Matthew 6:5 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
Prayer was an ongoing part of Christ’s ministry. Sometimes He prayed publicly as seen in the following verses:
Matthew 14:19 “He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.”
John 11:41 "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth."
More often than not, however, Christ prayed privately in some secluded location. He appears to have gone out frequently—daily—in the early morning, in the evening and sometimes He began in the evening, sometimes praying all night, other times praying for His flock, and then laid down to sleep. Notice the following verses and a quotation on His more private prayer life:
Matthew 14:23 "And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone."
Mark 1:35 "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."
Luke 6:12 "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God."
“When, on one occasion during His earthly ministry, a certain man said, “I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest,” Christ answered, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” [Luke 9:57, 58.] Night after night He would pray for His flock—pray that God would give them strength to obey: and then He would lie down upon the ground, as that was the only place He had to rest for the night.” Manuscript 9, 1910.14.
The point is that prayer was a very important part of Christ's ministry.
At the time of Christ, there was a lot of noisy hypocritical praying going on that was more for show than for connecting with God. Some of the religious leaders loved to stand in the synagogues and out on the street corners, praying loudly so that they might be seen by the people around them. They apparently thought that impressing men with their supposed piety was of greater importance and value than pleasing God. Jesus did not encourage that kind of prayer, nor does God value it. I am not sure anyone appreciates when a person is seeking to gain attention by praying loudly to impress others, but that's what they were doing back then.
In the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters, 6-8, Christ corrected the misapprehension and specifically instructed His hearers to go into their "closets," shut the door, and tell their Heavenly Father what was going on in their lives. He assured them that His Father who met them in secret would reward them openly.
Matthew 6:5 "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
From what we have already reviewed, Christ often prayed in secret, and resorted to this kind of prayer on a daily basis. He also instructed His followers to pray privately. We should follow Christ's example in taking time to regularly privately talk with our Heavenly Father.
According to the verses in Matthew 6:5-6, it means going to a private place where your prayer will not be overheard and opening your heart to God about everything going on.
Some Suggestions
Psalms 5:3 (NKJV) 3 “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up.”
A key to having a meaningful secret prayer experience is starting early in the day. To start early, you will have to go to bed early.
“When every other voice is hushed, and in quietness we wait before Him, the silence of the soul makes more distinct the voice of God.” Ellen White, Desire of Ages, p. 363
What was private in the days of Christ may not be as available and practical in our day! He would get up early and head out to some solitary place where he could be alone. Some of the people reading this may find themselves in a big city where a solitary place would not be safe. I don't think Jesus was calling his followers to endanger themselves. In some places and at certain times of the year, a private place might be limited to a warm spot in a home since the cold outside would not be conducive to quality time with God.
So what is a private place? A private place is any place where you can freely communicate, without worry of being overheard, and enjoy distraction-free time with God. Some people like to find a place outside. Some find that special place inside. You might find it in a special room in your house, a special place in a room, or a special chair; it might even mean artificially creating a quiet private haven. The place can also change from day to day, and from season to season. The important thing is to find time to pray in secret every day.
I personally have a favorite place where I like to meet God. At times, however, I choose to meet God in nature somewhere, sometimes even when I am walking. At one time, when I was caring for my mother and it was hard to be far from her, I would make a mini "temple" on my bed by kneeling at the edge and putting my head under the comforter. Under the comforter it was very quiet and private, and there was a sense that God was present.
Susanna Wesley, the mother of 19 children, including John and Charles Wesley, 10 of which survived childhood, had a special way of having private time with Jesus: she would flip her apron over her head. The children knew to be quiet if her apron was over her head. The point is that it is possible to find or make a quiet place in any situation.
“In the secret place of prayer, where no eye but God’s can see, no ear but His can hear, we may pour out our most hidden desires and longings to the Father of infinite pity, and in the hush and silence of the soul that voice which never fails to answer the cry of human need will speak to our hearts.” Ellen G. White, Thoughts From the Mount of Blessings, 84.3
Lest one think that secret prayer is about a place—a private place is necessary and very important, it is even more about freely communicating with God. The secret private place provides a location where the person praying can tell God everything that is going on in his or her life. Heeding the call to come with burdens (Matthew 11:28), seeking wisdom (James 1:5), or just communion with the Father, the believer finds a sympathetic hearer in His Heavenly Friend.
