Acts12:5 But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him. NLT
When myself and the young man I took to the mission field tested positive to COVID-19 after we ended the outreach in Ghana, we benefited from the earnest corporate prayer of the church. During that period, I heard a word saying, "there's a battle in the heavenlies". I do not understand what that meant fully but I knew it was warfare related. The heat was turned on and I felt it. I found myself in a situation where I needed to save the life of this young man while my own health challenge lingered. I told friends, fathers in the faith and ministry associates to pray for us. Pastor Temi raised a midnight prayer altar for us.
However, there was a particular sunday morning that I requested for the service of an ambulance because my partner became critically ill. When the ambulance delayed, i arranged a cab to convey us to the government Isolation centre. At that moment, I sent a word home telling my dad what was happening. That sunday morning, my church back in Nigeria prayed earnestly for this young man when they received the news through my dad. I was told the church prayed earnestly. Over there in Ghana, I heard another word in my spirit saying, "prayers have been offered." The flow of corporate anointing is one of the crucial benefits of identifying with a local church.
In Acts12, Herod took James and killed him. When he saw that his action pleased the people, he imprisoned Peter. We weren't told what the spiritual disposition of Peter was while in prison. Unlike Paul and Silas, we were told that they prayed and sang hymns and they were delivered, Acts16: 25-26. However, in the case of Peter, the emphasis was on the prayer of the church not his personal prayers. In fact, the angel met him sleeping but he was delivered. What do you think would have become of Peter if he doesn't belong to that church? Stop saying, "church is in my heart". You need to identify with a body of believers where you can be reached with God's largesse. You must have someone you can point to as your Pastor and a church where you're committed. Corporate prayer produces corporate anointing, take advantage of this benefit through a body of believers- the church.
Father, I receive the grace to stay committed to God and the gathering of saints in Jesus name