When You Pray, Go In Your Room & Pray In Private
Pray With All Supplication
MATHEW 6:6
“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
https://www.bible.com/114/mat.6.6.nkjv
Some call into question, all public prayer. But the Gospel record shows Jesus prayed both publicly (14:18-19 and privately (14:23), and He is the example to follow.
Most certainly there is power in numbers, and when we come together in numbers focused and in unity on the same situation, prayers become answered.
Jesus said, ““Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
Matthew 18:19-20 NKJV
However, you cannot have a good personal relationship without loyalty and personal, private conversation.
God is loyal to you, and for your relationship with Him to grow, you need to be loyal to Him.
Praying in private shows our words are for God, not to impress people. It is our motives that are most important.
Whether we do good by helping the needy, or when in prayer time, or worship, do it sincerely for God, rather than to impress people.
Our good deeds and worship should come from the heart in love, not the desire to impress and or to be put on a pedestal.
Jesus said, ““Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 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. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.”
Matthew 6:1-7 NKJV
My beloved, the most powerful prayers are from the heart, short, with simple words, and directly to the point, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”
Ephesians 6:18 NKJV
Praying in the Spirit, is to pray by the leading of the Holy Spirit within.
The expression “prayer and supplication” is found a number of times in the New Testament. Whereas prayer is the normal word for the act of speaking or communicating with God, supplication is a much more expressive word.
The nuance of meaning in each of these words is not without significance … ‘Prayer’ is the general term often used for this activity but it also carries with it the thought of praise or/ and thanksgiving. To ‘supplicate’ is to give expression to entreaty when seeking help or assistance.
The word supplication comes originally from a Latin word meaning ‘to bend’ or ‘bow down’, hence our word ‘supple’. By extension, it then came to describe the action of those asking for something humbly, that is, on bended knees, emphasising their lowliness and need. Similarly, the Hebrew word tehinnah, usually translated ‘supplication’, carries the meaning of imploring a favour. Hence, in summary, we can say that while prayer emphasises the power of God, supplication underlines the powerlessness and poverty of the one asking.
When led in prayer by the Spirit, He will put on one’s heart the right words and if necessary, the right Scripture that covers the situation and break the yoke of the source of the problem.
This is when miracles break out and lives change.
But in view of the fact that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked (JEREMIAH 17:9), we believers must regularly examine our motives and ask God to help us to keep on track.
Like David, call out to the Lord, saying, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV
Most importantly, to build our relationship with Christ, like any relationship, we must make time for private heart felt conversation with Him, not just speaking and asking for help, but in general conversation, listening and lifting our God up with words of praise and thanksgiving, for it is He alone who deserves the Glory.
Therefore, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV
We can’t be on our knees every minute of the day, but we can pray without ceasing, which is to be constantly in conversation with God, being transparent, true and involving Him in everything we do, just as one should be transparent, true and constantly in communication with one’s spouse, involving him or her in all things.
Transparency my beloved, brings peace, and builds relationships with trust and respect.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.