"He, with His presence will create an atmosphere for the soul. He closes the door, and brings the soul into seclusion with God, and the needy soul is to forget everyone and everything but God. Satan will walk with him, but speak aloud to God, and He will drive back the hellish shadow of Satan.” Ellen White, Bible Training School, June 1, 1917, par. 3
In our modern age, spending undistracted time with God is a major challenge. We are surrounded by digital devices, televisions, notes, computers, Ipads, Kindles, and all of these cry out for our attention. In Ellen White’s day it was novels and newspapers, which she asserted decimated spirituality. If you want to have quality time with God, you are going to have to leave these devices behind during your time of secret prayer, or be very disciplined in using them—something that is very hard to do!
Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”
Because we find ourselves in very busy settings with many responsibilities, sometimes it can be hard to transition into a more devotional mode. At such times, spending time in silence is very helpful.
The purpose of secret prayer is coming into God's presence. God wants to communicate with you, but He insists on having undistracted time with you. Wait before God in silence until other thoughts cease. Add praise and adoration to this preparatory time, telling God how much you appreciate and love Him.
Sometimes it is helpful to read some Bible verses to direct the time and to bring one's mind into God's presence.
I like to follow a passage of Scripture as I am praying, following the subjects brought up in the verses. Among favorite passages are the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-14), Psalms 34 and Colossians. 1:9-14.
“[Christ] often held communion with heaven in song. The men of Nazareth often heard his voice raised in prayer and thanksgiving to God; and thosewho associated with him, who often complained of their weariness, were cheered by the sweet melody that fell from his lips.” Ellen White, Review and Herald, October 24, 1899, par. 3
"Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.” Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 70
God cannot tolerate sin, and unconfessed sin will greatly hinder your time with God. Ask God to reveal the things that need confessing. Confess them specifically. Promise that you will also confess to others as necessary and appropriate.
“The Lord calls for a renewal of the straight testimony borne in years past. He calls for a renewal of spiritual life. The spiritual energies of His people have long been torpid, but there is to be a resurrection from apparent death. By prayer and confession of sin we must clear the King’s highway. As we do this, the power of the Spirit will come to us. We need the pentecostal energy. This will come; for the Lord has promised to send His Spirit as the all-conquering power.” Ellen White, Gospel Workers, p. 307.4
Matthew 5:21-26 (NKJV) “You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."
"Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” [Verse 15.] This is the way in which misunderstandings are to be settled. Speaking alone, and in the Spirit of Christ to the one who is in fault, will often remove the difficulty. Show Christlike love for your brother by seeking to adjust the difficulty “between thee and him alone.” Talk quietly together. Let no angry words escape your lips. Present the subject in a way that will appeal to his best judgment. And if he will hear you, you have gained him as a friend. Whatever the character of the offense may be, this does not change the plan God has made for the settlement of misunderstandings and personal injuries. Act out the Spirit of Christ. Take the recipe God has provided, and carry it to the spiritually diseased. Give him the remedy that will cure the disease of disaffection. Do your part to help him. Feel that it is a duty and privilege to do this, for the sake of the peace of the church, which is very dear to the heart of Christ. He does not want any wound to remain unhealed on any member of His church. All heaven is interested in the interview between the injured member and the one who has been guilty of error. After settling the difficulty, pray together, and angels of God will come to you and bless you. There is music in heaven over this union." {Ms 47, 1902, par. 9}
“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend” Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 93.2
“We may come to Jesus as to a friend, and in the most simple-hearted, definite manner tell him all our worries, perplexities, and trials, and he will carry our burdens for us. When our minds and our lives get tangled, we may take them to One who knows just how to untangle them. But after we have asked God to do this work for us, let us rest it with him. Here is where so many fail. They tell the Lord all their troubles, and then go on worrying just the same. They pray about their cares and sins, but do not cast off their cares nor cease to sin. Jesus invites us to cast all our cares upon him, for he cares for us; then let us leave them with him, and receive his peace and rest into our hearts. Ellen White, Review and Herald, October 21, 1884, par. 2
God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and claims the silver and gold as His. Accordingly, petition specifically, according to His will—only seeking those things that will bring God glory and will be good for the person involved, if it is the right time. I find it helps to ask specifically and persistently for some things.
