1 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,380 Welcome back to Secrets of the Secret Place 2 00:00:19,380 --> 00:00:19,960 class. 3 00:00:20,180 --> 00:00:21,780 We are in session six. 4 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:23,060 Let's pray together. 5 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,100 Lord Jesus, we love you. 6 00:00:27,740 --> 00:00:29,320 We are after you. 7 00:00:30,180 --> 00:00:33,040 The knowledge of Christ, we pursue you with 8 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:33,840 all our hearts. 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:39,180 We ask, Lord, as we together are studying 10 00:00:39,180 --> 00:00:42,000 how to come after you, how to pursue 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,160 you in the secret place. 12 00:00:43,260 --> 00:00:46,320 We're asking that you would help us, empower 13 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,060 us by your Holy Spirit. 14 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,520 May the anointing of the Lord rest upon 15 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:53,360 our study now today. 16 00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:55,040 In Jesus' name we ask. 17 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:03,220 Well, I'm an advocate of prayer retreats. 18 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,760 They've actually been a lifesaver for me, and 19 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,100 I would like, if I could, to talk 20 00:01:15,100 --> 00:01:23,080 you into the power and the joy of 21 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:27,880 encountering Jesus in a very focused way by 22 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:29,220 going on a prayer retreat. 23 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:34,160 Now, I stumbled onto this personally in a 24 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,500 way that the Lord had just kind of 25 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:39,400 starved me out and cornered me, and so 26 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,620 I went into a prayer retreat on one 27 00:01:42,620 --> 00:01:45,300 occasion that I have in mind where I 28 00:01:45,300 --> 00:01:48,600 was just desperate for the Lord, and I 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:55,200 stumbled onto the ingredients that really make a 30 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:56,760 prayer retreat significant. 31 00:01:57,380 --> 00:01:58,960 I want to share those with you. 32 00:01:59,500 --> 00:02:01,160 First off is fasting. 33 00:02:02,060 --> 00:02:04,320 I encourage you, when you go on a 34 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:08,620 retreat, if at all possible, fast on your 35 00:02:08,620 --> 00:02:09,020 retreat. 36 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,000 Now, if you are physically able to, I 37 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,960 highly recommend a water fast, and if you 38 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:21,540 need to do otherwise because of health issues, 39 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,460 that's certainly understandable, but if you can do 40 00:02:25,460 --> 00:02:32,980 it, a water fast actually adds intensity, and 41 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:35,840 the Lord just seems to honor it. 42 00:02:36,300 --> 00:02:37,960 So, that's my recommendation. 43 00:02:38,260 --> 00:02:40,180 Now, the second element is solitude. 44 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,080 I have found, if I can get away, 45 00:02:45,700 --> 00:02:48,320 I've done a few retreats where I've actually 46 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:52,780 just unplugged from everything and gone away, be 47 00:02:52,780 --> 00:02:57,640 it a facility, a retreat center, an apartment 48 00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:01,920 somewhere, or a campground, or whatever you can 49 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:05,120 do to just get away and just be 50 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,220 with the Lord for however many days you 51 00:03:09,220 --> 00:03:13,880 can manage it, and then word immersion, just 52 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,360 devouring the Word, living in the Word of 53 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:22,160 God, minimal distractions, the Lord's Supper. 54 00:03:22,460 --> 00:03:24,940 I personally take the Lord's Supper to almost 55 00:03:24,940 --> 00:03:27,120 every retreat that I do. 56 00:03:27,340 --> 00:03:30,120 I just, I love Jesus, I love His 57 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,360 cross, and I love the Lord's Supper, and 58 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,440 that goes with me, and prayer. 59 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:41,520 So, those elements combined, I have found to 60 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:44,960 make a prayer retreat, those are the elements 61 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:48,840 that really make it work for me. 62 00:03:49,540 --> 00:03:53,040 Let's look at Jesus' comments in Matthew 6. 