Do you pray in secret? To properly appreciate the importance of prayer, especially praying in secret, we have to look to Jesus, our great Example. Although public prayer has its rightful place and purpose, Jesus denounced public, hypocritical prayers. Rather, He encouraged praying in secret, saying: “ ‘But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly’ ” (Matt. 6:6, NKJV).
As a demonstration of the importance of praying in secret, we see that before commencing His public ministry, Jesus spent forty days and forty nights fasting and praying alone in the wilderness and being tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1–11; Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1–13). Later, before He appointed His 12 disciples, Jesus spent the whole night in prayer (Luke 6:12). Throughout the years of His earthly ministry, He carried on the practice of rising early in the morning and going up into the mountain to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35; Luke 4:42; 5:16).
One morning when His disciples found Him praying, they said to Him, “ ‘Everyone is looking for You!’ ”
Jesus replied, “ ‘Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth’ ” (Mark 1:37, 38, NKJV). Thus, Jesus did not divorce His prayer life from His preaching work. Regarding this, author Ellen White cautions: “The life must be like Christ’s life—between the mountain and the multitude. He who does nothing but pray will soon cease to pray, or his prayers will become a formal routine.”1
Evidently, Jesus’ secret prayer life was the backbone of His healing ministry. Consequently, one day when He was teaching in a synagogue, “the power of the Lord was present to heal the sick” (Luke 5:17, MEV). Then, on another occasion, “the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all” (Luke 6:19, NIV).
Jesus’ secret prayer life did not degenerate into a daily routine, but it served as a vital protective armor as well as an offensive weapon. After feeding the five thousand, Jesus
noted that they intended to take Him and make Him king by force. Immediately He sent
off His disciples and dismissed the crowd, after which He withdrew to the mountain to pray (Mark 6:46; John 6:15). Prayer gave Him strength to resist temptations. When Jesus observed Satan’s plea to sift the disciples, He prayed for them, especially for Peter (Luke 22:31, 32). Thereafter, Jesus prayed for Himself, His disciples, and for those who would later believe through their ministry of the Word (John 17:1–5, 6–19, 20).
Also, during His ministry, Jesus taught His disciples how to pray (Matt. 6:5–15). Jesus urged them to be bold in prayer in order to receive (Luke 11:1–13). To give them a practical example, Jesus often took Peter, James, and John with Him when He went to pray. During such crucial moments, He encouraged them to watch and pray, but they often fell asleep (Matt. 26:37–46; Mark 9:28; 14:32–41). In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus emphasized that they “always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1–8). I believe we, too, should implore Jesus to teach us how to pray, as He Himself prayed.
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1. Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Oakland, CA: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1892), 101 | Revival and Reformation Passmore Hachalinga, ThD, DMin
Call our church at: 559-233-1171 or contact us via email at:
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“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
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How do Christians Actually 'Die to Self'?
When you are forgotten or neglected or purposely set at naught and you don’t sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but your heart is still happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and your best intentions misinterpreted and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself but rather take it all in patient, loving silence, knowing that Christ alone is your defender.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you patiently bear annoyance, disorder, inconvenience, irregularity, and even impunctuality from others, when you feel your time has been wasted and you’ve been treated harshly and unfairly and yet you still respond in love, maintaining your peace and enduring these things with meekness as Jesus endured.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you are unruffled with less-than-desirable accommodations, uncomplaining with meager food, difficult climates, or rearranged travel schedules, when you maintain cheerfulness even though others are grumpy, when you are loving, kind, and attentive even to those who can do you no benefit by their association, when you remain calm despite interruptions to your agenda and plans by the will of God.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you don’t care to refer to yourself in conversation, when you don’t feel the need to boast of your accomplishments and record every good deed you do for the world to see when you don’t itch after commendation and applause, when you don’t mind when others are acknowledged and your name is ignored, when you’re more concerned with being faithful to God’s call, when you are OK to be unknown.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you see your brother prospering, when you see him succeeding
with a project that you contributed to and yet you can honestly rejoice with him in spirit, being happy to remain behind the scenes, not questioning God, but being grateful that the work is being accomplished so that Gd is glorified.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart.
– THAT IS DYING TO SELF
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Gal: 2:20
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Author Unknown – Public Domain
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“I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
Seasons of Prayer – Join us on the Prayer Line. Call (425) 436-6306 Access Code: 7706710#
Sunday – Friday at 7:00 am – Everyone is welcome to join us.
Sunday – Single young adults.- Lead by
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A Spirit-Given Desire to Pray
When we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit a deep, inner desire will begin to develop within us to be more in prayer to our heavenly Father:
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications” (Zech. 12:10).
We can either yield to this God-given desire, or ignore it and continue being more of an active Christian than a praying Christian. However, if we want to experience the deep things of God and the fullness of Christ in our lives, we must yield to this desire to pray. If we want to see His delivering power manifested in our lives over everything Satan tries to bring on us and to see the power of God manifested through us in blessing others with His deliverance, we must spend much time with God in prayer.
