“And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:13, Jesus speaking)
This is one of the most telling verses of Scripture, in that it clearly tells why the church today is so powerless. Jesus described what His House, the church, must seem, even to those who are not part of the church.
Beloved, this is a command from God to His church! Our LORD desires with passion that we, His people assembled, would be a praying people. Not that there might be some prayer in church, but that the church would be empowered and effective worldwide, because of their continuous praying.
Before I go any further, it does not matter that you might call your church a House of Prayer; it does not matter even if your community calls your church a House of Prayer; would God Himself call your church a House of Prayer?
How can your church be a House of Prayer? Allow me to give some insight into that question.
The Church as a House of Prayer: The Holy Spirit of God, Who dwells there, makes it possible. He is the Spirit of Prayer. The fact that He is available to submissive, prayerful believers opens the way for the church to become what God expects of them in the ministry of prayer. The church must be a Spirit-guided force bringing God’s will into a dark world. She must be a House of Prayer for all nations!
The church also acquires power from God through prayer to enable her to be affective in ministry on the local level. The strength and power and effectiveness of the church in evangelism is a result of her much prayer.
Because of prayer, the church’s unity and fellowship is sweetened . The church that is praying, not just has ‘some’ prayer, is not infighting! As we assemble, we are the corporate expression of prayer. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” 1 Peter 2:5 says it this way, “You also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
Yes, the church must be a House of Prayer, and this is what makes it work best—You personally must be a House of Prayer. After you receive Jesus Christ as Savior, you become the temple of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 6:19 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”
Each church member, submitted to the Spirit–filled with the Spirit–walking in the Spirit, will also be a House of Prayer! When members of that caliber assemble, they naturally become a God honoring House of Prayer for all nations. When this obedient church prays: “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” . . . it will happen!
Beloved, is your church a House of Prayer? Is that what God thinks?
In Part Two, I will share a biblical picture of the House of Prayer.