Lance emphasizes the vital importance of corporate prayer in the church's life, highlighting that it reveals the spiritual health and unity of believers. He explains that while personal prayer often faces challenges like wandering thoughts, corporate prayer exposes the true spiritual condition of the church, showing whether believers flow together under the Spirit's guidance or pray as unrelated individuals. Lance stresses that effective corporate prayer involves inquiring of the Lord to discover His will, rather than relying on human opinions or biblical knowledge alone. He advocates for expecting to hear God's voice and for prayer to become a two-way communication, where the Spirit leads and confirms the burden. The importance of supplication, intercession, and thanksgiving is underscored, with intercession described as travailing in the Spirit, requiring full-body involvement and spiritual maturity. Lance illustrates the power of prayer through biblical examples like Daniel and the story of the lion's den, emphasizing that prayer aligns with God's will and brings His purposes to fruition. He warns against manipulative "agreement" tactics that attempt to twist God's arm, clarifying that prayer is about fulfilling God's will, not forcing Him into action. Ultimately, prayer is a spiritual warfare, requiring perseverance and recognizing Christ's headship, with the goal of seeing God's kingdom and will established on earth.
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.