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.