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The Secret Place is one of the most important places for a Christian. It’s a place to seek the Lord privately, where you will not be interrupted. The Lord loves it when you seek Him in the Secret Place. And you will find Him when you seek Him with your whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13). I love being in my Secret Place because I feel safer there than anywhere in the world.
Where is that physically? you might ask. In the back corner of my walk-in closet. I carved out just enough space for me to sit, kneel, and pray to the Lord. I have a picture of Jesus on my wall (painting by Akiane Kramarik called “Prince of Peace”) so I can look at Him as I pray. Jesus and I have had some deep conversations that I wouldn’t have had if I couldn’t picture Him before me.
This place is very special to me because it’s my top-secret place to tell the Lord anything I want to; and no one, not Satan or his demons, or any other person can hear what I share with Him. A secret is something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others. I know the Lord doesn’t share my secrets like others have. I can tell Him my hurts, concerns, frustrations, hopes, dreams, and desires. I receive instruction, direction, and correction, and He places new desires within me, as I rid myself of the cares of this world. As He cleanses my heart, the more I want and desire to be like Jesus.
Psalm 91 is one of my favorite chapters in the entirety of the Bible. The Lord rewards those who seek Him and want to spend time with Him (Hebrews 11:6). Did you know that Satan can’t find you when you are in the Secret Place? The Lord has ‘hidden you’!
Psalm 91:1-3 KJV, tells us, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the noisome pestilence.” These verses describe someone who is close enough to the Lord to be protected by His shadow. It’s very difficult to see something in the ‘shadows’ because it’s dark.
Then Psalm 91:4 says, “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Let’s break this down carefully. First it mentions that He shall “cover thee with His feathers”.
I immediately think of a mother eagle protecting her chicks from the elements, keeping them so close that her body heat keeps them warm. When you are this close to the Lord, you are comfortable in His arms, and it feels like a blanket of love surrounding you. Next it says, “and under his wings shalt thou trust”.
Can you imagine a baby chick being under its mother’s wings how safe it feels knowing that nothing can hurt them? In this instance, the Lord has added another layer to hide you from the enemy. Being under the wings of the Almighty God, Satan can’t find or see you! It’s like you are invisible because the Lord has hidden you! The enemy can look, but he can’t find you, and has no other choice but to give up! And then it gets even better. Scripture reads on to say, “His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”
Everyone knows that a shield hides you and protects you from the fiery darts of the enemy, but what is a buckler? It’s ‘One that shields and protects’ and that’s the Lord HIMSELF! Whew, that revelation got me shouting!!!
Count them! That’s a total of “five” different layers protecting you from Satan. I was curious and wanted to see what the number five means spiritually. Get this, it means Symbolizing God's goodness and favor toward us… and that is GRACE.” Since five represents grace, when it’s multiplied by itself, it produces the number 25, which means ‘grace upon grace.’ John (the Baptist) bare witness of him, and cried, saying, “This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” (John 1:15-16, KJV)
This is why the Secret Place is the most important place you could ever be in. You are HIDDEN UNDER HIS WINGS, and you are SAFE! My goodness that is so encouraging to my heart! You are safe, and you can tell the Lord anything you want. Prayer is a time to get all the poison out of your heart this world has thrown on you. When you are in the Secret Place, you can come BOLDLY before with the throne of God. You may go in the Secret Place in one state of being, but you emerge in a totally different form… like Jesus!
I feel empowered because I have been with the Lord, and I know He has heard my every cry. But it doesn’t stop there. You come out with a greater anointing. The anointing is priceless. It costs you everything. Being diligent with your time in the Secret Place and tarrying at the feet of Jesus is a must.
Make it a point to go to your Secret Place every single day and dwell with the Lord. If you can go morning and night, I encourage you to do it. It truly is life-changing. Schedule your time with the Lord every day just like you would any appointment, and you will see a drastic change in your spiritual life. When you take this time with Him, the favor of the Lord will rest upon your life!!!
CREATING YOUR SECRET PLACE
If you are ready to take your relationship with the Lord to a whole new level, then you need to have a ‘Secret Place’. It can be anywhere, as long as you can get away from the distractions of life. I would like to give you some key things to help you make this a place that you are comfortable and also welcome the presence of the Lord.
Choose your location: First, determine where you want to pray. It needs to be a place where you will not be interrupted and you can focus. This can be a small bedroom, the corner of your living room or a place in your closet. I use the back of my closet. My family knows that when the closet door is shut, it means I’m in prayer. You can even place a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on it if you want.
The Essentials: Some things are essential to have with you in your Secret Place.
The most important thing is your Bible. You will look up scripture for specific things as you go through trials and tribulations. Have scriptures marked in your Bible that helps you the most and use them to pray the Word of God over yourself, your family, and friends. You are most powerful when you speak the Word of God over your life and circumstances.
Have a bottle of Anointing Oil. I use this to anoint myself as I submit myself to the Lord as a living sacrifice.
Beside my picture of Jesus, I have a carved wooden Cross. It reminds me of what He did to secure my salvation.
I have many prayers written out to refer back to when specific situations occur. I keep them in my phone on an App called ‘Google Keep’. Many times, I have been able to forward those prayers to friends directly from that App. If you love organization, you will love Google Keep (and it’s free)!
You will also need something to write on and a pen. You might want to put your thoughts on paper or write out prayer requests from friends.
I encourage you to use low lighting. It sets an atmosphere of intimacy. I use battery-powered candles and the flashlight on my phone if I need additional lighting for reading my Bible.
You must have music, but not just any music. It is proven that if you play music with words, then your prayers become the words in the song. It’s harder to concentrate on your thoughts. You will end up singing along with the song instead of praying. Always play instrumental worship music where it helps create a conversation between you and the Lord. There are many music videos on YouTube you can play from 30 minutes up to three hours or more. I purchased the YouTube subscription to get rid of all the commercials, but it’s worth it!
Keep handy some bottled water, tissues, some pillows, and a blanket for your own comfort.
Susan Bolinger is an Author of the book, “Bloom – A Process to Achieve Complete Forgiveness”. She has a YouTube Channel where you can follow her video series “Forgiveness in Five.” To order a copy of Susan’s book and to obtain more information on her ministry, check out the links below.
Your a blessing everyday sister Susan Bolinger