Secret time in prayer is greatly bolstered by the sense that God is in charge, that God knows what is best and will give specific direction if we are open to it. Accordingly, the constant attitude in secret prayer should be "How can I please you Father; show me Your will in order that I might do it." Needless to say, God's will is always aligned with the teachings of the Bible.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NKJV) “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”
“Secret prayer is very important; in solitude the soul is laid bare to the inspecting eye of God, and every motive is scrutinized. Secret prayer! How precious! The soul communing with God!” Ellen White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, p. 189.2
Examining one’s heart is a key point of secret prayer. In examining our hearts, we are inviting God to reveal any plague spots in our lives that need addressing.
“Every follower of Christ should daily examine himself, that he may become perfectly acquainted with his own conduct.”—(Testimonies for the Church 2:511.) Ellen White, Prayer 32.3
“Children and youth may come to Jesus with their burdens and perplexities, and know that he will respect their appeals to him, and give them the very things they need. Be earnest; be resolute. Present the promise of God, and them believe without a doubt. Do not wait to feel special emotions before you think the Lord answers. Do not mark out some particular way that the Lord must work for you before you believe you receive the things you ask of him; but trust his word, and leave the whole matter in the hands of the Lord, with full faith that your prayer will be honored, and the answer will come at the very time and in the very way your heavenly Father sees is for your good; and then live out your prayers. Walk humbly and keep moving forward.” Ellen White, Youth’s Instructor, 1, 1886, par. 4
James Frazer, a missionary to the Lisu People in China, said that many prayers are initially answered with a promise. That is really true. The Bible is full of wonderful promises and God will sometimes give you a promise that seems so very real that you cannot help but rejoice ahead of time for the good things He will be doing. The point is, believe God heard and is answering! In my own prayer experience, I have found that nothing helps me having confidence in prayer as does thanking Him in advance for the answers given.
Finally, live out your prayers. Sometimes God will call us to answer our own prayers. In many cases we will play a role in the prayers being answered. I am confident God will lead you in this regard.
Many people have found that it greatly helps to pray out loud in this time of prayer. That doesn't mean boisterous and noisy prayer, but respectful and worship verbal prayer that expressed quietly can greatly augment the reality of that time of prayer. Imagine that God is there next to you as you pray. I have heard of people who actually have an empty chair close by to remind them that God is with them.
“Learn to pray aloud where only God can hear you.” Review and Herald, April 22, 1884, par. 2.
Tell God exactly what is on your heart and what you need. You need not go through many paragraphs explaining what God already knows.
“Learn to pray short and right to the point, asking for just what you need.” ... learn to pray intelligently, expressing our requests with clearness and precision.” Review and Herald, April 22, 1884, par. 2, 4.
I find it very helpful to use a list of people and needs to be remembered in prayer.
Kneeling if at all possible can be a real blessing in secret prayer. God will hear us in other positions, but I think the humbling of kneeling does good to our souls.
I enjoy praying as I walk. Rose and I also enjoy going out on prayer walks.
Some individuals believe in what is sometimes referred to as "contemplative" prayer. Contemplative prayer often refers to emptying one's mind of all thoughts, sometimes achieved through repetitive prayers, and paying attention to whatever comes to mind. Often this done without much reference to what the Bible teaches. Accordingly, this kind of prayer can become very self-centered and the devil can do a lot of mischief with it.
I have also come across individuals who believe the Holy Spirit speaks to them and that whatever the Spirit communicates is to be believed and followed. In hearing of the things the Spirit was supposedly communicating, which in some cases were quite contrary to the teachings of Scripture and common sense, it was hard to believe it was the real Holy Spirit.
