Jesus is the One here, teaching the multitude. Good teaching brings revelation & exposes the imperfections of the old order. You notice the Lord..”sets aside” the prevailing old order of the “hypocrites”…Pharisees & Saducees !
He said “be not like them” (verse 5).
“But when you pray, enter into the closet…”( verse 6)…means… get into some private place of prayer. This is another dimension, my friend. And this is from the Master Himself.
Are you overwhelmed by situations you can’t seem to control ? Are you down & out…barely hanging on to life ? Are enemies & detractors making fun of you…calling you “loser” ? Is your back against the wall ?
Take your matter to the Lord in prayer. This is the kind of desperate, persistent, determined, personal prayer our Lord is teaching about.
In the closet…”shut the door”(verse 6).
It’s you (alone) & the Lord. No disturbance. No cellphone. Lock the door & “plead your case before the Lord. Acknowledge Him & seek forgiveness. Pour out your heart to our merciful Lord. If tears come…so be it. Be real…in His presence.
Don’t pray that your enemies should die (by thunder & fire) or that the earth (should) swallow them up. Don’t do that, beloved.
Instead…pray that He prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies ! Amen.
Remember…you are alone with Him in the secret place of prayer. Don’t try to be religious.
“…pray to the Father in secret & the Father which seeth in secret shall reward
openly.”
Don’t use “vain repetitions” & ” be not like them” (hypocrites)…(verses 7-8).
THEN… (here comes) the real secret to move your prayer to the “finish line”:
…(verses 14-15)…If you forgive, then God will forgive you. If you don’t forgive…God, also, will not forgive you. Your sins will remain with you…& your breakthru will be hindered.
Therefore,
Let’s get into the closet…&…move those mountains.
Be the prayer warrior, He calls you to be.
PROPHETIC PRAYER POWER
…(marching on)…