The Christian Life, the Church Life, the Consummation of the Age, and the Coming of the Lord
Message Five
The Prayer of the Age Offered to God through the Church, the Body of Christ, as a House of Prayer
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Mark 11:17 …“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”…
1 Cor. 12:27 Now you are the Body of Christ, and members individually.
Matt. 18:18-19 …Whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again, truly I say to you that if two of you are in harmony on earth concerning any matter for which they ask, it will be done for them from My Father who is in the heavens.
Word of Appetizer
What is the prayer of the age?
The prayer of the age is the prayer of the church as the Body of Christ, the prayer that exercises the authority of Christ as the ascended Lord and Head of the Body, for the fulfilling of God’s economy.
The prayer of the age is not the prayer of individual believers but the prayer of the church as the Body of Christ. This is prayer that is based on the fact that we have the position and authority of Christ. In this kind of prayer we do not beg the Lord to do something for us. Instead, we claim what the Lord has obtained and attained.
Spiritual Burden
The prayer in the church as a house of prayer is in the position of ascension, and with this position of prayer there is the authority of prayer; when we have the heavenly position and authority, our prayers become God’s administration, the executing of God’s will; this is the prevailing prayer of the church — the prayer of the age.
To fully enter into this kind of prayer and be able to exercise the authority given by the Head to the Body, we need to realize that we are members of the Body, and we must live, act, and move in the Body
CONCLUDING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
The Revelation of the Truth
The prayer of the age is the prayer of the church as the Body of Christ, the prayer that exercises the authority of Christ as the ascended Lord and Head of the Body, for the fulfilling of God’s economy.
The church, the Body of Christ, is a house of prayer; in the church as the temple of God, a house of prayer, we pray for the fulfillment of God’s desire, the carrying out of God’s will, and the accomplishment of God’s economy.
The Experience of Life
If we seek the things which are above and have one life and one living with Christ, we will be wholly occupied with the Lord’s interest; our heart will be with Him in heaven, where He is interceding for the churches, supplying the saints, and administrating God’s government; when we pray according to what the Lord has obtained in ascension, we may take the ground of His ascension and claim His lordship over the present situation in the world.
Practice and Application
To pray properly, we must pray to God in the name of the Lord Jesus, aiming at God’s interest for His economy; the holy land, the holy city, and the holy temple—are the three crucial things regarding God’s economy; our prayer in the house of prayer should be for the fulfillment of God’s economy.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—
TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1: The prayer of the church as the Body of Christ (Mark 11:17).
(Please explain the four points of the heavenly vision we need to enter into this kind of prayer.)
T2: The prayer of the church is based on the fact that we have the position and authority of Christ (Acts 2:36).
(Please explain that in this kind of prayer we do not beg the Lord to do something for us; instead, we claim what the Lord has obtained and attained.)
Day 2
T1: To pray by exercising the lordship and the headship of Christ (Acts 2:36).
(Please illustrate how we could pray by exercising the lordship and the headship of Christ.)
T2: To pray by exercising what the Lord has attained (Eph. 1:19-21).
(Please illustrate how we could pray by exercising what the Lord has attained.)
Day 3
T1: To pray by taking the ground of Christ’s ascension (1 Cor. 12:27; Col. 1:18).
(Please explain that this ground is not for individuals, but for the Body.)
T2: Learn to pray the prayer of authority (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:24).
(Please explain that which two additional things we should realize to fully enter into this kind of prayer.)
Day 4
T1: All proper prayers express God’s desire (Matt. 6:9-10).
(Please explain that the Bible shows us what prayer is.)
T2: Pray toward the goal in God’s eternal economy (1 Kin. 8:48).
(Please explain which three things are stressed in 1 Kin. 8:48 concerning God’s listening to the prayers of His elect.)
Day 5
T1: The position of prayer is the position of ascension (Col. 3:1).
(Please explain that resurrection is a matter of power, whereas ascension is a matter of authority.)
T2: All prayers in ascension are prayers of authority (Isa. 45:11; Exo. 14:21; Matt. 8:26).
(Please illustate with scriptures that our prayer is not begging but commanding.)
Day 6
T1: God cannot do what He wants to do unless man wants it (Exo. 17:9-11; Ezek. 36:37).
(Please illustate with scriptures that we can see how the earth controls heaven from two cases in the Old Testament.)
T2: God must have man’s will in harmony with His will (Matt. 18:18-19).
(Please explain that everything related to Him can be accomplished only when there is a will on earth that cooperates with Him.)
