Jubilee 2024 Jim Baker Thursday Night

Message Date: August 1, 2024
Bible

You Cannot Replace the Secret Place

 

Do you remember building a fort as a kid?

-a secret hideout?

 

I remember as a kid, we moved to Kentucky. I had a friend named Keith Donnelly.

-That was at the time when you rode your bikes everywhere and just had to be back by dark. 

 

One day we went exploring in the woods and we found this abandoned tree house.

-It seemed like a skyscraper to a 5th grader.

 

It was bandaged together with some 2 x 4’s, plywood, nails, and some grandma’s prayers,

-I’m not sure how it stayed up.

 

This became our secret hideout. 

-We would go there after school and on weekends and have adventures.

-We named it “The Fortress of Solitude”

 

We pretended we were Tarzan.

-we used sticks as sniper rifles to fend off the enemy.

-we carved things in the tree with our pocketknives

-we imagined fending off attacks from birds and wild animals.

 

Now, we had a stash of rocks up there to defend the fort,

-buckets of dirty water from creek,

-we had a rope to get down in case the steps broke,

You can just about see it, can’t you?

 

One day while we were in our secret fortress, 

-some older kids from another school, 

-some bullies came and decided they wanted to take over the fort.

 

They stood at the base of the treehouse and made some threats. 

 

Little did they realize that Keith and I had prepared for such an emergency…

 

You know what, I’m going to continue that story a little later…

 

TURN TO 2 Kings 9

 

I want us to realize something today: Every dream of your heart will be met in the Secret Place.

 

You won’t go farther in your calling or destiny than you have gone deep in your relationship with God.

 

Psalm 91:1 (NKJV)

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

The psalmist talks about dwelling in the secret place

-intimate place with God where you are under His wing

 

Matthew 6:6 (NKJV)

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 New Testament was written in Greek and the word “room” or sometimes translated as “closet” means an “inner chamber” or a “secret room.”

 

In the Hebrew mind, the prayer closet or secret place is not a room in a house—

-although it can be great to have a physical space set aside to meet with God.

 

The Secret Place is God Himself

-It is not so much a physical location, but a posture of your heart towards God

-It is a time of intimacy with God, totally set apart from anyone else. 

 

 Have you seen a Jewish prayer shawl?

 

[slide]

 

Most Jewish men in Jesus’ day would have owned one.

 

The Jews call it a tallit, which means “little tent.”

 

The idea is that when you cover your head, you have your own little tent for prayer. 

-This is a time of intimacy with God—totally set apart from anyone else.

 

This is your “secret place.”

-This is your prayer closet. 

 

(ILL) When we were in Israel at the Western Wall in Jerusalem with crowds of people praying all kinds of prayers, many had on a tallit which became their secret place where one can meet God face to face. 

 

You can create space in your life to close the door and commune with God—friend to friend. 

 

pray to your Father who is in the secret place

 

This is the place where you meet the Father—and this orphaned planet is desperate for a revelation of our good Father

 

You cannot replace the secret place.

 

And get this: you are rewarded openly for what you do in secret with the Father

 

David killed a lion and a bear when no one was looking so that he could kill a giant when two whole nations were looking.

 

Most of what we need to learn, We need to learn alone.

 

It’s easy for me to lay hands on somebody for impartation…

-but it’s impossible to impart to someone my history with God.

 

History is primarily in the secret place…when nobody is watching.

 

(ILL) Randy Clark story of lady going to minister to a lady named Beverly, the Lord told her, “Beverly just got a new washer and dryer.”

-she waited for the punchline—some prophetic significance,

-she was thinking maybe it was an answer to prayer.

 

“Lord, why did you tell me that?”

“Friends like to talk.”

 

That story wrecked me.

 

What if your seeking didn’t just look like asking?

-What if 90% of your prayer life was just fellowship with the “Father who knows what you need before you ask Him”

 

SETTING: (of 2 Kings 9)

    • Elijah was a prophet during the time of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel—he warred against them
    • Dark time for Israel—sexual immorality, worship of idols, putting the prophets to death
    • Elijah goes up to heaven and passes on his mantle to his protégé, Elisha
  • Elisha starts a “School of the Prophets” (Israel’s OT version of CSSM)
  • Ahab is dead, but Jezebel is still alive and now Elisha anoints Jehu as the King of Israel

 

2 Kings 9:1-10 (ESV)

Then Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Tie up your garments, and take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when you arrive, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi. And go in and have him rise from among his fellows, and lead him to an inner chamber. Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the Lord, I anoint you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and flee; do not linger.”

So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came, behold, the commanders of the army were in council. And he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “To which of us all?” And he said, “To you, O commander.” So he arose and went into the house. And the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, I anoint you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LordFor the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.” Then he opened the door and fled.

 

“THE CALL”

Growing up, testimonies of when someone received “The Call”

-Be a pastor or missionary

 

TRUTH: Every single one of you are called to change the world.

 

Every single one of you are called to lead in whatever sphere you are,

  • business
  • education
  • family
  • government
  • arts and entertainment
  • Media
  • Church world
  • Health care
  • Technology

 

Every single one of you are called to carry the Presence of God wherever you go and to sustain impossible invasions of heaven to earth.