63 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:57,880 He said, when you fast, verse 17, anoint 64 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,160 your head and wash your face so that 65 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:03,140 you do not appear to men to be 66 00:04:03,140 --> 00:04:06,120 fasting, but to your Father who is in 67 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,640 the secret place, and your Father who sees 68 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:12,660 in secret will reward you openly. 69 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:19,019 There is no such thing as apostolic Christianity 70 00:04:19,019 --> 00:04:20,940 without fasting. 71 00:04:21,740 --> 00:04:24,260 It doesn't exist. 72 00:04:24,580 --> 00:04:29,540 If we are to uncover the fullness of 73 00:04:29,540 --> 00:04:35,920 apostolic Christianity, it must include fasting. 74 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,060 Fasting has been such a gift in my 75 00:04:39,060 --> 00:04:39,340 life. 76 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:42,260 I'm so grateful I have fought. 77 00:04:42,860 --> 00:04:46,660 I would say my number one battle that 78 00:04:46,660 --> 00:04:50,300 I have fought with in the 17 years 79 00:04:50,300 --> 00:04:53,720 that I've struggled with this vocal affliction, my 80 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,740 number one struggle has been with depression. 81 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,140 I hate that beast. 82 00:05:00,980 --> 00:05:02,840 I've smelled demon's breath. 83 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,920 I've engaged that thing in a pretty significant 84 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:12,160 way, and beloved, I'm just going to say 85 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:12,920 it real clear. 86 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:16,880 I would not be here tonight if it 87 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:18,360 wasn't for the gift of fasting. 88 00:05:18,980 --> 00:05:21,020 The book Secrets of the Secret Place would 89 00:05:21,020 --> 00:05:22,040 have never been written. 90 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,300 This class would never be happening. 91 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,580 I am here tonight because I'm so grateful 92 00:05:28,580 --> 00:05:31,780 to God for the gift he has given 93 00:05:31,780 --> 00:05:33,980 us in fasting and prayer. 94 00:05:34,580 --> 00:05:37,440 Fasting is a gift helping us to pursue 95 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,620 the kingdom of God with spiritual violence. 96 00:05:42,340 --> 00:05:45,300 I don't fast to change God. 97 00:05:45,700 --> 00:05:48,880 I fast to change me. 98 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,760 I'm the one that doesn't hear. 99 00:05:54,300 --> 00:05:56,380 I'm the one that has a hard heart. 100 00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,520 And so, I fast in order for my 101 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,800 heart to be softened, for my hearing to 102 00:06:02,800 --> 00:06:05,760 be sharpened, that I might hear what the 103 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:06,880 Lord is saying to me. 104 00:06:07,300 --> 00:06:10,800 God is shifting everything in the church right 105 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:11,120 now. 106 00:06:11,260 --> 00:06:14,340 The church is going through birth pains as 107 00:06:14,340 --> 00:06:18,120 God is changing the understanding and expression of 108 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,580 Christianity in our generation. 109 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:25,120 And beloved, you will never make the transition 110 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,800 to what God is doing in these end 111 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:29,580 times without fasting. 112 00:06:30,900 --> 00:06:31,820 I believe that. 113 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:33,700 I know it's a strong statement, but I 114 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:39,660 believe fasting is significant to helping us make 115 00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:41,420 the transition to what God is doing. 116 00:06:41,580 --> 00:06:43,360 So, get to the wilderness. 117 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,500 Get along with God. 118 00:06:45,740 --> 00:06:50,600 Fasting, prayer, the word, the Lord's Supper, getting 119 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:51,680 along with God. 120 00:06:51,900 --> 00:06:54,000 Get yourself to the wilderness. 121 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:56,480 Follow in the steps of Jesus. 122 00:06:56,840 --> 00:06:59,200 Follow in the steps of John the Baptist. 123 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:03,520 And let's hear what the Lord is saying 124 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:05,080 to the church in this hour. 125 00:07:05,420 --> 00:07:10,160 So, a personal prayer retreat. 126 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:12,620 Put it on your list. 127 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:14,500 Must do. 128 00:07:15,620 --> 00:07:18,200 And may the Lord meet you in that 129 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:19,440 in a mighty way. 130 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,980 Now, in this session, I'd like to talk 131 00:07:22,980 --> 00:07:26,560 about being awakened to the word of God. 132 00:07:27,660 --> 00:07:33,060 There is an awakening that comes to us 133 00:07:33,060 --> 00:07:34,400 in the word of God. 134 00:07:34,740 --> 00:07:38,020 And I want to encourage you to pursue 135 00:07:38,020 --> 00:07:40,800 it with everything you have. 136 00:07:47,290 --> 00:07:50,150 When you're awakened to the word of God, 137 00:07:51,450 --> 00:07:56,270 one thing that happens is this book goes 138 00:07:56,270 --> 00:07:57,870 with you everywhere. 