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“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites…”
Let us look at what the Word of God says:
> “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:
> for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets,
> that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
> But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door,
> pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret
> shall reward thee openly.”
> — Matthew 6:5–6 (KJV)
The central theme of these lyrics and these verses is this:
God listens differently from men. Men look at the performance; God looks at the heart.
True prayer is not a religious show. It is a private transaction between a child and his Father.
Jesus here is not merely giving us a suggestion about prayer. He is exposing two kingdoms and two audiences:
The lyrics echo this contrast:
These two cannot be combined. We must choose our audience.
This teaching is foundational for spiritual maturity, for deliverance from religious bondage, and for walking in real authority in prayer. Many believers are bound not by demons of immorality but by religious spirits—spirits that love form, visibility, performance—yet hate genuine secret fellowship with God. Here Jesus takes an axe to the root of that tree.
These words come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), the manifesto of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is addressing Jewish people who are already religious, already praying, already giving, already fasting.
He is not speaking to atheists who do not believe in prayer. He is speaking to people who are praying in the wrong spirit.
In Matthew 6, Jesus deals with three central acts of Jewish piety:
1. Giving (almsgiving) — Matthew 6:1–4
2. Praying — Matthew 6:5–15
3. Fasting — Matthew 6:16–18
In each case the same pattern appears:
The key background figure here is the “hypocrite.” In Jesus’ day this referred especially to certain religious leaders—Pharisees and others—who outwardly appeared righteous but inwardly were full of corruption (Matthew 23:27–28). They loved the praise and recognition of men (John 12:42–43).
The geography is important:
To stand praying in those places was not, in itself, wrong. The early church sometimes prayed publicly (Acts 3:1). What Jesus exposes is the motive: “that they may be seen of men.”
So picture the scene: a religious culture where visible piety is esteemed, long public prayers are admired, and certain leaders enjoy being recognized for their spiritual performance. Into this environment steps Jesus, and He says: “Your Father is not impressed.”
To the average listener, this would have been revolutionary. The religious elite they had admired were being unmasked. Jesus was teaching that what matters most in prayer is not the setting, not the length, not the tone, but the unseen posture of the heart before the unseen Father.
The song’s repeated refrain—“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites…”—carries this same prophetic edge. It is not merely poetic repetition. It is a warning: there is a way of praying that actually shuts Heaven instead of opening it.
Let us look at two key Greek words in this passage which illuminate the lyrics.
### 1. “Hypocrites” (ὑποκριταί, *hypokritai*)
The word translated “hypocrites” originally referred to an actor on a Greek stage, one who wore a mask. It literally means someone who answers or interprets, and by extension one who “plays a part.”
So when Jesus says, “Do not be like the hypocrites,” He is saying:
The lyrics capture this:
“True prayer isn’t a show for the crowd.”
A hypocrite may say the right words, use the right tone, stand in the right place—but behind the words is not a heart reaching out to God, but a heart reaching out for human approval.
This exposes a vital truth:
You cannot be seeking the face of God and the praise of man in the same act. One cancels the other.
### 2. “Closet / Room” (ταμεῖον, *tameion*)
In Matthew 6:6, Jesus says:
> “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet…”
The Greek word *tameion* means an inner room, a storeroom, a private chamber. It was often used of a small locked room where valuables or supplies were stored, deep inside the house.
So Jesus is saying:
This deepens the meaning of the lyrics:
“Go into your room / Close the door behind you / Pray to your Father who is unseen…”
The “room” is not mainly about architecture; it is about separation. It is the deliberate closing of the door on human eyes and human applause, in order to turn fully to the unseen Father.
Your secret place with God is where your real spiritual wealth is stored. Your public ministry will never rise above your private history with God.
Now we will walk through the themes of the lyrics and align them with Scripture.
### A. Prayer as Performance vs. Prayer as Communion
Lyrics:
> “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites
> They love to stand in synagogues and on street corners
> Praying loudly so everyone can see
> They’ve already received their reward in full
> Just the praise of people, nothing more from God
> True prayer isn’t a show for the crowd”
Here two rewards are contrasted:
1. The reward of people:
2. The reward of God:
Jesus states it plainly:
> “Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” (Matthew 6:5)
The Greek construction means: they have received their reward in full; their account is closed. There is nothing more coming from Heaven.
When prayer becomes a performance for people, Heaven becomes silent.
This aligns with other Scriptures:
A person addicted to human approval will never move deeply in true prayer, because true prayer often leads into hiddenness, misunderstanding, and lack of public recognition.
### B. The Unseen Father and the Secret Place
Lyrics:
> “But when you pray, go into your room
> Close the door behind you
> Pray to your Father who is unseen
> He hears every quiet word you speak
> No need for long, fancy phrases to impress
> Just open your heart—He already knows”
Here are several powerful theological truths:
1. God is “Father” to the believer in Christ.
Jesus does not say, “Pray to the Creator” (though He is) or “Pray to the Judge” (though He is) but “Pray to your Father.” This indicates relationship through new birth (John 1:12–13; Romans 8:15).
2. The Father is “unseen.”
God is spirit (John 4:24). He is not accessible to our physical senses. Faith is required:
> “for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)
3. He hears “every quiet word you speak.”
This refutes the religious idea that prayer must be loud, dramatic, or emotional to be effective. Hannah prayed silently, and God heard (1 Samuel 1:12–13, 19–20). Nehemiah prayed a quick, inward prayer before speaking to the king (Nehemiah 2:4–5).
4. “No need for long, fancy phrases to impress.”
Jesus says in Matthew 6:7–8:
> “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
> for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
> Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”
The problem is not repetition as such (Jesus repeated His own prayer in Gethsemane—Matthew 26:44). The problem is *vain* repetition—empty, mechanical, wordy praying without heart or faith.