We serve a real God who created us in His image to have a relationship with us. That means He wants to have real conversations with us. Talk to Him as if you were talking to a parent or to a friend. He will respond in kind.
“The life of the soul depends upon habitual communion with God. Its wants are made known, and the heart is open to receive fresh blessings. Gratitude flows from unfeigned lips; and the refreshing that is received from Jesus is manifested in words, in deeds of active benevolence, and in public devotion. ... Secret prayer sustains this inner life.” Review and Herald, April 22, 1884, par. 3.
“The study of the Bible, the hours of secret communion with God, meditation upon heavenly themes will develop into purity of character resembling the spotless lily. The life of God in the soul is Christ in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life. This springing up into life will refresh all who connect with you.” Ellen White, Signs of the Times, February 7, 1878, par. 7}
“You will receive more strength by spending one hour each day in meditation, and mourning over your failings and heart-corruptions, and pleading for God’s pardoning love, and the assurance of sins forgiven, than you would by spending many hours and days in studying the most able authors, and making yourself acquainted with every objection to our faith, and the most powerful evidences in favor of our faith.” Ellen White, Review and Herald, January 19, 1864
“You can all find time to pray, and when you pray, let it be in faith believing that Jesus hears you, and that you will receive the strength you so much need. There is strength for you, and you can obtain it; but not unless you earnestly desire it, and ask for it.” Ellen White, Youth’s Instructor, May 1, 1854, par. 3
“Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul. Family prayer, public prayer, have their place; but it is secret communion with God that sustains the soul life.” Ellen White, Education p. 285
The minister is appointed by God to teach and help those who are engaged in the ordinary avocations of life to find time and to use it aright for the preservation of the spiritual life. The minister cannot do this unless he himself has a living experience of a life of prayer. His highest calling is not preaching, or speaking, or parochial visitation, but it is to cultivate the life of God daily, and to be a witness of what the Lord teaches him and accomplishes in him. Andrew Murray, The Prayer Life, p. 90,91
“It is impossible for the soul to flourish while prayer is not a special exercise of the mind. Family or public prayer alone is not sufficient. … Secret prayer! How precious!” Ellen White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, 189.
"It is because there is so little communion with God, that spiritual life is so feeble, and the efforts of our workers meet with so little success. Our natures must be raised from their earthliness; they must be kindled and purified in the upper brightness of God’s divine presence. Why are we so easily satisfied with little flashes of light, when there is a heaven of illumination for us? We drink at shallow streams, when there is a great fountain just above us, if we will only rise a little higher in the pathway of faith. It is by beholding Christ, through faith, that we are to be changed into his likeness. As we meditate upon the perfection of his character, we shall desire to become wholly transformed and renewed in the image of his purity.” Ellen White, Home Missionary, November 1, 1890, par. 11, 12
"There is absolutely no substitute for this secret communion with God. The public Church services, or even the family altar, cannot take the place of the 'closet' prayer. We must deliberately seek to meet with God absolutely alone, and to secure such aloneness with God we are bidden to 'enter into thy closet.' God absolutely insists on this 'closet'-communion with Himself." – Gordon Cove
"Do not neglect secret prayer, for it is the soul of religion. With earnest, fervent prayer plead for purity of soul. Plead as earnestly, as eagerly, as you would for your mortal life, were it at stake. Remain before God until unutterable longings are begotten within you for salvation, and the sweet evidence is obtained of pardoned sin." Ellen White, Selected Gifts, vol. 2, p. 246.3
“I ought to pray before I see anyone. Often when I sleep late or meet others early it is eleven or twelve o'clock before I begin to pray in secret. This is a wretched practice. It is unscriptural. When this happens family prayers lose much of their power and sweetness, and I can do no good to those who come to seek aid of me. The conscience is guilty, the soul is unfed, the lamp is untrimmed. It is far better to begin with God, to see his face first, to get my soul near him before it is near another.”—Robert McCheyne.