139 00:08:00,270 --> 00:08:03,050 You just can't get caught without it. 140 00:08:03,530 --> 00:08:07,090 You'll just take it everywhere you go, because 141 00:08:07,090 --> 00:08:09,690 it means so much to you. 142 00:08:10,170 --> 00:08:13,990 I sit on airplanes sometimes, and I just 143 00:08:13,990 --> 00:08:17,370 groan in my heart when I look at 144 00:08:17,370 --> 00:08:18,610 the stuff people are reading. 145 00:08:20,150 --> 00:08:25,150 You are using this time to read People 146 00:08:25,150 --> 00:08:26,270 magazine. 147 00:08:27,950 --> 00:08:31,429 You could have life coming into your spirit 148 00:08:31,429 --> 00:08:34,750 right now, and you're eating vultures food. 149 00:08:35,370 --> 00:08:38,330 And my heart just groans for me. 150 00:08:38,710 --> 00:08:41,549 The stuff that people will do when they 151 00:08:41,549 --> 00:08:44,070 have time, the things they read. 152 00:08:44,830 --> 00:08:46,890 And I go to churches, and I'm like, 153 00:08:47,050 --> 00:08:49,690 can I just be a bit transparent? 154 00:08:50,130 --> 00:08:51,350 And I hope you can hear my heart 155 00:08:51,350 --> 00:08:51,650 in this. 156 00:08:51,750 --> 00:08:55,830 I go to churches, and it pains me 157 00:08:55,830 --> 00:08:59,390 that believers come to the house of God. 158 00:08:59,630 --> 00:09:02,390 They have no Bible in their lap. 159 00:09:02,590 --> 00:09:04,970 They have no pen, no paper. 160 00:09:05,330 --> 00:09:07,570 They got nothing to treasure the word of 161 00:09:07,570 --> 00:09:07,930 God with. 162 00:09:08,270 --> 00:09:11,370 I'm like, oh, and here's what I realize. 163 00:09:11,770 --> 00:09:15,650 The church of Jesus Christ, and I'm speaking 164 00:09:15,650 --> 00:09:19,490 broad general strokes, if for the most part, 165 00:09:19,710 --> 00:09:25,190 generalities, body of Christ, has not been awakened 166 00:09:25,190 --> 00:09:28,750 to what we have here. 167 00:09:29,110 --> 00:09:33,570 We have the living word of God that 168 00:09:33,570 --> 00:09:37,690 feeds the human heart, that empowers us. 169 00:09:38,850 --> 00:09:41,550 And somebody says, well, it was just a 170 00:09:41,550 --> 00:09:43,550 prayer meeting, and so I didn't think I 171 00:09:43,550 --> 00:09:44,130 needed it. 172 00:09:48,090 --> 00:09:51,250 But this is exactly what you needed at 173 00:09:51,250 --> 00:09:52,010 the prayer meeting. 174 00:09:52,710 --> 00:09:58,470 31,103 verses to empower your prayer life. 175 00:09:59,990 --> 00:10:01,790 Somebody says, well, it was just a night 176 00:10:01,790 --> 00:10:03,810 of worship, so I didn't take my Bible. 177 00:10:04,570 --> 00:10:05,270 What? 178 00:10:05,470 --> 00:10:07,910 You didn't take your Bible to a worship 179 00:10:07,910 --> 00:10:08,190 night? 180 00:10:08,790 --> 00:10:15,290 31,103 verses to empower your worship life, 181 00:10:15,470 --> 00:10:18,030 and you didn't take it with you to 182 00:10:18,030 --> 00:10:19,190 the worship service? 183 00:10:20,350 --> 00:10:25,290 Lord Jesus, my prayer is, would you awaken 184 00:10:25,290 --> 00:10:29,790 the bride of Christ to what she's got? 185 00:10:30,290 --> 00:10:33,910 Now, I'm just going to tell a little 186 00:10:33,910 --> 00:10:36,590 bit of my own journey in this thing, 187 00:10:37,290 --> 00:10:38,590 if you don't mind. 188 00:10:39,530 --> 00:10:44,350 I took over a pastorate of a church 189 00:10:44,350 --> 00:10:45,510 when I was 29. 190 00:10:46,790 --> 00:10:51,690 So, in my age 30 to 35, in 191 00:10:51,690 --> 00:10:54,870 that vicinity, I was a pastor of a 192 00:10:54,870 --> 00:10:58,910 church, and at the time, I was quite 193 00:10:58,910 --> 00:11:00,930 disciplined in my prayer life. 194 00:11:01,050 --> 00:11:04,010 I would come to our sanctuary at six 195 00:11:04,010 --> 00:11:07,790 in the morning, and would spend, I don't 196 00:11:07,790 --> 00:11:09,890 know, much time, maybe a couple hours in 197 00:11:09,890 --> 00:11:11,610 prayer, just be by myself. 198 00:11:12,270 --> 00:11:15,490 And I would read through different translations of 199 00:11:15,490 --> 00:11:16,930 the Bible every year. 200 00:11:17,850 --> 00:11:22,190 And my point being, I had a measure 201 00:11:22,190 --> 00:11:24,430 of discipline, and it was a part of 202 00:11:24,430 --> 00:11:25,710 my everyday life. 203 00:11:26,550 --> 00:11:28,090 But here's what I found. 204 00:11:30,550 --> 00:11:36,630 I would pretty much always be relieved when 205 00:11:36,630 --> 00:11:37,270 it was over. 206 00:11:39,290 --> 00:11:42,330 I'd be like, you know, put in my 207 00:11:42,330 --> 00:11:44,910 time, and then I'd be like, check the 208 00:11:44,910 --> 00:11:48,010 box off, did my prayer for the day. 209 00:11:48,570 --> 00:11:51,830 Okay, now we can go. 210 00:11:53,350 --> 00:11:56,550 And then the Lord helped me to see 211 00:11:56,550 --> 00:11:56,690 it. 212 00:11:57,850 --> 00:12:00,290 And the way the Lord helped me was, 213 00:12:00,750 --> 00:12:05,970 basically, through this, went through a profound darkness, 214 00:12:05,970 --> 00:12:09,450 darkness, grievous trial. 215 00:12:10,570 --> 00:12:13,130 And in the process of that, the Lord 216 00:12:13,130 --> 00:12:16,930 began to show me all this stuff. 