Gathered Together In My Name

Many times as we read, pray, or just discuss God's Word with one another, the Holy Spirit seems to all of a sudden reveal to us a truth. The truth may be in a situation we are encountering or may be just enlightenment on something that we have heard taught or prayed on. As we hear these words of Jesus or the prayers of others, we pick up a language that begins very humbly as we learn what we perceive spiritual talk should sound like. Maybe it will be a word of wisdom or a prophetic word (God's encouragement using His Word) that will inspire you to speak to someone. As we grow in our own spirituality, we begin to talk and pray at times what we believe sounds spiritual, or we repeat a Scripture that we have heard.

I remember sitting in a small group and praying for the mental and physical well-being of a sister going through marriage and health issues. I had recently come from a church where the people would talk during another's prayer saying things like amen, or yes Lord, or thank you Lord. These were said aloud not as to create a distraction, but to say, yes, we agree with that person's prayer. I began to pray for this woman by acknowledging God's presence, His wonder and awe, and then I said, "for Lord, Your Word says that when two or more are gathered in Your name, You are in their midst" (Matthew 18:20). This was one of those wonderful pieces of Scripture that seemed to sound spiritual and invite Jesus into our presence. Many years of praying this Scripture in groups and then it happened: one of those Holy Spirit ah-ha moments that make you question your belief system. I thought, does that mean Jesus isn't with me unless there are two of us gathered? I thought that God was everywhere, all the time.

I, one of the many times, had to look at the context in which the verse was written. As I reread and studied Matthew 18:20, my conviction turned to view this Scripture in the context of the surrounding theme of Scriptures. I found that this particular Scripture has to do with a brother who sins against you and how we are to address this sin, not only as an individual believer but also with another believer. This whole concept is for another time, but the epiphany I had was that I was praying what I believed to be spiritual, and a way to pray may have fallen into another category. Was it a simple misunderstanding of Scripture that I read a piece of or heard somewhere and did not take the time to look up for myself, or was this something I said to sound more spiritual so my prayer would have more effect? Either way, God was working with something in me.

There are other Scriptures that speak of the power in corporate prayer and the exhortation of God to not forsake gathering together, but for you and I, the Spirit of God is with us always to hear our prayers.

1 Corinthians 3:16: Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

Here are a few other references: John 14:16, Matthew 28:20, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Ephesians 4:4–6, Romans 8:11.

I'm not the only tree on the mountain. What will be your conviction on this particular tidbit of God's Word? Go and seek what God's will reveals to you.

In service to Him and you, Pastor Jim

Click image to return to Notes