Lord, I must be aware of the negative power of unbelief and, even more, of the negative power of the atmosphere of unbelief. “He did not do many miracles their because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13: 58). The state of my spiritual health affects others, and it even affects You, Lord. How often a meeting has been destroyed by a negative, critical attitude on the part of one of the members; and how often has the power of God been expressed simply because one person was in tune with the Spirit.
Lord, I often pray for the preacher, but now I realize that the congregation must be prayed for just as zealously. The crowd needs an anointing to be channels of the Lord’s power, lest an evil spirit of doubt, distrust, bitterness, or criticism choke out the Lord’ presence. If I leave the gathering unblessed, it is because I came in that way and was unwilling to change during the meeting. I can see easily how King Saul’s dark moods affected the course of the nation.
In any gathering of Your people, Lord, I must be of them, or soon I will be away from them (1 John 2: 19). I must be in tune with You, but I must also be in tune with those around me. For if I am not in tune with them, it will affect their being in tune with You. We often blame the preacher for a lukewarm sermon when it is really the people’s lukewarm-ness that inhibits the Spirit’s moving. Lord, teach me my responsibility in the gathering of Your people; I must be my fervent best when I walk in to worship You. Otherwise I am a destroyer of unborn blessings. I thank You, Lord, that Jesus Christ was “anointed” by the Spirit (Isaiah 61: 1) to do many things, one of which was to keep me from my negative moods. He gives me “beauty for ashes” (verse 3b) and “oil of gladness instead of mourning” (verse 3c).
“But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on a level place; in the congregations I shall bless the Lord” (Psalm 26: 11-12).
This is the reason most likely that we are ineffective in our ministries, and our man-made programs.