217 00:12:17,090 --> 00:12:18,570 How many know that when God's got you 218 00:12:18,570 --> 00:12:20,770 in the fire, He doesn't just deal with 219 00:12:20,770 --> 00:12:21,630 one little area. 220 00:12:22,030 --> 00:12:24,490 He kind of, while you're there, He just 221 00:12:24,490 --> 00:12:25,470 deals with the whole thing. 222 00:12:25,970 --> 00:12:29,390 So, God's getting me at multiple levels all 223 00:12:29,390 --> 00:12:29,910 at once. 224 00:12:30,350 --> 00:12:32,330 And one of the things He's showing me 225 00:12:32,330 --> 00:12:36,690 is the motivations of my love life with 226 00:12:36,690 --> 00:12:36,930 Him. 227 00:12:37,830 --> 00:12:39,070 It was a duty. 228 00:12:39,430 --> 00:12:42,670 He was showing me I had been living 229 00:12:42,670 --> 00:12:46,950 out of a performance kind of mode with 230 00:12:46,950 --> 00:12:48,910 the Lord related to my secret place. 231 00:12:49,630 --> 00:12:52,230 It was like this, you know, I'm a 232 00:12:52,230 --> 00:12:55,430 pastor, and they're paying me to do this. 233 00:12:55,630 --> 00:12:57,170 And if I'm going to be a good 234 00:12:57,170 --> 00:13:00,130 pastor, I really ought to pray. 235 00:13:00,610 --> 00:13:03,070 And if I'm going to preach on it, 236 00:13:03,130 --> 00:13:05,130 I ought to, you know, I don't want 237 00:13:05,130 --> 00:13:06,910 to be a hypocrite, so I guess I 238 00:13:06,910 --> 00:13:08,650 better do it if I ever want to 239 00:13:08,650 --> 00:13:09,390 preach on it. 240 00:13:09,710 --> 00:13:12,730 And so there was all this performance, because 241 00:13:12,730 --> 00:13:14,650 if I didn't do it, I felt like 242 00:13:14,650 --> 00:13:16,130 an incompetent pastor. 243 00:13:17,030 --> 00:13:19,870 And the Lord started revealing all this stuff 244 00:13:19,870 --> 00:13:20,190 to me. 245 00:13:20,290 --> 00:13:22,550 And I remember that the time when the 246 00:13:22,550 --> 00:13:24,310 Holy Spirit helped me to see this. 247 00:13:24,430 --> 00:13:26,930 He says to me, Bob, you come to 248 00:13:26,930 --> 00:13:29,790 the secret place like a gas station. 249 00:13:32,550 --> 00:13:35,230 You come to get filled up so that 250 00:13:35,230 --> 00:13:36,630 you can go do what you want to 251 00:13:36,630 --> 00:13:36,850 do. 252 00:13:37,510 --> 00:13:41,130 How many folks here know you don't enjoy 253 00:13:41,130 --> 00:13:42,690 going to the gas station? 254 00:13:43,030 --> 00:13:45,430 I mean, I don't go to the gas 255 00:13:45,430 --> 00:13:47,050 station because I like the gas station. 256 00:13:47,210 --> 00:13:48,990 I go to the gas station because I 257 00:13:48,990 --> 00:13:50,250 like to drive. 258 00:13:51,410 --> 00:13:54,110 And the Lord was showing me, Bob, you 259 00:13:54,110 --> 00:13:55,850 don't come to the secret place because you 260 00:13:55,850 --> 00:13:57,090 love to be with me. 261 00:13:57,330 --> 00:13:59,110 You come to the secret place because you 262 00:13:59,110 --> 00:14:01,770 like to get in your vehicle called ministry 263 00:14:01,770 --> 00:14:03,570 and run the thing. 264 00:14:04,190 --> 00:14:06,970 And I said, oh, Lord, and in a 265 00:14:06,970 --> 00:14:10,450 pain in my heart, I said, Lord, I 266 00:14:10,450 --> 00:14:14,710 have a gas station relationship with you. 267 00:14:15,770 --> 00:14:18,930 And when I saw that, I mean, I 268 00:14:18,930 --> 00:14:21,310 wept deeply before the Lord. 269 00:14:21,450 --> 00:14:24,050 I said, I don't want you to be 270 00:14:24,050 --> 00:14:26,070 a filling station for me. 271 00:14:26,410 --> 00:14:28,970 I want you to be the love of 272 00:14:28,970 --> 00:14:29,970 my life. 273 00:14:30,350 --> 00:14:33,010 I want to come to you because you 274 00:14:33,010 --> 00:14:35,970 energize my heart, because you are the center 275 00:14:35,970 --> 00:14:38,470 of my universe, because I am in flame 276 00:14:38,470 --> 00:14:40,070 with love sickness for you. 277 00:14:40,350 --> 00:14:44,510 Lord, I want to have a divine, glorious, 278 00:14:44,650 --> 00:14:46,550 living romance with you. 279 00:14:46,890 --> 00:14:49,170 I want this to be a love thing. 280 00:14:50,150 --> 00:14:52,410 And I could imagine the Lord saying, yes, 281 00:14:52,490 --> 00:14:53,770 and I know that's what you want. 282 00:14:54,130 --> 00:14:57,030 And here we're getting there, okay? 283 00:14:57,530 --> 00:14:59,930 We're on a journey here. 284 00:15:00,610 --> 00:15:04,030 So that's kind of the way the Lord 285 00:15:04,030 --> 00:15:04,570 took me. 286 00:15:04,950 --> 00:15:08,070 I found that I came to the secret 287 00:15:08,070 --> 00:15:13,510 place absolutely for one reason, to survive. 288 00:15:14,010 --> 00:15:16,530 It was like, God, I have got to 289 00:15:16,530 --> 00:15:18,550 get something from you today, because if you 290 00:15:18,550 --> 00:15:20,590 don't talk to me today, I'm going to 291 00:15:20,590 --> 00:15:21,790 lose my mind. 292 00:15:22,010 --> 00:15:23,810 If you don't give me something from your 293 00:15:23,810 --> 00:15:26,350 word today, oh God, I think I'm just 294 00:15:26,350 --> 00:15:27,470 going to go insane. 295 00:15:27,790 --> 00:15:29,770 My God, what's happening in my life? 296 00:15:29,810 --> 00:15:31,270 You have got to show me. 297 00:15:31,910 --> 00:15:34,370 Do you do this kind of stuff with 298 00:15:34,370 --> 00:15:35,150 your friends? 299 00:15:35,450 --> 00:15:39,110 And if you do, who are you? 300 00:15:39,810 --> 00:15:42,310 And where are we going with this? 301 00:15:42,510 --> 00:15:46,550 And I found myself with this desperate, coming 302 00:15:46,550 --> 00:15:47,830 after the face of God. 303 00:15:48,170 --> 00:15:50,990 And then what would happen was, he would 304 00:15:50,990 --> 00:15:55,570 begin to speak a living, ramble word to 305 00:15:55,570 --> 00:15:56,170 my heart. 