Prayer is a big part of the life of every born again Christian, who walks after the Spirit. That’s because born again Christians are aware of the importance of prayer and can’t live without prayer. They make time and set time apart to pray, because prayer has the highest priority in the lives of believers. A believer without a prayer life is like a dried-up creek. Let’s look at the secret prayer life of the believer.
A prayer life out of duty or love?
When you love someone, you want to be with that person and spend time with that person. Many believers say they love the Lord, but how come that many don’t have time and don’t make time to spend together with the Lord in prayer? There are many believers, who consider prayer a religious duty.
Many times they don’t have a desire to spend time with the Father and force themselves to pray. They’ll pray for a few minutes and then stop and continue with their daily matters.
They pray when they wake up, before they eat, and before they go to bed, and consider that their prayer life.
They think that this kind of prayer life is sufficient and that they have fulfilled their religious obligation. But is a prayer life out of duty something that the Father desires?
How would you feel, when a friend comes to visit you out of duty, instead of enjoying spending time with you together, because your friend loves you?
How would you feel when people only want to spend time with you and hang out with you, in order to receive something from you? Instead of wanting to hang out with you because they love you, for who you are?
I don’t think, that you would like that. Because you would know that the person doesn’t really love you, but only spend time with you because they want something from you or out of duty to ease their mind and not being accused in their conscience.
It’s the same with God. God knows the heart of people. God knows exactly, who spends time with Him and have a prayer life out of duty or to get something from Him or spends time with Him and have a prayer life out of love.
God knows your heart
God knows, whose heart is devoted to Him and whose heart is devoted to the world. You can say and sing that you love Him. And you can piously keep the commandments of the Bible in front of other people. But your speech, walk, and the works you do, even behind closed doors, testify if you really love him or that what you say are just empty words and dead works
There’s nothing hidden from our Almighty God; He sees everything! There’s no heart hidden from God. God is not waiting for pious people, whose hearts don’t go out to Him and His Kingdom, but go out to the world and the kingdom of darkness.
Maybe a person can hide his or her true heart for the carnal believers, who walk after the flesh. But his or her true heart will not be hidden for God and those, who are born of Him. Because the Holy Spirit discerns real from fake.
The prayer life of the believer
Every believer should have a personal prayer life and should set time apart to spend together in prayer with the Father. When a person repents and becomes born again in Christ, it could be that the person must make an effort to subordinate the flesh to the spirit. Because the flesh has always reigned in the person’s life and the flesh doesn’t want to pray. The flesh wants to be fed and be entertained with the carnal things of this world. It is, therefore, necessary to discipline yourself and set time apart to pray.
Now, you might think: “hey, wait a minute. Prayer should not be forced, but must be out of free will. I don’t like religion and legalism, I want to have a relationship with Jesus and the Father.” The answer to this is: yes and no.
Of course, you should have a personal relationship with Jesus and the Father, through the Holy Spirit, instead of a mechanical relationship. But….. many believers underestimate the power of the flesh, which is still present and controls the life of a new born again believer (Read also: ‘A technical faith‘).
You shouldn’t forget that all those years, before a person repents, the flesh has been fed and suddenly a person decides to not feed the flesh anymore. Do you think that the flesh will agree with the decision of the person? No, of course not! The flesh will whine, whimper and beg until the flesh gets what it wants.
The flesh strives against the spirit
The spirit wants to spend time with the Father and wants to focus on the things of His Kingdom, but the flesh doesn’t want to do that. The flesh rebels, because the flesh doesn’t want to die, but wants to be fed with the things of this world and stay alive.
The flesh knows, that as soon as the flesh is not fed anymore, the flesh will eventually die. That’s why it’s important to stop listening to your flesh and stop feeding your flesh and let your spirit take control and reign in your life instead.
There are many believers, who spend hours in front of the television, on their phone, behind the (gaming)computer, or spend their time to all kinds of (social) activities and hobbies, but are not able to spend 5 to 10 minutes a day in prayer and spend 5 to 10 minutes in the Word.
