Text: Matthew 6:6 NKJV
Further Reading: Matthew 6:5-6
But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
Matthew 6:6 NKJV
MESSAGE
Prayer is as easy as speaking to a friend. The strength of prayer is based on your relationship with God. The Bible says that Moses spoke with God as one speaking with his friend (Exodus 33:11).
We also read about the prayer of Abraham and how he was negotiating with God for Sodom (Genesis 18:19-31). These example shows that prayer is more effective when we have a personal relationship with God. Prayer is not mechanical if we are in the right state with God.
Jesus taught us certain rudiments of prayer in our text of the day, but before then He gave us one very important thing to do when we pray. That is to pray in the secret. Does it mean we can not pray in the public? No, we can, but the most effective prayer are done in the secrete. Also, your public prayer will only be effective if you are a man of the closet.
Jesus warned against the attitude of the Pharisee who stands praying everywhere but does not have the real prayer life. As a believer, true prayer life is cultivated in the closet not in the public space. Prayer is not for a show. I pity many young Christians who pray just to show off, well they have their reward of men and not from God.
Another lesson to note is that God sees us when pray in the secret and He will reward us openly. Most mighty prayer answered in the Bible are prayer prayed behind closed doors. Who will forget in a hurry the prayer of Hanah and how God mightily answered?
You must learn to stay alone in the place of prayer. It is in this place that men gets power. If you can not get a place in your house, go on retreat in another place. May God hear your prayers. Amen
REFLECTION
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
Matthew 23:14 NKJV
Ensure your relationship with God is cordial, the will you be able to pray with assurance of answer to prayers.
PRAYER
Father, please remove everything in my life that is negatively affecting my relationship with you. Help me to stay alone in the place of prayer.
