Prayer is critical, but does it matter where you pray? Having a spot set aside for conversation with God, even if it’s just a corner of your room, is key for winning your spiritual battles. If you want to hear God’s voice and have His help in the fight, discover how a specific place to pray can make all the difference. This sermon was recorded before COVID-19. For the protection of our staff members and the community, we are currently following safety guidelines by practicing social distancing. We appreciate your understanding.

the title of this message is the

believers war room you said what in the

world is that so I want you to turn if

you will to the sixth chapter of Matthew

the Sermon on the Mount and I want you

to look at a couple of verses here

because this is what you and I would

really consider a war room if we

understood what goes on in this room so

Jesus is speaking here beginning in

verse five when he says when you pray

you are not to be like the hypocrites

for they love to stand and pray in the

synagogues and on the street corners so

that they may be seen by men truly I say

to you they have their reward in full

but now watch this next verse but you

when you pray going to you or in a room

close your door and pray to your father

who is in secret and your father who

sees what is done in secret will reward

you think about this think about all the

kind of trials and heartaches and

burdens you face in life what do you do

with them many people don’t know what to

do with them and Jesus has given us in

this passage Scripture the solution the

answer when I think about in my own life

I learned to pray seriously very early

and I finally figured out why because I

had needs that I knew I could not meet

and secondly I felt very inadequate in

life in school and everything I did so

it forced me to begin to pray early in

life when I started that I prayed in my

bedroom and then after a while I

realized there must be a better place

and so I found a place in my church

which was a block away to pray and then

when I went away to college I thought

well I’ve got to find a place to pray

and I had a roommate at that time and so

he and I were good friends

but after a while I realized I didn’t

feel free to pray there so I found

another friend of mine who lived down

the hall in jitta Hall University of

Richmond and I said to him one day I

need a place I can pray and I need a

private place and I asked him something

that it was a little bit shocking at

first I said would you sell me your room

he said sell you my room I said that’s

what I mean I said I need a private room

where I can just pray and be quiet and

talk to God so I didn’t know what he’d

come back with because naturally those

rooms had already been paid for but I

wanted his room b-seventeen Jeter hall

so he came back the next day he said all

right I didn’t know what he was going to

say he said how about $15 I said yes and

I said it very quietly because $15

there’s a lot of money for me when you

didn’t have any I said fine so I bought

his room so for the next three and a

half years I had b-17g a hall a private

room and I had a wonderful place to pray

and probably after a few weeks maybe

somewhere thereabouts probably once a

week some student would come to see me

and say well could we just talk a few

moments and so I spent three and a half

years of listening and talking to my

fellow college mates and it was a

wonderful time when I went away to

seminary I didn’t have a place to pray

in my room it was very noisy and so I

finally found the place to pray in the

Music Building and so that helped me

through those times and then I got

married and so we had a very small

apartment and so I said to my wife now I

gotta have a place to pray and we had a

small bedroom a very small kitchen and

bathroom and a living room and that was

it so I had one of my mother’s Africans

that I do

so I stretched that over in the corner

of that living room and that was my

place to pray till we finished

similary I’ve always had a place some

time it wasn’t a different place

sometimes right in the middle of a lot

of things and I’ve had places to pray

and my studies and so for the church and

then touch and always had a place

there’s something about this passage of

Scripture when he says when you pray go

into your inner room close your door

pray to your father who is in secret and

your father who sees what is done in

secret will reward you probably the most

important lesson I’ve ever learned was

to talk to God and lot of people think

they’re praying when oftentimes they’re

not really praying there’s sort of

expressing maybe something in their life

that is going on I don’t know of a

lesson more important in life than

learning to pray so when we called it

the believers war room that’s really

what it is in a way because that’s where

you fight your battles and there are

other words if you turn to that sixth

chapter of Ephesians which you know

pretty well the scripture says in that

tenth verse finally be strong in the

Lord in the strength of his might put on

