The Closet Life of a Pastor
The Closet Life of a Pastor
I It is assumed in the New Testament that pastors will be men of prayer.Acts 6:4, "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word." Jesus taught that we would have a closet prayer life.Matthew 6:6, "But thou, 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."
II Jesus Christ, the first pastor of the church, set the example of closet prayer:Matthew 14:23, "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."** Mr 1:35, "And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed."**Luke 6:12, "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."**Luke 9:28, "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray."**Luke 11:1, "And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."**Luke 5:16, "And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed." **SeeMatthew 26:36-44for His intense prayer in Gethsemane. **See His high-priestly prayer inJohn 17:1-26. There is a song in the Old School Hymnal, #432, He Prayed, that beautifully depicts the prayer life of our dear Savior.
III The eminent apostle, Paul, was a man absolutely given to prayer: He prayed for churches and he prayed for individuals. He prayed for people he was acquainted with and he prayed for people and churches he had not yet met. Even in Acts he is seen as a man of prayer:Acts 16:16;Acts 16:25. His epistles abound with his prayer life. SeeRomans 1:9;1 Corinthians 1:4;2 Corinthians 13:7;Galatians 6:18;Ephesians 1:16;Php 1:3-4;Colossians 1:3;1 Thessalonians 1:2;2 Thessalonians 1:3;2 Timothy 1:3;Philemon 1:4. He also prayed some of the most wonderful prayers recorded in the Bible. In fact, one of the best ways to learn to pray better is to study the prayers of Paul. One of my favorite books on prayer is, Gleanings From Paul: Studies in the Prayers of the Apostle, by Arthur W. Pink. In this book he examines thirty-two passages in Paul’s writings which are prayers. I have memorized several of these prayers and prayed them myself to my great edification. I have memorized the prayers recorded inPhp 1:9-11;Ephesians 1:15-23;Ephesians 3:14-21. I would suggest a study of the prayers of Paul as a wonderful way to enhance your own prayer life and that of the people you are ministering to.