What Happens When the Church Prays

Throughout history (especially the history of the early church), we see instances where the church prayed and, as a result, changed the course of nature. If the effectual, fervent prayers of one righteous man avail much, how much more the prayers of a righteous church? The first time a group of believers gathered together to pray, the Holy Ghost descended and empowered them to preach the gospel of Jesus unabashedly. From that one event, about three thousand people were converted to Christianity. The spiritual revolution was so massive that the government of that era (the Roman Empire) sought to quell the tide by killing the apostles who were at the forefront of it. King Herod killed James and motioned to arrest and imprison Peter, too. He imprisoned Peter, intending to execute him after the festive season of the Passover, but the church quickly rose to action. They took the matter to God and prayed, specifically, for Peter’s release because they knew that his death would devastate the early church.

In light of this, the book of Acts chapter 12 verse 5 reports that “the church prayed fervently to God for Peter”. Another version of the same scripture states that “prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for Peter”. After meditating on this scripture for a while, it became clear to me that there are three things to be gleaned from the story. The church prayed fervently, ceaselessly, and in unity for Peter–– and, in no time, Peter was released from Herod’s bondage. His release was so instantaneous, surreal, and miraculous that even when he went to show himself to the church (which was still praying for him), they thought they had seen a ghost. On the other hand, King Herod, who tried to stop the church, ended up dying a pitiful death. All of this shows us that when the church prays or when the church goes to war against evil forces, supernatural things happen. However, as we learn in the case of the early church, three things must characterize the church’s prayer for it to walk in the supernatural: unity, fervency, and persistence.

Unity: Just as it did in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, the church, in one accord, came together to pray for Peter. The church prayed with one voice and one mind. There were no divisions or petty fights among them, so the spirit of God was able to dwell in and speed up their prayers. Today, the prayer of the church gets hindered when/if there is no unity. Paul, after all, reminds the church at Ephesus to make effort at keeping the unity of spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). The Psalmist also talks about how beautiful and pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1). The devil only has access to a church divided against itself, but when the church unites in holiness, the devil crouches down in defeat and the miraculous becomes the norm.

Fervency: We are told in the book of Acts that the church prayed fervently for Peter. Fervency is another word for “passionate intensity”. Unfortunately, today, not a lot of people pray with fervency. Those who do are sometimes judged for being ‘extra’ and over-dramatic. Of course, praying with fervency does not always mean jumping up and down or even crying a river–– although, depending on context and culture, it can sometimes mean exactly that–– it simply means praying from the heart. Even Jesus prayed with intensity, so much so that the book of Luke recounts how “His sweat became like drops of blood”. So, let no one deceive you, there is a place for intensity, passion, and fervency in prayer.

Persistence: Lastly, we are told that the church prayed unceasingly for Peter. They prayed so much that Peter came back to meet them while they were still praying for him. A church that gives up too quickly on its prayer requests will not go very far. Importunity is the secret of any triumphant church. Jesus himself enjoins us to ask until our joy is full. This is what we see in the story of the early church. They prayed until the heavens opened. They prayed until the clouds disappeared and the yoke was broken. They prayed, without stopping, until things turned around and the supernatural became the norm. They forever changed the world through unceasing and importunate prayers.

The Word of God Sanctifies

Jesus tells his disciples that the words He speaks to them are spirit and life (John 6: 63). The author of Hebrews also reminds us that the word of God is powerful and that it can pierce the soul and penetrate the spirit (Hebrews 4:12). Also in the letters of Paul to the Corinth, he made it clear to the Corinthians that the words of God are not mere letters but spirit-filled epistles (2 Corinthians 3:6). However, what strikes me about the power of the Word of God is its ability to sanctify. We find this instantiation of the sanctifying power of the word of God in John 15 where Jesus declared to his listeners, right after preaching about the vine and the branches, that: “Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (13).

Additionally, Jesus understands the sanctifying power of the word so much so that one of his last prayers for his disciples is that God will sanctify them through His Word (sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth, John 17:17). If the word of God is true, then knowing the truth sets us free from the bondage of sin. The daily encounter with, and application of, this truth to our lives exposes the darkness that hides in the recesses of our minds, purges us of uncleanness, and makes us fit for the master’s use. Little wonder, then, that Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesians by praying that the church be sanctified and cleansed “with the washing of water by the word” (Ephesians 5:26).

