God is about good things. He is the Father of lights and a good, good God. If we really love God, we would obey His commands (Matthew 7:24-27). This love causes us to desire nothing else but to please the One who has our heart. This love causes to go to the secret place. God desires to give us the keys to the secret place. The secret place is more than a location. It is a lifestyle. It is an activity of the heart. It doesn’t matter where you are. If you draw near to God, He will draw near to you.
When we are in the secret place, there is shade. Under the shadow of His wings, we are covered from the heat of the day. There is no need to be frustrated and overworked. The secret place is the key to anything that we do in the eternal.
In Acts 10, we read the about the life of the centurion, Cornelius. He was a man that reflected everything that was written in Matthew 5-7. He had qualities in his life that made him accountable and was one who walked up rightly. God is calling us to walk up rightly. Every day we are to carry our cross and die to the flesh. There is a need for us to be delivered daily. The supreme goal of our lives is to be transformed into the image of Christ.
Cornelius was a man of compassion. He gathered his family and friends around him. He was not consumed with his desires. He was concerned about others. There was no exclusivity in his life. He lived a life of generosity. It is better to give than to receive. We can’t be afraid to step out and help others. Give what you have, whether small or big. God will provide. There is no need to worry, just obey. God is in the secret place waiting on us. We can go to Him.
Key #4
Cornelius prayed unceasingly. He prayed continuously to God. Prayer is a conversation with you and God (Psalm 141:2, Psalm 145:18, Romans 12:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Philippians 4:6, 1 Timothy 2:8, James 5:13). Prayer must become a part of our lives. This is where we encounter God. We can’t say that we are Christians and only live a life of Christianity on Sundays. Prayer must be an everyday thing. It is a lifestyle. Jesus is an example of one who prayed day and night (Luke 6:12, Luke 18:1).
Key #5
Cornelius fasted daily (Acts 10:32). Fasting was a part of his lifestyle. It was not a tradition or a religious act but a desire of the heart. Cornelius was moved by God to seek Him out. He had no desire for food or anything else. His one desire was God.
Fasting gives clarity from confusion (Esther 4:16, Daniel 10:3). If we are confused and feel lost, then we need to fast and draw nigh unto God. He will give us wisdom and revelation. Fasting brings breakthrough. It brings about change to the atmosphere and our current situation. When we live a life of fasting, things are restored and reversed. The enemy wants to hang us and our purpose but when we fast, we bring change in the spiritual realm. Fasting releases spiritual momentum. It empties us of ourselves. Fasting aligns our thoughts with His. We begin to focus on the things of God. God is our greatest reward. He is all that we need.
It’s time to shut your door. Go into the secret place and hide yourself. Don’t be consumed by the eyes and opinion of men. God is in secret and He will reward us openly (Matthew 6:5-6). We must ask ourselves what is our motivation behind our actions. What are our true intentions? Are we doing it to glorify God or to get the attention of men? God does not look at the outward appearance but He looks at the heart. We have to shut the door to the enemy and sin. We have to shut the door to self inflation. Self inflation is really pride where we think that it is only about us and we’re the only ones who have it. We have shut the door to pride.