306 00:15:56,470 --> 00:15:58,010 And when I would get that thing, I'd 307 00:15:58,010 --> 00:16:02,550 be like, oh, the knowledge of Christ God. 308 00:16:03,030 --> 00:16:07,730 And then I started to become awakened to 309 00:16:07,730 --> 00:16:08,730 the word of God. 310 00:16:08,930 --> 00:16:12,750 Because when the word of God is literally 311 00:16:12,750 --> 00:16:16,330 your lifeline, when it becomes a matter of 312 00:16:16,330 --> 00:16:22,270 survival, when you literally live because of what 313 00:16:22,270 --> 00:16:25,450 God has given you in his word, now 314 00:16:25,450 --> 00:16:29,250 something becomes awakened in your heart. 315 00:16:31,770 --> 00:16:35,930 Whoa, I've got something here in my hand. 316 00:16:36,490 --> 00:16:38,690 This is a gift from heaven. 317 00:16:39,470 --> 00:16:44,650 Man lives by every word that proceeds from 318 00:16:44,650 --> 00:16:45,570 the mouth of God. 319 00:16:46,910 --> 00:16:49,850 So, that's kind of in a nutshell how 320 00:16:49,850 --> 00:16:51,910 the Lord worked in my life. 321 00:16:52,930 --> 00:16:55,910 And it's a lot different for me now. 322 00:17:00,490 --> 00:17:04,310 Now, if I miss my secret place time 323 00:17:04,310 --> 00:17:07,510 with the Lord, I don't feel condemned. 324 00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:11,349 Now, I feel ripped off. 325 00:17:12,329 --> 00:17:15,589 I'm like, oh, I just got robbed. 326 00:17:16,849 --> 00:17:20,450 And because the secret place becomes your oxygen, 327 00:17:20,670 --> 00:17:23,430 it becomes your life, it becomes, when it 328 00:17:23,430 --> 00:17:25,410 becomes the place you live in, and you're 329 00:17:25,410 --> 00:17:26,650 awakened to that thing. 330 00:17:26,970 --> 00:17:29,930 Now, if I've been robbed of that thing, 331 00:17:30,430 --> 00:17:34,010 so now I come to the secret place 332 00:17:34,010 --> 00:17:37,590 because I know this is the only way 333 00:17:37,590 --> 00:17:41,690 that I can live in God, is to 334 00:17:41,690 --> 00:17:45,210 sit at his feet, hear his words, allow 335 00:17:45,210 --> 00:17:48,110 the exchange of love to happen, the flow 336 00:17:48,110 --> 00:17:50,570 of the fire of the Holy Spirit. 337 00:17:50,970 --> 00:17:54,130 Those who devote themselves to the secret place 338 00:17:54,130 --> 00:17:57,690 because they're trying to gain the Father's affection 339 00:17:57,690 --> 00:18:02,370 or approval need to recover the freedom of 340 00:18:02,370 --> 00:18:03,010 the gospel. 341 00:18:03,750 --> 00:18:06,210 Because God doesn't love you. 342 00:18:06,510 --> 00:18:08,590 He loves you not because of something in 343 00:18:08,590 --> 00:18:12,110 you, but because of something in him. 344 00:18:12,450 --> 00:18:15,470 You are never going to be able to 345 00:18:15,470 --> 00:18:19,670 perform your way into earning God's affections. 346 00:18:19,910 --> 00:18:21,910 If you spend an hour in the secret 347 00:18:21,910 --> 00:18:24,530 place, two hours in the secret place, three 348 00:18:24,530 --> 00:18:28,010 hours, the more time you spend, it's not 349 00:18:28,010 --> 00:18:29,450 like he likes you more. 350 00:18:29,930 --> 00:18:32,430 It's not like, oh, now he thinks you 351 00:18:32,430 --> 00:18:33,410 aren't you something. 352 00:18:33,870 --> 00:18:38,450 Now, if you pursue the secret place to 353 00:18:38,450 --> 00:18:42,890 try to satisfy an insecurity or a valley 354 00:18:42,890 --> 00:18:48,050 in your soul, you will never find the 355 00:18:48,050 --> 00:18:50,590 joy of the secret place, and you will 356 00:18:50,590 --> 00:18:54,010 be burdened because that's a burden that the 357 00:18:54,010 --> 00:18:56,350 Lord never intended for you to carry. 358 00:18:57,110 --> 00:19:00,530 I don't pray in order to gain his 359 00:19:00,530 --> 00:19:01,090 smile. 360 00:19:01,510 --> 00:19:05,250 I pray because I have his smile. 361 00:19:05,710 --> 00:19:08,750 I don't pray to get his affection. 362 00:19:09,150 --> 00:19:12,370 I've got his affection, and that's what gives 363 00:19:12,370 --> 00:19:16,070 me the confidence and the courage to come 364 00:19:16,070 --> 00:19:19,450 with boldness into the throne room and live 365 00:19:19,450 --> 00:19:21,290 in the presence of God. 366 00:19:21,770 --> 00:19:24,510 And when we get ourselves into a performance 367 00:19:24,510 --> 00:19:27,250 mode, you know, when we start doing that 368 00:19:27,250 --> 00:19:30,250 and we start trying to perform to somehow 369 00:19:30,250 --> 00:19:33,990 meet God's expectations or whatever, you know, it 370 00:19:33,990 --> 00:19:36,450 actually makes God angry. 371 00:19:38,930 --> 00:19:43,370 Romans 4 verse 15 says, the law brings 372 00:19:43,370 --> 00:19:44,230 about wrath. 373 00:19:44,510 --> 00:19:48,330 Now, for law, just substitute the word performance, 374 00:19:48,850 --> 00:19:51,610 because the law was all about performance. 375 00:19:51,910 --> 00:19:53,830 If you did this, this, this, and this, 376 00:19:54,210 --> 00:19:57,270 then God does this, this, and so the 377 00:19:57,270 --> 00:20:00,850 law performance was the basis of the law. 378 00:20:01,350 --> 00:20:05,530 But Paul says, this performance thing brings about 379 00:20:05,530 --> 00:20:06,270 wrath. 380 00:20:06,630 --> 00:20:06,930 Why? 381 00:20:07,310 --> 00:20:12,030 Because when we try to perform our way 382 00:20:12,030 --> 00:20:17,950 into gaining Abba's acceptance, we are actually dishonoring 383 00:20:17,950 --> 00:20:20,530 the performance of Christ. 