Corporate Prayer


This lesson includes both teaching and activation suggestions.



Why do we pray together?

When God made man and woman in the garden He gave them the instruction in Gen. 1:28 "Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that creeps on the earth.…" Because of man's giving in to temptation in the garden, he lost his position of dominion, or rulership, to satan. Through Jesus' death on the cross, He took back the dominion again for man to rule the earth. Jesus will ultimately reign in person but for now God does not do anything on the earth except through a person like you or me. He is looking over the earth to find people/Christians who will ask Him to intervene in the affairs of men on the earth. He is waiting for us to:

1. Ask Him what He wants to do,
2. Listen to what He says,
3. And then pray it, declare it, ask Him to do it!

I believe that we take our place ruling and reigning with Christ as we come and pray His will. God has already won the victory and we pray and declare what He has already done. The early church met together daily for prayer (Acts 2:42). They set an example for us to follow. Yet many churches today do not meet AT ALL to pray together. It is important that we teach our youth why we pray together, how to pray together, and of the blessings that God is able to pour out because we meet in corporate prayer.

When we meet together with one voice in unity, there is power in our prayers. The Word of God tells us that one of us can put a thousand to flight, but two of us can send the legions fleeing. The Bible also tells us that if we pray as one in the same language (unity), nothing will be impossible for us. (Gen. 11:6) Jesus said in Matt 18:19-20: "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." Also, when we pray together, we can cover more ground than we can alone because the Holy Spirit has more people He can pray through. It is also harder for satan to attack us when we are united in prayer.


What Happens When We Pray?

A. We enter into the presence of God, and things happen

1. We can see our true condition, our need to repent.

Ps. 90: 8 "You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence."

Ps. 101: 6,7 "My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me. No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence."

Isa 26: 17,18 "As a woman with child and about to give birth writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, O LORD. We were with child, we writhed in pain, but we gave birth to wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth; we have not given birth to people of the world."


2. He Teaches us His purpose

Prov. 19: 21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."


3. He Shows us His Plans and His ways

2 Sam: 21:1 During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death."

2 Chron 26: 5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

Dan 9: 13,14 "Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him."


4. He, the Holy Spirit, is released to accomplish His work

Gal 4: 19 "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you"

Gen: The Holy Spirit brooded over the waters.The Holy Spirit wants to give birth through us into lifeless, orderless, situations.


B. We are not wrestling with God, we are agreeing with Him and enforcing the victory of Calvary. When you enter into any spiritual battle, if you are not careful you will find "self" trying to defeat the devil; don't enter a defensive posture, just enforce what Jesus has already done. Think: "I am an enforcer"; Operate from strength.

C. The Power that created the universe has been deposited in the church while untold millions await their birth into the Kingdom of God. If it is ever to happen, the church is going to need to arise from her slumber, take up her postion and travail ---give birth.

Jer. 23: 29 "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks A rock in pieces?"



Ways to conduct a corporate prayer time.

1. A leader, who has sought the Holy Spirit as to what subjects need to be prayed over, gives direction by giving a specific subject and then everyone prays about that subject at the same time by themselves. When people seem to be finished praying then the leader will go to the next subject. I would encourage each person to have a paper and pencil handy so that they can write down what they are hearing from the Lord as they pray. Then they can give it quietly to the leader during the prayer time or the leader can ask for input at the end. This way might be more comfortable for the leader but is lacking in that he may not get the input needed at the right time. This way may be a good way to start off with a new group.

2. You could also use the above model but do it in groups of 2 or 3. Everyone comes together to pray about what the Holy Spirit wants. They begin by praying in tongues and listening. Usually the leader may begin by starting on a specific subject, then someone else will pray as the Holy Spirit leads and so on until the subject is prayed through. The key to this type of corporate prayer setting is that everyone knows that they are there to give or pray their "piece of the puzzle". Everyone's prayer is important. This type is good because you can hear what the Spirit is saying immediately and if it calls for prophetic action or the Spirit seems to be going in another direction the leader can assess and move that way quickly.

