Jesus had seen the religious leaders and others all his life, standing in the Temple or on the city streets, praying loudly about their piety and good works. He also knew their hearts. This bothered Him.

It bothered His followers, too, because they had also seen these people seeming to be better Jews than their poor, humble selves. They felt Less Than.

Jesus told them that those who clanged the bells and beat the drums and showed off in their prayers weren’t all that special because they weren’t all that close to God. They loved the show over the relationship, and that’s not what God expects.

He told them the better way is to instead go to their humble homes, into the place that is their secure, protected, quiet space, and lift their hearts toward heaven.

Of course you can pray in silence. There’s no rule that says otherwise, however, the enemy needs to hear your declarations of God as God Most Holy.

The enemy needs to hear again and again how you are putting your trust in the Almighty, not him and his wily ways. He cannot read your thoughts, so you need to speak the Truth aloud to make sure he doesn’t try to encroach upon you. This is a way to resist him so he has to flee.

While some might say this absolves them of praying with others, I believe that when we pray together in our gatherings, we encourage one another. When I hear your faith poured out, my heart is lifted. When you hear my passion, you are lifted.

Today is a fantastic day to learn to pray as Jesus did. For Him it was as natural as breathing. I’m certain that at times those around Him didn’t realize His words were prayer, but God knew and He knows for us.

Coffee, Bible, Journal.

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