“The Personal Altar— The Secret Place”
Matthew 6:6
NKJV
6 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.
Introduction:
We are in the third message of our series “Rebuilding the Altar”, the theme for our series is “Whoever Controls the Altar, Controls the Outcome”
The idea here is altars have long been a place created to connect heaven and earth…
There are a way for God’s people to connect and communicate the needs of their lives— their prayers and worship— with the very throne room of God.
We must recapture the focus of prayer in our lives.
Our power depends on it, our success as believers depends on it, and our families depend on it.
We can truly change the world…prayer is powerful.
It has the ability to move heaven and earth… but it won’t be through occasional visits to this place of prayer.
We need to be a people who consistently show up… people who are willing to humble themselves and daily enter the throne room above.
Our prayers connect us to heaven… they connect us to the throne room and they connect us to the power of God!
This weeks focus on “The Personal Altar— The Secret Place”.
Main Teaching:
The secret place is where we intimately commune with God, where we not only speak but also listen and receive restoration.
Jesus teaching how to pray… gives these instructions…
Matthew 6
..
Matthew 6:5
NLT
5 “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get.
Matthew 6:6
NLT
6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
Matthew 6:7–18
NLT
7 “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. 8 Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9 Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. 10 May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today the food we need, 12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. 13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. 14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 16 “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17 But when you fast, comb your hair and wash your face. 18 Then no one will notice that you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in private. And your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
While a secret place can refer to a physical location, more importantly, it describes the state of our soul in its relationship with God.
Every child of God needs a place where they can be ALONE with God… without such a place...
We will never develop a truly meaningful relationship with God
We will never develop a consistent and personal prayer life
We will lack power in our prayers
Private prayer is not “hiding” our faith… it is a place of spiritual growth and maturity.
It is where we build our faith, learn to discern spiritual matters, gain insight into situations and gain wisdom.
The personal altar is where our devotion to God is tested and strengthened.
Sometimes, as in the case of Daniel, it’s this very commitment to prayer that may lead to opposition—but it’s also what delivers us in the end.
Story of Daniel:
Daniel’s unwavering commitment to his personal altar was central to his life, even when it became a life-threatening issue.
The decree made by King Darius that no one could pray to any god or man except him for 30 days was a direct challenge to Daniel's personal altar.
Yet, Daniel didn’t waver.
Daniel 6:10
NLT
10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.
Daniel’s secret place wasn’t just a temporary habit or something he did out of convenience—it was his lifeline.
His devotion to prayer, even in the face of death, shows us the power of a deeply rooted personal altar.
It was Daniel's consistency in prayer that landed him in the lions’ den.
He didn’t compromise his relationship with God even when the consequences were severe.
But that same personal altar, the place where Daniel communed with God daily, became the source of his deliverance.
God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, and Daniel’s life was spared.
The king himself recognized the power of Daniel’s God, saying,
Daniel 6:27
NLT
27 He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Daniel’s story reminds us that maintaining a personal altar requires both devotion and boldness.
His daily prayer life prepared him for the moment of crisis, and his time in the secret place gave him the strength to face the lions—both figuratively and literally.
It’s from a secret place, set apart, that we truly experience the glory of God.
Your personal altar, like Daniel’s, is where your faith is fortified and your spiritual authority is built.
When trouble comes, it is your time spent in the secret place that will sustain you and be your deliverance.
Just as Daniel's devotion to prayer set him apart and ultimately delivered him from death, your devotion to your personal altar will position you to stand firm in the face of adversity and walk in God's supernatural protection and power.
If you desire to lead your family, influence your community, or impact the culture of our nation, you must prioritize your personal altar above all else!
Everything you are, everything you do, begins in this place of prayer.
Your personal altar is where you are willing to sacrifice, to die to self, and submit fully to God’s will.
It’s in this sacred space that you discover your true identity and where you will grow in ever-increasing intimacy with your heavenly Father.
As men and women of God, you live out of this place—the secret place—and your life depends on it… your families depend on it.
This is the first altar that must be built— your secret place with God.
At times, we become so focused on our position in the Kingdom that we begin to neglect the secret place.
We may be consumed by titles, roles, or the visibility of our leadership, but here’s the reality:
It doesn't matter where your position of leadership is—whether it’s big or small, in the community, within your family, or in the church.
What truly matters is understanding that God has given you a measure of authority, and the only way to activate that authority is on your personal altar.
Spiritual authority is formed in the secret place.
Is it any wonder that demons and evil spirits seem to have a stronghold in homes and families today?
Here’s the thought I want you to grasp: You, your family, your community, your church, and even your nation will never become all that God intends if you fail to step into the responsibility and authority He has given you.
This authority can only be cultivated and sustained in the secret place.
When the altar is neglected, our spiritual influence and effectiveness fade.