the full armor of God so that you may be

able to stand firm against the schemes

of a devil for our struggle is not

against flesh and blood but against the

rulers against the powers against the

world Force’s of this darkness against

spiritual forces of wickedness in

heavenly places therefore take up the

full armor of God and you know the

pieces the helmet of salvation to

protect our thinking the breastplate of

righteousness to protect their emotions

the girdle of truth so that we walk in

it feet shod with the preparation of the

gospel of peace and he talks about for

example the sword of the Spirit the Word

of God

and above all taking the shield of faith

and that shield was not around

Sheila was a shield like a door that

covered you totally he says this is the

way we begin the day so I’m asked a

question do you ever placed afraid’s

your house you have an enemy and he’s

the devil Satan Jesus called him jesus

said he’s a murderer and a liar and

deceiver he called him a lot of things

he’s a schemer and he’s a tempter

he’s a destroyer you and I have an enemy

and many people are destroyed by the

enemy and do not even realize what’s

happening to him for all of us who are

believers God has given us the key to

living a godly life and a life that is

pleasing and honorable to him and a life

that makes it possible for us to

accomplish anything and everything that

God has said before us but prayer is the

key and so what I’d like to do in this

message is give you a little insight

into what a real prayer room is like

when I say war room I mean a war room

because that’s where the battles are

really fought and so many of you

probably would think well what would you

do in a prayer room that’s what I want

to share with you and I pray that you

listen carefully because listen you need

it all of us need a place where we can

talk to a Heavenly Father confidently

boldly sharing the animals things of our

heart and no one else listening and that

he will make a difference so I want you

to listen carefully you’re going to need

it some of you don’t even know how to

pray or you may just repeat the Lord’s

Prayer and think that’s sufficient that

doesn’t say what you really need to say

then in your heart

some want you to listen carefully do not

shut it out to say well I don’t have a

place to pray yes you

and I want to show you that you do there

is a place in your house your apartment

of somewhere that you can set aside to

pray may have to be when everybody else

is gone but the place that you and your

Heavenly Father can develop an intimate

relationship listen to what he says when

you pray go into your inner room close

your door and pray to your father in

secret and your father who sees what is

done in secret will reward you which is

his promise so he speaks of a place now

Jesus place changed because his tenor

had changed and my life’s changed over

all these years but I’ve had a place

I’ve found a place to pray because I

discovered very early in life I couldn’t

handle it without it and he made me

inadequate enough and needy enough to

depend upon him to trust in him and to

make prayer the priority of my life and

I fought a lot of battles then through a

lot of difficulties hardships have lotsa

needs but I can tell you this he’s never

failed me one time nor will he failed

you so Jesus called it a place and I

would say as Jesus said when he said

close the door a private place if it’s

possible somewhere in your house

someplace that you can set aside is your

place to meet God every day and if you

happen to be in a situation where you

have roommates you could just send you a

roommate you know I just need a place or

a little time to be alone with the God

be alone with God so if you work here or

you work that no words can be working

out so that I’ll have this particular

time that you’ll know that I’m just

being alone talking to God I’m gonna be

praying for you but I’m gonna be talking

to to God about my life

and about my future anybody who would

object to that makes a great statement

and that is I really need you to pray

for me that’s really what they’re saying

and so here’s what will happen God will

make a place if you want a place to pray

God will make a place for you to pray

for the simple reason there’s nothing he

wants any more than to develop an

intimate personal relationship with you

and if you’ll notice how Jesus said it

enter your room close your door and pray

to your father who is in secret and he

will reward you so it’s a private place

and what I simply want to do is to say

to you this is what a prayer room is

about and I just want to describe a true

genuine prayer room whether it’s a place

or room itself whatever it takes for you

to be alone with Almighty God think

about it in this light and that is

simply this it’s a private place it’s a

quiet place it’s a holy place it’s where

you and the Father made let me tell you

why that’s so important when you have a

place what I discovered after a while

because that’s your place to pray when

