The Church Prayer Meeting, Its Decline and Revival, Part 2

This is the conclusion of the notes of G. Chewter of an address at a meeting for ministers and printed in the splendid Gospel Tidings edited by P.M. Rowell, Chapel House, Forest Fold, Crowborough, UK.

2. IMPROVING THE PRAYER MEETING.

1. First and foremost we must recognise our continual need of the gracious influence and utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit. To quote again Rom. 8.5, the Spirit helpeth our infirmities. How much we need that help! The Apostle Paul says: What is it then? I will pray, with the Spirit and with the understanding also, 1 Cor.14.15. In Eph. 6.18 Paul exhorts us to praying with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Again and again we need to be anointed with fresh oil (Psalm 92.10).

2. From time to time we must emphasize to our people the importance of meeting together to pray. It may be a rather hackneyed expression but there is truth in it: 'Those who pray together, stay together'. Spurgeon called the prayer meeting: 'the powerhouse of the church'. If the engine room is out of action then the whole mill will grind to a halt. We cannot expect blessing if we do not ask. It may seem a rather simple diagnosis but it may apply in some cases: Ye have not, because ye ask not, James 4.2.

3. The need for unity - After the resurrection we read of the disciples in the upper room: These all continued with one accord in prayer and in supplication, with the women, Acts 1.14. The words of John Newton's hymn are appropriate here: 'The force of their united cries, no power could long withstand, for Jesus helps them from the skies with his almighty hand'. Some of the best prayer meetings are those where there is one heart and one desire for the blessing of God to accompany the preaching of the Gospel and for the extension of the kingdom of Christ. It is an abuse of the prayer meeting for a member to deliberately contradict or try to 'correct' another's prayer when they themselves are called on to pray.

4. The need for focus - In Acts 1.14 they were not only united in prayer but their meetings had a focal point - the fulfillment of the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. That focus can also be ours. We urgently need the Lord to come again in power to His people in a way of revival and outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 4 the disciples under threat from the authorities gathered to pray, v23 states that they lifted up their voice with one accord. And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together, v31, the focal point being a desire for strength not to buckle under the pressure, but, Grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, v29. Acts 12 records for us that the central purpose of the prayer meeting in the home of Mary at Jerusalem was for the well-being and deliverance of Peter. I believe it is far better, if possible, to pray for people by name in their particular circumstances rather than petitions couched in vague and general terms such as: 'we pray for the afflicted', 'we pray for the aged', 'we pray for the missionaries'. Who have we actually prayed for? While we need to be sensitive to people's feelings especially relating to personal problems, yet I believe the more specific we can be the better.

On a practical note, a regular church prayer meeting consisting of members only can prove to be a useful opportunity for individuals to share in confidence their concerns, enabling those who pray to do so in an intelligent and informed way. This brings the added benefit of mutual understanding, sympathy and support. A very moving account of a prayer meeting at Tyre is given in Acts 21 where after seven days' fellowship, men with their wives and children knelt down on the shore and prayed, the central focus being concern for Paul's welfare and safety, as he was determined to preach at Jerusalem. The previous chapter records a similarly moving account of Paul praying with the elders of Ephesus at Miletus, resulting in the people being moved to tears at the thought of his departure. By the way, though emotion should not be deliberately encouraged, yet I do not think tears should be despised or discouraged. Prayer meetings are moving where there is a longing desire and yearning for answers from heaven. So, in all these cases the meetings for prayer had a focal point. To this end it may be helpful to regularly bring to the meeting items of particular concern, which need to be prayed for.

5. Careful thought as to the location - If the prayer meeting attendance is usually small it may be helpful to meet in a vestry or some other suitable room where a sense of 'togetherness' will be created, enabling those more hard of hearing to follow, rather than six or seven people dotted about in a chapel designed to seat 150 or more people.

6. Brevity (again!) - If there are few who publicly participate it may be argued that if each prayed for only 3-4 minutes then the prayer meeting would soon be over! To this I would reply by suggesting that each are encouraged to be brief and given the opportunity to pray more than once during the meeting. This concept may sound rather foreign to some, but it can work well.

7. Take it home! - Maybe we have all been at fault at times, in praying for certain matters publicly and neglecting to do so privately. How good if the members of the church take up the burden of the church, continuing to carry the church affairs to the Lord when alone on their knees. A truly praying church will be made up of members who pray much at home. C. H. Spurgeon claimed that: 'Neglect of private prayer is the locust that devours the strength of the church'.

CONCLUSION

We have a powerful adversary who would love to exploit all our weaknesses and infirmities in prayer, but we have an almighty and merciful God, who waits to be gracious and has promised for the sake of His Son to hear the cries of His people.

'The one concern of the devil is to keep the saint from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but he trembles when we pray' (Samuel Chadwick).

Whether as churches or individuals we need to hear again the exhortation of the Apostle that we might be encouraged afresh: Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4.16.