By Fredi Trammell

Whisper a prayer in the morning,
Whisper a prayer at noon,
Whisper a prayer in the evening,
To keep your heart in tune.
God answers prayer in the morning
God answers prayer at noon
God answers prayer in the evening,
So keep your heart in tune.
Jesus may come in the morning
Jesus may come at noon,
Jesus may come in the evening,
So keep your heart in tune.
(author unknown)

Naturalists have discovered a very tiny insect which can dive into the murkiest of pools and rise to the surface completely dry and unharmed by the bacteria, oil, or any other contamination in the pool. Studying the little creature carefully, they discovered an invisible, crystal-like vesture covering the entire body of the mysterious little insect. A thin shield of atmospheric air, they say, surrounds its entire body; therefore, no moisture, no matter how contaminated, can affect the little insect. He swims around and is in no way affected by his surroundings. When he surfaces, he is dry and clean. The invisible, pure, crystal-like shield of air surrounds him and protects him.

The presence of the Lord Jesus Christ is the believer’s invisible and invincible shield! This shield is formed only through abiding in the presence of Jesus until His Presence enfolds us, surrounds us, envelops us, and encompasses us. An invisible, invincible shield protects us from destruction by the enemy. The shield is the angel of his presence!

“In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angle of his presence saved them: In his love and in his pity he redeemed them: and he bared them and carried them all the days of old” (Isaiah 63:9)

The believer who has lingered in the presence of Jesus the true Christian who has taken on His image and His spirit is not affected by his surroundings, no matter how repugnant they may be. He can go to work daily and be confronted with the filthy language, angry bosses, and sin of every imaginable source. But the Christian will surface undaunted free of any of the sins he has been forced to be exposed to, because of the invisible shield of overcoming power of closet prayer.

Every moment with Jesus counts! Every meal fasted, denying ourselves for His sake, counts! Every small deed done entirely for His glory counts!
As a young girl, I spent many Sunday afternoons in prayer in a wooded area, using a fallen tree log for my altar. Or I would walk to a little country church about a mile down a dirt road from my home and spend time singing to the Lord, talking with Him, and playing the guitar. I can still feel the “tingles and chills” I felt as a mere child when the Lord came into that humble little church building with His glorious Presence and enveloped me with His love and the assurance He would keep me in His care. I can still feel the same anointing I felt then as power and boldness for His service saturated my being. Because of this kind of sacrifice to Him, God gave me powerful boldness to witness for Him in many situations. I carried my Bible on the school bus each day to school. I did not hide it under other books but I placed it on top (I still am uncomfortable when the Bible is covered with anything else. The Bible is very sacred to me).

I used my study hall periods in school to read the Word of God, not for a “show”, but because my soul panted after God like a deer pants for a cool brook of clear running water! That same hungering and thirsting for His Word still captivates my soul. If I were afforded another life to live, I would want to give it solely to the study of the Word of God and to more time with Him, alone in Prayer. What God has given me through His Word and prayer is worth more than anything in the entire world including wealth, fame, and acclaim. A life dedicated to the will of God cannot be surpassed by anything!

The Presence of the Master brightens the countenance of the face. It is wonderful, indeed, to observe the transformation of an individual as he touches the power of God in prayer. I have witnessed both young and old “pray through” into the Presence of God, and I have seen as their faces began to literally shine with the glory of God! It is a transformation given by the Lord, and it is a wonderful sight to behold. One needs only to be in the presence of a person vibrating with the Holy Presence to sense the nearness of God.

When Moses came down from the mountain, after being in the presence of God, the people knew He had been with God:
“And he (Moses) was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them; And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

And until Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded. And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone; and Moses put a vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him” (Exodus 34:28-35).

A believer, after having been alone with Jesus, emanates the spirit of Christ. When we choose to spend time with the Lord, He will impart to us the desires of His heart; consequently, we take into our being the heartbeat of God! This is right and good in His sight.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). After being in the presence of these two disciples of Jesus, the people knew something was different. The spirit in which the followers of Jesus operate proves His presence is within.

We have attended wonderful prayer meetings with small prayer groups. At times we choose to pray with one or two special prayer partners. And, we may pray with a large congregation up to a thousand or more. But, there is no substitute for praying alone with our Lord.