you get there you don’t have to get

ready after a while your whole system

adjust to the fact this is what you do

here this is the only thing you do here

you don’t read books here you don’t do

it this is what you do you talk to the

father you may have your Bible there but

primarily you’re talking to him so when

you when you get there you know what

you’re gonna do

and I remember I was praying one evening

and this is why I say it’s a holy place

because one of the most important things

God’s ever said to me said to me lying

over there on that spot and here’s what

he said I was talking to him about

something in school and so forth

he said to me whatever you accomplish in

life you’ll have to accomplish on your

knees you cannot trust in your education

or your abilities and talents and skill

only on your knees I never forgot it I

can never thank God enough for telling

me early in life this whatever I do with

you I will do as you come to me commune

with me kneel before me worship me on

amiyo Bay me on your knees

watch what I do and I can tell you it’s

the most important thing God had said to

me up until that time because the truth

is this whatever he accomplishes in your

life that really fits his will and

purpose and plan to your life it’s as a

result of your relationship to him there

are a lot of people who look famous and

a wealth in this said never but I have

no relationship with the father the most

important relationship you will ever

have is with God the Father and how do

you develop that relationship he said

when you pray go to your in a room or

wherever it is close your door for

possible pray to your father who is in

secret and your father who is in secret

will reward you

it doesn’t make a difference who you are

when you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as

your personal Savior you develop a

relationship but then when you begin to

put prayer in its proper place

that’s first in your life God will do

things in your life and for you you’ll

never figure out and you’ll never do and

never accomplish unless you put that

where it belongs

it was first in Jesus life that’s why

the scripture says a great halt before

day he was doing what he was up and away

in the wilderness praying and so this is

where our battles are fought our battles

are fought on our knees because what

happens when you go through difficult

and hardship in your life and conflict

with other people and so forth

when you in your place of prayer bring

that to your heavenly father listen to

what happens you know what happens

here’s what happens you you engage your

heavenly father in this warfare you’re

having with whoever it might be in

whatever the situation circumstances it

may be even your husband and your wife

or your kids your parents when you kneel

before him and ask for his guidance in

his help and his strength and how many

times have I had to come to him when I

desperately needed him he was all I had

and no other place to go listen

carefully they’re going to be some times

when nobody knows the answer to your

plea but Almighty God nobody will be

able to comfort strengthen you help you

encourage you like Almighty God and when

you develop that relationship with him

and that place listen if if the place

and the quietness and the seclusion and

the holiness of that place from not

important Jesus will never have put that

in the Sermon on the mountain but he

said it because he knew it was so

important because he practiced it

himself that’s where you fight

temptation that’s where you fight trials

on your face before Almighty God now I

know and I’ll say it once in a while you

do not have to kneel to be holy before

God but I’ll put it this way you at

least must be in the mode of worship you

can sit down if you can sit down but for

me I’ve been dealing since I was a kid

and that’s just the reason I say

kneeling before him honoring him and

worshiping him and to me to get on my

knees before him was straighten out flat

out on my face before God says what my

heart says

and that is holy God I come to you and

need and I’m crying out to you to give

me help and strength and whatever I may

be praying for and think about this

that’s why you should get your

instructions for every day

you not never know what a day means we

never know what we’re going to face and

if you turn to your place of prayer and

you start the day with him asking for

his guidance for his direction and

listening you don’t have to wonder if

he’s listening you don’t have to wonder

if he’ll answer that prayer trust in the

Lord with all your heart lean not to

your own understanding in all your ways

acknowledge him and he will direct your

path and so we could go right through

the scriptures with promises of God but

to begin the day in that private quiet

place with Almighty God that’s the way

you start the day and a lot of people

who suffer a lot of turmoil in their

life unnecessarily because they get up

and rush off and it’s just that them

versus the world-wide do it you versus

the world when you can walk with a

