Short extract from Chapter 7

God Still Works Miracles Today
The Power of United Prayer
 
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 18:19

 
I will never forget the day my friend Julia called me on the phone. Her father, who had not given his life to Christ, was dying from a sudden illness. “Please pray with me”, she pleaded, “that God will work a miracle in his heart before it’s too late!”

In times past, I probably would have prayed on the phone with my friend and then gone back to my work. After all, while I cared about Julia, I didn’t know her father personally. However, that day God challenged me to do more. He challenged me to stand in the gap with Julia as He showed me that each soul is of infinite value to Him—whether I knew them or not. So after we prayed on the phone, I felt convicted that God was asking me to continue to fast and pray with Julia until we saw spiritual breakthrough.

I was quite busy, but I put my work aside and began to pray. However, I didn’t make it through that first night because a small area of compromise stood in the way. At first I argued with God, “This is ridiculous, it’s so small! I can’t let this go.” But then I felt His Spirit convicting my heart, “Is it more valuable than a soul for whom I died?” Ashamed, I surrendered my sin of compromise to God, and as I did, new power flooded my prayers.

For the next night and several days thereafter, I prayed with Julia incessantly—almost without stopping—for this miracle. It was a fierce spiritual battle and at times Julia and I both felt discouraged and wanted to give up. But God heard our prayers of agreement and in the end—praise the Lord—the spiritual victory we prayed and fasted for was accomplished before her father died.

God is calling all of us to deeper, more persistent prayers of agreement. He’s calling us not just to pray for, but to perseveringly pray through. We all know how to pray for; we pray for our meals, we pray for safety on the road, we pray for a class of meeting, we pray for our friends and loved ones, and we pray for anything else that randomly crosses our path—and this is as it should be. But praying through means, “I’m committing to pray with persevering faith until I see victory or until I see an answer come!” Praying through is not easy because we must be committed for the long haul—maybe years. And we must be willing to put away any known sin of compromise. But when we are willing to pray through with a surrendered heart, God will give us the breakthrough!

Inspiration encourages us, “To every sincere prayer an answer will come. It may not come just as you desire, or at the time you look for it; but it will come in the way and at the time that will best meet your need” (White, Gospel Workers, 258).
“We are encouraged to pray for success, with the divine assurance that our prayers will be heard and answered. ‘If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it will be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:19, 20)...
“The promise is made on condition that the united prayers of the church are offered, and in answer to these prayers there may be expected a power greater than that which comes in answer to private prayer. The power given will be proportionate to the unity of the members and their love for God and for one another” (White, Manuscripts Releases, 9:303).

Referring again to Matthew 18:19, 20, Ellen White exclaims, “Precious promise! Do we believe it? What marvelous results would appear if the united prayers of this company were to ascend to God in living faith!” (Evangelism, 414).

Inspiration tells us, “God depends upon you, the human agent, to fulfil your duty to the best of your ability, and he himself will give the increase. If human agents would but co-operate with the divine intelligences, thousands of souls would be rescued’ (White, The Review and Herald, June 30, 1896).

We must remember that it is only the power of the Holy Spirit that can bring real conviction and change to lives. This isn’t our work! This is God’s work! However, when the Holy Spirit is present, and when we combine Bible study with significant time in prayer, it’s like adding fire to dynamite—Holy Spirit dynamite! And as a result, there will be massive revival explosions, touching the lives of many.

Of course, what we’ve experienced personally is just a glimpse of what God is already doing all around the world. But He longs to do more! I believe that what we see happening currently is just the tip of the iceberg in comparison with what He’s waiting to do. He wants to see our whole world turn upside down, just as it was in the days of Pentecost. And the key to this work will be found in returning to the basics—in turning back to deeper Bible study and pressing together in greater unity through prayer. Are we willing to allow God to redefine our ministry vision today, even if it means stepping outside our comfort zones or simplifying our methods? What if how God is blessings our church today is only the beginning of the opening of the door to much greater blessings?