How to be more prayerful

We have in Scripture private prayer spoken of, and also united, and it is well to consider both. The habit of private prayer, or such a state of constantly felt dependence on God as shall lift the heart to Him on all occasions, is set before us in such words as "Pray without ceasing;" that is, wherever we are, whether in the house, or place of business, or walking the streets, to have the heart habitually going out to God about all our need. But there is another thing which nothing else will supply; it is going into a secret place to pray — to be alone with God, to pour out the heart to Him, and wait upon Him. We find the Lord going out into a solitary place "to pray, going up" into a mountain," and "into the wilderness," to pray. Our Lord expressed His mind for us on this point most touchingly when He said, "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." (Matt. 6:6.) Here we have, first, the believer going into a secret place, away from every human eye and ear, for the express purpose of praying to his Father. 2nd. The fact announced that our Father is in that secret place — "Thy Father which is in secret." 3rd. The encouragement that those who do thus seek the Father shall not fail to be openly rewarded." How blessed this is!

Begin and end each day with God in prayer. Speak to Him often. Speak to Him under all circumstances. If you have sinned, confess it to Him immediately, never wait. Make God your daily friend and be sure to tell Him everything that happens — your joys and your sorrows.

In Daniel's day the alternative was this, Bow to Darius, or be thrown into the den of lions. Well, says Daniel, I can only bow to God, and if I must go to the den of lions, He can deliver me out of it if He will. And so he prayed, while his enemies "assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication to his God" (ver. 4). Of course they knew his habits and ways, and we can well imagine the glee that filled this crew of would-be murderers, as they gathered round the house of the godly man. Ah! there he is, on his knees, morning, noon, and evening, turning to God. I do not say to you that you should pray three times a day. The Holy Ghost has said to us, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). And what does that mean? "Pray without ceasing" just means what it says. There was a great conclave of ministers who met once, and began to discuss that scripture. One thought that three times a day like Daniel was sufficient, and others thought something else. One of the company was leaving, and meeting old Betty, who kept the meeting-house, said to her, "We have been discussing that scripture, 'Pray without ceasing.'" "And what do you make of it?" said the old woman. "It is a little uncertain," replied the preacher. "It seems very easy to explain," says Betty. "How?" "Well, it just means what it says. When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is to wash my face, and I pray God that many sinners may be washed in the blood of Christ during the day. Then I put on my clothes, and I pray God to clothe me with Christ and with humility. Then when I take up my broom, and begin to brush out the room, I think of the woman who swept the house for the lost piece of silver, and I pray to God to sweep the world, and to save lost sinners. Then when I come to brush the grate, and it begins to brighten up, I pray to the Lord to brighten up my soul, and to brighten up my faith during the day." And so Betty went on mentioning certain things during the day as providing an opportunity of approaching God in prayer. Well done, Betty! She had the sense of what it was to get to God in prayer about everything, and I believe that is exactly what you find in the history of the soul of every one who becomes a true Christian. He is constantly turning every occasion into an opportunity of approaching God in prayer.

The Psalmist said, "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud" (Psa. 55:17). Daniel "kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God" (Dan. 6:10). So we should also do if we would be healthy Christians; do not begin the day without reading your Bible and praying to God. If you neglect to do so, you will soon be a defeated, starving Christian. Besides regular times of prayer each day, the believer is exhorted to be "continuing instant in prayer" and to "pray without ceasing" (Rom. 12:12; 1 Thess. 5:17). The dependent attitude of prayer should always characterize the child of God.

There will be love for prayer. This is the way of approach to God’s presence in connection with our needs; needs as to our spiritual well-being, needs as to service for the Lord, needs as to temporal matters as well as spiritual. All God’s eminent servants have been men of prayer. Our blessed Exemplar, the Lord Jesus Christ, spent whole nights in prayer. One instance will suffice, “And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12). “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17), is the injunction of Scripture. It is good to pass through all the hours of the day in a spirit of prayer. Our verse does not mean that we must pray all day and night long. That were an impossibility. But it means we have to pray and go on praying. It has not to be by fits and starts.

