Prayer Still Works

October 20, 2025

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6 (ESV)

At one time or another in our lives we have all experienced someone who claimed they were listening to us, but they were obviously not, for when we asked them what we said, they could not repeat it. There is nothing worse than thinking we are having a conversation with someone only to discover that we are just talking to ourselves because they were not listening. It can be the same way in our prayer lives, because there are times when we pray and we are not sure if God is listening to us. We pray and we feel like nothing is happening, and God is not listening to our prayers. Even when we feel like God is not listening or God does not hear us when we pray, we can rest assure that God always hears us when we pray and He is always listening to us. Prayer is a two-way street, and not only does God hear us when we pray, but we need to hear God when we pray as well. The Scripture reminds us that when we pray we should go into our room, and shut the door, pray to the Father in secret, and the Father who sees and hears in secret will reward us openly. I encourage you today to spend your quiet alone time with the Father. Each day find some time to go in your closet and pray to the Father those things that are on your heart. Take time to shut the door and have a deep conversation with God, He already knows what is on your heart, and like a loving Father He is just waiting for you to share them with Him, so He can do something about those things on your heart. You may not have a literal closet to go into to pray, but make a space or find a place where you can go and shut in with God. What you pray to Him in your closet is between you and Him, but He will reward you openly for what you have asked Him in secret. People will wonder how some things happened in your life, and you will know it came from a devoted prayer life with God. Prayer changes things, and prayer turns things around, and prayer is the key that will unlock so many doors in your life, if you would only pray. Prayer does not only change things, but prayer will also change you. Prayer is essential in my life, and I know for sure what I have prayed in secret in my closet God will do in my life openly, this is why I am so convinced, "It's My Year To Get My Thing From My God!"

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for hearing me when I pray. Thank you for answering me when I pray. Thank you for what I pray in secret you do openly for me. I know that I cannot make it without constant conversations with you. Thank you for hearing me and loving me. I love you Lord. In Jesus Name Amen.

Be Inspired, Rev. Dr. Stephen W. Pogue, Pastor
Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church
Mount Vernon, NY