companion of the Lord Jesus Christ

living within you through the Holy

Spirit to enable you strengthen you

guard you protect you God’s you enabled

you whatever he wants for your life you

start the day off with him I hear people

say all the time Allah I gotta have a

cup of coffee as soon as I get up no you

don’t you give you just hooked yourself

on that you need to get hooked on Jesus

I’m not saying you can’t have a cup of

coffee but that’s not the first thing

the most important thing in your life if

that’s what it takes to wake you up to

pray then that’s okay but that’s not the

most important thing in your life the

most important thing in your life every

morning is asking for the Lord’s

guidance and help and strength

surrendering yourself to him Lord

whatever you have in mind for me today

I’m available

let me think your thoughts let me think

before I speak God I want whatever you

want to accomplish in my life you begin

the day with him listen you can’t beat

that you have God guiding you and

leading you and so what happens in the

war room is we get ready for the day we

asked for directions and guidance Lord

make us sensitive to the people around

us let us hear what they say what they

don’t say let us read

let us read their facial expressions

what are they trying to say to us lord

help me to do my best today if somebody

gives me instructions let me get them

down if I’m given an order and on my job

and I don’t like it Lord you help me to

like it anyway lord I want you to I want

you to guide me through this day God

will never ignore that request he says

go into that inner room

close your door and pray to your father

and so what does he do we dress for the

battle we get instructions for the day

and also remember this this is a

guidebook tell me one thing in your life

that’s not in here that you have to face

every single circumstance of life there

is an answer for it in the book this is

a book of instructions this is this is

God’s battle plan for us you cannot live

a godly life with a closed book you

can’t win the battle if you don’t know

the battle plan if you’re not listening

to the general you’re making your own

decisions you’re gonna lose the battle

and so he said go into your inner room

and close the door and what he was

saying is this I want you to my self to

begin this day and there’s not a person

in here who can tell me any reason that

you can’t do that and if you say well I

just get distracted and when I pray get

in your closet close the door put some

clothes or something under so there’s no

light tell God you just want to think

about him you want him to speak to your

heart because you can’t think of

anything more important than hearing

from the Living God and he’s willing to

speak to you you said well I’ve never

heard y’all speak you probably weren’t

listening God is willing to speak to

anyone who’s trusted him as their

personal Savior God is willing to listen

to any center crying out to salvation if

you want him to be a part of you in life

yield your life to him surrender

yourself to him ask him for the

forgiveness of your sin trusting in his

death at Calvary to pay your sin debt in

full and become a child of God your life

with him will begin and so when I think

about what’s involved and opening the

Word of God and asking him to speak to

my heart that’s where you and I deal

with our sins

honestly thoroughly by ourselves alone

with Almighty God now though you can

pray to of it with other people but

listen to this God wants an intimate

relationship with us he wants us to give

him our full attention he wants us to

listen carefully of what he says now

listen carefully bish when you’re

praying and in that in a room wherever

that place is you don’t do all the

talking you learn to listen tell me

what’s on your heart what you’re

concerned about what you need or how

grateful you are for whatever it is and

then just be quiet when I hear people

say well God’s never spoken to me I know

why because they didn’t give him a

chance do you listen to your children

when they come to you crying for example

are needy about something what do you do

if you’re a good mom or dad you sit and

say sweetheart tell me what’s on your

mind

tell me what’s hurting tell me what can

I do think about Almighty God your

heavenly Father is never too busy to

listen to you

but you need to give him time to speak

and God is willing to speak to you and I

told you in the very beginning once the

God said to me about always needing him

and whatever accomplished in life i

accomplish on my knees he made that so

absolutely clear to me and I could spend

a lot of time this morning say here’s

what God said to me about this and that

he will do the same for you in your life

in your circumstances but you got to

listen to him you have to get in the

position listen to him and I love what

he said

he said go in your room close the door

it’s private and listen to your heavenly

Father and you may begin your session

with him by simply saying Lord I’m just

here to listen today this morning or

