"Some of you have wondered, Why do we have prayer meetings? Why gather in St. Paul tonight in a larger group? Why have prayer chains and prayer groups? If God is God, and it is his power that makes a difference in answering prayer, why does it matter how many people ask him? If I pick up Noël from the library because our son asks me to, she is just as picked up as if four sons asked me to.
One answer is that the more people that are praying for a thing, the more thanks and honor God will get when he acts. We see this in 2 Corinthians 1:10b–11: "And [God] will yet deliver us, 11 you also joining in helping us through your prayers, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed upon us through the prayers of many."
The assumption behind the answer to both of these questions is that the divine purpose of prayer is to magnify the greatness of God. Prayer exists for the glory of God. Jesus said in John 14:13, "And whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." The aim of prayer is that the Father be glorified through Jesus.
So the more people there are praying for something, and thus depending on God for mercy and power, the more people will give him thanks and glorify him when the answer comes." [Emphasis mine.]
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1. http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/prayer-changes-peoples-wills
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