Transformative Encounters in the Secret Place

Devotional

Day 1: Cultivating the Secret Place

Investing in the secret place through prayer, fasting, and abiding in God's Word is essential for spiritual growth. This process, though it may seem mundane or even boring at times, is a journey of persistence. As you sow to the Spirit, you prepare yourself for divine encounters where the Spirit and the Word ignite a fervent zeal within you. These encounters are not just moments of inspiration but are transformative experiences that fuel your spiritual fire and passion. The secret place is where you cultivate a deep and personal relationship with God, away from the distractions of the world. [05:24]

Isaiah 30:15 (ESV): "For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to invest more intentionally in your secret place with God?

Day 2: Experiencing the Power of Rhema

A Rhema is a moment when the Spirit and the Word mix, setting your heart ablaze with passion for God's goodness and promises. This divine encounter creates a longing for more, turning you into a seeker of God's presence. It is a personal revelation that speaks directly to your heart, igniting a desire to pursue God with greater intensity. These moments of Rhema are not just about receiving knowledge but about experiencing the living Word in a way that transforms your life and deepens your relationship with God. [06:32]

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV): "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."

Reflection: Can you recall a time when a specific scripture spoke directly to your situation? How did it change your perspective or actions?

Day 3: Nourishment from Personal Encounters

While church services are important, true spiritual nourishment comes from personal encounters with God in the secret place. These encounters are tailor-made for you, igniting a unique and personal fire within your heart. Unlike corporate worship, which is essential for community and growth, the secret place offers a space for intimate communion with God. Here, you receive personalized guidance and strength that sustains you through life's challenges, independent of external circumstances like the style of worship or the songs sung in church. [10:39]

Psalm 91:1-2 (ESV): "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'"

Reflection: How can you create a consistent routine that allows for personal encounters with God, even amidst a busy schedule?

Day 4: The Seven Fires of the Holy Spirit

Exploring the concept of the seven fires of the Holy Spirit, such as love, jealousy, holiness, and more, is a glorious journey. The goal is to have all seven fires burning at full intensity, allowing you to stand before God with a pure and passionate heart. This pursuit is not about having all the answers but about embracing the journey of understanding and experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit's work in your life. Each fire represents a different aspect of God's character and presence, inviting you to grow in your spiritual walk. [15:41]

Revelation 4:5 (ESV): "From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God."

Reflection: Which of the seven fires of the Holy Spirit do you feel most drawn to explore and understand more deeply in your life right now?

Day 5: Overcoming Mountains by the Spirit

The challenges you face, likened to mountains, can only be overcome by the Spirit of God. By finding a source in God and allowing the Word and the Spirit to mix within you, you can declare to these mountains that they shall become plains. This is not about relying on your own strength or power but about trusting in the Spirit's ability to transform obstacles into opportunities for growth and testimony. As you lean into God's strength, you become a vessel through which His goodness can flow to others, impacting generations. [28:28]

Zechariah 4:6-7 (ESV): "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain.'"

Reflection: What is one "mountain" in your life that you need to surrender to the Spirit of God today, trusting Him to make it a plain?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, I explored the profound concept of sowing into the secret place and the transformative power of the Word and the Spirit mixing together. This journey begins with the understanding that investing in the secret place—through prayer, fasting, and abiding in God's Word—yields a harvest of spiritual fire and passion. It is a process that may seem mundane or even boring at times, but persistence in sowing to the Spirit eventually leads to a divine encounter where the Spirit and the Word ignite a fervent zeal within us.

This divine encounter, often referred to as a "Rhema," is when the Spirit and the Word mix, setting our hearts ablaze with a passion for God's goodness, promises, and glory. Once experienced, this encounter creates a longing for more, turning us into "secret place junkies," continually seeking the presence of God. The intensity of these encounters can vary, but the ultimate goal is to have all seven fires of the Holy Spirit burning within us, as illustrated by the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

I emphasized that true spiritual nourishment and fire come from the secret place, not merely from attending church services. While pastoral preaching is essential, the personal encounters with God in the secret place are tailor-made for us, igniting a unique and personal fire within our hearts. This fire is not dependent on external circumstances, such as the style of worship or the songs sung in church, but is a result of living and abiding in God's Word.

Furthermore, I delved into the concept of the seven fires of the Holy Spirit, exploring possibilities such as the fire of God's love, jealousy, holiness, wrath, fear, understanding, and a burning tongue. While I may not have all the answers, the pursuit of understanding these fires is a glorious journey in itself. Ultimately, the goal is to have all seven fires burning at full intensity, allowing us to stand before God with a pure and passionate heart.

