The Life and Ministry of Jesus
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “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. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:18–20
Nowhere in the Bible does God imply that he listens any differently to one person praying than he does to two, ten, or five hundred. If he does hear two or more people better than he hears one, then we must assume that Jesus’ prayers lacked effectiveness when he went off alone to pray.
James made the point that the prayer of a single righteous person is powerful enough to heal a sick person by drawing on the power of the God who listens to each of his children, together or individually. 1
Personal Encouragement
Perhaps the reason we may have shallow friendships, is that our friendship have never grown spiritually through continued prayer with one another. Would you be willing to start praying for a few moments each day with your spouse, child, or friend? This is how we can learn what it means to agree together in prayer.
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. James 5:16
Imagine what would happen if we prayed as much as we worried.
A Prayer
Lord, thank You for the invitation to pray, and ask, and believe with You and with others.
1. Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
