BE ALONE WITH GOD AND PRAY

There is one duty in the Christian walk that we must never neglect: personal, secret time with the Lord. If you read the Gospels, you’ll notice that Jesus often slipped away to be alone with God. He withdrew from the crowds and even from His disciples—to spend time in prayer with the Father, away from the noise and distractions of life. We see this in several passages: Mark 1:35 – “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.” John 6:15 – “Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.” Luke 5:16 – “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Matthew 14:23 – “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.”

Jesus often withdrew to lonely, quiet places to pray. In doing so, He was modeling for us a practice that we must never ignore. The world is full of noise. There are countless things demanding our attention and endless distractions pulling at our hearts. Behind much of this, I believe, Satan and his demons work tirelessly to keep believers from praying. Why? Because prayer is power.

But since we are called to “walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6), we must imitate Jesus. One undeniable fact about Jesus is this: He was a man of prayer. He devoted Himself to prayer. He sought the face of the Father continually. He depended on Him—even though He was the Son of God. How much more, then, should we, mere human beings, depend on the Lord? The Scriptures command us to be devoted to prayer:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.” Colossians 4:2 – “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.”

And when we pray, we must always pray in faith.

James warns us: James 1:6–7 – “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”

And the writer of Hebrews reminds us: Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

So, don’t wait until you feel like praying. Prayer is not driven by feelings—it is driven by faith. Know this: when you pray, He already hears you. Therefore, follow the example of Jesus: slip away, seek the Father, and live a life devoted to prayer.