Finally, I addressed the challenges we face, likening them to mountains that resist God's will in our lives. These mountains can only be overcome by the Spirit of God, not by our own might or power. By finding a source in God and allowing the Word and the Spirit to mix within us, we can declare to these mountains that they shall become plains, feeding generations with the goodness of God.

Key Takeaways

1. made for us, igniting a unique and personal fire within our hearts. [10:39]
4. The Seven Fires of the Holy Spirit: Exploring the concept of the seven fires of the Holy Spirit, such as love, jealousy, holiness, and more, is a glorious journey. The goal is to have all seven fires burning at full intensity, allowing us to stand before God with a pure and passionate heart.

5. Overcoming Mountains by the Spirit: The challenges we face, likened to mountains, can only be overcome by the Spirit of God. By finding a source in God and allowing the Word and the Spirit to mix within us, we can declare to these mountains that they shall become plains.

** [10:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:52] - The Secret Place Journey
[05:24] - Sowing to the Spirit
[06:09] - Spirit and Word Mixing
[07:21] - Becoming a Secret Place Junkie
[08:24] - The Seven Burner Encounter
[09:14] - The Road to Emmaus
[10:05] - True Nourishment from God
[11:38] - The Emaciated Christian
[13:04] - Worship from a Burning Heart
[14:20] - The Seven Fires of the Holy Spirit
[19:23] - Exploring the Fires
[24:15] - Vision for the Bride of Christ
[25:51] - Zechariah's Challenge
[28:28] - Overcoming Mountains by the Spirit
[34:23] - Becoming a Lamp on a Stand

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Luke 24:32 - "They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?'"
Zechariah 4:6-7 - "So he said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty. 'What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.'"
Song of Solomon 8:6 - "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame."

Observation Questions:

What does the term "Rhema" refer to in the context of the sermon, and how does it relate to the mixing of the Spirit and the Word? [06:32]
How did the two disciples on the road to Emmaus experience the "seven burner" encounter, and what was their reaction? [09:14]
According to the sermon, what is the significance of the "secret place" in a believer's spiritual journey? [10:05]
What are the seven fires of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the sermon, and how are they described? [15:41]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of "sowing in the secret place" challenge the traditional view of spiritual growth through church attendance alone? [10:05]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that personal encounters with God differ from corporate worship experiences? [11:14]
How might the seven fires of the Holy Spirit, such as love and jealousy, manifest in a believer's life? [15:41]
What does the sermon imply about the role of the Holy Spirit in overcoming personal challenges or "mountains"? [28:28]

Application Questions:

Reflect on your current spiritual practices. How can you invest more in your "secret place" with God through prayer, fasting, or Bible study? [05:24]
Have you ever experienced a "Rhema" moment where the Spirit and the Word mixed in your life? How did it impact your faith journey? [06:32]
Consider the seven fires of the Holy Spirit. Which one do you feel is most active in your life, and which one do you desire to see more of? [15:41]
Identify a "mountain" or challenge in your life. How can you rely on the Spirit, rather than your own strength, to overcome it? [28:28]
How can you cultivate a heart that burns with passion for God, similar to the disciples on the road to Emmaus? [09:14]
What steps can you take to ensure that your spiritual nourishment comes from personal encounters with God rather than solely from church services? [10:05]
How can you encourage others in your small group to seek personal encounters with God in their own secret places? [11:14]

Sermon Clips

You know that if you will reap to the spirit, you will of if you sow to the spirit, excuse me, you will eventually reap to the spirit. It is impossible to sow to the secret place and not eventually reap from the secret place. That's why I don't get discouraged if it's boring for a day or three days or a week or two weeks or a month or two months or for a year. I don't really care how long the boring drought lasts because I know if I will invest into the secret place, if I will sow into the word of God, if I will sow to the spirit, if I will sow in fasting and prayer and abiding in the secretly, if I will sow to this, one of these days it will happen. [00:05:24]

It is when the spirit mixes with the word, when the spirit mixes with the word. One word I like to use for it is a Rhema. It's when the spirit and the word mixed together, it pumps down into your fires and sets your heart Ablaze with passion for the goodness of God, for his promise, for his glory, for his Assurance in your word. And once you have tasted of the word and the spirit mixed together, coming down into your heart, once you've encountered that kind of dynamic in God, you are ruined. It's over. You're hooked for life. You now are a secret place Junkie. [00:06:32]