They confess that they are born again, but they stay carnal and don’t walk after the spirit, but after the flesh. Because their flesh dictates their lives.
Everyone wants to be like Jesus and do the same signs, wonders, and miracles, He did. But not everyone is willing to pay the same price and live the same life like Jesus.
If your love for Jesus and the Father is not greater than the love for the world and your ‘self’ then you will not be able to stand. But you shall eventually succumb to the pressure of the world. Because the world doesn’t like the Word and rebels against every word, which is written in the Bible.
If the Word and the Holy Spirit live inside of you, you will be persecuted by those, who belong to the world (system) and are led by the spirits of this world.
Since many churches have allowed the spirits of this world to enter and the devil has established his throne in many churches, you may even experience persecutions from within your church.
The more time you spend with the Father and the more time you spend in the Word, the better you will get to know Him and the more you will love Him. Your love shall not decrease but increase. And because your love shall increase, you shall want to spend more and more time with Him.
Praying in tongues edifies the spirit
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Romans 8:26-27)
Praying in the Spirit, which is praying in tongues is necessary. Because the Spirit helps your infirmities and edifies your spirit. Praying in tongues is not meant for carnal manifestations, like goosebumps and experiencing pleasant feelings. But praying in tongues is needed to reveal those things, which are hidden, so that you can pray for those things.
If you don’t know how to pray and start praying in tongues, then the Holy Spirit will give you the words to speak, which are according to His will. Your spirit shall be edified and your spiritual insights, knowledge, and wisdom shall increase. You shall receive revelations from the Word and get insights.
The Holy Spirit knows the depths of God
The Holy Spirit knows the depths of God. He knows what’s in God and man and He reveals the hidden treasures. He even reveals in your own life which areas of your life are not fully committed and devoted to the Lord yet.
It’s important for every believer to know, that when you were baptized with the Holy Spirit, you have received the Holy Spirit in all fullness and not just parts of Him. But what has been taken place in the spiritual realm, must become visible in the natural realm. This process is called sanctification; put off the old man and put on the new man. The more the spirit of the new man is fed, the more the flesh of the old man will die.
How do you pray?
There are preachers and teachers, who teach prayer methods, technics, and strategies. They say, that if you pray the right way and use the right prayer methods and strategies, you will receive what you ask for. But the truth is, that there are no prayer methods, technics, and strategies for answered prayers. What they teach is called manipulation.
Unfortunately, there are many believers, who have fallen for these lies and through these false doctrines they have developed a mechanical prayer life, whereby their prayers no longer revolves around their personal spiritual relationship with God, but a carnal mechanical relationship, that revolves around manipulation and receiving things from God, especially material blessings and prosperity.
They are the ones, who cry out the loudest. They are the ones, who say that it’s not about religion and legalism, but about a relationship. While in the meantime they are the ones, who pray according to complicated prayer technics and prayer methods, which are written in their prayer manual.
They are more focused upon their use of words and more concerned about their prayer techniques and prayer methods, than taking time to kneel down and listen to what the Father has to say to them in secret. Many times God never gets the chance to answer, because the prayer is already finished before it has even started.
What does Jesus say about prayer life?
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 (Matthew 6:5)
Jesus said a few things about prayer. He began by commanding His disciples to not follow the examples of the hypocrites; the religious actors of the stage of life. They wanted to be seen and heard by the people in the synagogues and on the corners of the street. But Jesus said, that they already had received their reward.
There are many people, who have the same character and also want to be respected and worshiped by people. These people want to stand out and be seen by others. In the presence of others, they pray long beautiful carnal prayers. They use emotional words that move people’s feelings and emotions. They present themselves as experts in the area of prayer and move the people’s emotions and feelings. But in reality, they fool them.
“Pray to the Father which is in secret”
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 (Matthew 6:6)
Jesus commanded His disciples that when they would pray, they should enter into their closet and shut the door, and pray to the Father, who is in secret. Therefore, despite the fact that you are continuously united in the spirit, through the Holy Spirit with Jesus and the Father, it’s important to set time apart and spend time in prayer with the Father.
