The prayer closet. What is it and why we need it.

The Prayer Closet : What it is and why you need to organize it asap!!!

Many of us remember a few years ago when the movie The War Room was released, self professing believers of all shapes and sizes and creeds flocked to the local theater to see the effects of the one thing that is lacking in most of our lives, prayer.

The great evangelist DL Moody said, “All of my failures have been prayer failures.

” Its definitely true, that if we fail to pray, we ultimately will have failed those whose lives would have been most greatly impacted for the Kingdom. A man will study because his head is hungry for knowledge. Yet a believer prays because his heart is hungry for God. I hope that this little portion of writing will have an impact on your desire to seek the master face to face,

Matthew 6:5-8 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thy have 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 should be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your father knoweth not what things ye have need of before ye ask of him.

Within these three verses of scripture we have so many theological truths, yet I want to focus solely on the basics at this time and perhaps preach a series on this portion of scripture at a later date. Simply put, prayer is a discourse, an open dialogue between God and the believer. And like all great forms of communication it includes both listening and speaking. I often think that God gave us two ears so we can listen to Him more than offer up our vain repetitions. I’m not saying not to plead, beg, and implore and beseech God on behalf of others or your situation. What I am saying is I don’t think God wants us repeating our prayers as follows….

“O Lord, I need you Lord, You Know Lord That you are Lord, and This need Lord, You know it Lord, so Please fulfill it Lord, Help it come to pass Lord etc” or for us to recite prayers that folks have written out over the centuries, and yes that includes reciting what many claim to be the Lords prayer/model prayer. Instead, God wants us to pour out hearts to Him in honest and sincere humility.

There is no doubt that the Lord does not bless our rituals, rather the relationship we have with Him. David said in Psalm 51:16-17: For thou desiredst not sacrafice, else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrafices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart thou wilt not despise. So then what is the prayer closet?

First lets break down a few things about these verses. Notice the word enter in verse #6….When thou prayest enter into thy closet. Now Christ as we see is expecting us to pray, in the closet. The word enter here is used in the aorist sense….an imperative active verb….an expectation for us to actually be going into the prayer closet.

The closet is a place of solitude, a place where we can go and shut out the world around us and be alone with God. Our prayer closet is much like a secret closet that only a few know about. It’s where we store and hide away our most valuable treasures. If it weren’t guarded, thieves would come and rob us of that which we have placed within it.

Now our personal alone time with God is our own personal alone time with God. Yet it’s the one thing that Satan will try to keep the believer from doing on a daily basis. Our spiritual life will never rise above that of our prayer life. Oswald Chambers said, “ Prayer does not fit us for the greater work, it is the greater work.”

The prayer closet is a place of solitude where God will mold us, purge us, refine us, and directs us. It’s the one place where we learn to let God work in us, so eventually he can work through us.

These vs’s of scripture teach us a few valuable lessons.

1. They teach us how to and how not to pray 2. They teach us that the reward for our prayer is not the applause of others 3. We receive the divine favor of God if we get prayer right.

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What prayer is not.

Prayer is not simply focusing on what you can get from God. Perhaps you need to be molded by God in order to be the answer to somebody’s prayer request. The true prayer warrior only comes to God in need of what only God wants for Him, and is content with whatever answer God bestows upon him. We must eliminate all desire to follow our own agenda (Luke 9:32) Dying to ourselves is the first and main requirement of all prayer.

Prayer is to be so focused on God, that our hearts are radically changed by Him. And we see God’s promise to us. And thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

The enemy of our souls will do everything within his power to keep you from being alone with God. Doubt and discouragement will lead you away from solitude with God. The enemy knows if he can keep you from praying, he has the upper hand in your life.

Preparing for and entering the prayer closet

#1 Make an appointment with God.

Our meeting time with God must be non-negotiable. It cant be neglected, but at the same time your not going to just drop to your knees for three hours and pull down heaven either. Just as you to train your physical muscles, we need to train our spiritual muscles as well.

#2 Find a place.

Whether it’s by your bedside, an actual closet in your room, or early in the morning at the kitchen table, you need to have a place that is all yours where you and God meet up every day. Many times Christ had to leave his disciples so he could go to a place to pray.

#3 Consider your posture.