Recently, at a prayer gathering, my friend, Faith, sang a very old song. Everyone in the congregation was gloriously blessed. The song title is ALL ALONE. The song is as follows:
All Alone

“There are days I’d like to be
all alone with Christ my Lord,
I can tell Him of my troubles all alone.
There are days I’d like to be
all alone with Christ my Lord,
I can tell him of my troubles all alone.”
“There are days I’d like to be
with the sanctified and blest,
There are days I like to be all alone,
These can never grace impart to my weary, sin-toss’d heart,
There are days I’d like to be all alone.”
“There are days to fast and pray
for the pilgrim in his way,
there are days to be with Christ all alone,
we can tell him all our grief, He will give us quick relief
There are days I’d like to be just all alone.”
“When a heart is broken up
with a bitter, woeful cup,
Then’s the time to go to Christ all alone,
In our blessed Lord divine, There is peace and joy sublime,
When we take our sorrows all to him alone.”
(by G. T. Byrd)

How blest to be with Him all alone! Not only can we pour out our heart’s hidden secrets and our troubles and fears, but there is a blessing in praise and worship all alone with Him.
Spending time alone with the Lord should always be a part of every day of our lives. However, we also need to spend special times with the Lord throughout the year to show our appreciation for Him and to get our focus right for the next interval of our lives with Him.

In How to Spend a Day in Prayer, Lorne Sanny lists five reasons for taking a special time-out with God: (Portions of the following instructions and inspirations were taken from writings by The Navigators. I have added some thoughts of my own.)

1. For extended fellowship with God – We are called into “the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9). to develop our relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him.

2. For renewed perspective – A day in prayer will help us to get God’s view. Our spiritual defenses will be strengthened with our eyes on the eternal and the unseen. “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4 : 1 8).
3. For catching up on intercession – Our times call for serious praying for our family, friends, neighbors, fellow employees, civil leaders, spiritual leaders, etc. Because we see the coming of Jesus is eminent, we must faithfully intercede for our leadership. The enemy has targeted spiritual leaders and their families in an to attempt to weaken the Christian force in the last days. He will never win. We will intercede faithfully for our leaders and their families!

4. For prayerful consideration of our lives before the Lord – For personal inventory and evaluation, particularly at times of important decisions. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5-7).
5. For adequate preparation – To know God’s purposes and plans for us – to recognize opportunities and proceed with confidence in God.
Schedule Your Time With The Lord Into Three Intervals:
1. Waiting on the Lord – with repentance, in worship, to bask in His presence.
2. Praying for others – focused prayers for specific needs and protection.
3. Praying for yourself – with honesty, humility and desire to obey.

Recognize Your Physical Inadequacies:

1. Get adequate rest the two nights before a day given to prayer.

2. Change your prayer positions and even locations (go for a walk- plan a prayer-for-neighbors walk during your prayer time for others).
3. Use variations in your prayer – whisper, speak aloud, think, and meditate. Cry with a loud voice as Psalmist David did on many occasions of desperate praying.

4. Have helpful items close by: Bible, paper, pen, notebook, clock, devotional, calendar, watch, letters from missionaries, friends, etc., Have lists of local city leaders, your state officials, national leaders, spiritual leaders, national, state and local. Pray especially for your pastor and family. Keep your current prayer request list close by, keep a hymnal, special prayer needs you have received from World Network of Prayer and other prayer networks. Background music is also a good idea for a more tranquil setting.

Another suggestion is to construct a “worry list”. Think of current conflicts problems, concerns, or frustrations anything that is bothering you. Write them down. Pray about them then look at your list and determine whether you can do something about this item or whether it is beyond your control. Write down your plans for resolving those worries you feel you can accomplish and give the rest to the Lord. As you continue to pray during your special time, your “can do” list will probably grow!

Be sure to keep a record of your impressions from the Lord. Write the scriptures impressed upon your spirit while in prayer. These things are a part of the Lord’s future plans for you. Keep these notes for further reference and review them often to ensure your actions on the impressions of the Lord.

Also, while in your prayer time, things will come to your mind you have forgotten to do or you need to do later. You may think you will remember to do these things, but do not trust your memory; make a note of the things you need to do. Write them down so they do not continue to distract your mind from prayer.

