By Paul Moore
In Matthew 18:19 Jesus said, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” What a promise! If two or more of us come into agreement concerning anything, God will answer our cry and fulfill our request.
There is power in our words, when we come into agreement. That word, ‘agree’ in the Greek is the word symphoneo. (It’s where we get the word ‘symphony.’) A symphony is comprised of a number of instruments that, when played together properly, make a beautiful sound. However, if they are not in tune and in sync, they can make a horrible sound! In this verse, Jesus is telling us that if we create a symphony with our voices lifted up in prayer, the sound will be heard in heaven and release the will of God on the earth. That’s an amazing promise!
We all know that words contain power. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21) But, do you know that words actually create power and release energy? Scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have discovered that words and sounds contain energy. They have even tried to capture the energy released through sounds to use in productive ways. Could that be why Jesus stressed the importance of praying together like a symphony? When we pray in agreement, we create a unique sound…a sound that can release the kind of energy that moves the hand of God!
Corporate prayer may be a challenging ministry for many Christians. It can be intimidating, uncomfortable, boring, and sometimes, very unfulfilling. Many believers avoid a corporate prayer meeting like a plague – not because we don’t want to pray, but because most of us have never been taught how to pray in agreement. We may have been exhorted to agree, but we have never actually been taught how to do it. That’s the challenge of corporate prayer, to learn to pray together in one accord.
So, how do we create a symphony of prayer?
In many cultures, believers will just pray out loud at the same time and let God sort it out. For example, in Korea, the pastor might say, “Let’s pray for America!” Immediately, the whole place will break out into loud, spontaneous cries, each one praying for America at the same time. That is one way to pray together in agreement. Another way is to pray together in tongues. When we do, our minds are unfruitful; we don’t know what we are saying. However, our spirits – along with the Holy Spirit – know exactly what we are saying. Praying in tongues can also create an amazing symphony unto the Lord!
However, there is yet another way that I want to share with you – but before I do, it’s important to keep in mind that the Holy Spirit has to lead us, whenever we pray. Just as a symphony needs a conductor, we need the Holy Spirit to lead us in creating a spiritual symphony in prayer. Romans 8:26 clearly tells us that we don’t know how to pray on our own. “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
In any model, if we simply pray out of our own understanding, we will often miss the mark. Prayer is a spiritual activity…not just a mental-rational act. God is Spirit, and our worship (as well as our prayers) must be in spirit and in truth. Only the Holy Spirit can truly bring us into one accord. So, first of all, we need to connect with Him. In the symphony of prayer, this how we “tune up” our instruments.
My wife and I recently attended our granddaughters’ high school band concert. Before each session, they had to make sure their reeds were ready, warm up their fingers – and tune their instruments to the same note. For our spiritual symphony of prayer, we need to warm up our voices and tune our hearts to heaven. One way of doing that is through praise and worship. Psalm 100:4a says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.” Another way to “catch the wind of the Spirit,” is to use our prayer language, to pray in tongues. This is like getting on the express elevator to heaven! It also helps to activate the spirit of wisdom and revelation God wants to give us in prayer. Those are two excellent ways to warm up our hearts and tune in to the flow of the Holy Spirit – and, if we each tune to Him, we will also be tuned to each other.
And, here’s the last insight into creating a symphony of prayer…
When someone begins to pray in our prayer meetings, I make a choice to join in with what is being prayed. Whatever they are praying about becomes the focal point of my prayers, as well. I’m not trying to think about what to pray next; I simply engage my heart, mind, and soul in what is being prayed at that moment. It takes some practice, but as I give myself to what is being prayed, it’s like their prayer burden becomes mine. When I do this, the Holy Spirit takes control and even gives me further revelation into what is being prayed!
Here’s the key: Don’t just sit idly by and wait until they finish praying. Actively engage in what is being prayed; become one with the prayers of others. When we do this, we’re playing our instrument with their instruments. Our voice sounds with their voices, and in so doing, we come into agreement and create a spiritual symphony!
Do you get what I’m saying?
This is something we do – and when we do – God breathes into it! We have to engage our spirit with the Holy Spirit and with what is being prayed to create the symphony. The Holy Spirit is the conductor; He is the one leading the prayer time. Our role is to be in tune with Him, listen to the sounds of others, and play along, as He leads.
“Well,” you might ask, “what if I’m sensing something different from the Spirit?” That’s okay! What you are sensing might be another song He wants to play. Simply release it back to Him and join in with what is being prayed at the moment. The Lord may bring it back at the right time – or not. He’s the conductor, and that’s okay.
The last point I want to make is this: stay focused. As we continue to press in, stay focused on the conductor, and we will move together in the flow of the music. If we stall out or allow our minds to wander, we will never engage in the symphony of prayer. We might endure the time, but we will never experience the beautiful agreement in prayer that God wants to create.
So, let’s learn to use these techniques – and any others the Lord may teach us – to pray in agreement. Becoming God’s symphony may be one of the most powerful and amazing things we can ever experience! And, I might add, it is one of the most (if not the most) important ministries given to the Church.