Whenever we open our hearts to receive the word, whether through the reading of the scripture or listening to a sermon, it mixes with faith within us and produces in us the fruits of the spirit. The more time we spend meditating on the word of God, the more regenerated we become. The more time we spend praying over the word of God, the more it transforms us, consciously and unconsciously, into the image of God. I actually do not know anyone who spends time with the word of God (in sincerity and humility) and is not changed by it.

By and large, the word of God is an indispensable need on the journey of instantaneous and gradual sanctification. The word of God purifies, but we need to daily engage with it and meditate on it so that it can do its cleansing work in our lives.

Good Tree, Good Fruit

I love homes that are decorated with plants. I love the idea of collecting indoor plants, but I have not actively sought to beautify my home with them. This is partly because I am afraid that I would not be a great houseplants custodian. However, things changed last year when my friend, a plant lover, was relocating to Europe and decided to give me one of his most treasured plants, a lemon verbena plant. I was reluctant to collect this plant at first, but I was eventually sold when this friend (let’s call him Theo) told me that the plant was not simply for decorative purposes but that I could make my tea from it leaves. The lemon plant was in great shape when Theo gave it to me. In fact, he personally brought the plant to my home and helped me to find the best spot to place it in my living room. For a few months, the lemon plant grew with so much grace and needless to say that I thoroughly enjoyed making lemon tree from its leaves. However, after about three months, it stopped producing leaves. At first, I thought this was due to the change in season, but when the situation persisted for about half a year, I contacted Theo (now in Europe) for help. I did everything he instructed me to do. In fact, I watched so many Youtube clips on how to take care of a lemon plant but, one year later, the situation remained the same. I became so frustrated and thought of disposing the plant because it was starting to become an eye-sore in my living room.

Even though the situation cannot be compared, the frustration I felt from my barren (lemon) plant helped me get a renewed understanding of and appreciation for Jesus’ words when he said: “I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener. Every branch that does not produce he removes” (John 15:1-2). Or when John the Baptist motioned that “every tree that does not bring good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire” (Matt 3:10). Again, while I am neither the gardener nor the vine owner referred to in these passages, my journey as a plant keeper helped me to understand God’s point of view when He says that every tree that does not bear fruit will be cut down and cast into fire. First, let us bear in my mind that the gardener in these scriptures invested so much in the trees. He regularly cultivated, watered, and trimmed them, all with the hope that they would yield return. In fact, in another scripture (Luke 13:7), we are told that the gardener was so patient with a particular tree that he gave it a whole three years for it to blossom; yet, the tree refused to bear fruits.

Jesus is the vine, God is the gardener, and we (Christians) are the trees (John 15:1). From the point of salvation, we are given a mandate to bear fruits. If you look at the entire Bible, good and fruit-bearing trees have always been a metaphor for a godly (Christian) living. Just like the trees in the Bible passages, Christians are planted on the earth to blossom, shine light to the dark world, bring value to others, and most importantly, give glory to God. So, what use is a Christian life if it cannot be known by the world through the fruit it bears?

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them (Matt 7:16-20).

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Failure to bear fruits is failure to bring good returns on God’s investment in your life. Moreover, the problem with the metaphorical tree is not only that it does not bear fruit but that, many a times, it also produces corrupt fruits. Therefore, to not bear corrupt fruits at all or to bear corrupt fruits is to live an unproductive Christian life. To live an unproductive life is to be unable to prove, by the life you live, that you are a disciple of Christ. Conversely, to live a productive Christian life is to actively pursue God, implicitly obey his words, serve him with your time and resources, serve others selflessly, and most importantly, boldly share your faith with others. A fruit-bearing Christian life also reflects in your character as well as your prayer and devotional life.

As it is with everything in life, there is a consequence for unfruitful Christian living. While God is patient and while he puts us in circumstances and environments that can help us to grow and bear fruits, He won’t forever tolerate our lack of productivity. Every tree that does not bear fruit will eventually be “hewn down” and “cast into fire”. On the other hand, He nourishes the tree that bears fruit so that it can produce more. In there, we have only two options here: (1) bear fruits and be nurtured to produce more, (2) do not bear fruit and risk being cursed, cut off, and condemned to eternal damnation. The choice is ours.

My lemon plant has now been demoted from the esteemed position it occupies in my living, although I am still hoping and praying that it comes back to life again. Some other friend who is aware of my love for plants recently got me a Classic Orchid. It is a really beautiful plant and it has not stopped blossoming since it replaced the lemon plant at the centre of my living room. I feel very excited every time I see this new plant because it is bringing forth fruits in its season, and its beautiful purple leaves have not shown any signs of withering. For this reason, I am encouraged to keep nurturing it. I believe this is also true in our relationship with God: as we bear good fruits, He empowers us to bear even more.