God is not impressed by vocabulary. He is moved by faith expressed in sincerity.
### C. Prayer as Simple, Honest Approach
Lyrics:
> “Don’t heap up empty words like those who don’t know God
> Thinking they’ll be heard because they talk so much
> Your Father knows exactly what you need
> Before you even ask Him
> Come simply, come honestly, come as you are
> He’s waiting in the secret place”
There is a contrast between:
Pagans use many words because they do not trust their god’s character. They seek to manipulate their deity, to persuade, to bargain.
But the believer approaches a Father who already knows. We do not inform God; we align with God. Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of God’s willingness.
Hebrews 4:16 says:
> “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
> that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Boldness in Greek (*parrēsia*) means freedom of speech, openness. This matches the lyric: “Come simply, come honestly, come as you are.” The throne of God is a throne of grace for the believer, not a court of terror.
This destroys the religious spirit of performance and invites us into childlike approach.
### D. The Hidden Power of Secret Prayer
Lyrics:
> “The crowd may never hear your whispered prayer
> But heaven leans in close when you draw near
> No stage, no spotlight, no applause required
> Just a child and Father, hearts aligned
> What’s spoken in the quiet changes everything
> Your Father who sees in secret will move”
Here we see the law of the Kingdom:
What is done in secret with God ultimately shapes what happens in public.
James 5:16:
> “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
The Greek phrase can be rendered: “The inwrought, energized prayer of a righteous man is very strong in its working.” This is not stage prayer; it is heart prayer.
Elijah’s public authority on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36–39) was rooted in his private life with God. James points out that he “prayed earnestly” (James 5:17) concerning the rain. Much of that praying was not on public display.
Jesus Himself lived this pattern:
The Son of God did not build His authority from public platforms but from secret places.
The lyrics say: “What’s spoken in the quiet changes everything.” This is not exaggeration. Scripture shows national destinies, weather patterns, and historical events altered through hidden prayer (Daniel 9; Exodus 32:11–14; James 5:17–18).
### E. The Reward of the Father
Lyrics:
> “Close the door, meet Him there alone
> Pour out your soul, make your requests known
> He rewards the heart that seeks Him quietly
> Not for show, but out of love and honesty
> Prayer in secret—power unleashed”
Jesus says:
> “…and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6)
Notice:
1. He is a Father who *sees*. Nothing done out of love for Him in secret is unnoticed.
2. He *rewards*. God is not indifferent. He responds. Hebrews 11:6 again: He “is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Many believers want public power but neglect secret seeking. God’s order is always:
The reward is not always financial or material. It may be:
But whatever form it takes, it is always “open.” Others will eventually see that you have been with God.
We must move from theory to practice. Jesus’s teaching demands a response. Here are some clear steps.
### 1. Establish a Real Secret Place
First, we must deliberately choose a private, regular place of prayer.
Decide when you will meet Him there. God honors consistency. Daniel prayed three times a day (Daniel 6:10). You may not start with that, but you must start with something real and regular.
### 2. Renounce the Spirit of Religious Performance
Second, we must deal with wrong motives and religious spirits.
Say before God:
If the Holy Spirit shows you that in the past you have used prayer to gain attention, reputation, or control, confess it as sin. Bring it under the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7–9).
Ask the Lord to deliver you from the fear of man (Proverbs 29:25) and from the craving for human approval. You cannot walk in spiritual authority while being ruled by people’s opinions.
### 3. Pray Simply, Sincerely, and According to the Word
Third, we must align our practice to Jesus’ instruction.
When you pray:
Prayer that is rooted in the promises of God carries authority. Open your Bible in the secret place; let the Word shape your requests.
### 4. Expect the Father’s Reward
Fourth, we must cultivate expectation.
When you go into your inner room and shut the door:
Say by faith:
Refuse the lie that time in secret prayer is wasted. Refuse the discouragement that says “nothing is happening.” The invisible realm is being affected (2 Corinthians 5:7; 4:18).
Keep a record—simple notes—of specific requests and the answers God gives. This will build your faith that the Father truly rewards those who seek Him in secret.
Let us now make a proclamation based on this teaching. Speak it aloud. Remember: confession releases spiritual power when it aligns with God’s Word.
### Proclamation
“I affirm today that God is my Father through the Lord Jesus Christ.
I reject and renounce all hypocrisy in prayer.
I refuse to pray to be seen by men or to gain their approval.
I choose the secret place with my Father who is unseen.
I declare that my Father sees in secret and hears every honest word I speak.
I will not use vain, empty repetitions,
for my Father knows what I need before I ask Him.
I come simply, sincerely, and boldly to the throne of grace.
I believe that my Father is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
As I close the door and meet Him alone,
He will reward me openly according to His Word.
My life, my ministry, and my influence
will be rooted in hidden fellowship with God,
not in public performance before people.
Prayer in secret will release the power of God in my life,
for the glory of the Father, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
### Prayer
“Father, in the name of Jesus,
I come to You not as a performer, but as a child.
Forgive me for every time I have used prayer to impress people,
for every time I have sought the praise of men rather than Your approval.
Cleanse me from hypocrisy.
Deliver me from the fear of man and from the spirit of religious performance.
Holy Spirit, lead me into the true secret place with the Father.
Teach me to pray simply, honestly, and in faith,
according to the Word of God.
Father, as I close the door and seek You in secret,
let Your presence mark my life.
Let the hidden work of prayer bring visible fruit—
in my character, my family, my church, and my ministry.
I choose the audience of One.
I choose the reward that comes from You alone.
Let what is spoken in the quiet between us
change everything that needs to be changed.
I ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ,
who taught us to pray to our Father in heaven.
Amen.”
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