But when the altar is a priority, the fire of God's presence empowers us to lead with true spiritual authority!
For those of you who are parents, grandparents, or guardians, your personal altar is the foundation of your family altar.
Have you ever considered that the spiritual state of your family may be directly linked to the time you spend at your personal altar?
God is calling you to place a higher value on your personal prayer altar than anything else.
"No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying."
~ Leonard Ravenhill
This secret place, this personal altar of prayer, is where everything begins.
It is the foundation of our relationship with God, the source of our spiritual strength, and the wellspring of our authority.
Let’s begin by looking at the first aspect of the personal altar: It is a sanctuary of intimacy where we encounter God.
1. The Secret Place: A Sanctuary of Intimacy
The personal altar, our secret place, is where we encounter God intimately. It is a sanctuary where we pour out our hearts and experience His closeness in private.
The secret place isn't hidden from you—it's reserved for you.
God does his best work in your life when no one else is watching.
This idea of a secret place isn’t about being “religious”, or fulfilling a “duty”… this is a private connection to God…it is a sanctuary to encounter His presence.
Many Christians LOVE experiencing the presence of God… they love the tangible presence of God.
The goosebumps, the shivers, they flutters in their bellies, and the physical/emotional aspect of God’s presence felt during church services.
Many think… the only place they can encounter that… is a church service… when in fact… the presence of God is available to you…anytime and any place.
The secret place refers to the inner sanctuary of communion with God, its this private, intimate space where we meet with Him.
It's not something we need to struggle to find.
Instead, it's always available to us, waiting for us to enter.
God is inviting us to come closer, and this space is prepared specifically for each of us.
God desires a personal meeting place: Just as Jesus sought solitude to pray, we need a dedicated space to commune with the Father away from distractions.
Mark 1:35
NLT
35 Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.
The secret place is reserved in the sense that it’s a designated space—like a personal appointment or invitation—where we can go to meet with God.
God has a specific space in His presence just for you, and no one else can fill it.
God is waiting for us to enter into this special time of intimacy.
Imagine you’ve been given access to an exclusive VIP room, one that's been reserved just for you.
The room isn’t hidden away where you can't find it, nor is it locked with a key you don’t have. It’s specially prepared and waiting for you to enter.
There’s no need to compete with others to get in, because it’s yours—no one else has access to this room but you.
It’s not about earning your way in; it’s about accepting the invitation that’s already been extended to you.
See, God has reserved a “secret place” just for you—a place of intimate communion with Him.
It’s not hidden or far away, but it's a designated place where you can meet Him personally.
And just like that VIP room, it’s already prepared.
The door is open because, through Christ, we have direct access to God.
Hebrews 10:19–22
NLT
19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
You do not have to compete, you do not have to buy a ticket, and Just like a reserved room is ready and waiting for the guest to enter at any time, the secret place with God is always accessible.
We don’t have to "unlock" it through extraordinary effort—it’s a standing invitation.
The secret place is not hidden from you, but like a VIP room, it’s reserved just for you.
God is waiting to meet you there, offering a place where you can be in His presence without distractions or competition.
All you need to do is step into it, knowing that it was always meant for you.
God values your presence over your performance!
You can't have a public victory without a private meeting.
When you examine what Jesus says in
Matthew 6:6
Matthew 6:6
(NKJV)
6 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.
The idea here is intimacy over activity!
It's not about performance or how eloquent our prayers are but about the authenticity of our heart connection with God.
What happens in private—the time spent with God in prayer, surrender, and intimacy—directly impacts the visible, public outcomes we experience, especially in terms of spiritual victory and influence.
There will be visible victories in your life, in your families, and in your communities— whether spiritual, personal, or even professional, when you intentionally spend time with God in the secret place!
The secret place is where we forge our spiritual strength and resilience… it is where gather strength to defeat our enemy.
It is our spiritual weight-room— every Olympic Gold medalist spent hours, weeks, and sometimes even years training in private BEFORE they compete in public arena!
What you do in private determines whether or not you will be victorious or not.
It is the same spiritually!
Spiritual power flows from intimacy with God!
Public victories often represent moments of breakthrough… divine protection… miracles… signs and wonders!
Real spiritual authority and power come from intimacy with God!
This happens in the private place of prayer and communion.
Without consistent time spent with God in prayer, worship, and the Word, we may try to operate in our own strength, but eventually face failure.
Private meetings with God aren’t just about asking for public victories, but about shaping our character and integrity.
Which leads us to the next point....
2. The Secret Place: A Space for Transformation
In the secret place, we are transformed as we align our hearts with God’s purposes, renewing our identity in Him.
God transforms you privately before He uses you publicly.
When we meet with God in secret, He refines us, molds us, and strengthens our faith.
These qualities form the foundation upon which public victories stand.
Without this private shaping, public success can be shallow and unsustainable.... or even non-existent!
