“And so I tell all of you: what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. “And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.”
Matthew 18:18-20 GNB
This famous passage has been used in many ways. It’s talking about settling disputes among believers and bringing reconciliation in relationships. In context, it’s a statement concerning the corporate authority of the community of believers. The verbs used are plural, meaning that the “you” might be translated “y’all.” He’s addressing the group. The principle revealed is that there is broad authority given to the assembled believers. When we gather, Jesus is personally present in a unique way, and because of that, our corporate requests carry special weight. We can prohibit and permit.
One of the triumphs of Satan in our day has been convincing believers that they don’t need to get together for worship and prayer. By so doing, he has assured that some things will be permitted that would otherwise be prohibited by the assembled church. As we assemble, how about we go with the intention of stopping some of the devil’s antics in our midst? Strife, bitterness, sickness, mental oppression, despair, … These kinds of things have no place in the assembly of the saints. Can we gather and agree and let the Father reign in His people? I believe we can!
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