tonight if there’s something you want to

say to me I’m willing to listen Lord you

may be shocked at how clearly God will

speak to your heart sometimes he will

speak through his word and I remember in

one of the biggest battles I’ve ever

been in and I was being quiet and

listening to the Lord and I was just

flipping through the script chest and

God if he had something to say to me and

I turn to this passage no weapon formed

against you will prosper and I sat

through this horrible business meeting

reading that verse and reminding God

Lord here’s what you’re saying and I

listened to people who tried their best

to get rid of me and the interesting

thing yeah I read that verse over and

over and over and over again saying Lord

is what you’re saying I’m trusting you

and the jin.o for two hours and the

attempt to get rid of me not one person

said one negative thing about me and I

was sitting there thinking I could tell

you a lot of things about me that I am

perfect but you know what God used that

personal scripture to give me the most

awesome sense of peace but your hearts

gotta be right

lord I need you to encourage me a god

you have convicted me of something that

I had not seen before had not dealt with

before and Laura I’m confessing my sins

before you whenever you and I come to

him with an open heart will it and we

should always say to him the Lord if you

have something to say to me that I

missed I want to hear it if there’s

anything in my heart that should not be

there then the first thing I want to do

is I want you to show me what it is so I

can confess it and ask you to forgive me

so I want to start off clean god I just

want to start off clean so I can hear

what you have to say you can’t listen

God is not gonna do much talking to you

as long as you were living in sin he

speaks to those who willing to hear him

let me ask you a question

how do you feel maybe when you and your

wife our husband had a little bout you

want to get it straightened out and he

won’t listen what does that do to you

that I so as a wife or she won’t listen

or your son won’t listen are your

parents won’t listen there’s something

about opening our heart to God let me

tell you he will speak to you clearly

you know what because he loves you God

doesn’t try to keep secrets and this is

why he said go into your inner room

close your door that is it’s just you

and him and you’ll find a place if you

really want to find the place a place to

pray is a place that you know I can talk

to him quietly it doesn’t mean that you

can’t pray you can sit right here and

pray or go somewhere so riding on the

expressway but here’s what Jesus said

there ought to be a place a place that’s

your place a private place a holy place

it’s made holy because that’s where you

and God do business where you talk and

who are you listening where you

want God to speak to your heart it’s one

of the most important lessons you’ll

ever learn in life and somebody says

well I’ve come a long ways and I haven’t

done that and you don’t know what you’ve

missed the most important relationship

you have is with Jesus and he can be

more real in your life than any other

person because he speaks to the

innermost part of your being your heart

your life your soul your spirit and

Jesus who was holy the very son of God

listen the first son of God felt a need

to get away then Luke he’s at that

praying and that disciples come and

interrupt him saying well the people are

looking for you and when somebody says

to me I don’t have time to pray I sent

they want to think if that’s the only

reason you don’t God knows how to give

you a dose of something that puts you in

the bed stretched out flat on your back

where you got plenty of time to pray and

talk to God and some people have met the

Lord in that way when he absolutely laid

them down and then they began to listen

to him and God began to speak to their

heart so that’s where we deal with sin

in their life that’s where we that’s

where we develop an intimate

relationship with him now some of you

probably thinking well I don’t think

that’s necessary that’s the devil’s lie

don’t believe it let me tell you why if

it were not necessary it wouldn’t be in

the Word of God by the person of Jesus

Christ

he knows and you and I know we need a

place a

time and one of the best times to start

is early in the morning but for some

people that may not be the most

convenient thing then you make it your

time your place and your time where you

get alone with God uninterrupted and did

you know without even knowing this my

kids have told me this and I remember I

have a study out different from the

house in the backyard and I was passed

in Miami and that’s where I prayed I

asked him to build me a little place

away from my house because I didn’t have

a place so is this a cinderblock

building wasn’t very large at all and I

just had a in fact I had a door for the

desk so I didn’t want anything in that

to distract me had a door as a desk and

one chair I paid $15 saw it

and and I had a little mat on that