3. Another effective method is to set up prayer stations with a notebook at each one to record what they may hear. Can pray in groups or alone. I think it important to stress that there must be a leader who is in charge of the general direction. They can help to start, keep the flow going and end the prayer time. A leader can also encourage others to speak what they hear and make sure no one takes over the group. (More common in adults than with young prayers.)

No matter what method is used, encourage everyone to pray out loud verses that the Holy Spirit gives them from the Word of God. For example: I was praying Isa. 49:8-12 for Okinawa. God gave us these verses one night while in prayer and we know without a doubt that that is what He wants to do here! I will just write part of it here and how I prayed it:

Lord, I thank you that this is the time of your favor and that you will answer us. Thank you that this is the day of salvation and you are helping us. Lord, we acknowledge that you have made us to be a covenant for the people of Okinawa, to restore this land and to reassign its desolate inheritances. Father, we know that you have a purpose for this land and in the name of Jesus and by the blood of Jesus, that was shed for this land and the people in this place, we set aside this land and this people for you. Jesus, we invite you to come and reign over Okinawa. We call to those that have been held captive, in the snare of the demonic forces that have ruled over this land, and we say, "Come out,"" and to those in darkness, "Be free!"


At the end of the prayer time, I believe it is always important to take time to listen specifically to the Lord and find out what people are sensing from the Lord. Do this by having a time of silence to see what else the Holy Spirit might be trying to say. Then ask around your circle to see if anyone was given anything else. Prayer is a two way communication and listening is a must.


Tips for praying as a Group, Corporately

1. There is a place for everyone in prayer, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned prayer warrior. Everyone is called to pray but we are different parts of the body with different gifts, so whether your prayer is very simple or very deep it is important and necessary.

2. Stick to the subject. Flow with what the spirit is doing. If the subject is local pastors, don't pray for your Uncle's broken toe. Agree in your spirit with whoever is praying out loud.

3. I find it helpful to pray quietly in tongues as another is praying out loud. This keeps me in the spirit of prayer and allows the Holy Spirit to quicken to me what else He may want prayed.

4. It is better to pray shorter prayers more often than one long prayer that covers 10 subjects .

5. Bless, don't curse. For example:

NO-- God you know how our pastor is too busy He doesn't have time for us. God, show Him how he is not taking care of the sheep.

YES-- God, we thank-you that our pastor's schedule is directed by you, and that he is seeking your ways, and that his times are in your hand. Thank you that he has a heart for the congregation and that you order the steps of a righteous man.


Can you see the difference? The 2nd prayer is more in line with the heart of God. It is His plan and purpose for that pastor. God doesn't like us complaining about His kids!

6. We are all called to pray but we are different parts of the body with different gifts. So, if I pray one way about a subject, that then may trigger or remind someone else of a different aspect of the subject, they will pray, and the subject will be covered completely.

7. Prophesy the word of the Lord to a situation. Declare what His word says. It will be amazing and exciting to see how He leads as you pray.

8. About 15 minutes before we close our prayer for the evening we take time to be still before God and listen to what He wants to say to us, as mentioned on the last page. Then we share what He has told us. This has been a very encouraging time and God has given us fuel for future prayers.

It is really very simple: Set aside the time! Ask God. Listen for His answers. Pray what He shows you. His Holy Spirit lives in you. Come Take Your Place in the Dominion Taking Army of God!!!


Praying is something that grows with practice. I believe we are just scratching the surface. God has been speaking to the intercessors that I pray with about praying more "expensive" prayers. We often pray "100 yen" prayers or "$1" prayers. He said that it is time to begin to "shop" at the "more expensive stores" in prayer. He also told us through a dream that we are moving out of our rented house. In fact, we have to move, there is no other choice. But the good part is that we can go live in the owner's house. Living in the owner's house gives us all the rights and authority of the owner. However, in the dream it was about 10km down the road and so it will mean a change in the way we think and even in how we go about our day. I believe this all relates to our prayer life. God is calling us to take our place seated in the heavenlies with Him.

Eph 1: 3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."

Eph 2: 6 "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus"



Corporate Prayer Activity One


Corporate Prayer Activity Two