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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 this passage, and of the lyrics you have before you, is the difference between prayer that impresses people and prayer that moves God.
Two kinds of prayer are set in contrast:
We are dealing here with one of the great battlegrounds of the Christian life: the inner life versus outward appearance. Jesus exposes a deadly spiritual disease—hypocrisy—in one of the most sacred areas of our walk with God: our prayer life.
If Satan can corrupt your motives in prayer, he can rob you of the reward of prayer. The lyrics “Whispers Behind Closed Doors” point us back to Jesus’ own teaching: the secret place is where true spiritual authority is forged.
These words come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), one of the most concentrated teachings of Jesus on righteousness, character, and true spirituality.
### Who was speaking?
Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, is speaking not as a religious teacher among many, but as the authoritative interpreter of the Law and the Prophets. Repeatedly in this sermon He says, “You have heard that it was said… but I say unto you.” He speaks with the authority of God Himself.
### To whom was He speaking?
He was speaking primarily to His disciples, with the crowds listening. He was outlining the lifestyle of those who would be citizens of the kingdom of heaven—those who would follow Him not in name only, but in life and practice.
### What was the situation?
In first-century Judaism, religious life was highly visible. The Pharisees and other religious leaders were deeply concerned with outward conformity to religious forms. Prayer, giving, and fasting had become, for many, opportunities to display personal piety before others.
Jesus addresses three core disciplines in Matthew 6:
In each case, He confronts a particular group: “the hypocrites.”
The religious system of that day had developed a culture in which spirituality was measured by how it looked. Jesus comes to restore God’s original intention: spirituality measured by how it truly is before God.
So He draws a stark contrast:
Versus:
This is not merely instruction about geography—where you stand when you pray. It is about posture of heart, motive, and audience. The lyrics echo this contrast: “True prayer isn’t a show for the crowd… No stage, no spotlight, no applause required.”
Jesus is reclaiming prayer as a Father–child relationship, not a religious performance.
To understand the depth of Jesus’ teaching, we must examine two key words from this passage.
### 1. “Hypocrites” – ὑποκριταί (hypokritai)
The Greek word translated “hypocrites” originally referred to actors in Greek theatre. It meant someone who wears a mask, who plays a role on a stage, someone whose outward appearance is not in harmony with inward reality.
So when Jesus says:
> “Do not be like the hypocrites…” (Matthew 6:5)
He is saying: Do not turn prayer into religious acting. Do not put on a pious mask before people while your real motive is something else.
In other words:
The lyrics pick this up clearly:
> “True prayer isn’t a show for the crowd”
When you understand “hypocrite” as actor, much of this passage becomes clearer. Jesus is saying: Do not turn the holy place of prayer into a stage.
### 2. “Closet/Room” – ταμεῖον (tameion)
In verse 6:
> “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet…” (KJV)
The Greek word is tameion, which means:
It speaks not simply of a room, but of a hidden place, a place that is deliberately removed from public view.
This deepens the meaning of the command:
> “Go into your room, close the door behind you”
This is not only physical secrecy; it is separation from every competing audience. In the tameion, there is room for only two persons: you and your Father.
This is the “secret place” the lyrics refer to:
> “He’s waiting in the secret place”
In the Old Testament, we already have this concept. The Hebrew term “seter” (סֵתֶר) means “secret place,” “hiding place,” as in:
> “He that dwelleth in the secret place (seter) of the most High
> shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
> — Psalm 91:1
Jesus, in effect, is inviting us to live Psalm 91:1 in our prayer life. The secret room becomes the place of covering, protection, and communion.
When you understand hypokritēs (actor) and tameion (secret inner room), the contrast is very sharp:
The first prays toward people.
The second prays toward the Father.
Let us now move through the main themes of the lyrics and connect them with the teaching of Scripture.
### A. Prayer as a Show vs Prayer as Reality
> “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 Jesus addresses motive. Prayer is not wrong because it is public; Jesus Himself prayed in public. The issue is: Who is your audience?
This aligns with John 12:43:
> “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”
God will not reward what man has already rewarded. If we use spiritual activity to gain human admiration, that is our reward. There is nothing more waiting for us from God on that matter.
This is a solemn warning for any kind of public ministry: preaching, worship leading, intercession in public, even testimonies. The question is:
The lyrics say, “True prayer isn’t a show for the crowd.” Scripture confirms this: God weighs the heart (Proverbs 21:2).
### B. The Invitation to the Secret Place
> “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”
Note the contrast again:
Jesus states 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 phrase “vain repetitions” (Greek: battalogeo) carries the sense of babbling, mindless phrases, mechanical formulas. The problem is not length in itself—Jesus sometimes prayed all night—but empty, self-trusting verbosity.