Lets go back to Daniels life for just a moment… Daniel consistently prayer 3 times a day.
This wasn’t something new, but a discipline he had in His life that he was intentional about.
He made the determination that, I am weak unless I find my strength in God.
I am dependent upon my God to sustain my very life, and I will not allow anything to disrupt my time with God.
He chose to shut down the distractions,
he shut the door to the world, to His family,
to His friends, to His children and
to everything in life that sought to deter him form His time with God… and
He opened the door to divine conversation.
He invited God into His life and said, shape me, change me, mold me and break me… until I become MORE like you!
Jesus did this same thing… when He went into the wilderness to pray… He left everything and everyone behind in order to open the door to the divine.
Jesus and Daniel understood what the secret place was all about… it was a place where character and integrity are developed!
Both had private meetings with God which gave them the strength to remain faithful, which led to their public victory over their enemies.
Without our commitment to those private moments with God, we won’t have the faith to stand strong when tested publicly.
Private Transformation Prepares You for Public Ministry
Before God uses you publicly, He often takes you through a season of personal, private transformation.
This is a time when He works on your heart, refines your character, and deepens your relationship with Him.
It’s in these private moments that you learn to trust Him, surrender your will, and grow in spiritual maturity.
Everyone likes to romanticize about being a hero… but Heroes are made, not born!
Heroism stems from actions and choices, not inherent qualities, or gifts or talents.
They are born out of circumstances and rise to the occasion when their spirit can no longer coexist with the hypocrisy of injustice.
See it is in the forge of the secret place that God begins to transform you, and shape you to fit the calling he has for you.
It is in that secret place that he begins to smooth out your rough edges, building spiritual depth in you to prepare you for the fight ahead of you.
It is where he refines your character…
Public influence requires strong character, and that character is developed during private seasons of transformation.
In these hidden moments, God often deals with areas of pride, insecurity, fear, and selfish ambition.
He prunes us so that when we are put in public positions of influence, we reflect His nature rather than operating in our own strength.
The theme of our series is “Whoever Controls the Altar, Controls the Outcome”… if God is going to use you in these last days to make a difference in your families, in your workplaces, in your communities then he must first transform you to get your ready for the public ministry we are all called to!!
You need more than surface-level knowledge of God; it demands a deep, unshakable relationship with Him.
In private, God deepens your spiritual roots, teaches you how to rely on His strength, and reveals His ways.
Transformation in private ensures that when God uses you publicly, your foundation is solid.
If God used us publicly without first transforming us privately, we might collapse under the pressure of public responsibility or fall into temptation.
Public ministry without private preparation can lead to failure because the character and spiritual depth necessary to sustain it haven't been developed… or worse yet… it is built upon our own strength, gifts and talents!
True transformation requires complete surrender on the altar.
Its a place of identity: It's in the secret place that we receive a revelation of who we are in Christ, far from the opinions of others.
You find your true identity not in the crowd, but in the cloud of His presence.
Your spiritual growth is directly linked to your time in the secret place.
The more time spent with God in the secret place, the more we grow spiritually, moving from glory to glory (
2 Corinthians 3:18
).
God has a purpose and a calling for your life, but He won't push you into public ministry or leadership until you are ready.
The private transformation is not only about your personal growth; it's also about preparing you to carry the weight of responsibility and influence that comes with public ministry.
God wants to ensure that when He uses you publicly, you are prepared to handle the challenges, pressures, and temptations that come with it.
That leads us to the last point...
3. The Secret Place: Where Spiritual Authority is Formed
The personal altar is where spiritual authority is birthed. Our authority in the spiritual realm is established through intimacy with God and submission to His authority.
Authority in public is only as strong as your submission in private.
Genuine spiritual authority in public settings—whether in leadership, ministry, or daily life—comes from personal submission to God in private.
It has the idea that true authority is not about outward appearances or titles, but about the inward life of obedience and humility before God.
Authority Flows from Relationship: Just as Jesus’ authority flowed from His intimate relationship with the Father, our authority is rooted in our connection with God.
John 5:19
NLT
19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
Spiritual authority comes from being under God's authority.
What you do in private, fuels what you can do in public.
The more you yield to God's will in the secret place—through prayer, obedience, and surrender—the greater the authority He entrusts to you in public.
Public authority is a reflection of what has already been established privately between you and God.
There are too many people who seek a platform without ever submitting to Christ in their personal life… and those who only are concerned with their public influence will always lack spiritual authority, authenticity, and spiritual power in their lives!
See it is submission to God that aligns you with His will, it is the foundation to operating in His power and authority!
You should never expect any victory in your life if you refuse to submit.
When you submit to God, you’re surrendering your will to His, allowing His authority to flow through you.
This is essential for operating in public authority because you are not acting in your own strength or wisdom but are operating under God’s power and guidance.
