Whisper - - or Shout When you Pray??

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Whisper - - or Shout ??

Jesus said in Matthew 6: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who want to be seen by others. For they love to pray loud prayers saying, "Lord I am thankful that I am NOT like those sinners.   When you pray, go into your closet (private room,) shut your door, and pray to your Father in secret. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do." 

There is a time for private quiet prayers while you seek the presence of God personally for yourself.  Then there is also a time for praise, and worship, that can get loud. 

Reading from;  Psalms 47:1  O clap your hands, all ye people; shout onto God with the voice of triumph.

Psalms 100:  Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness!  Come into His presence with singing!  Know that he lord, He is God!  Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with Praise!

Psalms 81  Sing ALOUD to God our strength: SHOUT for joy to the God of Jacob.

When God created the world, the Bible tells us, "And God Said."  It does not say He whispered, and it does not say He shouted.  God declared no doubt in a normal tone, "Let there be" and it was so. However it is interesting to note that the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters.  His very breath was enough to create change and make new from what appeared to be nothing but earth, darkness, and water without form and void. 

As Joshua led the Children of Israel to Jericho to begin their march around the walls; only the army and priests were to blow their trumpets, but the warning to the people as they marched: was No voice was to be heard until Joshua gave the command in seven days. 

Joshua 6:  And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, the priests going on, and blowing with their trumpets. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, You shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall you shout. 

Elijah said to Ahab and the false prophets of Baal; The God who answers by fire is the true god.  Although the prophets of Baal shouted and cried aloud, danced and even cut themselves there was no answer.   And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet of God came near, and calmly said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at your word - - and the fire fell consuming the sacrifice.

Hannah was a woman in torment for she was without child.  At their annual visit to the temple, she cried bitterly and prayed for a child to bring her fulfillment.  1 Samuel records her prayer this way:  "Now Hannah, spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli the priest thought she was drunk."

After Jesus rose from the dead, He told his followers to return to Jerusalem and seek God until the Holy Spirit would fill them with power to heal the sick, cast out devils and deliver those who were bound.  On the day of Pentecost, 120 were gathered together in an upper room. These all continued with one accord in fervent prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.    

Acts 2: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance in languages they did not know.    

The Bible does not say they were loud, but it is understood, because they were in an upper room, and people out in the street heard them magnify God and wondered what this could mean.  Peter went down to the street; preached a short sermon and 5000 were converted that day.

Soon after - - there was persecution and as Peter relayed to the believers what was happening; this time their voices were loud as they prayed.  Acts 4:24 They LIFTED up their VOICE to God with one accord, and said, Lord, behold their threatening: and grant unto your servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,  By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy son Jesus.  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 

These individuals were the same ones who were baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, and here they were again being refilled.  Scripture tells us to:  Be Being filled with the Holy Spirit.  It is wise to daily keep the oil of the Holy Spirit burning in our hearts. Jude tells us to build up your self by praying in the Holy Spirit.

Grant you there is a time we can enter into quiet, whispered prayers, but when you get ready to do business with God, there is a time to get loud.  There is a time to shout our declarations and draw the lines.  

We need to be aware that the Satan, our enemy does not like noisy prayers, and this kind of Holy Spirit praying will shake the walls of intimidation, rejection, fear, depression, addiction, immoral living and cause our citizens to be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit as he Woo's them to come to Christ Jesus.