"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1 NKJV)
The term "secret place" appears dozens of times in both the Old and New Testaments. Some translations use the word shelter, covering, or dwelling rather than "secret place." In the Old Testament, "secret place" comes from the Hebrew root word 'satar/cether,' which means to hide or be concealed and refers to both shelter and secret things. It speaks of the hidden world of a mother's womb as a child develops (Psalm 139:15).
Before the Fall of Adam and Eve the Bible seems to infer that God would spend time with them walking just as one would do with a loved one (Genesis 3:8). The Bible constantly urges the redeemed to spend time “walking with God” and praying in secret without ceasing, giving thanks for everything (Matthew 6:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). The "secret place" is the heart of God!!
Jesus gave the best definition of the Secret Place.
"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:5-6 ESV)
Entering and remaining in the Secret Place is an absolute must for anointing in ministry. The most common trait of those throughout history who had a powerful anointing of God is not letting anything or anyone hinder them from entering the Secret Place. To dwell in the Secret Place means to live in a place of continually drawing near to Jesus, moment by moment, breath by breath.
Jesus said, "Seek and you will find" (Matthew 7:7 ESV). God has promised that when a person seeks Him with "all" their "heart" they will find Him! (Jeremiah 29:13) The only way to miss seeing Him is if they are not looking! God will draw near, and His glory will completely overwhelm them, just as the priests who "could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD" (1 Kings 8:10-11 NKJV).
Those who have God as their constant companion and keep their thoughts continually on Him are invited to dwell in, and not just visit, the Secret Place. It is within the Secret Place of habitually and intentionally living in His presence in deep communion and intimacy where one is surrounded with songs of deliverance. God is our impenetrable refuge and fortress (Psalm 91:2). He will keep us from the emotional struggles of guilt, sadness, and sorrow when the enemy reminds us of our past mistakes, failures, and sins (Psalm 91:1-16).
The Shadow of the Almighty
The word "shadow" (Heb: 'tsel') signifies protection. It also alludes to the most holy place, the Holy of Holies, in the Tabernacle and Temple, as well as to the outstretched wings of the Cherubim covering the ark and mercy seat (Psalm 27:5, 32:7).
The person who remains under the shadow of the Almighty will receive His protection as the result of making Him their defense and strong tower. God is the all-sufficient one and can do all things for His people.
The enemy can't touch those who remain under the shadow of God because His grace protects them. They are lifted above all principalities and powers. It is a place of security and protection from the evil conspiracies of the enemy as God surrounds them with deliverance (Psalm 32:7; also 18:1-2, 19:14, 61:2, 71:3). It is a place of God's holy concealment in all things and there is no thought of grieving the Holy Spirit or apprehension of God's wrath that will come upon the world for rejecting Jesus as Lord and Savior because He has redeemed the Born-Again Christian, and they can join with all creation and worship Him with unhindered joy and reverence.
Dwelling in the Secret Place
God invites us to join Him and live in the Secret Place of the heart because He is Spirit and His glory is beyond our ability to fully perceive His merciful goodness. When Moses wanted to see the glory of God, the Lord explained that no person could see Him and live, so He allowed Moses to see His glory only from a secret place (Exodus 33:20).
"And the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by." (Exodus 33:21-22 ESV)
God gave a glimpse into what must be done to experience His presence which can only be enjoyed by a person who chooses to dwell in His Secret Place. That requires complete honesty and trust. No one can join God there unless they are willing to be fully transparent and honest with Him.
There is a great benefit to dwelling in the Secret Place. When a person chooses to leave behind the cares and enticements of the world for a lifestyle of spiritual worship and devotion to God, each day they are drawn near to Him in new ways just as His mercies are brand-spanking new each new day (James 4:8; Lamentations 3:23). We begin to see this world the same way God does from an eternal perspective (Isaiah 6:1-5). Time spent in the presence of God reveals our true thoughts and selfish motivations that might otherwise escape unnoticed. The cares and concerns of this earth begin to ‘grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace’ as life is now seen from His perspective. Dwelling in the Secret Place doesn't mean a person becomes so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good and neglect their responsibilities and relationships.
Intimacy
Jesus desires to have an intimate relationship with every Born-Again Christian because they are His bride! (John 3:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7,21:9,22:17) To have a passionate heart devoted to God requires sacrificing one's will to spend quality time with Him.
Developing ever-increasing intimacy with Jesus also requires aligning daily with Him so that the Holy Spirit can continue to deeply transform you "into his image with ever-increasing glory" so that your heart will become more devoted to Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV). It is impossible not to be changed and transformed when you are in the presence of God with a burning heart for Him. A heart devoted to God truly knows who He is.
Experiencing deep intimacy with Jesus begins with deep trust. A person cannot be intimate with someone they do not trust implicitly. Learning to "trust in the Lord with all your heart" means to stop depending "on your own understanding," which is your logic, intellect, education, experience, knowledge, will, etc., and knowing and acknowledging Him in all your ways (Proverbs 3:5-6).
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.' (Revelation 3:20 ESV)
The door to the heart is opened fully to Jesus when all "worries and cares" are given to Him, and we can then let Jesus take us deep into the secret place of intimacy within His passionate heart (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). Eating with Jesus is like sharing an intimate meal with a loved one where you can talk and learn about each other.
"Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.' (Psalm 37:4 ESV)
There is no greater joy than dwelling in the Secret Place with Jesus. Intimacy is the way to know His heart by delighting yourself in Him, and requires having a soft and pliable heart that is fully devoted to Him. Your wants and desires begin to align with His as you lay down your will, abide in His presence, sing songs of adoration, worship Him in everything you do, and have a conversation with Him as you read and study His Word.
Beginning the Journey
The journey to the Secret Place begins when a person chooses to trust God in every situation of life as their refuge and protector and let Him meet all their needs (Proverbs 3:5-6). Access to the Secret Place is by intimate communion with Him through worship and abiding under His protective shadow (Psalm 27:5).
Our continual choice to surrender fully to Him results in His giving us His strength to do so. If our lives are to bear lasting fruit of the Spirit, the power to carry it comes from time spent with Him in the Secret Place (Galatians 5:22-23; John 15:4–5; 1 Corinthians 3:14–15).
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5 ESV)
If you want to develop a vibrant relationship with Jesus then you need to learn to dwell in the secret place of God. The Father is always with you, He will never leave or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5). If you truly believe this then you need to act accordingly.
There is absolutely nothing a person can do to earn access to dwelling in the Secret Place. Any Christian can make it their home if they want to. The key to moving into the Secret Place is completely surrendering to God and His will for your life. Dwelling in Him requires having an intimate relationship, spending consistent quality time alone with Him and continually drawing near in prayer and worship by learning to dwell in His Word, the Bible, by reading and studying it like a letter from a loved one so that you can carry His image to this lost and dying world. Making that a habit will diminish the cares and distractions of this world and is how intimate knowledge of God's heart is gained as you learn to respond to Him with childlike trust.
The majestic God who created the intricate universe, with all its galaxies and solar systems, longs to know you intimately and died to prove it. By setting your heart on those things that have eternal value and releasing the cares of this world by trusting in Him, you will become a true reflection of the wondrous brilliance of His beauty.
“Sing a new song to the LORD! Let the whole earth sing to the LORD! Sing to the LORD; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the LORD made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary. O nations of the world, recognize the LORD; recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong. Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. Tell all the nations, “The LORD reigns!” The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.” (Psalm 96:1-13 NLT)