Could you believe that in some theological circles there is actually a debate over whether a person may stand or not when praying? Now I believe that we should come to God just as we are, but leave our time of prayer just a bit closer to him. As the need arises and as the Lord moves upon your heart, their will be times when you must lay prostrate on the floor. Other times be on your knees, or disappear into the solace of the forest and walk and cry out. The main concern regarding your posture is to allow the need to be reflected by it. Casualness with God leads to Carnality.

#4 Develop an eternal outlook

It would do you well if you were to make a reference list of Bible verses that deal with the majesty and glory of heaven. Often, we walk away from the good things of God because we fail to reaffirm them within our heart on a continual basis. Never forget that you have a home in heaven, a father who loves you, and a church home you can find sweet fellowship at.

#5 Submit to God, resist the devil

James 4:7-Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flees from you. Notice that submission to God comes first, then the resisting of the enemy. I believe that if we simply study scripture and church history that lacking complete submission to God is the second most dangerous and destructive act we can partake in outside of having a lack of a real prayer life. Submission is voluntary, yet it opens your heart to the realization that you can do nothing outside of the complete and perfect will of God.

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What the Bible does

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Psalm 119:140- Thy Word is very pure: therefore thy servants love it.

The inspired Word of God is perfect and complete in every way, or the Bibles testimony of itself, is false.I need it to personally guide my pathways. No person can ever live the fruitful and faithful Christian life outside of the Word Of God.

David said in Psalm 12:6- The Words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Beloved, scripture is absolutely pure- there is no worldly opinion within it, nor can you find the Words of God anywhere else.

John 17:17- Jesus said in speaking to the Father, Sanctify them through thy truth- thy Word is truth.

The greek word for truth is in this verse of scripture is Alethia. It is a noun which means the thing is what it says it is. The Bible as we have it is the complete self disclosure of God, and all that is consistent within Him, and His holy being. Truth does not belong to what is popular or culturally relevant. Truth is not what we perceive it to be. Truth is whatever God says it is. Sin is whatever God says it is.

Salvation is whatever God says it is. Heaven and hell are whatever God says they are, and regardless of education or social standing, we must come to the realization in our own personal life that God reveals Himself and His will through His Word. Romans 3:4-Let God be true and every man a liar.

So the question I have for you today, which lies at the basis of all of the spiritual warfare, is how do you view the Word of God?

Many of us today, and even those in the ministry, do not really believe in the inerrancy and infallibility of the Word of God. Heaven help us that those who take this stand should ever teach a Sunday school class or enter the pulpit again. Now within the Bible, the word of God is given a few distinct traits, that if we look at properly and apply to our lives, I believe it could revolutionize your walk with God.

Firstly we see the Bible is pictured as a sword.

Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in it’s sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him of with whom we have to do.

Now to truly grasp what the Bible is and does, we cant just rattle of verse of scripture and expect to gleam from them. So we are going to dissect them piece by piece in order to get a more complete understanding of them.

Now the bible is pictured as a sword, yet in these two aforementioned verses we see that it is divine because it is of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-All scripture is given by inspiration of God- and is profitable for doctrine-for reproof-for correction-for instruction in righteousness. The Bible is God breathed. The same breath of life God gave Adam to make him a living soul, God used to give us His Word. This is in no way a dead book. John 6:63-The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The great theologian Martin Luther once said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me, it has feet and runs after me, it has hands and lays hold of me.” Hebrews 4:12-13 also teaches us that the bible is alive. It is an active and powerful force that is to awaken the slumbering believer and stagnant church into repentance and revival. The Bible is supposed to energize us, never drag us down.

The Bible is never tired. The Bible is never listless and flat. The Bible is always at work. The Bible is supposed to energize the preacher and empower the pulpit and excite the person in the pew.

We also see how the Bible is sharp. No matter where the Bible is opened, it’s all cutting edge!!! Notice how in our two verses that the bible is two-edged.

The Bible cuts both ways. The Bible convicts and converts. The Bible hardens and softens. The Bible has the ability save or damn a person. Not a single, solitary verse of scripture can be considered dull and blunt.

Yet all across our nation, preachers think that they know better than the almighty word of God. It is complete wickedness to enter the pulpit without the Word of God in hand. It should be your daily manna…stained with tears and worn from years of use. Its purpose isn’t to entertain, but to cut to the very soul of a persons innermost being. The bible is our divinely empowered weapon.

We should also take notice of what the Bible does in these two verses….piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.

