Secret Prayer

I am so pleased that God has given us a peek into the work in heaven by telling us about the angels. I have noticed that this past year, every time I go to study the work of God's angels, he gives me so much more. Praise God.

Now I want to share what I have learned about the benefits of secret prayer.

If we grow in grace, we must have seasons of secret communion with the Lord.
Mat 6:6
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.

If the day is crowded with cares, we can do as the Saviour did,– arise before daylight in the morning and spend the time alone with God.
Mar 1:35
And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

The Saviour also spent time alone with the Father after the perplexities of the day were past.
Mat 14:23
And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

At “evening, and morning, and at noon” there should be special seasons of prayer.
Psa 55:17
Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

We may pray during the day or night.
Psa 88:1,2
1. [[A Song [or] Psalm for the sons of Korah, to the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.]] O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day [and] night before thee:
2. Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

We should be in a prayerful frame of mind continually.
1Th 5:17
Pray without ceasing.

It is the privilege of the Christian to know that his prayer is heard.
Job 22:27,28
27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
28. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

The Lord is pleased when we plead and "remind" Him of the promises He has made to us.
Isa 43:26
Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

God invites us to produce our cause, and bring forth our strong reasons.
Isa 41:21
Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong [reasons], saith the King of Jacob.

We should be comfortable asking the Lord to teach us how to pray.
Luke 11:1
And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

The Holy Spirit presents the prayer of the broken and contrite heart before God in an acceptable manner.
Rom 8:26,27
26. 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.
27. 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.

There is life in earnest prayer.
Amo 5:4
For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

We should always thank the Lord for what He has done for us when we present our requests for greater blessings.
Phl 4:6
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

I really like the way the modern New Living Translation has rendered these verses in Phillipians 4:4-7
4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-rejoice!
5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
7 If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.