Matthew 18: 19
“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.”
One of the characteristics I like about this verse is the emphasis one can hear in Jesus’ tone. It is clear that he is being emphatic on this point about agreement. I wonder if it was a new concept to the disciples, this idea that there is power in agreement.
Jesus is talking about prayer here, but it goes beyond just muttering some words. Jesus is talking about two of us, any two people it seems, being of one mind on a topic and then asking Father to do something specific. He was teaching people to pray a prayer of agreement. When we combine our spiritual energy in agreement, Jesus says Father shall do what we ask. That seems like a pretty big promise to me.
So, what does this look like in practice? Well, pretty different from most of what we have been taught about prayer. We have mostly learned of prayer being a solitary event. There is nothing wrong with praying in solitude, but we have not learned, or been taught, about praying together or about agreeing in prayer and that is a shame. We have raised an entire generation of people who are embarrassed to pray in front others. Clearly that is not what Jesus intended.
So, what does this have to do with healing? I would begin to answer that by saying that any lesson on prayer has a large impact on healing. Second, prayer can, and should be more than solicitation. In its basic definition, prayer means to ask for something. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, isn’t that what Jesus is talking about here? However, being in communion with God is another important aspect of prayer. What do I mean by that?
Positioning ourselves, spiritually, so that we can speak with the Lord and hear Him speak to us is life blood. Suppose you and a friend wish to pray for healing for yourselves or another. As you slow yourself down and tune your spirit to hearing what God has to say, He may bring a scripture to your mind, or He may lead you in a specific direction for your prayer. Imagine the impact that has, not only on your prayer, but also on your faith. However, think about this for a moment with me. If you receive in your spirit guidance from the Lord on what to pray, doesn’t that mean that you are getting into agreement with Him? Surely, knowing you are praying the Father’s will stimulates faith and belief.
Here is the short and simple of what you should take away from today’s verse. Jesus taught his disciples to pray together and to set their hearts and minds in agreement. Do not believe for a moment that your prayer closet is the only place to pray. Your kitchen with a friend is an important sanctuary. If we understand this, grasp it, and begin to pray together, we will revolutionize the church and the way we think about prayer. In the process, we will revolutionize our lives too.
If you need healing, get someone to pray with you, for you. Don’t be bashful. Be healed!
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