God is a relational God. He has designed us to be in relationship first with him and second with one another. Even from the beginning of creation, God created us for partnership. We are not meant to do life or ministry alone. Rather, he has designed us to work together to accomplish his Kingdom work. Jesus was always communicating with the Father, ministering in partnership with him. Jesus also gathered disciples to be in ministry and community with him. This allowed for Jesus to mentor and train his disciples. When the disciples were first given the power and authority to heal, Jesus sent them out in pairs. When we pray for healing, we are coming into agreement with Jesus just as he is aligned with the Father. Not only is our example to be aligned with him, but we are also encouraged to minister in partnership and alignment with others. God has promised to be with us when two or more are gathered in his name (Matthew 18:18-20). Praying in agreement with God and others creates a threefold cord that is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
A while back, there was a young lady asking for prayer because she had been suffering from a migraine for several days. My prayer partner and I were called to minister to her. As we began to pray for her, God put it on my heart to address the pain from a healing standpoint and I commanded the pain to leave in Jesus’ name. She began to feel some relief. Then my prayer partner felt prompted to pray for the stress she had been carrying on her shoulders and led her in giving the burden she was never meant to carry back to God. The pain left all together. God had given one piece of her healing to me and another to my prayer partner. He used our partnership to bring full healing.
When we pray with others, it ushers in the presence of God. He promises to give us what we ask when we pray in agreement with one another (Matthew 18:19). Ministering with another bears witness and creates accountability. When one is discouraged or is struggling to muster up faith, the other can lift him up. Praying in community creates greater opportunity to encourage, exhort, and lift one another up. Two can combine their faith and their spiritual gifts. We see in part, but God sees in whole. We get a bigger picture of what God is doing when we pray together. In partnerships, God multiplies what we can do on our own.
Listening Prayer:
Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to pray in partnership with others. Ask him to reveal what steps you need to take to find community to minister with.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I want to be used by you to bring healing to others. I know you have created me to do so in community. Train me to work well with others. Bring the right people along side me, mentor me, and bring to me people I can help raise up. Holy Spirit, grow us as a community of prayer warriors at Bridgeway, who come together in agreement to bring about your will on earth as it is in heaven. Help us to combine the gifts you have given each one of us, to hear your voice and minister to those who need to be healed and set free. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resource: Bible Verses on Praying in Agreement
“Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:18-20)
“And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits…So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.” (Mark 6:7,12-13)
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:1-2)
Worship Song:
“I Speak Jesus” by Charity Gayle/Steven Musso