But I will not pursue the subject further. You will, however, permit me to urge upon you perseverance in prayer. Rules on such a subject — as to times and frequency — we have no right to make or impose. Still of one thing be very sure — you cannot be too much in prayer. And if you dwell in the presence of God, you will find both the heart and occasion for prayer. Our responsibility is to pray without ceasing, always maintaining uninterruptedly the consciousness of dependence, and our need of divine grace. Thus we shall be always cast upon God, always enjoy liberty of heart in His presence, and consequently be always finding, in the constant reception of mercies, grace and blessing, in answer to our cries, new themes for thanksgiving and praise.

We have, moreover, direct exhortations to prayer; as for example, "Continuing instant in prayer"; "Pray without ceasing" (Rom. 12:12; 1 Thess. 5:17. See also Luke 18, etc.). And if you read the introductory parts of St. Paul's epistles you will see how he embodied his own exhortations. As you trace his path, as recorded for us in the Acts, you would think that he never did anything else than preach; but if you read these parts of the epistles you would almost think that he never did anything else than pray. Approximating to the example of our blessed Lord in his unwearied labours, he found, yea, he learnt, the need of constant waiting upon God. In like manner, prayer is a necessity for every child of God. For we are in ourselves weak and helpless, entirely dependent; and prayer is but the expression of our dependence on Him to whom we pray. Dependent upon God for everything, our very needs urge us into His presence; and having liberty of access through Christ, because of the place we occupy, and because of the relationship we enjoy, we "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. 4:16).

For prayer to be effectual, however, there are certain conditions with which we must comply. These come before us in this great scene. First, effectual prayer demands that we withdraw from the hurry and press of this world into holy retirement with God. Like Elijah we must go up to the top of the hill. As the Lord Himself instructs us, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father" (Matt. 6:6). How often our prayers are unavailing for the lack of the "shut door." To be consciously in the presence of God we need to compose our spirits, call in our wandering thoughts, and shut the door on the world. Holy separation and retirement is the first great requisite for effectual prayer.

This secrecy is still easier, and no less essential in prayer, the most constant of all relative duties. Many saints find a great incentive with others in supplication; and this has its suited and weighty place, as the Lord elsewhere urges. But here as the habitual privilege and claim of relationship to our Father, how careful He is in bidding saints like us to "enter into thy chamber, and having shut thy door pray to thy Father that is in secret, and thy Father that seeth in secret will requite thee." How delightfully simple, yet how deep and wise! It is just between the soul and God, and now His Father and our Father, as Christ knew Him and declared Him to us. Solemn and holy it is to meet our Father alone and expressly, as to every thing of need, sorrow, or joy.

What a contrast with the arrangements that have prevailed in Christendom, which press formal prayers in a public building once, twice, or oftener in the day! When the Lord enjoined the united petitions as giving ground for an answer from above, it was a specific need as the context in Matt. 18 makes plain. But nothing superseded the normal habit of individual secrecy in prayer to our Father. And it will be the comforting resource of the godly remnant in days to come, as we may trust, when things arrive at such a pass that joint public prayer is impracticable. But now, when the world's feeling is too indifferent to punish or hinder open prayer, can anything give more weight when we come together in assembly than the cherishing of individual prayer in the shut chamber to our Father that sees in secret, as He will surely requite?

Every one of us has the privilege of public testimony—brother and sister, gifted or otherwise—and I want to emphasize just what is stated in this Sermon on the Mount by our Lord about praying in secret and the Lord rewarding openly. I do not believe we shall get very far unless we have a secret history in our souls before the eye of the Lord alone, that our nearest and dearest cannot share, and everything of any spiritual value springs, I believe, from that. We have to settle things with Him. There are many questions that we sometimes run to some brother to solve, whereas if we take these things into our closets, and speak to the Lord, He will give us our answer very often in a very effective way. Indeed, we should get our directions from the Lord Himself and not from this servant or that servant, however rightly we may value their help and direction.