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Secret Prayer

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Secret Prayer

6 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

The duty of secret prayer

That secret prayer is the Lord’s ordinance is very evident: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret” (Matthew 6:6). And as our Lord gave this precept, so He is our example in regard to secret prayer. “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed” (Mark 1:35).

Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with God, and had the name of Israel given him, “for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed” (Genesis 32:24-30). Now if you would be fully informed what this wrestling was, compare the forecited place with Hosea 12:3-4: “By his strength he had power with God: yea, he had power over the Angel,” that is, the Angel of the covenant, “and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto Him.”

Some rules for secret prayer

Aim at privacy, be as secret as possible. Though we are not to be ashamed of any duty, and though your light is to “so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16), yet a Christian is to do much out of the sight of others. As long as God’s ear is open to the most whispering prayers, what need is there that any other ear should hear a word which we speak? When there is a desire that men should take notice of our prayers, God takes no notice of them, unless of the hypocrisy of them to abominate them.

Therefore we have the caution from the Lord Jesus, “And when thou prayest, thou shaft 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).

Take the fittest time for secret prayer; the morning especially is to be chosen, though once more in the day at least it should be your ordinary practice to pour out your hearts in prayer before the Lord. “My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord,” says David, “in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up” (Psalm 5:3). If the soul be serious in its address unto God in the beginning of the day, it is likely to have the more grace and strength to resist temptations, and to walk with God all the day long.

It is better to be shorter in the evening duties and larger in the morning; then the spirits are fresher and more abundant, and the soul has not such clogs in its actings as it meets with when the body is spent and tired. But if something unavoidably fall out that you cannot pray at the time you desire and are used to, be sure you lay hold of some other opportunity, and neglect not the duty altogether.

Let the Word of God be read and meditated on when prayer is made. The Word will direct you, quicken and encourage you unto prayer. By the Word God speaks to you, as by prayer you speak to Him. If you regard not God’s voice, how can you expect He should mind yours? If you will not hear and obey, He will not hear and grant what you request of Him: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). Your delight should be in the law of the Lord, and in that law should you meditate day and night (Psalm 1:2).

The Scriptures should be searched, which shows they are a depth, and all is not discovered at first looking into them. You must seek here as for silver, and search here as for hid treasure, if you would “understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:4-5). How enlightening, how enlivening, how cleansing and transforming is the Word of God! How sweet and desirable are the Lord’s testimonies, when the Spirit becomes the expositor of Scripture, and opens the eyes to behold wondrous things out of God’s law, and affects the heart. Oh! then there is such efficacy, profit, and sweetness as is beyond comparison!


Let the Word of God be read and meditated on when prayer is made.


Be liberal in this duty of secret prayer. Pray with a forward and a free spirit. Grudge not the time you spend here, for this is the best way of turning time to good account. Be sensible how good it is to draw nigh to God, for the promise is, “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8). God’s drawing near implies His being reconciled to us, His manifesting His power and grace for our help and supply.

Oh, therefore go to God with a holy eagerness, who is so ready to meet you and to satiate the weary soul, and to replenish every sorrowful soul (Jeremiah 31:25). We must be much and often with God, for this is the way to come to an acquaintance with Him; and the better we are acquainted with Him, the better we shall love Him and be sensible of His love to us. “Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:21).

In secret prayer be very particular; ease your conscience by a particular enumeration of your iniquities, and the aggravations which have heightened them. Make known all your wants before that God who has styled Himself God all-sufficient. Fear not that the Lord will be weary of hearing, or backward to give a gracious return. When you are alone with God, you may use the greatest freedom of speech. This, being particular, will contribute much to your brokenness of heart, with which the Lord is well pleased, and will also increase the sense of your manifold wants, and make you meet to be supplied.

Look after secret prayer. Stand upon your watchtower, and observe what answer is given. The merchant hearkens after the ship that he sends to sea. When a petition is presented to a prince, you wait what answer will be returned; be thus wise in prayer. If you succeed not, find out the impediment; if you do succeed, be encouraged by answers to act faith in God and to persist in prayer.

“Because He has inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live,” says David (Psalm 116:2). And let answer of prayer be made matter of praise, that Satan and conscience may not accuse you of, and God may not be angry at, your ingratitude.

— Nathaniel Vincent
(1638-1697)

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Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 maart 1998

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's

Secret Prayer

Bekijk de hele uitgave van zondag 1 maart 1998

The Banner of Truth | 28 Pagina's