Day 13: Jesus and The Secret Place

The secret place is where we do struggle often as Christians. It is where our victories are first won. Everything begins and ends at the secret place. It is where the enemy posts his dedicated sentries to dissuade us from entering. It would be just okay with the kingdom of darkness if all we did was to be busy running all over the place doing “God’s work” so long as we neglect the secret place. For this reason, understanding the role, value, and quality of the secret place is paramount.

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 

Matthew 6:5-7 NKJV

So what is the secret place? The secret place as I understand it is a time, a space we create, and a place we retreat in order to be alone with the Father for fellowship. It is to be alone without being lonely. The history of the secret place began with Elohim the Almighty God coming into the garden of Eden in a routine pattern daily to meet with Adam and Eve. The very first thing that was disrupted by disobedience in the garden was the fellowship

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Genesis 3:8-20 NKJV

Before disobedience entered the garden they had never fled to hide from the voice of God. Something had changed. When we become genuinely converted followers of Jesus, the first thing that gets reset is a desire to be with God and His people. However, over time as we engage our fallen world and sometimes listen to the lying arguments of the enemy, the desire to be alone with God begins to wane. We may begin to depend on ourselves once again or on other false gods that we create. The default of a sinful world and a sinful individual is to work things out with our own power whatever that represents. Jesus modeled the secret place more than anyone. Everything flowed out of the secret place

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. 

Matthew 14:22-23 NKJV

Jesus deliberately “sent the multitude away” and separated himself in order to be alone with the Father. The secret place was the most important place for Jesus. It must become the most important place for us. The secret place is not where we just read the Bible and pray. Those are important. The key thing about the secret place however is what we hear there from the Father.

We have several things to send away today. Send your phone away, your TV set on vacation, your laptop closed wherever possible. Send the regular meetings with that friend, that family that has replaced the Father in your life. It is time to do an audit of our relationships and see what has become an idol wrestling with the secret place. Jesus’ success with the multitude everywhere He went never got in the way of His total dependence on secret place adventures.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

Mark 1:35 NKJV

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”

Matthew 26:36 NKJV

The secret place is first for and about you before it becomes about anyone or anything else. In God’s plan, it is always first about me growing and changing into the image of Christ. The Lord is more interested in working in and through me and changing me than He is in changing my circumstances.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

1. Give thanks to God for Day 13. We made it here.
2. Give thanks and praise to God for the wonderful concept of the secret place. Matthew 6:6
3. Pray for a revival of scecret place discipline among us all.
4. Prophesy that the random arrow fly over this nation and beyond that God will indeed be our salvation. 1 Kings 22:34
5. Pray for the leaders of the church starting with me and my family for God’s continued protection. Psalm 105:15