concrete floor and they said to me you

didn’t know I was there but I slipped in

there and I was right beside you praying

and I heard everything you said

and my daughter came to me different

times and she would say something

similar to that you know what if I never

taught my kids another lesson I taught

it without even trying that you spend

time talking to your father and now that

they’re in their 50s they know what pray

is all about and as a parent you need to

demonstrate it you you need you need to

show them not just tell them how

important for areas and I’m not telling

you that for any other reason except to

say I discover that later on they didn’t

even tell me at first of course they did

tell me the times we had a we had around

the coffee table we all prayed around

when we prayed together as a family

and they are quick to remind me that at

one time everybody had prayed and then

they kept waiting for me to pray and

waiting for me to pray and I went to

sleep Wow all they prayed and they all

got up to walk out and at that time they

got to the door I started praying they

came back around but you know what

that’s okay

that’s all right that table was a place

we all prayed but then I taught them to

find the place for them to pray because

it’s the most important activity of your

life there’s nothing more important your

life than building an intimate

relationship with the Heavenly Father

and claiming his promises and in the

prayer room that’s where you lay your

burdens down and what does he say he

daily lifts our burdens this place to

pray is an awesome place they confess

our sins to where he lifts our burdens

where we weep over our trials and our

heartaches yes it’s a place to cry

before Almighty God

and he understands for we are crying

about its we’re broken hearts amended in

the prayer room

it’s where sins forgiven but also where

we forgive others it’s a holy place a

mighty place a powerful place it’s a

place that becomes the most precious

spot in your household because that’s

where you and the Father meet and

discuss every area of your life well you

bring you needs where you bring your

hurts where you bring you tears where

you bring your sorrows where your

burdens are lifted and where you’re

strengthened so where is your place you

can walk through life and ignore a

personal intimate relationship with

Christ

maybe you’re very talented and gifted

maybe you’re very wealthy and you say

well I don’t need all that oh yes you do

and the more prideful you are the

further you’re going to fall when God’s

hand comes upon you to teach you a

lesson that you need him desperately do

you have a place even as you’ve listened

have you thought a better place are you

willing to make a place they can be your

place they’ll become a holy place a

private place where you carry on the

most important activity of your life and

that’s community and fellowshipping with

the Lord Jesus Christ most important

thing you do

you say well I’m so busy I don’t have

time yes you do do you believe God loves

you enough to speak to you maybe you

don’t believe that but you get in a

place and you start praying and you’ll

find out quickly God will speak to your

heart your needs will be met you’ll find

joy in your heart and so sense of

security and comfort God meeting your

needs in an awesome way doesn’t mean

you’ll never be needy no he allows us to

meet needy sometime because it drives us

into a deeper relationship with him if

you one of those persons who’s never

trusted Jesus as your Savior I trusted

today you’ve settled that issue asking

him to forgive you of your sins and

acknowledging that Jesus went to the

cross in order to pay your sin debt in

full by shedding his blood in the moment

you will they confess that sin repent of

it and tell the Lord Jesus Christ you’re

receiving him as your personal Savior

your life with him will begin and my

prayer to you is that you’d be wise

enough to do what Jesus said go into

your inner room close your door pray to

your father who is in secret and your

father who sees what is done in secret

will reward you that is a promise of God

and if you’re wise

you’ll make a place father how grateful

we are that you made it simple

and I pray that the Holy Spirit will

sink this message deep in the heart of

every person who hears it and some who

have never trusted you as their Savior

help them to understand the first prayer

you listen to from them it’s a prayer of

confession and repentance and surrender

of their life to you as their Lord and

Savior and then you all can carry on a

conversation you know who’s listening to

this message is going through great

trial heart a difficult to pain

suffering a sense of futility not

knowing which way to turn or father

remind them that they’ve heard the

answer today and now it’s a matter of

making a choice making the wisest choice

they could make of finding a place and

begin to build that intimate

relationship and to begin listening to

you and hearing you speak is my prayer

in Jesus name Amen

you