Prayer Goal
The secret to prayer is secret prayer!
The goal of prayer should never be the roaring approval of the crowds, but rather the approval of our FATHER who is in heaven.
As Jesus so eloquently put it,
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites( actor’s), for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, Who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” The secret to prayer is secret prayer. (Matthew 6:5-6)
Jesus provided the ultimate example. As Luke puts it, He “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).
*Unlike the religious leaders of Jesus day, Jesus did not pray to be seen by men.
***Jesus prayed because He treasured Fellowship with His FATHER.
Hypocrites gain their reward through public prayer. They may be perceived as spiritual giants, BUT by the time they are finished, they have received everything they will ever get – their prayer’s worth and nothing more.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
Steeped in religious practices, these hypocrites tithed, fasted, and traveled “over land and sea” to win converts. They even prayed. And how! They prayed publicly in synagogues, and they prayed publicly on street corners. They even wore boxes on their foreheads containing pet prayers.
Yet their Motivation was NOT intimacy with God, BUT to be seen by men.
Thus, said Jesus, “they have received their reward in full.”
When you do righteous things to be recognized, you are being prideful. Jesus said that your recognition by man is your reward.
**If you do things so that only God knows, you are doing things in LOVE for your Father. You will be rewarded in heaven.
When we pray, “Lord, I need more love for this person”…what we are actually saying is, “Lord, I need to set ‘self’ aside and allow your Love to flow through me.”
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
Remove pride from your life. Earn eternal rewards not temporal ones.
John 4: 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Pray for others, pray before others sincerely, pray secretly, and pray regularly. Plan to pray and pray through your plan.
John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
It pleases God to give you the desires of your heart! He wants to see you happy, whole, strong and enjoying His blessing. *When you make the Word of God your number one priority, when you stay connected to HIM through PRAYER and WORSHIP, God promises that He will give you the desires of your heart.
James 5:16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
*This passage tells us that when we live right relationally and clear ourselves of emotional baggage… we can then pray powerfully!
*Who do you need to clear the air with?
*Who do you need to forgive and whose forgiveness should you seek?
**What inner issues do you need to let go of(Strongholds, Soul ties, Past Traumas etc.)?
May you become whole and see God use your prayers powerfully!
Do you want an increase faith? When you go to prayer again, use the following Scriptures to reason with the Lord. He will not deny his own Word. Lay hold upon these:
• Psalm 62:8
• Psalm 91:4
• Psalm 56:3
• Proverbs 30:5
• Jeremiah 29:10-14
Hold on by faith! He will answer you, and soon.
Heavenly Father, today I submit every area of life to You. I invite You to have Your way in my heart. Mold me and make me as I surrender every area of my life to You. I praise You and give You all the glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.