“But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” Luke 5:16 (ESV)
Where you pray matters! Jesus said that when we pray we are to go into our inner room, close the door and speak to the Father in secret (Matthew 6:6). Jesus Himself had His prayer places. He would often get away and go up into a mountain (Mark 6:46) or into desolate, deserted, wilderness places (Luke 5:16). When in Jerusalem He made the Garden of Gethsemane His secret prayer refuge (Luke 22:39). Today God is establishing places of prayer. I know churches that used to not have any prayer space, who now have several dedicated rooms for prayer! I am talking here in Athens!
Gardens are being specifically built for prayer. Recently I heard of a beautiful prayer garden in Atlanta. Of course, there are prayer mountains, even here in the USA! There are prayer rooms, such as Upper Room! And the movie War Room advanced prayer closets in people’s homes! Prayer is no longer relegated to the super-spiritual. It has never meant to be optional! The devil’s lie is being broken. God is not only accessible but desires us to come into His presence with confidence (Hebrews 5:16) in our secret place.
Find your place of prayer, wherever it needs to be, and make it a priority to get there often, at least every day! God will meet you there and reveal to you “great and unsearchable things” (Jeremiah 33:3).
If you have not been praying daily or more (1 Thessalonians 5:17) repent and ask the Holy Spirit to help you establish the prayer place for you in this season. Ask God to speak to you (John 10:27) and to reveal great and hidden things that you did not know (Jeremiah 33:3). Ask Him for faith to increase your confidence in approaching the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). Ask Him to move upon your pastor to increase prayer and worship in his own life, and to intentionally establish prayer rooms in your church building! And ask God to pour out His Spirit upon every prayer place in Athens and to continue to bless Athens House of Prayer, as a citywide prayer place!!!
