometimes, through the process, is strengthening our faith. He wants us to rely not on our feelings, not on the fact that there appears to be a delay, but on the fact that he wants us to persevere in prayers, that he can answer our prayers, so we got to be persevering. And then the second part we looked at, and that was the previous lesson was in regards to praying in the Spirit. And when God prompts your mind and says, look, you need to pray now, learn to listen to that. I've had to learn the hard way. Sometimes I just feel impressed. I need to pray and I go, Look, I'll do that in a half an hour. I've just got something else to do. And, you know, typically what happens. You get busy, you've got your day planned out, but then your day gets disturbed, it gets all messed up, all your plans go out the window, and before you know it, it's the end of the day. And you've gone through some things that you weren't mentally prepared for, spiritually prepared for, quite simply because, well, in my case, I had not listened to the promptings of the spirit. So now when the Lord lays it upon me, if I am able to put something aside, I'm not dealing with someone, I'm just working on my own, I immediately go, I spend that time in prayer. And then quite often things come across my desk or I get phone calls, which I'm spiritually prepared for. The Lord had prepared me before the time to deal with that issue, to give me sometimes wisdom when you're dealing with someone else, just to give them a word of encouragement or whatever the issue may be, simply because I'm learning. And I'm still learning to follow the promptings of the Spirit to pray when I need to pray, and then secondly, also to pray for people. When a name pops into my head, especially while I'm praying, I spend some time praying for them because I know that in the past, my name has popped into other people's heads and they've prayed for me at a time when I needed it, when I wasn't even praying for myself. SPEAKER C That's so true. When the Holy Spirit prompts you to pray, there's a reason he's doing it. And I want to give right at the we're in the living in the last days and we know what's coming upon this world when we read the Book of Revelations and Daniel. We've read that in the book Great Controversy, page 636. You want to note that God's people will be uniting in prayer for deliverance and God will recognize their prayers by encircling them with his rainbow of promise. I'm just going to read this quickly. It says this is what it says and Ellen White wrote this in the Great Controversy. This is right at the end, just before Jesus returns. She describes in the following way with shouts of triumph jeering in appreciation, throngs of evil men are about to rush upon their prey. So here's the thing where wicked people are going to attack God's people. Yes, they blame God's people for all the problems that are happening in the world just like Ahab blamed Elijah for all the natural disasters were happening in his day, the drought and the rain, everything. And so they're blaming God's people and it says and listen what happens. Throngs of evil men are about to rush in upon the prey. Then lo. A dense darkness, deeper than the darkness of the night falls upon the earth. Then a rainbow shining with the glory from the throne of God spans the heavens and seems to encircle each praying company. SPEAKER D Wow. SPEAKER C Did you just notice that, that God's people will be in praying companies? He says a rainbow will circle them. The angry molders are suddenly arrested. Their mocking cries die away. The object of their murderous rage are forgotten. With fearful forebodings they gaze upon the symbol of God's covenant and long to be shouldn't from its overpowering brightness. Wow, that is god's people will be in companies praying together for deliverance at the end. So why don't we start praying now? SPEAKER D Amen. SPEAKER B That's right. Well, dear listener, we don't know what all your circumstances are, but some of you might be by yourself and it's appropriate to spend time in prayer by yourself. But one of the things you can do is ask God to bring a prayer partner into your life as well so you can pray together. And maybe it's not just one person. It could be more if you like. Maybe you should go and look at find a church as a praying church and join their prayer meetings and spend time in prayer and devotions. Because as we just studied and as we read from scripture where one or two come together to pray, it's not an increase of just two or three, it's a multiplication. We as human beings work on addition, but God works on multiplication. Praise God and he will bless you or bless your efforts and he will bless your prayers and your petitions and requests if you have other people praying for exactly the same thing, unite together in harmony, praying and presenting your petitions to God. Thank you Colin. For leading out in our study of prayer and the power of prayer and praying together in unity. Now our study comes from the book 50 Days Prayers and Devotionals to prepare for the latter rain and Christ return by Pastor Dennis Smith. If you'd like a copy of that book, you're welcome to go to your nearest Adventist Book Center. Or if you don't have an Adventist Book Center nearby, you're welcome to contact us here and we're happy to send that book on to you. Is it $5? SPEAKER C Colin? Only $5. SPEAKER B $5 and then it's plus postage and handling. And we still have the other book available by Helmut Haubeil, which is Steps. SPEAKER C To Personal Revival being filled with the Holy Spirit. We've distributed 600,000 of the steps of person revival in 28 different languages worldwide in the last year or two. SPEAKER B Oh, praise the Lord. SPEAKER C It's an incredible book on revival and praying for the Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B I know some people have just read the book recently who were really impressed by the book. They can't get enough of these books and telling other people to get the same book and use it for their own devotional. So we pray that God will bless you today as we have prayed for you and we'll continue to pray for you. And pray that you will pray for us as well. And remember our special prayer request to pray for the expansion and that people would tune into the vast system 603 on the channel to watch Three ABN and also that people would tune into our FM stations scattered around Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific. And also we pray and ask that you would join us in prayer to ask for God to expand the reach of our FM footprint. SPEAKER C And what time is that? SPEAKER B That is at eight to 815 every Monday to Friday, and then we also have prayer at 1220 every day just before we have our lunch. So may God bless you, dear listener. And if you would like more information, or you would just like to get in touch with us, to tell us you're praying for us, or you have special prayer requests, you're welcome to phone us on. You can email us, you can send an email to [email protected]. Or if you're on Facebook, you can like our Facebook page. It is Three ABN Australia Radio and on that Facebook page you can even send us a note. So dear listener, we pray that God will bless you, that he will keep you, and we look forward to catching up with you next time. SPEAKER B To a production of Three ABN Australia Radio.