“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
We are commanded to be devoted to prayer, to be alert and to be thankful. This meant to be in the community of believers, the church of the city. Don’t let your theology separate you from others! Sure, if you don’t believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father and to heaven, we do have some issues that prevent us from praying together! If you don’t believe that the word of God is our authority, we’re talking a different language. But on the other hand, if you have differing thoughts on the Holy Spirit, but still proclaim that Jesus is Lord, that He became a man, lived a perfect life, died for our sin and rose from the dead, then ultimately given the place of highest honor by the Father, we should have nothing that keeps us apart. But, today it seems some things are keeping us apart!
I do not believe the rapture of the Church is at hand. Yes, it’s coming but not to rescue us from the darkness that covers the earth, even a thick gross darkness over the peoples (Isaiah 60:2). But we should still be able to pray together. Yes, I do not believe that the Holy Spirit’s operations have diminished, at all, since the birth of the church. In fact, I believe we are about to experience an even greater outpouring of power. The church is going to walk in signs and wonders (Mark 16), as well as operating in even greater things than Jesus did (John 14:12). We are going to step into our identity as children of God and understand the authority that has been given to us (Romans (Romans 8:19)! But even if you don’t agree with me, there is no reason why we can’t pray together. There is no reason why Pentecostals, Baptists, and independent churches can’t pray together! Jesus did not say we had to like each other or even be like each other. But He did command us to love one another! Ignoring, isolating and independence is not how you love each other!
Please pray for the churches across our city! Pray for a greater oneness of Spirit to be released and nurtured among us. Pray that every dividing wall would be torn down between God’s true church in our city. Pray that every form of religion, that is driven by a very wicked spirit who was behind sending Jesus to the cross, would be exposed and removed from Jesus’ true body. Yes, ask God to separate the true Church from the false church in this hour. Ask Him to reveal it in your own church, and to tear down every division keeping your pastor away from others, and keeping your congregation from praying with other believers across our city!
