Jesus taught, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … but when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”
Praying in a secret, special place removes the “trying to impress” element from prayer and leaves us naked and open before the Father in a setting where we no longer have any motivation to pray for the wrong reasons. Obviously, we are to pray often with others as well.
Proverbs 25:9-10 - “…don't reveal the secret of another, lest he who hears it reproach you, and the evil report about you not pass away.” Matthew 18:15 - “If your brother sins, go and reprove him in private…” This implies the desirability of resolving the matter one on one.
Matthew 6:6-7 King James Version (KJV)
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.
Most references to prayer in both the Old and New Testaments are private moments. Jesus himself had much to say about prayer; most references in the Bible show Jesus to be praying in private. And He cautioned His disciples about public prayer (Matthew 6:5-8).
Private or individual prayer and worship is also important to Christians as they develop their own personal relationship with God, through quiet contemplation. Also, Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that it was important to prayer in private so as only God knows what you do.
The silent practice of contemplative prayer guides us toward resting in the fullness of God and God's love. It's a peaceful practice that pulls us away from striving, fear, and defending boundaries.
When we hear the emotions of the heart of someone we love, the reflex should be to take those concerns to God in prayer. When we pray for someone else it draws us closer in relationships. Praying for your spouse, child, or friend helps them to see how much you love them.
First, engaging in 12 minutes of personal reflection and prayer each day makes a profound impact on our brain. It strengthens a unique neural circuit that specifically enhances our social awareness and empathy and helps us love our neighbor by developing a heightened sense of compassion and subduing negative emotions.
Summary. Jesus taught, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … but when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Jesus, himself, prayed publicly when he blessed the food before feeding the 5,000 in Matthew 14 and the 4,000 in Matthew 15. He taught his disciples to pray publicly in Luke 11:1-4, and in John 11:41-42 Jesus prayed aloud so that the crowd could hear him.
Yes, it helps to have group prayer. The belief of one faithful mind and heart is multiplied with increased energy, when that one mind and heart is joined by others who are focusing upon the same prayer.
The Secret Place is a term used to describe the intimate relationship that we can have with God. It is a place of refuge, peace, safety, and rest. It is a place where we can commune with God, hear His voice, and be refreshed and recharged.
And that's what World Day of Prayer is all about. Prayer is bearing one another's burdens before the Lord. And bearing someone else's problems is the greatest act of love we can offer.
Powerful prayer is not about you and what you are able to do; it's about the power that lives inside of you. Connecting to that power and the truth of what Jesus did on the cross is what empowers your prayers. By joining your faith with the Holy Spirit, you will move mountains. Now, that is powerful prayer!
Prayer is powerful because God commands us to do it, and it is a way of daily communicating with Him.
Silent prayer is, quite simply, the practice of sitting in silence, quieting one's own thoughts, and making oneself present to God.
There is power in praying aloud, so although silent prayers may be more comfortable for you, you should try to give voice to them when you can.
You may be thinking you are worshipping God praying aloud, but the truth is that you hurting others and it is a curse for you to do this. Each person and church must pray and praise God within the four walls of his or her room and the church. Outside speakers must be removed.
Christians believe that private worship (worshipping on their own) is just as important as public worship. It can take place anywhere. It may be liturgical in structure, for example, an Anglican saying Morning and Evening prayer every day, or a Roman Catholic saying the Rosary.
When we pray with others, we surrender our “me”-centered thoughts and instead focus on the requests we're bringing to the throne together. We leave behind our individual agendas in the light of God's will. As a result, we're drawn to each other.