"He who
dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed
under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].
—Psalms 91:1
(The Amplified Bible)
ab
Spending
quality time with God—being in His presence in private and personal worship is the most precious and
important part of a Christian's life. This should be private time spent in
prayer, praise and worship, studying the Bible, meditating (thinking) on Him
and even just sitting silently before Him. Being in the presence of the Lord
on a regular and consistent basis makes a difference in one’s attitude,
altitude, and for certain one’s perspective on life in general. In essence,
finding your secret place in the presence of God will determine whether you
live in victory or defeat!
There are still too many unstable, insecure and uncertain Christians! They
are insecure about who they are and where they belong. They are uncertain as
to what they believe. They are unaware of their spiritual inheritance, and
ignorant concerning their possessions in Christ. As a result, they live
beneath their privileges in the natural and certainly in the supernatural
realm. To live beneath one’s privilege as a Christian equates to not having
a sure foundation in Christ—your life not being hidden in Christ. In other
words, not having found your place of security, which comes from being in
the presence of God, causes you to become open prey for the enemy because
you have no supernatural protection.
"Press into His presence" is not some cute, religious church jargon. It
speaks of a progressive course of action that Christians should take, as
well as an attitude that is absolutely essential in order to experience
spiritual growth—Christ-like character, godly conduct and contentment.
Usually, going through a process of any kind is unwelcome by most people
merely because of the time factor involved. It's not instantaneous!
Unfortunately, many Christians have been deceived into believing that
instantaneous success is achievable and is the norm in our fast-paced
society. But this is not so for those who hunger and thirst for the glory of
God's presence and power in their life above all else. Consequently, it’s a
decision. It is a choice!
To press into God's presence requires self-discipline and determination. It
is a 'press' because of the antagonism between the Spirit and our human
nature (flesh, Galatians 5:17). This resistance comes disguised as
distractions, interruptions and pressures of life, but mostly due to the
dominant and controlling area of one's life—the sinful nature (flesh).
Pressing into God's presence requires not only time, but also effort and
mind exertion for elevation above the many distractions and interruptions in
the course of a day. Therefore, we must resolve to train ourselves until
spending time in the presence of the Lord becomes a part of our lifestyle
just like everything else we do in the course of a day or week. Although
distractions keep us from spending time with God, it is not the real
culprit.
For many Christians, a lack of interest is the reason for not spending time
with God and finding their secret place in Him. Many are satisfied with
being mediocre and indifferent in their spiritual walk. They are blind to
their instability, uncertainty, ignorance and insecurities. This becomes a
scapegoat and an excuse wherein they justify their own pleasure seeking
desires. They substitute sensual pleasures for eternal treasures. Mediocrity
and indifference among Christians promotes self-gratification and
self-indulgence in things that will prove detrimental in the end— a small
three-letter word called “sin.”
This can be likened to the adult parent-child relationship experiences.
Oftentimes, because of experience, parents will try to advise their children
to keep them from making the same mistakes they did. However, the child is
only interested in doing what they desire, no matter the danger or potential
for danger. Of course, after failing to heed the advice of their parents, by
ignoring their warnings, disregarding their experiences, and out right
disobedience, they suffer the unpleasant consequences of their actions. Then
and only then do they realize the error of their ways. And thus, the
familiar confession, "I should have listened to you!" Instead of making an
"after-the-fact" confession, we could avoid a lot of unpleasant experiences
if we would listen to the voice of experience and grasp the promises of God,
such as the one in Psalms 91:1-2.
The writer says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall
remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe
can withstand]. I will say of the Lord, he is my Refuge, and my Fortress, my
God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!”— Amplified
Bible.
Physical and/or natural protection immediately comes to mind when reading
this scripture. However, while meditating on this passage I found that it
speaks intrinsically of mental and emotional protection. In essence, the
mind will be protected if you stay and ‘take refuge’ in presence of God—a
place hidden and secure— a place that protects my mind, body and soul
(spirit). Stability is first a state of mind. If the mind is unstable, one’s
actions and attitude will reflect his instability, and insecurities in his
lifestyle.
Perhaps, this perspective gives insight into the instability and insecurity
among many Christians today. A combination of distractions and disinterest
has stunted spiritual growth. As a result, we suffer the consequences
directly and indirectly in our society as a whole, in our communities, our
families and homes. Basically, too many Christians are spending less time
with God and more time with things that satisfy their natural desires and
fit into personal agendas. This explains how a Christian can go to church
every Sunday, bible study every Wednesday, choir rehearsal every Friday, and
fellowship meetings monthly, and have no change in character or conduct.
But the hour is coming and now is that there will be no substitute for the
things of the Spirit and security and protection that comes only from God
Almighty. The need to press into His presence and find a secret place in Him
may very well be a matter of life and death, literally.
Finding a secure and secret place in God will provide the mental and
emotional protection needed to conquer the challenges ahead. It is my prayer
that everyone reading this article will evaluate and examine themselves by
asking the question: “Do I have a secret place in God?” The good news is
that each of us can find our secret place when we practice being in His
presence. One’s secret place may be in personal praise and worship, another
may be in lying prostrate before Him, yet another maybe in the stillness of
the night, tears flowing softly or just sitting quietly and listening to
hear His voice… Yet, for others circumstances and conditions may force
them to press into His presence to find peace and comfort.
I encourage you; moreover, I implore you to press into His presence through
the power and strength of the Holy Spirit so that you can find that secret
place of refuge and shelter against the enemy of your mind, body and soul.
In Him alone must we confidently trust! I am. How about you?
ab
Copyright
2003 Queen E. F. Phillips. All rights
reserved. NOT-FOR-PROFIT use only requires prior written permission from the
author.
Credit must be given to copyright owner.
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