How to Close United Prayer (Praying for the Rain! United Prayer)

At the close of the prayer session, the leader should encourage participants to continue in prayer in the following ways:
1. Encourage participants to make united prayer a regular part of their lives. Share a copy of this mini handbook with them, if possible, so they can teach others.

2. Promote the 777 Prayer Initiative (prayer for the Holy Spirit at 7 A.M. and 7 P.M., seven days a week in each local time zone, in order to create a global prayer chain).
3. Stress the importance of perseverance in prayer if we want to share the experience of the disciples in the upper room.
4. Ask people to share their testimonies if they were blessed by united prayer. This will help others to try it in the future. The leader may collect testimonies directly after the prayer session or encourage participants to share on the Revival and Reformation website (www.revivalandreformation.org) for the encouragement of others worldwide.
5. Remind participants to follow through on the convictions that God laid on their hearts during prayer, no matter how difficult they may be. We can pray, but if we continue in the same sinful, selfish ways after the prayer is over, what gain is there?

Let the Holy Spirit Lead (Praying for Rain! United Prayer)

The prayer leader naturally feels the responsibility to lead and keep things moving. However, as already stated, each prayer session is a group conversation with God, and as such, we must expect the occasional
lull in conversation. These periods of silence may feel awkward, but they are not to be feared. The Holy Spirit uses these times to speak to hearts.  Also, it may be during these moments that the more timid find the opportunity to pray. As a leader, resist the urge to dominate by jumping in immediately to keep the prayer time moving. Allow the Holy Spirit to work and dictate the pace.

Hindrances to Prayer (Praying for rain! United prayer)

• ‡ We pray in unbelief. Jas. 1:6, 7; Mark 11:24
• ‡ We pray according to our own will. 1 John 5:14
• ‡ We seek the gift rather than the Giver. Jas. 2:23
• ‡ We pray prayers to feed our own lusts. Jas. 4:3
• ‡ We live in disobedience. Isa. 59:1, 2; Ps. 66:18
• ‡ We give up in prayer too easily. Luke 18:1-8
• ‡ We are judgmental toward others. Luke 6:37
• ‡ We are not able to forgive. Mark 11:26
• ‡ We have unresolved quarrels. Matt. 5:23, 24 
• ‡ We turn a deaf ear to those in need. Prov. 21:13
• ‡ We lack honor in our family. 1 Pet. 3:7
• ‡ We have not learned to abide in Christ. John 15:7

“When we do not receive the very things we asked for, at the time we ask, we are still to believe that the Lord hears and that He will answer our prayers.
We are so erring and shortsighted that we sometimes ask for things that would not be a blessing to us, and our heavenly Father in love answers our prayers by giving us that which will be for our highest good - that
which we ourselves would desire if with vision divinely enlightened we could see all things as they really are.
When our prayers seem not to be answered, we are to cling to the promise; for the time of answering will surely come, and we shall receive the blessing we need most. But to claim that prayer will always be answered in the very way and for the particular thing that we desire, is presumption. God is too wise to err, and too good to withhold any good thing from them that walk uprightly. Then do not fear to trust Him, even though you do not see the immediate answer to your prayers.” Prayer, p. 102
“As activity increases and men become successful in doing any work for God, there is danger of trusting to
human plans and methods. There is a tendency to pray less, and to have less faith. Like the disciples, we are in danger of losing sight of our dependence on God, and seeking to make a savior of our activity. We need to look constantly to Jesus, realizing that it is His power which does the work. While we are to labor earnestly for the salvation of the lost, we must also take time for meditation, for prayer, and for the study of the word of God. Only the work accomplished with much prayer, and sanctified by the merit of Christ, will in the end prove to have been efficient for good.”  The Desire of Ages, p. 362

The need to persevere (Praying for rain! United Prayer)

“I asked the angel why there was no more faith and power in Israel. He said, ‘Ye let go of the arm of the Lord too soon. Press your petitions to the throne, and hold on by strong faith.’” Early Writings, p. 73“ There must be earnest prayer. Weaken the hands of the enemy by wrestling with God in prayer.”  Pacific Union Recorder, June 5, 1902

“[Jacob’s] victory is an evidence of the power of importunate prayer.  All who will lay hold of God’s promises as He did, and be as earnest and persevering as he was, will succeed as he succeeded. Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is. . . . When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” The Great Controversy, p. 621

“The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. . . . Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?” Steps to Christ, p. 94“Could we see all the activity of human instrumentality, as it appears before God, we would see that  only the work accomplished by much prayer, which is sanctified by the merit of Christ, will stand the test of the judgment.” Christian Service, p. 263

“Prayer and faith are closely allied, and they need to be studied together. In the prayer of faith there is a divine science; it is a science that everyone who would make his lifework a success must understand. Christ says, ‘What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.’ Mark 11:24. He makes it plain that our asking must be according to God’s will; we must ask for the things that He has promised, and whatever we receive must be used in doing His will. The conditions met, the promise is unequivocal.” Prayer, p. 105“ We should now acquaint ourselves with God by proving His promises. Angels record every prayer that is earnest and sincere. We should rather dispense with selfish gratifications than neglect communion with God. The deepest poverty, the greatest self-denial, with His approval, is better than riches, honors, ease, and friendship without it. We must take time to pray.” The Great Controversy, p. 622

“It is a part of God’s plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask.” The Great Controversy, p. 525

“Day after day is passing into eternity, bringing us nearer to the close of probation. As never before we must pray for the Holy Spirit to be more abundantly bestowed upon us.” Gospel Workers, p. 288 “While their united prayers were ascending in faith to Heaven, the answer came. The place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were endowed anew with the Holy Spirit.” The Acts of the Apostles, p. 67

Forward on our Knees, Praying for Rain!

Thoughts from Church Leaders on praying for the rain

Jerry Page

“Those of us here at the General Conference headquarters want to thank your ARME prayer team for what you let the Lord do through you during our Annual Council last week (Oct 2010)! We saw the answers to prayer throughout the week as the Lord moved on all our hearts in major ways. The cover of intercessory prayer and the opportunity for our delegates to come and pray and be prayed for made a major difference in these meetings. We won’t know until eternity what the Lord was able to do because of those of you who spent so much time running the prayer room for us!”  Jerry Page Ministerial Association Secretary, General Conference

“I was so inspired with the ARME prayer team and their prayer ministry, during this last General Conference Annual Council, that I have invited the team to come and work with our division in our year-end meetings in South Africa, where our church leadership from 23 countries will be gathering together. What this United Prayer team is doing is not new, or part of some new ‘emergent movement.’ It is very biblical. Remember the story of Joshua’s victory over the Amalekites, when Aaron and Hur held up Moses arms during the battle (Ex. 17:8-16)? This united prayer is also evidenced in the life of Moses, Abraham, Daniel, Esther, and others in the Bible. This kind of earnest, fervent, united prayer (if experienced) will bring great blessings to every church and every conference around the world, and as a result, God’s Spirit will be poured out, and Jesus will come back as He has promised!” Paul Ratsara President, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division