Personal Prayer

Prayer is Personal.

The Bible tells us that Abraham was called the “Friend of God (James 2:23).” I would love for someone to say that Philip Price is a friend of God.

Based on your recent prayer life, are you being a friend of God?

Prayer is a personal conversation with God. While people can and should pray on your behalf, asking God to bless you, the prayers of other people cannot create a change in your heart. I believe people can pray that the Holy Spirit of God will work in a person’s life, but ultimately an individual has to decide for themselves whether or not they will do the Lord’s will. In regard to salvation, we often state that a person must a personal relational with God. Your mother cannot make a spiritual commitment for you. No one can practice prayer for you. You have to develop your own prayer life. In Psalm 23, David said, “The LORD is my Shepherd.” Is he your shepherd? Prayer is personal.

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. 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. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.--Matthew 6:5-7

These verses teach us 5 things about personal prayer:

1.Personal prayer is transparent. 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.

The word used in the original language for hypocrite referred to “one who acts,” impersonates another, or wears a mask. The Greek actors would be asked to play more than one part in a play. So, they would wear a mask. Prayer is not a performance for God. He knows who we are.

We all are basically three persons:
1) The person we think we are.
2) The person others think we are.
3) The person that God knows we are.

We have to be honest with God. We have to be honest with ourselves. We must be transparent.

2. Personal prayer is private. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,

A. T. Robertson said the word for closet in the original language referred to “a storehouse, a separate apartment, one’s private chamber, or ‘den.’” The instruction is to shut out the world. Be alone with God. Don’t bring your false self. The actual place of prayer isn’t as important as the attention of the one praying. I was told of someone that walks in the morning and spends this time praying. Whatever you do, shut out the world. Get away from your cares and schedule. Eliminate distractions.

3. Personal prayer is a conversation with God. ,,,pray to thy Father which is in secret;

We should pray more in private than we do in public. If we don’t we need to check our motives. If we only pray in public, this becomes only a performance.

4. Personal prayer has visible benefits. and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly

Our family and friends should be able to tell that we have been with God. If we spend time with God in prayer, he begins to shape our lives. Noticeable changes will be made.

5. Personal prayer deals in the present. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Vain repetition is the praying of yesterday’s news. We don’t have to educate God. Heathens in the time of Jesus would repeat phrases to their gods because they believed through repetition they would garner the attention of their deity.

Make sure you mean what you say. We should repeat prayer requests. The Bible stresses the importance of persistent prayer, but do not become ritualistic.

If God is your friend, you will not repeat the same ole stories over and over again. You’re not going to try to impress him with what you know or who you know.

Application

What do you need to do to eliminate distractions and "shut out" the world to make prayer a priority?

Where do you go to pray?

Why not pray right now. Be a friend of God.