The deeper your submission in private, the more aligned you are with God’s authority, which then flows out in public.
An interesting thought to consider… Do you think God will trust you with authority in public, if you have no basis of submission in private?
Here is what I know… Without private submission, any public authority you try to wield will lack depth and sustainability.
Authority that is based on title, position, or appearance rather than on genuine submission to God will eventually falter.
It may look strong outwardly for a time, but it will not stand the test of challenges or spiritual opposition because it is not grounded in true spiritual authority.
For example… The Pharisees in Jesus' time had positions of public authority, but they lacked private submission to God.
Jesus repeatedly confronted them for being concerned with outward appearances while neglecting the deeper matters of the heart (
Matthew 23:25-28
).
They had authority based on religious status, but because they lacked private submission to God, their authority was hollow and hypocritical.
So public authority without private submission is shallow!
True spiritual authority is built on integrity, and integrity is developed in private submission.
When you consistently submit to God in the hidden areas of your life—when no one else is watching—your character is being shaped.
This inner character then becomes the foundation for the authority you exercise in public.
Without private submission, authority can become hollow, and people may try to lead or influence others without the moral and spiritual substance to sustain it.
Submission Empowers You to Resist the Enemy
Private prayer fuels public power.
James 4:7
NKJV
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Notice the order: submission comes first, then authority over the enemy.
Entering the secret place with God always requires a fresh resubmitting of ourselves o God and His will.
An unwillingness to die to ourselves inevitably stunts your relationship with God and it hinders how much authority he can delegate to you!
We need to always remember and never forget… when you build and altar of prayer and we place our lives on it… the first thing that must die is our self-will, our opinions and our desires.
There are so many people who are powerless in their battle with the enemy…because they do not know how to say no!
They do not know how to put to death the priority of their calendars, their appetites, their emotions and the distractions of ever day life.
Every time you make an effort to go into the secret place to pray… you are making a choice to make a sacrifice.
Every day that sacrifice will be consumed on the altar…and the next day… you will need to do it again!
That is how your life becomes a daily sacrifice… you are giving something up every time you choose to pray… however…those who “fit God in” to their lives… walk around with no authority… because they failed to submit to Him!
The strength of your public authority is directly linked to your private submission to God.
True spiritual authority flows from a life that is surrendered and obedient to God in the secret place.
Without private submission, public authority becomes weak, hollow, and unsustainable.
The secret place Alignment with God’s Purpose: True authority comes when our will aligns with God’s, enabling us to speak and act with divine backing (
Matthew 16:19
Matthew 16:19
NLT
19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
When you're aligned with God’s purpose, the gates of hell cannot prevail.
When you are in alignment with God’s purpose, His power and authority back you, it makes you spiritually unstoppable in the face of opposition, challenges, and even spiritual warfare.
When you are aligned with God’s purpose for your life, you are walking in His will, which grants you the authority and power that comes from Him.
Being in alignment means that your actions, motives, and direction are guided by God’s desires rather than your own.
This spiritual alignment equips you to stand against the enemy’s attacks, because God’s authority is behind you.
The secret place is where we wage spiritual warfare and declare God's will with authority (
Luke 10:19
).
Without the private altar, we lack the strength to confront public battles.
Conclusion:
The personal altar—your secret place with God—isn't a luxury, but a necessity.
It's where intimacy is forged, spiritual strength is built, and transformation happens.
Just as Daniel's unwavering devotion to his personal altar delivered him from the lions' den, so too will your time spent in the secret place sustain you in moments of crisis and prepare you for the public victories God has for your life.
God is calling each of us to recommit to this sacred place, to prioritize it above everything else, because everything flows from it.
Without a strong personal altar, our prayers lose their power, our spiritual authority fades, and our influence in the Kingdom becomes weak.
If you want to see your family transformed, if you want to influence your community, or if you desire to be used mightily by God, you must rebuild and maintain your personal altar.
This is where the fire of God’s presence ignites, where your spiritual muscles are strengthened, and where you are equipped for every good work.
Altar Call:
Today, I believe God is stirring many of your hearts.
Some of you know that your secret place with God has been neglected, and it’s time to rebuild. For others, you may need to establish that personal altar for the first time.
God is inviting you to step into that sacred space—to lay down distractions, shut the door to the world, and come before Him in humility and surrender.
If you're ready to make that commitment, if you feel God drawing you into deeper intimacy and power, I want you to come forward. This altar is open, and it’s your invitation to meet with Him.
Whether you're committing for the first time or returning to that place of daily prayer, God is ready to meet you here.
Let’s rebuild the altar.
Let’s return to that secret place, because whoever controls the altar controls the outcome.
Come forward now and surrender your heart at this altar.
Let’s commit together to make our personal altar a place where God’s presence, power, and transformation flow freely.
