When the Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites come out in battle against Judah, Jehoshaphat comes to God in prayer and lays the whole thing to Him. He asks God to protect His people. It is a model prayer, bringing in the promise of God.

That promise was given time and time again and how many times was that promised ignored? Not today, and I loved the response.

They have lived here and have built a temple to honor you, knowing that if any disaster struck them to punish them—a war,[b] an epidemic, or a famine—then they could come and stand in front of this Temple where you are worshiped. They could pray to you in their trouble, and you would hear them and rescue them. – 2 Chronicles 20:8-9  GNT

Here is another look at prayer.

When the Lamb broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.

Another angel, who had a gold incense container, came and stood at the altar. He was given a lot of incense to add to the prayers of all God’s people and to offer it on the gold altar that stands before the throne. The smoke of the burning incense went up with the prayers of God’s people from the hands of the angel standing before God. Then the angel took the incense container, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. There were rumblings and peals of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. – Revelation 8:1-5  GNT

The power of the prayers of God’s people – as their prayers go up – God’s justice comes down. It reminds me of the prayer Jesus taught us to pray – Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I love praying that prayer because I can pray it in full confidence that my praying is not in vain. I need to remember that my prayers are like incense before God – He will respond. 

I love the idea of corporate prayer being part of this.

“The greatest workings of God come by corporate prayer, and we will not see the power of God in sufficient measure to transform the world until we pray together.” – John Franklin

While not the most visible aspect of Christian ministry, it is crucial to the success of the Great Commission. Things happen and take place because of prayer.

You will succeed, not by military might or by your own strength, but by my spirit. – Zechariah 4:6b  GNT

I think of ministries like Charles Spurgeon who had men praying under his pulpit. D.L. Moody’s ministry came about by a prayer meeting at a YMCA. George Whitfield walked through the fields at night having spent all that time in prayer. Here Zechariah reminds me that it is the Holy Spirit that is released. The Holy Spirit descends on me when I pray. The Holy Spirit loves a heart that is willing to wait on Him.  

If we would have power in prayer, we must be earnest students of His Word to find out what His will regarding us is, and then having found it, do it. One unconfessed act of disobedience on our part will shut the ear of God against many petitions. R.A. Torrey