Praying with Company

David Mathis, in his book Habits of Grace, gives "nine profits of praying with company":

1. For added power

2. For multiplied joy

3. For greater glory to God

4. For fruitful ministry and mission

5. For unity among believers

6. For answers we otherwise wouldn't get

7. To learn and grow in our prayers

8. To know each other

One of the best ways to get to know fellow believers is by praying together. It is in prayer, in the conscious presence of God, that we're most likely to let the veneer fall. You hear their hearts in prayer like nowhere else. When we pray together, not only do we reveal what most captures our hearts and truly is our treasure, but as we pray together, says Jack Miller, "You can tell if a man or woman  is really on speaking terms with God." 1

9. To know Jesus more

The greatest benefit in praying together is that we know Jesus better when we pray together, in his name, with fellow lovers of him. With our limited vision and perspective, there are parts of Christ we're prone to see with more clarity than others. Our own experiences and personalities emphasise some aspects of his glory and make us blind to others. And so Tim Keller observes, "By praying with  friends, you will be able to hear and see facets of Jesus that you have not yet perceived."1

And since the great purpose of prayer is not getting things from God but getting God, perhaps this benefit alone will be enough to inspire  you to initiate or accept that next opportunity to pray with company.

1. Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, Tim Keller