Based on Luke 18:1-8

MEMORY TEXT:  “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word” (John 17:20).

On one of my trips by airplane, an off-duty pilot was seated next to me.  We talked, of course, about airplanes.  In the course of the conversation he explained that a passenger airliner is comprised of some 2 million individual pieces flying together in close formation.  What a vivid picture that makes!

The more I thought about it, I came to realize that the church is comprised, as it were, of many individual pieces; and as we fly along toward our heavenly destination, we too must be joined together in close formation.  Understanding the significance and true meaning of prayer will help make this possible.

Is there strength in numbers?  The answer is Yes and No.  No, in the sense that God is our strength and He is our majority.  And Yes, because God manifests His strength through the church--His body on earth.  In spite of our differences we become united with Him and with each other through prayer.  The closer you get to God in prayer, and the closer I get to God in prayer, the closer we become to each other.

The Lord hears and answers the prayers of one or two:  “It may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14:6).  “He moved upon the heart of Jonathan, a righteous man, and his armor-bearer, to go over to the garrison of the Philistines.  Jonathan believed that God was able to work for them, and to save by many or by few.  He did not rush up presumptuously.  He asked counsel of God, and then, with a fearless heart, trusting in Him alone, moved forward.  Through these two men, the Lord accomplished His work of subduing the Philistines.  He sent angels to protect Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and to shield them from the instruments of death in the hands of their enemies” (Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 1, p. 358).

And the Lord hears and answers the prayers of many:  “Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him” (Acts 12:5).

God answers the prayers of many or few—even of one.