Yes my friend, the Bible will reveal to us exactly what and who we are and what we are. You cannot escape the reality of your life when you open up and let scripture have its way with you. Isn’t it a sad commentary that many of us live lives opposite of what the Bible commands because we won’t read the Bible. Why won’t we read it? Because it convicts us…yet God gave it to us that we grow to be more like Him.

On a side note, a believer has absolutely no right to get angry with the preacher when he stands upon the authority of scripture. We need to let it tear down the facade, and allow it to cut through every false hope and ideal, and tear away every excuse we try to make.

A mere human message can only entertain, inspire and challenge you. Yet the sword of the spirit plunges into your deepest darkest places and reveals to you what it is you need to make right, and how you get it right. The Bible is also a discerner.

Firstly, it discerns and judges your thoughts. It critiques what you dwell upon and reveals to you what it is you ought to be dwelling upon. Perhaps that’s the biggest reason why we fail to study Gods Word as we should. Every battle a believer faces has it’s foothold within the mind. Romans 12:1-2- I beseach you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye except your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

Notice that the only way you can conform to the image of God is by the renewing of your mind. There is no set of legalistic issues or sacramental rights that can help you. It’s all about renewing your mind. Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. The only way to be transformed into having the mind of Christ, is to be completely engrossed in the book that is all about Him.

Secondly we see how the Word of God discerns the intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12-13 So then how do we reply to those who say that intentions aren’t evil if we don’t act upon them? It’s not the acting out of the intentions that leads to evil per se. It is the dwelling upon them that destroys the life and mindset of the believer. It doesn’t matter what it is you set out to do. If it isn’t of God, then why put your focus upon it?

Philippians 4: 8 Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.

We learn how to live the Christ centered life by dwelling upon the things of God. The Bible is a revealer. Hebrews 4:13……neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight. The word manifest comes from Greek word phaneros, which means to reveal that thing which is hidden.

There is no attitude not revealed by the Word of God. There is not one hidden desire revealed by the Word of God. There is not one single emotion or plot or scheme that we can hide from an almighty God. Likewise, when we enter into His presence through His Word, all that is secretly hidden within our hearts and minds will be revealed. That’s how it’s easy to tell whether or not somebody is actually reading and studying the Bible with a desire to mature as a believer. Their life can’t help but change.

We also see that all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. The Word of god strips you of all your sin and shame and covers you with the absolute perfect grace of God. But it doesn’t have any affect if you aren’t willing to let it do its work in you. We are foolish to believe that we aren’t opened to the eyes of God. What makes the Bible so powerful is that when a person is truly exposed, they begin to see themselves as God sees them. The incorruptible Word of God cuts into our soul and puts to death the old life and gives us the directions and power to live the new life.

I want to show you something powerful that I’m afraid is seriously overlooked today in many of our churches Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were completely pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do. The aforementioned verse of scripture was spoken into response to Peter preaching a spirit filled, Bible saturated sermon. He preached quoting and using Joel 2:28-32, Psalm 16:8-11, and Psalm 110:1.The apostle used used passage after passage to literally stab the hearts of those in attendance. And when they were under the conviction of the Holy Spirit by the power of the preached Word of God, they cried out desiring to make a decision for Christ. What then say you and I? We have no reason before us to not conform to the image of Gods Son if we have been given His Word.

For more information about our ministry or to schedule a conference please contact us: Email: livingstons.sbg@gmail.com or Phone: 812-844-5802 Thank you for reading our blog Spiritual Growth Matters, we pray it was a blessing. Please feel free to share our blog content with others you feel may benefit from our Bible content.

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What is needed most from believers at this hour!

Whats needed most from believers at this hour!

Mark 6:14-28

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned in my life is that if God is testing you, you don’t walk out of the classroom until the test is over. If you decide to quit during your test, chances are you are going to have to take it again. Don’t let the enemy set the snares of taking the easy way out get the best of you.

In today’s day and age, the 31 defining characteristic of what the church needs is the willingness and desire to possess a backbone. Regardless of what it costs, regardless of the struggles and disappointments from our peers, we as believers need to seek ye the old paths and walk therein.

Trends come and go, but the truth, Gods complete revelation of Himself, is found in His Word. Sadly however, many churches of like faith and mind have strayed from the fundamentals of the faith, and have decided to be seeker sensitive instead of Christ centered.

So as we continue this small study, I want to give you five distinct areas of life and ministry that we as believers are going to need a backbone for.