Jesus commanded this to His disciples, who were still the old creation. But Jesus was the new Creation and Jesus withdrew Himself often to spend time with the Father. Therefore if Jesus spent time in prayer with the Father, we should follow-up His example. Just like Jesus, we should spend time with the Father in secret.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him (Matthew 6:6-8)
When you pray, don’t use vain repetitions as the heathen pray to their god(s). Because God hears and knows everything. God knows you and He knows exactly what you want and need, even before you have asked Him. God knows your thought and your heart.
What did Jesus say about prayer?
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4)
This is the prayer, which Jesus gave to His disciples. When we look at this prayer, we see a total devotion and submission to God the Father. We see an acknowledging for who He is.
E
verything revolves around God; His Name be hallowed, His Kingdom come, His will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
This means that the Church shall live according to His will and obey His Word and do what He has commanded to do.
Believers shall no longer murmur, whine and complain. But they shall submit themselves to God and no longer do their own will, but do His will. Just like Jesus, when He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane: “not My will, but Your will be done.” Because to God is the Kingdom and the power and the glory for ever.
What believers should pray for, is their daily bread, the forgiveness of debts (sins), and to not lead them into temptation, but deliver them from evil.
Jesus even continued regarding the forgiveness of sins (debts). He said that if a believer forgives his debtor, then the Father will also forgive Him. Forgiving a debtor means, that when someone does you wrong and mistreat you, you must forgive him or her. Because if you don’t forgive, then the Father will also not forgive you (Read also: ‘The secret of forgiveness’).
Jesus even says, that you should pray for those, who despitefully use you (mistreat you, insult you, humiliate you, hurt you, falsely accuse you (Luke 6:28))
What about obstacles?
The Word gives some reasons why prayers are not answered. But if you are a born-again believer, who prays and walks after the Spirit and obeys the Word and lives after His will, and has a personal relationship with Jesus and the Father, then all these obstacles will be removed, because the obstacles that hinder prayers are in the flesh.
He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination (Proverbs 28:9)
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (without faith, you will not receive (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24))
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. (1 Peter 3:7)
You fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (James 4:2-3)
When your spirit reigns, you shall no longer pray carnal prayers, full of begging and pleading for all kinds of carnal provisions and supplies.
Instead, you shall apply the spiritual weapons for the Kingdom of God. You will pray offensive and speak the words of God with authority. You’ll no longer be focused upon yourself but on the Kingdom of God.
You shall no longer pray as the old carnal creation, who is placed beneath the authority of spiritual principalities, rulers, and powers of the kingdom of darkness. But you shall pray as the new creation, who is seated in Jesus Christ, above all principalities, rulers, and powers of darkness, and prays after the will of God.
That’s why it’s important to know God’s will and to know what He says about certain matters, so that you pray after God’s will and not after your own will and the will of the world and pray humanistic carnal prayers, which derive from your feelings and emotions.
What if prayers are not answered?
What do you do, when prayers, which are after God’s will, are not answered? If prayers are not answered immediately, don’t panic. Because then it’s all about, if you really believe in the Word and trust God. Do you trust His Word? Do you believe that His Word is the truth? If you trust Him and believe that His Word is the truth, you shall stand on the Word and persevere.
As soon as doubt tries to enter your mind, command it to leave. Because if you don’t command it to leave, but listen to the doubt and feed upon it and obey it, by deviating from the words of God, you show that you do not really believe the Word. Because if you did, you wouldn’t doubt the words of God and deviate from His words. When you choose to believe the doubt above the words of God and act upon it, you will depart from the faith.
But if you keep standing on the Word and persevere, you show that you believe God and that you trust Him. The more time you spend with Him, the more you will get to know Him. The more you will get to know Him, the more you will trust Him. Because how can you trust someone, if you don’t know the person personally and experientially, but only know the person by name or through others?
Therefore trust God, spend time with God and He shall reveal His plan and will to you. The more time you spend and the more you obey His Word and live according to His will and trust Him, the more He shall trust you and entrust you with the things of the Kingdom. But before He can do that, you must be reliable and deal with the things of the Kingdom with integrity.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