"'The men who have done most for God in this world have been early upon their knees.' If God is not first in our thoughts, in our efforts, in the early morning, He will be last in the remainder of the day. The heart that is behindh in seeking God in the early morning has lost its relish for God. A desire for God which cannot break the chains of sleep is a weak thing, and will do but little good for God after it has indulged itself fully. It Is not simply getting up early that puts men to the front and makes them captains-general of God’s host, but it is the ardent desire which Stirs and Breaks All Self-indulgent Chains." H. W. Hodge
"The very essence and speciality of Secret Prayer, so it seems to me, is that it should express most freely, whatever else it deals with, the movements of the individual spirit ; confessing inmost personal sins, giving praise for personally received mercies, both of providence and grace, worshipping in view of personal insights into the Lord's great glory, supplicating regarding the deepest needs, and the simplest needs, of the individual man, and interceding for individuals in the freest detail and name by name." H. C. G. Moule, Secret Prayer, p. 20
"Many Christians backslide because this truth [need for daily fellowship with Jesus] is not clearly taught. They are unable to stand against the temptations of the world or of their old nature. They strive to do their best to fight against sin and to serve God, but they have no strength. They have never really grasped the secret: The Lord Jesus will every day from heaven continue His work in me. But on one condition—the soul must give Him time each day to impart His love and His grace. Time alone with the Lord Jesus each day is the indispensable condition of growth and power. Andrew Murray, Secret of Fellowship, p. 8
"Many who do come into the secret place, and who are God's children, enter it and leave it just as they entered, without ever so much as realizing the presence of God. And there are some believers who, even when they do obtain a blessing, and get a little quickening of soul, leave the secret place without seeking more. They go to their chamber, and there get into the secret place, but then, as soon as they have got near to Him, they think they have been peculiarly blessed, and leave their chamber, and go back into the world… Oh, how is it that the Lord's own people have so little perseverance? How is it that when they do enter into their place of prayer to be alone, they are so easily persuaded to be turned away empty; instead of wrestling with God to pour out His Spirit, they retire from the secret place without the answer, and submit to it as being God's will." – William C. Burns
"If you would have the rich treasures of heaven, you must have secret communion with God. Unless you do this, your soul will be as destitute of the Holy Spirit as were the hills of Gilboa of dew and rain. When you hurry from one thing to another, when you have so much to do that you can not take time to talk with God, how can you expect power in your work?" Ellen White,General Conference Bulletin, July 1, 1902, Art. A, par. 6
"The young believer must understand that he has no power of his own to maintain his spiritual life. He needs each day to receive new grace from heaven through fellowship with the Lord Jesus. This cannot be obtained by a hasty prayer or a superficial reading of a few verses from the God’s Word. He must take time quietly and deliberately to come into God’s presence, to feel his weakness and his need, and to wait upon God through His Holy Spirit to renew the heavenly light and life in his heart.” Andrew Murray, Secret of Fellowship, p. 6
"Secret prayer is frequently perverted, and its sweet designs lost, by loud vocal prayer. Instead of the calm, quiet trust and faith in God, the soul drawn out in low, humble tones, the voice is raised to a loud pitch, and excitement is encouraged, and secret prayer loses its softening, sacred influence. There is a storm of feeling, a storm of words, making it impossible to discern the still, small voice that speaks to the soul while engaged in its secret, true, heartfelt devotion. Secret prayer, properly carried out, is productive of great good. But prayer which is made public to the entire family and neighborhood is not secret prayer, even though thought to be, and divine strength is not received from it. Ellen White, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 2, pp. 189, 190.
Your Pledge To Spend Undistracted Time In Secret With God
By the grace of God I will seek to spend quality time communing with God in the secret place, morning and evening.
My Quiet place:
My Quiet Times:
___________________________________ ______________
Your Signature Date
This booklet was compiled by Dan Augsburger of Path2Prayer Ministries. Find more resources like this at discipleheart.com. Were you blessed? Please let us know. Please pray for us. We depend on the prayers and support of God’s friends. Do you have questions or need more information? Contact Dan: discipleheart@protonmail.com or call 269 471 5415. 2023