(Isa. 26:20))
Oh, what a mighty, piercing Word this is from the Father! He is calling us to lock ourselves away to spend moments alone with Him. So often, we get caught up in going forth on behalf of the purposes of the Lord. We get busy obeying the command Jesus gave us to “Go ye…” that we neglect to “Come!” We fail to take time to simply draw near to God, shutting the chamber doors of our hearts to everything and everyone else, so we can fellowship alone with Him.
Certainly the power of corporate prayer is great. And working for the Lord shoulder to shoulder with other saints is vital. Yet there is a place in God I can only go alone. There is a communion with Him that is available only when I meet Him in private. It is there I hear the voice that is dearest, the voice spoken behind closed doors. Words are spoken there that will never be repeated. They are words spoken by the Father to me alone.
Jesus referred to this in Matthew 6:6, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
The Lord says to me, “Earnestly carry the light of the Gospel to the world, but don’t forget to shut the door and hide yourself away with Me first. That is a most vital part of the spiritual equation.”
Surely, I must Go, just as Jesus commissioned us to do. But I must always remember that my going will be far more powerful and effective if it is preceded by my coming to God to receive His wisdom and His grace. I will do far more to bless the world when I have first spent time with God in the secret place.
by Lynne Hammond.
Excerpt permission granted by Lynne Hammond Ministries
On the chilly March night in 1972 when Lynne Hammond took her first step into a life of Spirit-led prayer, she had no idea what was about to happen. All she knew was the hunger in her heart for God wouldn’t let her sleep. In the few short months she’d been born again, her desire to fellowship with Him had grown so strong she could hardly contain it. “Help me, God!” she cried. “I want to know you. I want to be able to talk to you. Please, teach me to pray!”
Suddenly, a heavenly presence flooded the room. Lynne sensed waves of spiritual fire sweeping over her and a beautiful language began to flow like a river from within her. Although she’d never heard of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, she knew instantly, without a doubt—this was God!
What began that night soon blossomed into a life of prayer that ultimately became a ministry of prayer when, in 1980, Lynne and her husband, Mac, founded Living Word Christian Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Under Lynne’s leadership, the prayer ministry at Living Word has become an internationally recognized model for developing effective pray-ers in the local church.
A teacher and an author, Lynne publishes a newsletter called Prayer Notes, has written numerous books, and currently serves as the national prayer director for Daughters for Zion. Her passion for inspiring and leading others into the life of Spirit-led prayer continues to take her around the world to minister to believers whose heart cry, like hers, is “Lord, teach me to pray!”