I don't go to church to get fed. I go to the secret place to get fit, so when you need someone, you need to hear from God, when you need something that's going to set you on fire, I don't go to church to get that kind of thing. I go to the secret place to get that because when the word and the spirit mix together, come down into your pipes and set your flames on fire, when you get something in the secret place at the feet of Jesus, it comes tailor made, custom made with your name on it. [00:10:39]

When you get it in the secret place, you don't have to labor at application. It comes with your address on it. It comes direct into your spirit and it's bam, sets you on fire with a fairy Zeal of the Lord Jesus Christ. I feel a little bit sorry for believers that go to church to get fed. I'll be honest with you, the poor things, they come in and they're emaciated and skinny and starving and they've got a spiritual oxygen tank on their back and they kind of make it to the back row and they're like, oh Lord, please let something drip from the preacher's mouth that will sustain me for one more week. [00:11:38]

Jesus didn't die for you to live off one meal a week. He died to find an abundant Source in God, a living breathing Dynamic love relationship of sitting at his feet, hearing his word, the word and the spirit mixing together flowing into your heart and setting you on fire with a passion for the face of Jesus Christ. I don't come to church to get on fire. I come to church cause I am on fire. I've been sitting at his feet all week. I've got the word of Christ dwelling in me richly and I have come to the house with seven fires burning ready to give my heart. [00:13:04]

If the two trees are the word and the spirit and I'm supposed to be on fire before God like this, my next question is, what are the seven fires? Because if I know what the seven fires of the Holy Spirit are, maybe I can cooperate a little bit with this thing and press into those realities in the Holy Spirit. How many would like to know what the seven spirits of God are? Thank you, me too. No, I've been looking at this for a number of years and I'm still not settled on this. [00:14:20]

There is a flame in the heart of God that when it comes into heart, when God empowers you to love him with his power, now the fire of God into my spirit empowers me to burn with a holy flame in the presence of God and this love that for all eternity was reserved for three is now opened up to a fourth. There's now a fourth in this for infernal of a fire and we love God with an everlasting flame of love in the in the presence of God burning Before the Throne. [00:15:41]

There is a vehement of flame in the heart of God called his jealousy. There is Quincy because when you get love, true love has along with it on the flip side, true love has a jealousy about it. I'm not talking about a paranoid suspicion that's like where were you last night, who did you talk to. I'm talking about a pure kind of jealousy that says I give my life to you, I will love you all my days but I require yea I demand you reserve your love for me and me only. [00:16:03]

The spirit of God is saying to servable in this Vision, he's saying sir rubbable, has the Captivity accomplished its purpose in your life? You see what God does in captivity is he shuts you up, he sequesters you, he gets you in solitude, shuts your life down so that now you have to go deep in God, pressing into the word and into the spirit in order to make sense of the of the trouble in your life and God uses captivity strategically in order to teach us this. [00:25:51]

You can't find it on the run so he shots you down, puts you in prison and sends you into exile in order to help you find a source and now the question is irreparable as captivity done its work in your life. Have you found a source in God where you're gonna do what's in front of you not by might, not by power, not by your natural strength, not based on your resource base but based upon the power of God working through your life based upon the word and the spirit mixing together setting you on fire. [00:28:28]

The mountain in your life actually it looms so large it takes on a Persona all its own. You can attach a name to your Mountain, sometimes it even has a demonic energy, you can put a demonic name on that thing. Who are you oh great Mountain that resists the will of God in the life of one of his sermons? You shall become a plane. God wants to turn the mountain in your life into a plane that will feed a generation from the goodness of God in your life. [00:29:59]

How do you bring a mountain like Golgotha down and turn it into a plane? I will tell you how not by might, not by power but by my spirit says the Lord. How are you gonna get the mountain in your life down? How is that mountain going to come down and be turned into a plane not by might, not by your strengths, not by your sh your mental abilities, not by your talents, not by your resource base, not by might, not by power but by my spirit says the Lord. [00:33:23]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Transformative Encounters in the Secret Place

Devotional

Day 1: Cultivating the Secret Place

Day 2: Experiencing the Power of Rhema

Day 3: Nourishment from Personal Encounters

Day 4: The Seven Fires of the Holy Spirit

Day 5: Overcoming Mountains by the Spirit

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Transformative Encounters in the Secret Place

Share