384 00:20:21,150 --> 00:20:24,590 It's not my performance that gets me accepted 385 00:20:24,590 --> 00:20:25,310 to Abba. 386 00:20:25,510 --> 00:20:29,650 It's Jesus' performance on the cross, and so 387 00:20:29,650 --> 00:20:34,250 by faith, I accept the performance of Christ. 388 00:20:34,630 --> 00:20:38,290 The righteousness of Christ is now mine, and 389 00:20:38,290 --> 00:20:43,650 I am accepted before Abba because I believe 390 00:20:43,650 --> 00:20:47,290 in the performance of the Lord Jesus Christ. 391 00:20:47,450 --> 00:20:49,990 What he did on the cross, I believe 392 00:20:49,990 --> 00:20:52,730 not in my work, but in his work. 393 00:20:52,890 --> 00:20:56,170 Not in my performance, but in his performance. 394 00:20:56,490 --> 00:21:01,370 It's all about faith in the performance of 395 00:21:01,370 --> 00:21:01,830 Christ. 396 00:21:03,190 --> 00:21:06,510 One of the most common feelings among believers 397 00:21:06,510 --> 00:21:12,190 is this feeling of never doing enough. 398 00:21:17,930 --> 00:21:24,090 Now, we are recording these classes at the 399 00:21:24,090 --> 00:21:32,920 International House of Prayer in Kansas City, and 400 00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:35,800 I haven't talked with any of you about 401 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,280 this, but I've talked to a couple people 402 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:40,520 here and there, and you know what's amazing 403 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:40,980 to me? 404 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,340 Is that here we are at a place 405 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,600 unique in the earth where we are praying 406 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:56,420 literally 24-7, 365, around the clock, all 407 00:21:56,420 --> 00:22:01,720 year long, and we have a community with 408 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,880 so many people who feel like they never 409 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:07,940 do enough. 410 00:22:08,980 --> 00:22:13,860 At a 24-7 prayer ministry, and it's 411 00:22:13,860 --> 00:22:14,980 still not enough. 412 00:22:16,220 --> 00:22:21,760 My point is that the enemy tries to 413 00:22:21,760 --> 00:22:25,040 use this against all of us. 414 00:22:25,460 --> 00:22:26,780 It's universal. 415 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:32,360 You're never doing enough, and if we come 416 00:22:32,360 --> 00:22:37,120 to our secret life in God with this 417 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:40,180 thing going inside of us of, I've got 418 00:22:40,180 --> 00:22:43,480 to do more, I have to give more, 419 00:22:43,820 --> 00:22:46,460 I've got to give more time, I've got 420 00:22:46,460 --> 00:22:50,820 to read more, and if we have that 421 00:22:50,820 --> 00:22:55,220 kind of a negative motivation of it's just 422 00:22:55,220 --> 00:23:02,860 never enough, we will never find the fullness 423 00:23:02,860 --> 00:23:06,940 of the joy of the secret place from 424 00:23:06,940 --> 00:23:08,440 a negative motivation. 425 00:23:08,940 --> 00:23:09,980 That's what I'm trying to say. 426 00:23:10,780 --> 00:23:13,580 So, what is our motivation? 427 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:20,800 My best answer is to be awakened to 428 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:24,860 the glory of the Word of God and 429 00:23:24,860 --> 00:23:30,500 prayer, and when your heart comes alive to 430 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:35,440 what you've got, they can't keep you away. 431 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:39,440 You will do whatever you have to. 432 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,000 Distractions get out of my way. 433 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:48,340 Calendar you will submit, and you will start 434 00:23:48,340 --> 00:23:52,760 doing whatever you have to do to safeguard 435 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:57,300 the secret place, because you have learned man 436 00:23:57,300 --> 00:24:00,720 does not live by bread alone, but by 437 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,640 every word that proceeds from the mouth of 438 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:09,020 God, and this beloved is the whole reason 439 00:24:09,020 --> 00:24:11,500 that this class is happening. 440 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:13,740 That's why we're taking this course. 441 00:24:14,300 --> 00:24:19,280 Lord Jesus, we have to be awakened to 442 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,900 the glory and the joy of the Word 443 00:24:22,900 --> 00:24:23,380 of God. 444 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:27,940 Would you do this kindness in the heart 445 00:24:27,940 --> 00:24:28,660 of your saints? 