Jesus told us to persist—continuously and tirelessly—in asking, seeking, and knocking on the doors of heaven.
The New Living Translation emphasizes the ongoing action of Jesus’ words:
“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and you will the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10 NLT)
Keep on doing it. Keep on keeping on. Keep on praying!
I also want to urge you to keep on coming—keep coming to God and keep coming into agreement with Him as well as with your brothers and sisters who pray alongside you.
If you are still coming, it means you have not yet arrived, and that is OK.
It is the keeping on that is important as we grow spiritually and learn more about what it means to ask, seek, and knock in agreement with God and others.
The Power of Agreement
Agreement is a wonderful by-product of lives that have been forged together in God’s kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy. (See Romans 14:17.)
Our prayers bear fruit because “two or three” have gathered together in His name and have with one mind and heart prayed together.
In fact, Scripture promises that God will be in our midst.
We come into agreement with Him, and as we keep our eyes fixed on Him, He brings us into agreement with one another.
This is heaven on earth. What could be more powerful than that?
We should not underestimate the power of agreement.
Because God has placed His authority on humankind to work out His plan and purposes in the world, our corporate agreement with Him brings about His will on the earth.
In other words, when, together, we agree with God about something, it is very likely to happen. (By the same token, if we agree with the enemy—“the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NASB)—about something, even in ignorance, that too is likely to happen.)
How can you discern whether or not you are consistently aligning yourself with God? By paying attention to your routine thought processes.
Do you spend most of your time thinking about worldly concerns or do you daily and actively trust God to take care of your needs?
How much are you communicating with Him? What is He telling you?
We enter into agreement by being connected with God and with each other, and we enter into this lifestyle by offering ourselves up to Him (and to one another) in the light of God’s mercy.
We reject the message of the world around us, which is to trust in ourselves and to “look out for number one.” True agreement requires mutual humility and honor.
Then we can pray together the most powerful prayers of all.
When the early church prayed as one voice in Acts 4, amazing power was released and the meeting place shook; they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they preached the word with great boldness.
God’s Heart and Yours
Praying in agreement with God and each other starts with each one of us being as close as possible to the very heart of God.
Do you love Jesus? Do you love the believers you have been joined with?
Are you learning to lean into the heart of God Himself? Are you praying to God or with God?
The first and primary Person with whom we are to come into agreement is, of course, God Himself. Your effectiveness in prayer will depend on how well your heart pulses in rhythm with the heartbeat of God.
There is no easy, “three-step” approach or methodology for coming into agreement.
It takes time. It is relational. It calls for character.
It necessitates love. It is a matter of the heart.
First, each one of us comes into agreement with God Himself, and we maintain a desire to keep as close to Him as we can, setting aside our own agendas.
Then we put aside our prejudices and preconceived ideas and come into agreement with each other.
When you learn to agree with God, then your agenda, your motivations, and even your assignments will change.
Your mind will be transformed according to the will of God: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).
Only then can we be candidates to pray prayers that strike the mark!
Target Practice
Heavenly Father, I come to You in Jesus’ great name. I ask You to graft into my life Your wisdom concerning prayer. More than anything, I want to come into agreement with Your heart and learn to pray in accordance with Your will, Word, and ways. Help me to find two or three others with whom I may learn to walk in the power of prayers of agreement. Thank you. Amen.