The lyrics capture this:
> “Don’t heap up empty words like those who don’t know God
> Thinking they’ll be heard because they talk so much”
What is the theological issue? Unbelief and wrong view of God.
This is in harmony with Romans 8:15:
> “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”
If we understand God as Father, we do not need to perform; we need to approach.
### C. The Father Who Sees in Secret
> “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 come to one of the strongest promises in the Bible regarding prayer:
> “…thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6)
Two aspects:
1. He sees in secret.
2. He rewards openly.
“What’s spoken in the quiet changes everything.” This is not poetry; it is a spiritual law. The greatest movements of God in history have often been birthed in hidden prayer closets, by people whose names few knew, but whose Father knew them well.
This is also at the core of spiritual warfare. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul tells us:
> “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
> but against principalities, against powers,
> against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
> against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
That kind of conflict is not won by public display but by secret intercession. The enemy fears praying believers far more than preaching believers. Satan will tolerate sermons, music, and religious noise, as long as God’s people do not retreat into the secret place where real authority is imparted.
### D. Prayer of Simplicity and Honesty
> “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”
Here we see a major correction to religious thinking. Many believe they must:
But Jesus teaches the opposite:
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.”
We do not come boldly because we are strong or impressive, but because the blood of Jesus has opened the way (Hebrews 10:19–22).
The lyrics, “Come simply, come honestly, come as you are,” reflect Jesus’ own stories:
True prayer is marked by honesty, humility, and dependence, not by polished performances.
### E. Power Released in Quiet Obedience
> “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”
This brings together two dimensions:
1. Obedience – “Close the door, meet Him there alone.”
Jesus gives clear instructions. We either obey them or we do not. Many Christians complain of weak prayer lives while ignoring this very simple command: go into your inner room and shut the door.
2. Power – “Prayer in secret—power unleashed.”
This agrees with James 5:16:
> “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
The word “effectual fervent” (Greek: energeo) means energized, active, effective. Where does that happen? Not primarily on platforms, but in private, where motives are purified, self is crucified, and the Holy Spirit can freely work.
There is a divine paradox:
We must not treat this as theory. Jesus expects us to reshape our prayer lives according to these principles. Here are practical steps.
### 1. Establish a Secret Place and a Secret Time
First, we must choose and consecrate a place and time for secret prayer.
This is an act of faith. You are saying: “Father, I believe You are in the secret place, and I come to meet with You.”
### 2. Renounce Religious Performance and Man-Pleasing
Second, we must consciously renounce hypocrisy in prayer.
You may need to say something like:
Ask the Holy Spirit to expose hidden motives. He is faithful to do so (Psalm 139:23–24). When He reveals hypocrisy, do not excuse it; confess it and forsake it.
### 3. Approach God as Father, Not as a Distant Deity
Third, we must shift our understanding of God from impersonal power to intimate Father.
Before you pray, take time to acknowledge:
Let the Holy Spirit cry “Abba, Father” in your heart (Romans 8:15). This breaks fear, striving, and religious tension in prayer.
### 4. Practice Simple, Honest, Faith-Filled Prayer
Fourth, we must simplify and deepen our prayer.
For example:
As you do this consistently, you will find that faith increases, anxiety decreases, and the presence of God becomes more real.
Let us now make a proclamation based on Matthew 6:5–6 and the themes of this teaching.
### Proclamation
I proclaim that I will not be like the hypocrites.
I refuse to turn prayer into a performance.
I renounce all desire to be seen, praised, or admired by men.
I choose the secret place with my Father.
I enter into my inner room and shut the door.
I pray to my Father who is in secret.
My Father sees in secret.
He hears every whispered prayer.
He knows what I need before I ask.
He will reward me openly according to His Word.
I come simply, honestly, and boldly,
not in my righteousness, but in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
I declare that prayer in secret releases the power of God in my life,
in my family, and in the situations I bring before Him.
I am not an actor; I am a child.
I pray not for show, but for fellowship,
not for applause, but for alignment with my Father’s will.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
### Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask You to deliver me from every trace of hypocrisy in my prayer life. Expose every hidden motive that seeks the praise of people. I repent of every time I have used spiritual activity to gain human approval.
Holy Spirit, teach me to pray in the secret place. Draw me to the inner room. Create in me a hunger for private fellowship with the Father that is stronger than any desire for public recognition.
Lord Jesus, You have opened the way to the Father by Your blood. I choose to come as a child, simple and honest, trusting that my Father sees in secret and will reward openly. Let my whispered prayers behind closed doors become instruments of Your will and Your power on earth.
Establish in me a life of secret, powerful, Godward prayer. Let my greatest spiritual battles and victories be fought not on the stage of human opinion, but in the quiet place where only You and I are present.
I ask this in the mighty name of Jesus.
Amen.
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