Thomas Brooks deals with the passive attitudes that down plays the necessity of closet prayer with the heavenly Father (Matthew 6:6). You gotta love his old English dialect.
If closet prayer be not an indispensable duty that Christ hath laid upon all his people, why doth Satan so much oppose it? why doth he so industriously and so unweariedly labour to discourage Christians in it, and to take off Christians from it? Certainly, Satan would never make such a fierce and constant war as he doth upon private prayer, were it not a necessary duty, a real duty, and a soul-enriching duty.
It is for certain that our selfish sin nature doesn’t want to block time off for prayer and the Scriptures. Our selfish tendencies can think of a thousand other things to do, and be very convincing about most of them. Sleep is my preferred alternative. Homemade oatmeal cookies are almost there.
But don’t think that Satan is neutral in this subject. He sees and experiences the power of prayer against him. It is advantageous for him to encourage us away from solitude with the Almighty God. As Brook points out, Satan makes a fierce and constant war to hinder the privileged ones–the saints, from their spiritual duty of prayer.
Next time your mind begins feeding on an excuse that would deter you from seeking the Lord’s face and meditating in the Scriptures, even if it is a legitimate excuse, label it for what it is–a godless excuse. Stop and consider the words of Brooks and don’t let the enemy of Christ manipulate you from what you need, what others need you to do on their behalf, and from what he (Satan) knows is his scourge.
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Brooks, T. (1866). The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks. (A. B. Grosart, Ed.) (Vol. 2, p. 166). Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; G. Herbert.
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