Seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God signals that the world is regaining influence and drawing a person back from the process of transformation. Those who already believe yet withhold confession because they value human approval over divine approval demonstrate that such desire prevents full commitment to the way of life required by God. The same pattern appears when a believer who has already been called begins to place greater weight on the opinions of the uncalled than on the approval that comes from God alone. This shift reverses the required direction of change, because the mind is no longer being renewed according to the image of the Creator but is instead returning to the mold the world imposes. Scripture states that true circumcision of the heart produces praise that originates with God, not with men, and that continued effort to please men disqualifies one from remaining a bondservant of Christ. The example of Daniel, who continued to pray openly to God despite the threat of death, illustrates the choice that must be made: loyalty to God's commands takes precedence over any fear of human disapproval. When the desire for worldly praise reappears, it reveals that old habits of thought and conduct are reasserting themselves against the sanctification that God requires.

Praise belongs at the heart of prayer. Prayer is a formal conversation with the divine Governor of the Universe, and we do not enter His court for our own gratification and glory but to praise Him, thank Him, and beseech Him for help for others and ourselves. The model prayer Jesus gave His disciples is centered on the Father: His holiness, His name, His Kingdom, His will, His power, His glory, and His eternity, before it turns to requests for daily provision, forgiveness, guidance, and deliverance. It is therefore a guideline for personal, private prayer, not a formula to be repeated mindlessly. Jesus warns against two mistakes that ruin prayer and work against spiritual growth: making prayer about ourselves, as hypocrites do when they pray publicly to enhance their reputation for righteousness, and making it meaningless through vain, careless, canned, or overlong repetition, which is heathen. God does not need to be impressed with our knowledge, persuasiveness, or righteousness, since the Father already knows what we need before we ask. What He looks for is a humble, contrite spirit that trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2). When prayer is humble and focused on God's will and plan, He hears and responds, and we draw closer to Him and take on His character.