PERSONAL PRAYER
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. - John 6:6 NKJV
As the tumultuous noise of the world continues to get louder, there is a deep urgency for believers to “shut the door” and spend time praying to the Father. We cannot afford to abandon the secret place and to skate through life solely on pre-dinner and bedtime prayers. There is a very real spiritual war being waged and it is time for us to engage.
In our hustle and hurry, busy-stricken culture it can be so easy to unintentionally avoid the place of intimacy where His presence resides. We must be willing to confront distractions and remove anything that hinders us from spending time with Him. Not only does He desire that for us, but we desperately need it.
There is a time and space for corporate prayer, and that is crucial and must not be neglected. We need to gather with other believers for the purpose of praying with and for one another, but there must also be a consistent, vibrant time that we spend alone with the Lord. Just Him and us, one-on-one, behind “closed doors”. These are the moments that He refreshes us personally, speaks truth to our hearts, shows us of things to come, ministers to us individually, and, most importantly, is the time we get to just bask in His presence and spend time with Him.
The reward is seen openly, but it is never what we strive for. We spend time in the secret place because we desire intimacy with Him. We intentionally carve out that time in our schedules so that we can make being with Him a priority. The time we spend with Him affects all other areas of our lives. It’s where we find the answers we need to important questions and life decisions. It’s where we find healing and wholeness. It’s where our identity is affirmed and our strength is found.
Schedule time with Him and don’t let anything hinder it. When I spend time with Him, I often imagine Him sitting in a chair across from me, forehead to forehead holding my hands. In those times, it’s important that we not only share our hearts, but that we leave space for Him to share His. He has things to say to us and it’s time to shut the door and pray to our Father in the secret place.
Prayer Declaration:
I will abide in the secret place with God regularly and refuse to abandon personal prayer time. I will not let busyness distract me from spending time with Him. I love praying, seeking His face and hearing His heart for me. I will live my life from a place of intimacy with God.
Questions
Do you intentionally set aside time to pray and seek God?
What are some ways you can become more intentional about personal prayer time?
What are some things God has revealed to your heart during personal prayer time?