Christians have known the importance of prayer for years. Many times we have made efforts to take time in prayer, but those special seasons of prayer were motivated by some crisis and didn’t continue for very long. Our problem is that we’ve become very self-sufficient in meeting our own needs and the needs of the church. We have learned to rely on our own efforts to do the work of God. We have been involved in much planning and many programs. We have learned to depend on the “flesh” to do God’s work. In mercy, He has blessed our feeble efforts. However, a blessing beyond our greatest expectations awaits us when we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and enter into the prayer relationship He desires for us. Only then will our plans be God’s plans, and our activities be God’s activities.
Jesus had this kind of meaningful, deep, and powerful relationship with His Father. In fact, this relationship was so close and intimate that Jesus said:
“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30).
Everything Jesus did was under the direction of His Father. His words, His actions were all done under the direction and power of the Father. Jesus emphasized this when He said:
“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Everything Jesus did was under the direction of His Father. His words, His actions were all done under the direction and power of the Father. Jesus emphasized this when He said:
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works” (John 14:10)
How did Jesus obtain such a close oneness with His Father? It was through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and through prayer. When Jesus was baptized with water, He prayed:
“Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well please” (Luke 3:21, 22).
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40 Days of Prayers & Devotions to Prepare for the 2nd Coming, Book 1, By Dennis Smith | Permission granted for reproduction.
Call our church at: 559-233-1171 or contact us via email at:
prayer@fresnocentralsda.org or Leave your name and phone number
to contact you if you want someone to pray with you.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Jeremiah 33:3
Seasons of Prayer – Join us on the Prayer Line. Call (425) 436-6306 Access Code: 7706710#
Sunday – Friday at 7:00 am – Everyone is welcome to join us.
Everyday – 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Youth Prayer – Lead by Cheryl Davis
Everyday – 8:00 pm – Holly Spirit Revival Prayer – Lead by Peter Nicholas
Mondays – 7:00 pm – Mother’s Prayer Corner – Lead by Debbie Jensen
Sabbath – 8:00 am – on Zoom at: meet.google.com/nkj-nzjb-iin
Or by phone 1-731-227-2298 Pin: 582 320 949#
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of thee strands is not quickly broken” (Eccl. 4:12, NIV).
United Prayer in the Spirit. Christian’s uniting in prayer for a specific purpose has long been understood by believers to be an essential part of the Christian life. United prayer is two or more Christians praying for the same thing. They are united in desire, purpose, and request. They pray together at the same place and time with one prayer focus. If they cannot meet at the same place to pray, then they will pray at the same time with one prayer focus, or they may pray together on the phone. However, if possible, it is more strengthening to each if they actually meet together for prayer.
In our personal lives untied prayer with fellow believers is a powerful force against Satan. This is why James counsels us to join together when praying for the sick and to pray for one another:
“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:14-16).
In fact, it is necessary for those ready to meet Jesus when he returns to have entered into genuine, united prayer for one another. We were not created to stand alone in our battle with Satan. We need one another’s prayers for the complete victory over the enemy.
United prayer is also essential for the advancement of God’s kingdom on this earth. Satan will resist every forward movement of God’s work. United prayer will significantly increase God’s power to advance his kingdom.
The Old Testament has numerous references to believers uniting in prayer. The “teacher” in Ecclesiastes offers a significant lesson on the importance of others joining with us in our battle against our enemy, Satan:
“And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousands to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword” (Lev. 26:8).
If we try to stand alone in the battle against Satan and his temptations, we will be more easily overcome. As the “teacher” says, one alone may be more easily overpowered, while two can defend themselves – and three are even stronger. This is why fellowshipping in prayer with other Christians is so important and powerful.
Jesus uttered a most significant statement about the importance-- and even necessity—of two or more believers joining together in fellowship and prayer.
“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:19,20, NIV).
When two or more believers pray in the Spirit, they can be confident that God will hear and answer their prayer:
“And this is confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hear us: and if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him” (1 John 5:14, 15)
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40 Days of Prayers & Devotions to Prepare for the 2nd Coming, Book 1, By Dennis Smith | Permission granted for reproduction, July 27, 2022
How can we pray for you! Call our church at: 559-233-1171.
You can also contact us via email at: prayer@fresnocentralsda.org
Leave your name and phone number to contact you if you want someone to pray with you.
“ Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer “ Psalm 61:1
Seasons of Prayer – Join us on the Prayer Line. Call (425) 436-6306 Access Code: 7706710#
Sunday – Friday at 7:00 am – Everyone is welcome to join us
Sunday – Friday at 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm Youth Prayer
Everyday – 8:00 pm – Holly Spirit Revival Prayer
Mondays – 7:00 pm – Mother’s Prayer Corner.
Sundays - 7:00 pm - Singles