#1 Standing

Just like John the Baptist in our reading in the book Mark, we need to become willing to stand

for righteousness regardless of what it may cost us. No matter how popular you become, none of it will ever matter if you lose biblical conviction. Why bring something into the church and into your life which doesn’t magnify and exalt Christ?

If it is your desire to be used by God, then you will have to un reservedly and un ashamedly have to be willing to take a stand for what is right, regardless of what the general consensus might be. Our perspectives need to be based on biblical convictions- and if we see folks going in an opposite direction- it may be hard, but we need to separate from them.

You may not realize it at the time, but taking a stand encourages others to stand as well.

#2 Separation

The second aspect of our walk with God which requires a backbone is our willingness to live a separated life.

It’s not about the dos and don’ts

It’s not about the clothing or music

It’s not about what flavor of church you go to

It’s not about our own personal preference.

It’s all about whether or not we desire to live lives worthy of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you desire an intimate relationship with Him? 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Stop being so fickle minded and hard hearted. God only wants that which is best for you. When you ignore His call for you to live a holy and separated life, all it shows others is that you could care less about what God’s Word says and your more concerned about what others think. A lack of separation not only shows a lack of respect for the title Christian, but a total lack of the fear of God in your life as well.

#3 The third aspect of the Christian life we’ll need a backbone for is suffering

It’s proper to suffer if it’s for God’s glory. Yet how many of know those self appointed defenders of the faith who needlessly bring drama and turmoil into their life? That isn’t suffering, it’s simply being a fool and reaping the consequences of a mismanaged Christian life..

Yet the thing about suffering that is so unique to the life of the believer is that not everybody you come into contact with is going to know you are suffering. If it is your desire to finish the course, hoping to pass into glory with dignity, then start putting some praises on your lips.

God gave me my first breath, the least I can do is give him my last. Psalm 30:5-weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Your body may be broken down, but your joy doesn’t have to be.

Hebrews 11:32-38-

The world will never understand nor could it understand why you would become willing to bear in your bodies the mark of the Christian life. However if you are not experiencing joy now in the small troubles and trials you possess, you won’t be able to experience them when serious trials and persecution come.

#4 We are going to need a backbone for soul-winning

Regardless of who they are, God providentially places people in our life who need the gospel.

Young, old, rich, poor, educated, simple, heathen, and religious alike all need the gospel.Each and every time God impresses on your heart to witness to someone, it is a divine opportunity set up by God- for you to be used by Him for His glory.

Matthew 28:18-20

Not everybody is going to get saved that we witness too. But we ought to try as hard as we possibly can to get them saved.. But what if they don’t get born again? Try and get them into a bible preaching, Bible teaching church. And when they get saved, disciple them in the fundamentals of the faith and teach them to win others as well. Discipleship isn’t about making church members, it’s about making Christians. If they are discipled properly, they’ll become great church members!!!

Not only does a proper soul-winning and discipleship program help the local church to grow, it gives the new converts an opportunity to serve and get involved in the local church as well.

#5 Unction- The fifth aspect of the Christian faith we are going to need a backbone for is the Super-natural Power of God on our lives

There is a reason why very few men of God exist today. It’s because so very few of them are willing to pay the price it takes to get alone with God. I've come to notice that very few of our churches are seeing conversions on a weekly basis during services. I honestly believe that it is because many of our churches have become social clubs, and not houses of God.

For far too long, we have ignored the working of the Holy Spirit and it’s wonder working power. Yet we have been quick to replace it with the methods and machinery of men. Have you noticed how we seem to have forgotten the all week camp-meeting and prayerful revival? Have you noticed that we replaced it with coffee shops and focus groups.

We’ve traded the pulpit and the preached Word of God for a glass lectern and power point presentations.

Gospel music which once glorified God is no longer sung, and the song leader has been replaced by a self styled worship team. Yet there is no need for the worlds’ philosophy of church growth to be placed into our congregations. Granted, many modern church growth trends will allow us to pack an auditorium, but what will we fill it with, and at what expense?

Remember, what we win folks with is what we are going to keep them with. It’s going to take a backbone to tell folks in the area and nation that we aren’t changing fundamentalism and our core doctrinal stands for the worlds methods. Stay the course, stay faithful, and God will bless.

It’s not whether or not the time will come to have a backbone. It’s already come beloved. The real question is whether or not we are going to actually do it.

For more information about our ministry or to schedule a meeting you can reach us at

812-844-5802 or livingstons.sbg@gmail.com

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