This special time, according to Lorne Sanny, should answer the two major questions asked by the apostle Paul, “Who are you, Lord?” and “What shall I do, Lord?” This time is designed for help in your daily walk with God and not for some extraordinary experience. You may receive an experience from your encounter with the Lord, but to seek for it will get you off track. The real objective for this special time with God is quality time spent with the Lord in “effectual fervent prayer” that avails much.

Jesus knew He would soon ascend into the heavens and send His Holy Spirit to dwell within every believer when He taught his followers how to pray. When explaining prayer to his followers, He tried to impress upon them the importance of every moment spent alone with Him in prayer. Along with teaching the necessity of prayer, he taught the laws of fasting and of giving. All the teachings of Jesus can be added to the Christian as he grows in the knowledge of God’s will.

Jesus said, “Enter into your closet and shut the door and pray in secret.” All types of prayer, public or private, can be classified as closet prayer in the sense of closing one’s mind to outside activities (others praying at the same time, music, and singing, etc.); however, time alone with God cannot be surpassed.

It is necessary to understand that God hears and answers prayers whether made in private or with others. Closet Praying is ultimate relating with God. If one depends solely on praying with others for his strength, valuable spiritual strength is forfeited.

Closet prayer should be directed toward our personal relationship with God. In the closet of prayer we can tell God our innermost secrets, and He will understand. He will tell nobody our secrets. In the closet of prayer we may intercede for delicate situations we care not to tell anybody not even our closest prayer partner.

Jesus spent time with the Heavenly Father alone. He received strength to overcome in the hour of temptation. Jesus was God and man. The flesh could have taken control in the hour of its crucifixion. If the flesh had succumbed at that crucial point, we would not have the blood of Jesus to cover our sins. The next time your fleshly appetite wants to dominate in the moment of weakness, retreat to your closet of prayer and shut the door. Repeat the scripture, “I can do All Things through Christ (the anointed one), which strengthens me.”

In the hour of temptation you can overcome by entering the closet of prayer, confessing and repenting to your loving Heavenly Father.

Memorize the following verse and quote it to the devil with vehemence: “Rejoice not against me, 0 mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me” (Micah 7:8).

I have counseled with some who feared they were hypocritical when they made a mistake or disobeyed God. They may honestly have been striving to do what God desired, but in a moment of weakness they failed. This is not hypocritical. Jesus described a hypocrite as one who makes an outward show of being righteous or holy; however, inside he is sinful and he knows it. He refuses to confess his weaknesses and receive overcoming power. The hypocrite loves to be “two-faced.” He wants people to call him a “Christian”, but he knows he lives a sinful life, and will not change.

Jesus was given a manger for a cradle and a carpenter’s bench for a pulpit. Thorns for a crown and a cross for a throne but he took them and made them the very glory of his career. He turned sorrow into joy; he found strength in labor and peace in the storm rest on the cross and life in the grave. If we really believe this, we can more easily overcome the hardness life offers. We will refuse every way of life but His; and say with Peter, “Lord to whom shall we go; thou has the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the Living God.”

Cleanse Me
Cleanse me, 0 God, and Know my heart today;
Try me, 0 Savior, know my thoughts, I pray
See if there be some wicked way in me:
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
I praise Thee Lord, for cleansing me from sin:
Fulfill Thy Word, and make me pure within;
Fill me with fire, where Once I burned with shame:
Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.
Lord, take my life, and make it wholly Thine:
Fill my poor heart with Thy great love divine;
Take all my will, my passion, self and pride;
I now surrender: Lord, in me abide.
O Holy Ghost, revival comes from Thee:
Send a revival, start the work in me;
Thy Word declares Thou wilt supply our need:
For blessing now, 0 Lord, I humbly plead.
J. Edwin Orr

I met God in the morning,
When my day was at its best,
And His presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.
All day long the presence lingered;
All day long He stayed with me;
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O’er a very troubled sea. Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us peace and rest
Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings
With the Presence left behind.
So I think I know the secret
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning,
If you want Him through the day.
(Ralph S. Cushman)

The above article, “A Day with Jesus Alone…The Most Blessed of All Days” is written by Fredi Trammell. The article was excerpted from the 3th chapter of Trammell’s book Beyond The Closet Door.

The material is copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.