Return to the Newsletter Archives

---

Prophetic Prayer-Hide & Seek His Voice

Popular films, such as War Room, about prayer closets being an essential part of Christian households, have made the concept of a special secluded place to connect with G3D mainstream. Though Jesus didn’t have a dedicated room, He demonstrates how separation and seclusion were necessary for even the Son of G3D to connect with Our Father in Heaven.

The first time that prayer closets are mentioned is when Christ is speaking to the crowds listening to him preach, warning them not to be like the religious leaders at the time who gave their tithes and offerings in the Temple with great fanfare to receive applause and recognition by those in the streets. Likewise, these proud and boisterous hypocrites would pray loudly in the synagogues and street corners to receive attention for their supposedly religious behavior.

Christ instead instructs that when we pray, we should go into our room or a closet, close the door, and pray to our Heavenly Father, who is unseen. Then our Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward us.

While Jesus was trying to make sure that His Followers did not mirror the examples of their religious elite, I’ve always wondered how exactly G3D would reward us for choosing to pray privately. Given the fact that Christ practices this principle multiple times throughout His Ministry, it’s obvious that even He sought these same blessings and rewards.

Early in Jesus ministry, we see Him leave the home He was staying in and “very early in the morning, while it was still dark…and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed” (ref. Mark 1: 35).

Even after “news about Him spread even further, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses, Jesus…would still often slip away to the Wilderness and pray” (ref. Luke 5:15-16).

With all the voices of the sick and hurting constantly in His Ear, Jesus felt it necessary to separate Himself so that He could know what the Father wanted Him to do. Likewise, if we don’t make special efforts to remove ourselves from the demands and shouts of the World, it is hard to be able to hear His Voice.

The day before Jesus called His Disciples to Himself and chose twelve of them to be designated as Apostles, He “went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to G3D” (ref. Luke 6:12-13). As the world is turned upside down, in a new way, nearly every other week, it becomes even more important than ever to know what path that G3D intends for us to go. Whether it’s deciding business or romantic partners, career paths, where to live, or any other major life choices, spending secluded time in prayer with G3D will give you insights and answers you couldn’t realize on your own.

After hearing about His cousin, John the Baptist’s beheading, even Jesus withdrew privately to a solitary place (Matthew 14:13). Jesus was human and experienced deep feelings, including sadness and heartbreak. When we are overcome by these sometimes crippling emotions, we should take our overwhelmed heart to G3D who is the Great Comforter.

Jesus even encouraged His Disciples to go to solitary places to rest and pray. After sending out the Disciples to preach, drive out demons and heal many people, they returned to report all that they had done and taught. The crowds of people following them was so massive that they didn’t even have an opportunity to eat. So Jesus instructed them to “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place” (ref. Mark 6:30-31).

During the night of His arrest and betrayal by Judas, Jesus privately prayed intensely to G3D at Gethsemane, on the Mount of Olives, asking if the trial He was about to endure could pass from Him, but ultimately declaring that G3D’s Will be done. Christ was answered by an Angel from Heaven who appeared to Him and strengthened Him (ref. Luke 22:39-44). While not all of our prayers will be answered with responses that we will forgo what we fear, G3D will still send blessings to strengthen us to overcome our earthly challenges.

We know that prayer is important to G3D and that “the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (ref. James 5:16) but with our over-connected world and constant array of distractions, it’s difficult to fulfill the call to “devote [ourselves] to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart”, which is why we need to find a place where these distractions are not present.

As Covid-19 continues to spread and kill people throughout our country and around the world, and widespread political, social, and economic unrest has incited violent riots and looting, too many Christians have turned their eyes to their leaders or searched for replacements for their positions. But neither a change in administrations nor the extension of current leadership will do little if the problems in our lands stem from the problems in our hearts. G3D tells us that if His People “will humble themselves and pray and seek [His] Face and turn from their wicked ways, [He] will hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and restore their land” (ref. 2 Chronicles 7:14).

If finding time to be alone with G3D in prayer is capable of helping reset our nation’s path, how much more will our personal lives be affected by praying in solitude.

Christ’s Prayer Life is set as an example to us of how we should be in constant communication with our Father in Heaven. Before we begin new paths, when we are recovering, when the World is demanding our constant attention, when the World breaks our hearts, and when Life is too hard, we need to Hide and Seek His Voice. Hearing from Him is the great reward we’ll receive.

YouTube

Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

For more prophetic media groups click here

---