Giving Everything!!!

The woman wasn’t only widowed, she was also consigned to a life of penury. Her life didn’t amount to anything in the Jewish community of those days. She was one of the invisibles (poor, woman and widowed), but that was precisely why her offering at the Tabernacle was considered a radical gesture. That morning, she probably woke up sad and hungry. She probably tried to think her way out of the impossibility of fending for herself and her little boy in the coming week. She disembowelled her shrivelled purse on the floor of her one-room apartment that smelled of impoverishment. Only two mites scurried out of the purse. She was not sure whether to cry or laugh. Just two mites for all that drama? Two mites in this day and age might not even buy you a meal. But then the urge to laugh overtook the lines of tears that gathered at the eastern side of her eyes. She had never even imagined that she was worth a cent, so the two mites that popped out of her purse must be a miracle. What would she do with this newfound (two-mite) wealth? She could at least get something for her baby boy who has been crying all day on their bed of hunger. The food stamps she got from the municipality had finished the previous night, and she is only due for another one in two days. But then she remembered that there was an announcement the previous week about the many needs of the church. When the announcement was made, she remembered thinking, “God, if only you count me amongst the number of those who give.” At that point, she didn’t even have a dime, not at hand nor in savings. But here she is now, with a whole two mites in her possession.

She remembered her prayer in church the previous week and now thinks the sudden appearance of two mites in her purse was an answer to her prayer. But then she remembered her hungry little boy and was convinced that the two-mite pittance was God’s provision to feed her child. But, again, she thought about the needs of the church. She imagined donating one mite to the church and one mite for her baby. What a perfect solution. She rose from the rickety bed that she picked up from the junkyard the other day and motioned to the door, but she suddenly heard a voice in her spirit, saying, “give everything to me.” She recognised the voice and knew instantly that it was God asking her to give everything. She, however, challenged the voice in her mind:

“How can I give everything? My baby is hungry. I am hungry. Didn’t you provide us with this money so that we could find something to eat? Why do you want it back, Lord?”.

“Do you not trust me to provide all your needs according to my riches in glory?”

“I do, Lord, but…..”

“But what? Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. You and your child count far more to me than the birds. Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow brightly, even though they don’t labour or spin”

“Okay, Lord, I hear you loud and clear. I will give you everything that I have and I will trust you to look after me.”

And off she went to the temple, fearing the intimidation of ostentatious givers but also being thankful that the treasury box is designed in a way that allows her to give quietly and out of the view of prying eyes.

There are many takeaways from the story of the poor widow who gave her all to God. First, she gave quietly but did not know that Jesus saw her. He sees you, too. Beyond the outward displays, he sees your heart. He always sees in secret and is quite adept at rewarding openly. The widow had no idea that she was being watched by the Son of God and that her story was going to be recorded in the word of God as encouragement for generations to come. A casual reader might have, on the surface, thought that the widow’s offering was next to nothing, but in God’s eyes, the widow gave more than all the rich men who came to cast their offering. When it comes to giving, God does not measure quantity; instead, he gauges the state of the heart behind the giving. Jesus said that the widow, out of her penury, gave all her living while the rich men gave just a little from the abundance they had. In other words, the widow gave the most offering because she gave her all. She, like King David, did not give what cost her nothing. She gave generously, discreetly, and sacrificially.

How do you give to God? What do you give to God? Do you give half-heartedly and non-commitally? Do you give what costs you something or do you give only out of convenience?

Be reminded that we are not only talking about monetary giving here. We are talking about giving your heart, body, soul, spirit, time, talent, resources, ambitions, etc. Consecration begins in that moment when you present your all to God. Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Another lesson from the poor widow is that she demonstrated an unwavering faith in God’s ability to provide for her needs. Her giving showcased her reliance on God as the source of her provision. She gave everything, not knowing where her next meal would come from, but trusting that it would come because there is a God whose name is Jehovah Jireh –Lord the Provider. This is how to live our lives as Christians –– not worrying about what we’d eat, drink or wear because our Father in heaven knows that we have these needs.

Another major lesson from The Poor Widow is that you do not need to wait until you have in abundance before you give to God. You do not need to wait until you are rich before you support the work of God. You must always start from where you are–– for how could you be faithful in big things if you are not faithful in the small ones? Again, giving is all about your heart, not the bigness of your purse or the convenience of your situation. May God make us a people willing to give our all to Him. May we be people whose life’s song is:

I surrender all

All to Thee my blessed Savior

I surrender all