Prepare Your Heart (Praying for Rain! United Prayer)

It is critical that you, as the prayer leader, be prepared and come to the prayer session with a heart emptied of self and filled with the Holy Spirit. The one who waits to prepare until the last minute will not be as effective as the one who comes to the prayer session after having spent quality time in the presence of God.
“An intensity such as never before was seen is taking possession of the world. In amusement, in
moneymaking, in the contest for power, in the very struggle for existence, there is a terrible force that

engrosses body and mind and soul. In the midst of this maddening rush, God is speaking. He bids us come apart and commune with Him. ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Ps. 46:10. Many, even in their seasons of devotion, fail of receiving the blessing of real communion with God. They are in too great haste. With hurried steps they press through the circle of Christ’s loving presence, pausing perhaps a moment within the sacred precincts, but not waiting for counsel. They have no time to remain with the divine Teacher.
With their burdens they return to their work. These workers can never attain the highest success until they
learn the secret of strength. They must give themselves time to think, to pray, to wait upon God for a renewal
of physical, mental, and spiritual power. They need the uplifting influence of His Spirit. Receiving this, they will be quickened by fresh life. The wearied frame and tired brain will be refreshed, the burdened heart willbe lightened. Not a pause for a moment in His presence, but personal contact with Christ, to sit down in companionship with Him—this is our need.”Education, p. 260, 261

“Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is the secret of spiritual power. No other means of grace
can be substituted and the health of the soul be preserved. . . . Neglect the exercise of prayer, or engage
in prayer spasmodically, now and then, as seems convenient, and you lose your hold on God.” Messages
to Young People, p. 249

Model Reverence (Praying for Rain! United Prayer)

When we pray, we are approaching the throne room of the King of the Universe. Lead others by your example to behave reverently in both word and manner. We encourage kneeling but understand that circumstances may require some to sit in a chair. “True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His
infinite greatness and a realization of His presence. . . . The hour and place of prayer are sacred, because God is there. . . . Angels, when they speak that name, veil their faces. With what reverence, then, should we, who are fallen and sinful, take it upon our lips!” Prayer, p. 209 

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.

Keep Individual Prayers Short (Praying for Rain! United Prayer)

It’s important for you as the leader to model short, concise prayers, and the group will follow your example.
There may be one or two (or a few) who will not pay any attention to the guidelines you share, and once they start praying, they may go on and on. Just be patient and bear with them. Remember, the main point is that they are praying! “Make short prayers in meetings, and lengthy prayers when you talk and commune with God in your closet.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 10, p. 130“Learn to pray short and right to the point, asking for just what you need.” Our High Calling, p. 130

Be Sensitive as You Lead (Praying for Rain! United Prayer)

Maintain sensitivity to the fact that some participants are not so comfortable approaching God in prayer. They may never have experienced the power of hours spent in their own private prayer closet, and they certainly may not be accustomed to group prayer. A leader who offers long, perfectly developed prayers may intimidate some group members who feel they are not as eloquent. Pray as the Holy Spirit leads, but keep your words simple. Recognize the level of the other participants and begin there.
People may also be intimidated by the length of the prayer time. Those who are new to this united prayer
format often worry that the time will drag; they cannot imagine praying for a whole hour. However, as we
progress through the four themes, and as people are encouraged to keep individual prayers short and concise (rather than allowing the lengthy sermon-like prayers that go on and on), time usually goes quickly.
In fact, most participants will find that a whole hour of prayer can seem like just 20 minutes. The testimony
of many is, “I’ve never prayed this long before, but the time went so quickly. This is powerful!

Genuine Revival Awareness (Praying for rain! United prayer)

In our zealousness to avoid the counterfeit spirit of revival, we need to be careful not to quench the true! “There is at the present time almost a universal state of unbelief in regard to the operations of the Holy
Spirit, especially in the manifestation of the gifts. Unbelief shuts the Spirit of God away from the mind. It quenches the Spirit, and leaves the masses exposed to the delusions of these last days. Again, those who by unbelief quench the spirit in these last days will be illy prepared to share in the great blessings which God promises by the prophet Joel, quoted by Peter (Acts 2:17, 18). ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.’ The ‘Former Rain’ was given on the day of Pentecost, and enjoyed by the early Christians, to cause the Gospel seed to germinate and take root. The ‘Latter Rain’ is coming to ripen the golden harvest for the garner of God. Take care, dear

reader, lest unbelief in you quench the Spirit, and shut you away from this great blessing designed for “them that believe.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 19“
The baptism of the Holy Ghost as on the day of Pentecost will lead to a revival of true religion and to the performance of many wonderful works. Heavenly intelligences will come among us, and men will speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Spirit of God. But should the Lord work upon men as He did on and after the day of Pentecost, many who now claim to believe the truth would know so very little of the operation of the Holy Spirit that they would cry, ‘Beware of fanaticism.’ Theywould say of those who were filled with the Spirit, ‘These men are full of new wine’ (Acts 2:13). . . . The great sin of those who profess to be Christians is that they do not open the heart to receive the Holy Spirit. When souls long after Christ, and seek to become one with Him, then those who are content with the form of godliness exclaim, ‘Be careful, do not go to extremes.’. . . But while we should be careful not to go into human excitement, we should not be among those who will raise inquiries and cherish doubts in reference to the work of the Spirit of God.”  Ye Shall Receive Power, p. 322“‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of  great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.” Joel 2:12, 13 When we humble ourselves before God’s throne, confess our sins, and intercede for others, our hearts will break, and there will sometimes beweeping! However, the real sign that God is bringing true revival to our midst will be the transformation that takes place in our lives. “Obedience is the test of discipleship. It is the keeping of the commandments that proves the sincerity of our professions of love. When the doctrine we accept kills sin in the heart, purifies the soul from defilement, bears fruit unto holiness, we may know that it is the truth of God.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 146