446 00:24:29,360 --> 00:24:31,100 I would like to just say to you 447 00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:34,680 this, say it to you this way, my 448 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:38,860 desire is that you would be awakened to 449 00:24:38,860 --> 00:24:42,720 the Word of God as I have, and 450 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:45,500 that you wouldn't have to walk through the 451 00:24:45,500 --> 00:24:48,700 darkness I had to walk through to get 452 00:24:48,700 --> 00:24:49,000 it. 453 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:58,780 Pray the Lord would have a gentler way 454 00:24:58,780 --> 00:25:06,090 for you, but I also pray whatever it 455 00:25:06,090 --> 00:25:13,390 takes, awaken your bride to the power and 456 00:25:13,390 --> 00:25:16,670 the glory of the Word of God. 457 00:25:19,860 --> 00:25:24,860 There's two words in the Bible that are 458 00:25:24,860 --> 00:25:28,500 translated for us into English word. 459 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:33,440 There's the Greek word logos, which means word, 460 00:25:33,700 --> 00:25:37,300 and there's the Greek word rhema, which means 461 00:25:37,300 --> 00:25:40,980 word, and one way that they are commonly 462 00:25:40,980 --> 00:25:44,340 distinguished, we will often say that the logos 463 00:25:44,340 --> 00:25:47,840 is the written Word of God, and the 464 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,200 rhema is the spoken Word of God. 465 00:25:54,760 --> 00:25:56,880 Here's how I distinguish the two. 466 00:25:58,580 --> 00:26:03,040 A logos is a rhema God gave somebody 467 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:03,440 else. 468 00:26:05,220 --> 00:26:07,240 Let me explain what I mean by that. 469 00:26:08,340 --> 00:26:14,600 When the writers of scripture got their download 470 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:18,740 from heaven, it came to them as a 471 00:26:18,740 --> 00:26:18,980 rhema. 472 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:24,900 They were like, whoa, that is incredible. 473 00:26:25,460 --> 00:26:29,100 That rhema set them on fire, and they 474 00:26:29,100 --> 00:26:32,480 put that thing on paper, but when you 475 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,820 got it on paper, it came to you 476 00:26:35,820 --> 00:26:36,920 as a logos. 477 00:26:37,700 --> 00:26:41,040 They got a rhema from heaven, but when 478 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,640 you got it from them on paper, you 479 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:47,500 got it as a logos, because nobody can 480 00:26:47,500 --> 00:26:48,920 give you a rhema. 481 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,480 They can only give you a logos. 482 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:56,600 The only way to get a rhema, you 483 00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,940 have to get it directly from heaven. 484 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:03,760 Not a soul on the planet can give 485 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:04,300 you a rhema. 486 00:27:05,020 --> 00:27:06,400 There's not a book can give you. 487 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:08,160 There's not a conference can give it to 488 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:08,280 you. 489 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:09,480 There's not a speaker. 490 00:27:09,660 --> 00:27:10,600 There's not a pastor. 491 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:11,840 There's not a preacher. 492 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:15,800 Nobody but God can give you a rhema. 493 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,720 Have you ever gotten a rhema from God 494 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,180 and then told it to a friend? 495 00:27:23,620 --> 00:27:28,620 Like you got this rhema, like, yes, that 496 00:27:28,620 --> 00:27:29,960 is it. 497 00:27:30,100 --> 00:27:31,260 That's my answer. 498 00:27:31,580 --> 00:27:34,360 Lord, I've been after this thing for four 499 00:27:34,360 --> 00:27:37,520 years, and that's my answer. 500 00:27:37,900 --> 00:27:39,680 It lights you up like light bulbs. 501 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:40,880 You get on the phone. 502 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,460 You tell your friend, listen to this. 503 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:47,180 God just gave me the answer, and you 504 00:27:47,180 --> 00:27:50,080 tell your friend your rhema, and your friend 505 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:57,580 goes, praise God, and you just want to 506 00:27:57,580 --> 00:27:58,180 slap her. 507 00:27:59,460 --> 00:28:02,040 Is that the best you can manage? 508 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:06,460 I just gave you the hottest download I've 509 00:28:06,460 --> 00:28:09,680 gotten in years from heaven, and that's the 510 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:11,500 most excitement you can muster? 511 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:14,880 Well, remember, you got a rhema. 512 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:17,200 She got a logos. 513 00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:21,840 You get it from heaven, it's rhema. 514 00:28:22,120 --> 00:28:23,280 Share it with somebody else. 515 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:25,500 It gets downgraded to logos. 516 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:29,620 But now, we have a localist right here, 517 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,160 but here's what I've discovered. 518 00:28:34,680 --> 00:28:38,860 The more time you spend in the logos, 519 00:28:39,500 --> 00:28:43,520 the better your chances of getting a rhema. 520 00:28:45,980 --> 00:28:49,180 Now, I just gave you a jewel with 521 00:28:49,180 --> 00:28:50,360 that statement right there. 522 00:28:51,220 --> 00:28:54,480 That's why we pursue the secret place. 