Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Mt 17:21, see also 2 Chr 7:14; Joel 1:14; 2:12-18: Mt 6:17-18; 17:19-21; 21:13; Mk 11:17; Acts 1:14; 2:1, 4:30-31)
It is God’s heart purpose that His people relate to Him in powerful corporate prayer and repentance. In both Biblical Testaments, God clearly commands His people to walk in powerful personal and corporate prayer with biblical fasting. Corporate prayer is an absolutely crucial expression of the Christ’s body in manifest power. Without exception, every Old Testament revival came by fervent corporate prayer and deep repentance. In the New Testament, Jesus clearly commanded His Church to be a “house of (corporate) prayer.” (Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17) The early Church was saturated with powerful corporate prayer and repentance. (Acts 1:4, 12: 2:1, 37-47: 4:29-31, 5:1-5) Both Testaments reveal the utter necessity of believers and leaders prioritizing personal and corporate prayer. Throughout Scripture, powerful corporate prayer is closely connected to God’s manifest presence.
Beyond question, the pattern of deep corporate prayer was also central in historic spiritual awakenings. In virtually every great awakening, personal and corporate prayers (with periodic fasting) were utterly crucial.* So were special times of church-wide repentance. Since powerful corporate prayer, repentance and fasting are God’s requirements for sweeping revival, why would any generation think these could be marginalized or ignored? Yet tragically that is exactly what current generations have done! Because few modern pastors have been taught urgency of leading powerful corporate prayer meetings, most neglect this all-important biblical essential. However, we must pray for our pastors as they have had little encouragement or training in leading corporate prayer. Yet, there is great hope of change. A growing remnant of pastors is embracing powerful corporate prayer! We must pray for their number to explode upward. A growing remnant is definitely awakening to these most crucial elements.
In emphasizing corporate prayer, I also mention biblical fasting as an often neglected key to powerful God-seeking prayer. I mention fasting for one reason — it is the undeniable pattern of Scripture and history! While fasting can certainly be over-emphasized and misused, it is nonetheless a direct command of God in several key texts. Jesus clearly taught that His people would fast. In both the life of Jesus and the early Church, Spirit-led fasting was unquestionably very significant. (Mt 4:2, 6:17-18; Acts 10:30, 13:2-3, 14:23, 27:33; 2 Cor 6:5, 11:27)
Throughout all historic awakenings, prayer and fasting were unquestionably significant. It is also important to realize that fasting should often include activities other than eating (i.e. TV, Internet, hobbies, sports, etc.) While fasting must certainly be done only by God’s grace and leadership, it must nonetheless be done. Yet sadly, many in today’s self-indulging Church almost wholly ignore what all revival generations took seriously. Though fasting is not some legalistic requirement or magic gimmick, it is definitely a God-ordained element of powerful personal and corporate prayer. While prayer certainly does not always require fasting, it must at least receive serious emphasis.
Effective personal, corporate and family prayers are the primary ways believers abide in Christ and walk in spiritual power. Yet tragically, recent generations have seriously marginalized personal, family and corporate prayer. For individual believers, brief devotions and quick quiet times are promoted as a substitute for significant closet prayer. In most churches, family prayer time is either glossed over or wholly neglected. Activities, programs and strategies have become substitutes to corporate prayer and deep repentance. Few churches practice serious corporate prayer and fewer still embrace special times of church-wide repentance. These patterns are especially alarming because serious prayer and repentance are utterly essential to spiritual power and revival. In most churches, it has been decades since they embraced church-wide cleansing, solemn assembly or true revival.
It is crucial to realize that personal, family and corporate prayer are not options. These are the primary God-ordained means by which we humble ourselves and walk in spiritual power. They are the very essence of abiding in Christ’s powerful manifest presence. (Jn 15:4-5) To marginalize or neglect serious prayer is to walk in arrogance, disobedience and self-reliance. Personal and corporate prayers are crucial to developing victorious saints and empowered churches. In light of today’s de-emphasis of personal and corporate prayer, it is little wonder we have witnessed history’s worst moral and spiritual collapse. Yet, there is hope! Growing numbers are awakening to God’s primary paths for experiencing His manifest presence. Are you in that number? If not, you can be starting today! (See Appendix E for practical guide on personal, family and corporate prayer.)
- Lord, we praise You for Your desire to touch us through powerful prayer. Please forgive us for neglecting personal and corporate prayer and fasting. Forgive us for the pride of thinking we can function without significant time in Your presence. Pardon the arrogance of thinking activities and programs can substitute for powerful corporate prayer. Forgive us for also neglecting serious church-wide repentance. Lord, please fill us with the desire and wisdom to humble ourselves in corporate kingdom-focused prayer. Forgive us for neglecting regular times of family prayer and worship. Grant to us a burning passion for personal and family prayer. Cause us to embrace prayer that seeks Your face and kingdom, not mere earthly concerns. Teach us to be a house of prayer and repentance for the glory of Your name.
- Father, I repent of shallow personal and family prayer. I covenant to prioritize significant time in Your word and prayer. As a church, we commit to obey Your command to be a house of corporate prayer. We covenant to prioritize personal and corporate prayer.
(Praying God’s Heart in Times Like These! “A Covenant to Seek the Reviver Not Just Revival, © Dr. Gregory Frizzell, 2009, www.frizzellministries.org, www.masterdesign.org/frizzell.html, by permission from the author. Download Covenant)
