The Power of the Secret Prayer

And when He had sent the multitudes away,

He went up into a mountain apart to pray:

and when the evening was come,

He was there alone. Matt 14:23

Probably, one of the hardest things for the Master to do was to find time alone.  We often seek the solitude of an evening to watch a show or read a book - something that relaxes our minds or takes us away from the reality of our daily lives. However, Jesus used this time to talk with God. It was during this time that He probably sought the Father for the coming day's schedule or "to do" list (The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what he seeth the Father do... John 5:19). But throughout the Gospels, we find Him going by Himself alone or to a deserted place.

When He taught His disciples how to pray, He said, "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  There is a great reward to be found in the secret prayer. Jesus knew this power of secret prayer, as we find in Matthew, Mark and Luke.  Each chapter that emphasizes His going to pray in a secret place, we find that great healings and deliverances took place.  For instance, in our heading text found in Matthew 14, we read at the end of the chapter: ...and brought all that were diseased; and besought Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole. Matt 14:36

We find a similar scenario in Mark chapter 1, only the sequence is reversed:
And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto Him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.  And all the city was gathered together at the door. And He healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered no the devils to speak, because they knew Him. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. Mark 1:32-35

We find another place where Jesus' secret prayer wrought great power in Luke 6:
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. ...and a great multitude of people...which came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were vexed with unclean spirits; and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all. Luke 6:12;17-19
In my life, my greatest times of prayer have been when I awoke very early in the morning, before the sun arises. It seems to be when I hear the clearest, what God is saying to me. 

In March of 2007, I felt led to fast sleep instead of food for three days [Not that I gave up a whole night of sleep, just an extra hour].  I set my clock at 5am to get up and pray.  The first day was wonderful and fully charged with power in prayer.  The next day, however, when the clock went off, I reset it and went back to bed.  But just as I was about to doze off the Holy Spirit spoke to me an said, "It depends on if you want a temporal inheritance or a spiritual inheritance."  Needless to say, I threw back the covers and dove into prayer.

About a month ago, God spoke to me, "Watch and See". We modern Westerners think of watching as looking intently, but the ancient Easterners thought of watching as guarding, keeping watch - especially during the night. I felt the Lord wanted me to keep the Watch of the Lord.  I tried on that Friday night, but gave up even before 10:30pm.  The next night, I made it till about 12 or 1am. But I was trying to do it in myself.  The Holy Spirit dealt with me to wake up at 4am. So that Tuesday, at 4am, I arose and began to pray - it was more of an intercession in the Spirit for souls.

Since then, He has helped me to awaken at 4am every Tuesday.  It's not always prayer, but lately has been more a time of praise and worship, then praying in the Holy Spirit. But the fruits of answered prayer and revelations that flow, during this time, have been wonderful. I don't like to share about my personal devotions, as I do not wish to boast or brag, but I feel that it gives a personal example of God's dealings with us in our modern day and time.

The New Song of the Lord

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,

singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Eph 5:19

And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:

 many shall see it, and fear and shall trust in the Lord. Ps 40:3

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord,

 all the earth. Ps 96:1

And they sang as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts,

and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty four thousand,

which were redeemed from the earth. Rev. 14:3



Many years ago, I had the privilege of going to a campmeeting in Ashland, VA. This campground and meeting had been held annually for more than 40 years.  It started in June and went for 10 1/2 weeks.  They also had a shorter version of a campmeeting in the month of February.  It was through the teaching on praise and worship, through Sister Ruth Ward Heflin, who was the leader of this campground, that I learned about the new song.

Some years later, I went to live in Jerusalem and through Sister Nancy Bergen, (Sister Ruth's Associate) I was trust into the new song. Every day from 1-2 or 3 we would gather in the chapel at Mount Zion Fellowship and sing the new song of the Lord. Often, I would be playing the piano and be compelled to lead. 

What is is the new song?  Well, it's when the Holy Spirit comes and inspires a word or song in your spirit and you begin to sing it.  It's when you begin to sing a song that you've never learned before. It often comes a single phrase that you may sing over and over until God drops another line in.

I have many times had God drop new songs in my spirit driving down the road, standing on a platform leading the people in worship, walking through the corridors of a nursing home where I work or in the midst of prayer.  Lately, the Lord has redirected me to sing a new song during my prayer and devotions time. 

I start off just singing a tune to Hallelujah, Praise the Lord and with a rhythm and tempo that I can dance before the Lord to. Then a new line comes I start to sing it - He is worthy, worthy, He is worthy to be praised; He is mighty, mighty, Mighty is our God; I will dance before the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised.... and on and on until He leads me into a gentle Spirit of Worship.

On 8/18/18, I had been flowing in the Spirit when He dropped a new song into my heart: "In the glory realm. In the glory realm, in the Presence of the Lord."  Later, I was driving to work and He gave me another line: "Holy fire, Upon the altar. Holy fire upon the altar of the Lord."  The next day, I received another line: "In the throne room of Your glory, In the throne room of the glory of the Lord."

This morning, after a long time of dancing and praising before the Lord, He gave me a new line to that tune: "In the secret place, I can see Your face, As Your glory fills this place." "In the secret place, there's perfect love and grace, when I stand in this holy place"

I challenge you to allow the Holy Spirit to begin to work in your life through the new song. 

Singing a new song does two things for you. It teaches you how to concentrate on God and it teaches you simplicity. It is possible to be singing a chorus you know well and, at the same time, be planning a menu.  You can't do that with the new song. You'll lose it. You have to concentrate on the Lord to sing the new song. Then, we need that simplicity so that we can repeat it the next time around.  { Taken from the book by Ruth Ward Heflin -- Glory}

And He walks with me...

Earlier in the week, my sister had asked me to walk with her at a park that I like to go to. Although my weekend schedule already felt crammed, I agreed.  Then she asked me if I could meet her at 7:30 am,  rather than eight. I reluctantly agreed.

When I awoke this morning, I awoke singing, “I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses and the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. And He walks with me and He talks with me and tells me I’m His own.” I knew immediately she would not be there to walk with me, that she would oversleep, but that God had ordained this time of fellowship and communion. He reminded me of the scripture from Mark chapter 1:  In the morning, while it is was still very dark, Jesus got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there. Mark 1:35

All the way up, the Holy Spirit just kept singing and speaking to me. When I got there, I waited for a few minutes and called her, sure enough she had overslept. I told her that I would walk and then meet her when she got there.

Halfway through the walk, the Holy Spirit reminded me to look at my blog Hitbodedut. It was from Sunday, September 11, 2016. (Just two years ago and one day apart as this is Saturday.)  http://torahgoy.blogspot.com/2016/09/hitbodedut.html

Once she arrived, and we walked, there was such a peace and serenity that was present. The birds, crickets, and even little squirrels were serenading us on our journey through the forest. As I took a picture of sunrays coming through the clouds, there was a beautiful blue-ish rainbow that was present in the picture just over the sun rays , we could not see it before. It was just as in the book of Ezekiel 1: As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. Eze 1:28

The first picture didn't even
show the rainbow.

Notice the brightness of the

rays and the blue rainbow

God reminded me how earlier this week He had spoke to me about walking with Him. Every night, the new song that I received from the Lord had to do with: Walk with Me. Follow Me. He was telling me not only to walk with Him in the spirit, but to walk with Him in the natural as well. What a joy it is to walk by faith! To be led by the Spirit!  It truly is the peace that passes all understanding.