The second category of gathering is the gathering for prayer. The Lord Jesus speaks of such a gathering in Matthew 18:19 and 20. “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything, whatever they may ask, it shall come to them from My Father who is in the heavens. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.” Here the Lord is speaking concerning the prayer of a meeting. This kind of prayer is more powerful than the prayer of an individual because it is able to bind on earth what has been bound in heaven and to loose on earth what has been loosed in heaven (v. 18).
Acts 1:14 says, “These all were persevering with one accord in prayer, together with the women.” The prayer mentioned here is also the prayer of a meeting. It was this prayer that brought in the blessing of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.
Acts 1:14 speaks of praying with one accord. The Greek word translated “one accord” is homothumadon, from homo, same, and thumos, mind, will, purpose (soul, heart). In Matthew 18:19 the Lord spoke concerning two or three agreeing in prayer. The word “agree” in that verse is not as strong as the expression “one accord” in Acts 1:14. The Greek word for one accord is strong and all-inclusive. In the book of Acts the one hundred and twenty prayed together in one mind, in the same mind, in the same will with the same purpose around and within the soul and the heart. Whenever we pray, we should surely exercise our spirit, but we should also be in the same mind and the same will with the same purpose around and within our soul and heart.
Another verse that speaks of a gathering for prayer is Acts 4:31. “As they were beseeching, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness.” In those days the disciples were under persecution, but they met together to pray with one accord. That kind of prayer caused them to be filled outwardly with the Holy Spirit and to speak the word of God with boldness.
Acts 12:5 and 12 also speak of a gathering for prayer. Verse 5 says, “Prayer was being made fervently by the church to God concerning him.” Verse 12 tells us that in the house of Mary “a considerable number were assembled together praying.” On the day when Peter was imprisoned, the church prayed fervently for him, and a considerable number were assembled together in a sister’s house, praying for him specifically. That prayer caused God to perform a great miracle, delivering Peter out of prison.
The fact that the church prayed for Peter indicates that behind the scene there was a battle between spiritual forces, a battle between God and Satan. Apparently the conflict was between Herod and Peter; actually it was between God and Satan. Therefore, the church fought the battle with God against Satan, the evil one. This battle was fought not by the flesh but by prayer. This prayer was offered in the house of Mary. This indicates that the prayer concerning Peter was offered mainly in the home of a sister. From this we see that in the church life the sisters should take the lead in the matter of prayer. This was the situation in Peter’s case. After he was released from prison, he went to Mary’s house, where many of the saints were still praying.
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