In my closet
A spot is worn from hours and hours upon my knees
I step inside
The quiet’s like a doorway to a world of peace

One thing I don’t worry ’bout
I can’t wear my welcome out

I keep knock, knock
Knockin’ on heaven’s door
I keep talk, talk
Talkin’ cause your answer, Lord

Won’t be stop, stop
Stoppin’ so be listening for me
I’m knock, knock
Knockin’ on heaven’s door

I’m not a poet
No, it’s not like me to speak in flowery words
Not a prophet
Not at least in these parts
That would be unheard of

But my heart speaks loud and clear
And since my prayers are answered here

Whisper what you’re feeling
Shout it at the ceiling
Nothing’s gonna fall on deaf ears
Ask Him for His mercy
Pray away your worries
What do you want heaven to hear
Bless the world around you
Pray His peace surrounds you
Thank Him for His favor
Simply praise the Savior

*   ~   ♥   ~    ✞    ~   ♥   ~   *

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6 NLT

This verse is one of my life verses.  It was one of my grandmother’s favorites. It saw our youngest daughter through times of trouble in high school and she often included it in her email signature.  It is multiple life lessons wrapped up in one concise verse—applicable anytime, anywhere.  Prayer is a power tool in our toolbox of life.

I hold conversations with God throughout the day.  But, after seeing the movie “War Room”, I wondered if my prayers could be more—if I could be a prayer warrior like Miss Clara.  This song reminds us of three things we can do to make our prayers more fervent and earnest.  As I started searching for Scriptures on prayer I found the same 3 lessons.

Prayer requires Persistence, Participation, Privacy

Persistence
In Luke 11:9 (AMP) Jesus calls us to be persistent.

“So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you;
seek and keep on seeking and you shall find;
knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.”

Sometimes prayer isn’t a “one and done” kind of thing.  If we don’t get an answer, Jesus reminds us to keep asking until we do.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 AMP reiterates this – “be unceasing and persistent in prayer”.  Effective prayers require persistence.  So “keep knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door…“.

Active Participation
Matthew 26:41 AMP tells us,

Keep actively watching and praying
that you may not come into temptation;
the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

We need to be aware when we pray, blocking out distractions. Have you ever been talking to someone and realized they were not giving you their full attention? Annoying, isn’t it? Imagine how God feels when we pray like that. 1 Timothy 2:8 AMP gives us instructions on how to be actively involved in our prayers.

Therefore I want the men in every place to pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger and disputing
or quarreling or doubt [in their mind].

(As I read that verse an image of hands lifted in surrender, palms outstretched to God came to mind).  Exodus 9:29 NLT gives us an example of Moses doing this: ““As soon as I leave the city, I will lift(stretch out, spread out) my hands and pray to the Lord.”  Prayer requires active participation, mentally as well as physically.  So “keep knock, knock, knockin’ on heaven’s door...”

Privacy
Matthew 6:6 HCSB is a well known verse instructing us to pray in private:

But when you pray, go into your private room,
shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Continuing in verses 5 and 7 are additional reasons why we are to pray privately.

Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,
because they love to pray standing in the synagogues
and on the street corners to be seen by people.
I assure you: They’ve got their reward!
When you pray, don’t babble like the idolaters,
since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.

Prayer isn’t for show or about maintaining a reputation.  Prayer is about communicating with God.  Job 16:17 NLT reminds us our prayers are to be pure. Exodus 8:29 and 9:29 say that Moses “went out” from the Pharaoh before praying. Numerous times Jesus prayed in private: “…He went off to the mountain to pray,” (Luke 6:12 NASB) and “… as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him,” (Luke 9:18 NKJV).

Praying privately keeps us focused on Who we are talking to and what we are praying about.  I want to have “…in my closet a spot is worn from hours and hours upon my knees“.  I want to be that kind of prayer warrior, don’t you?

Praying in private also gives us the opportunity to “hear” God’s reply.  And I don’t want to miss that.  So “keep talk, talk, talkin’ cause Your answer, Lord…”

Our prayers can bring us peace, intercede on the behalf of others, provide comfort, make our requests known and give us the chance to express our gratefulness to God.  I want my earnest, fervent prayers to “availeth much” (James 5:16 KJV).  To paraphrase Philippians 4:6…

Ask Him for His mercy
Pray away your worries
Bless the world around you
Pray His peace surrounds you
Thank Him for His favor
Simply praise the Savior

Because that is what prayer is really all about, isn’t it?