523 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,680 That's why we come after the Word of 524 00:28:57,680 --> 00:29:01,280 God, because sometimes the Word can just be 525 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,880 a little bit dull, a little bit logosy, 526 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:04,940 if you know what I mean. 527 00:29:05,240 --> 00:29:07,920 But if you will stay in it, there 528 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,180 will come a time when a rhema will 529 00:29:11,180 --> 00:29:12,300 come to your heart. 530 00:29:12,460 --> 00:29:14,980 Galatians 6 verse 8, he who sows to 531 00:29:14,980 --> 00:29:17,020 the flesh will reap of the flesh corruption, 532 00:29:17,020 --> 00:29:20,020 but he who sows to the Spirit will 533 00:29:20,020 --> 00:29:23,340 of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 534 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:26,400 And if you will sow to the secret 535 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:29,540 place, beloved, I think I can say this 536 00:29:29,540 --> 00:29:33,760 with confidence, sow to the secret place, you 537 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,620 will eventually reap to the secret place. 538 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,980 God will give you a rhema, and once 539 00:29:41,980 --> 00:29:46,260 you get a rhema from heaven, you're hooked. 540 00:29:47,660 --> 00:29:51,500 Once God feeds your spirit with the living 541 00:29:51,500 --> 00:29:56,120 Word from heaven, oh, you will become awakened 542 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:58,900 to the glory and the wonder. 543 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:01,280 This is such a remarkable book. 544 00:30:01,580 --> 00:30:02,940 I love this book. 545 00:30:03,260 --> 00:30:05,740 Every time I get depressed, I come back 546 00:30:05,740 --> 00:30:06,420 to this book. 547 00:30:06,640 --> 00:30:09,520 You cannot get depressed reading the Bible. 548 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:11,500 It is such an awesome book. 549 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,960 In fact, the most depressing chapter in the 550 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:17,400 Bible, I think Psalm 88. 551 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,520 I used to think Psalm 88 was one 552 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,480 of the most depressing chapters in the whole 553 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,580 Bible, because it starts with pain, it's filled 554 00:30:25,580 --> 00:30:27,600 with pain, and it ends with a cry 555 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:28,080 of pain. 556 00:30:28,420 --> 00:30:29,780 That's all Psalm 88 is. 557 00:30:29,980 --> 00:30:32,600 There's no thanksgiving, there's no praise, there's no 558 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,000 joy, there's no hope. 559 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:36,720 There is just one massive cry of pain. 560 00:30:37,260 --> 00:30:38,980 I used to think it was a morbid 561 00:30:38,980 --> 00:30:41,540 Psalm, but when I found myself in the 562 00:30:41,540 --> 00:30:44,320 throes of depression, I came to Psalm 88, 563 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:49,220 and I realized the Scripture validates a place 564 00:30:49,220 --> 00:30:51,960 in God where all you feel is pain, 565 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:54,780 all you see is blackness, and all you've 566 00:30:54,780 --> 00:30:57,360 got are tears, and there's a Psalm to 567 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,520 validate being in that kind of blackness, and 568 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:03,180 even in your darkest hour, the Word of 569 00:31:03,180 --> 00:31:06,760 God encourages you and says, God has a 570 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,920 purpose even in this darkness, and He will 571 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:10,800 bring you through. 572 00:31:11,140 --> 00:31:12,340 I love this book. 573 00:31:12,700 --> 00:31:13,960 It lifts my heart. 574 00:31:14,220 --> 00:31:15,240 It empowers me. 575 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:16,200 It's my life. 576 00:31:16,460 --> 00:31:17,380 It's my sanity. 577 00:31:17,740 --> 00:31:18,780 It's our source. 578 00:31:19,100 --> 00:31:22,320 Beloved, I pray for you and awakening to 579 00:31:22,320 --> 00:31:23,020 the Word of God. 580 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:24,300 Let's just pray right now. 581 00:31:24,380 --> 00:31:27,260 Lord Jesus, I am asking that you would 582 00:31:27,260 --> 00:31:30,240 awaken the Church of Jesus Christ in this 583 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:30,580 hour. 584 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,660 I am asking that you would use somehow 585 00:31:33,660 --> 00:31:36,700 in a small way even this course, this 586 00:31:36,700 --> 00:31:38,360 book, Secrets of the Secret Place. 587 00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:41,560 Would you help us in our discussion groups? 588 00:31:41,940 --> 00:31:45,780 Would you empower your people to be awakened 589 00:31:45,780 --> 00:31:49,720 to the joy and the glory of a 590 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:54,320 secret place, living relationship with you and your 591 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:54,820 Word? 592 00:31:55,140 --> 00:31:56,840 I ask you to do it.