Extraordinary Prayer

In my last blog I wrote about how to be an Abundant Seed Sower in times of lockdown. What I know to be true is that our fruitfulness is not so much about tools and techniques, although these are very helpful, but about our abiding in Christ, and that prayer is the fuel for mission!

I was blessed to be at an online global conference recently for disciple makers and church planters. It was great to hear wonderful stories of people turning to Jesus and many churches being planted across the world.  Whilst listening to an incredible story of multiplication, I was struck by the phrase “extraordinary prayer”. As I listened further this church had seen incredible growth, underpinned, or founded upon what they called “extraordinary” prayer meetings.

It was especially noteworthy as we use the same language for the corporate prayer meetings for our family of churches. In his book Relational Mission: A way of life, Mike Betts says that he believes that God is calling us “to a humble attempt at extraordinary prayer”[1].

So, what constitutes “extraordinary” prayer?

There could be many things that come to your mind when answering this question, but here are my top three:

1. Extraordinary Desire

Sometimes you come to prayer because you know that you should, rather than you feel like it. Pete Greig in his book How to Pray says “a Christian who prays only when they feel like it may survive but they will never thrive”[2]. So, there are times when we just show up and trust God to stir us to prayer. However, to see consistent, persistent, unceasing, urgent prayer there must be the flame of desire burning in our hearts. The great man of prayer and author E.M Bounds states:

“Prayer is a necessary phase of spiritual habit, but it ceases to be prayer when it is carried on by habit alone. It is the depth and strength of spiritual desire that gives intensity and depth to prayer.”[3]

I find that there is often a lack of desire for prayer, especially corporate prayer. If we are going to see extraordinary prayer, we need to pray for extraordinary desire for prayer!

My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

Psalm 42:2 (ESV)

2. Extraordinary Presence

When we see in the prayer meetings of the early church in the book of Acts, you cannot deny the extraordinary presence of God.

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:31 (ESV)

There are some prayer times which seem mundane and ordinary. There is still much value in persevering through these times. A tenacious discipline in a season of drought, will often bring us through to drink again from the river of life! But you will know the difference between the routine of prayer and the presence of God in prayer!

When we meet corporately to pray and there are prophetic words, tongues and interpretations, Spirit led ministry, clear direction, and wonderful stories of answered prayer, this becomes more than just the routine of prayer. Extraordinary prayer is when God shows up!

3. Extraordinary answers to prayer

Whilst we live in the reality of answered prayers and unanswered prayers, the wonderful stories of salvations, healings, circumstances incredibly changed, fuel faith filled prayers.

We all know the story of Peter’s amazing escape from prison in Acts 12. Peter had been seized and put in prison by King Herod. The response of the church was to come together and earnestly pray to God for him. The angel of the Lord appeared, and Peter was miraculously free. While they were still praying Peter turned up at the door as an immediate answer to their prayers.

It is a real encouragement to the church to hear stories of answers to prayers. Over the years we have seen many salvations, incredible healings, and answers to prayer in many circumstances of life. When we pray for our nation and things happen, we believe that God has heard our prayers.

“Prayer moves God to do works among people – in His own way , of course – that He would not do if the prayers were not made. Thus, while prayer moves God to work, at the same time Good puts prayer to work” [4]

E.M. Bounds

God answers prayer!

Miracles do happen!

One of the signs of extraordinary prayer is extraordinary answers to prayer!

I am sure that there are many other things that you could add to this short list, but my heart is that our prayer times, individually and corporately, will be wonderful times of knowing the presence of God. Wouldn’t it be brilliant if every prayer meeting was extraordinary, so that “extraordinary” became the new norm!

As I write this, here at Community Church we are just entering into 10 Days of Prayer. This year it will be different as we are restricted to our homes because of Covid-19. I pray that we will God will stir within us a real desire to pray, and that we will know the wonderful presence of God in our prayer times. So much so, that when we will look back and reflect on this 10 days of prayer we will say that indeed it was a time of extraordinary prayer!

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[1] Betts, M., Relational Mission: A way of life (Norwich: Relational Mission, 2016)

[2] Greig, P., How to Pray: A simple guide for normal people (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2019), 26

[3] Bounds, E.M., E.M. Bounds on Prayer (New Kensington: Whitaker House,1997), 131

[4] Bounds, E.M., E.M. Bounds on Prayer (New Kensington: Whitaker House,1997), 532