 

Not everyone is called to lead at a national level,

-but everyone is called to lead locally and to be a part of a team that is leading locally, nationally and changing the world. 

 

“Disciple Nations”

-Not just for a select group while the rest waste their lives on something insignificant.

 

What separates you from the history makers is the “yes.”

 

God is speaking to everyone. God is calling everyone.

-What separates you is not your calling.

-It is your response to your call that separates you.

 

Elisha tells the prophet to go find Jehu and speak to him that he is going to shift this nation. 

-But he must separate himself to an inner room.

-that is the requirement.

 

Listen: You cannot replace the secret place.

 

There is a Bible verse that says, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22)

 

Hasn’t that verse ever bugged you?

-What if I am called, but not chosen?

-Can I move from chosen to just called?

-Can I move from called to chosen? How? 

 

CONTEXT: Invitation to wedding banquet for a son.

 

Those who are chosen are the ones who choose.

-they say “yes” to the invitation.

 

(ILL) I hate moving

-Convinced hell will be filled with cardboard boxes and moving them around for all of eternity

 

Hate the packing, the giant Uhaul, 

-furniture through doorways that don’t fit, 

-banging your hands on the doorway

 

Worse: helping other people move. 

 

“Will you give up an entire Saturday for a few slices of pizza?”

 

Problem: in America, helping your friend move is the litmus test of a friendship.

 

“Many are called”

-You send out the FB announcement

-You try to think up the excuses

 

“Few are chosen”

-Those who raise their hand are chosen

“I choose you”

 

To choose you is not the call.

-Many are called, but few are chosen because few raise their hand. 

 

The way you get chosen in the Kingdom is you say “yes” to the call.

-You raise your hand. 

-I’m all in. Whatever it takes.

 

(ILL) Katherine Kuhlman, “I believe I am God’s third choice. The two men God chose before me didn’t respond.”

-she raised her hand and responded–she was chosen.

 

PRINCIPLE FOR INTERPRETING OLD TESTAMENT:

Things that happened physically in the Old Testament often represent spiritual truths in the New Testament

  • Circumcision
  • Slavery to Egypt to freedom (slavery to sin)
  • Crossed the Red Sea—water baptism
  • Promised Land—Abundant life
  • Sabbath–rest in the finished works of Jesus
  • Killing enemies (who could not be redeemed)—dealing ruthlessly with the enemies of our soul
  • Separating himself to a physical inner room to receive an anointing and a commission…

 

Jehu needed to separate himself into that inner chamber because God wanted to release something to him.

 

I LOVE CORPORATE GATHERINGS

Things happen in gatherings like this, conferences, trainings that don’t happen in other places.

 

BUT, there is something found in the secret place that isn’t available anywhere else. 

-That is why it is called “Secret”—there are things that will happen there between you and God that is just between the two of you.

 

(ILL) There is a rare and endangered animal called the Amur Leopard [SLIDE]

-found in the Primorye region of Russia

-In 2007 only 20-25 still alive.

 

If you had a burning desire to see this Leopard in the wild, you could go all over the world if you like.

-US, Canada, Europe, Australia, China

 

But you will not find it anywhere except the Primorye region of Russia.

 

There is an anointing that is released to you that you can only get in the secret place. 

-You can go all over the world, from conference to conference where hands are laid on you.

 

But you won’t find it anywhere but the secret place

-the inner chamber of prayer.

 

A key thing you will find in the inner room of prayer is God and an anointing of His presence.

 

Jehu separates himself to the inner room of prayer and the first thing that happens is oil is poured out on him. 

 

Many people say they are having a hard time finding God.

-He is not hard to find. 

-He is in the secret place. 

 

Matthew 6:7, “And when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.”

 

Get away from the distractions—shut them out—and meet Him in the secret place.

 

God is calling and then He asks, Will you separate yourself?

-Because it is in the inner room that I have something for you.”

 

(ILL) Lately, feel a pulling

-to go into my office to my little couch and pray

-It’s like He is waiting there for me

 

So many things war against it.

-As soon as I decide to separate myself, everything changes.

 

The most significant thing you will find in the secret place is God Himself. 

-then there will be an anointing He pours out on your life. 

 

If you and I are going to shape the culture of this region and disciple a nation,

-We are going to need to be smeared with His presence. 

 

(ILL) Moses was not prepared in the courts of Pharoah, but in the desert alone with God.

(ILL) David was not prepared in the King’s palace, but in the field where he got adjusted,

-tuned to what really matters

-able to hear God’s voice and know what He is like

 

(ILL) Paul was not prepared as the apostle to the Gentiles in the temple under the rabbis, but in the Arabian desert alone with God for three years 

 

God develops your life in secret, not on stage.

 

Isaiah 49:2 (NIV)

…in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver.

 

He hides you in the palm of His hand and makes you into a polished arrow

 

(ILL) Story of the arrow in the quiver

 

It is in the Secret Place of prayer that the Lord begins to develop your life and anoint your life

-so He can send you out as a polished arrow

 

God not only anoints you in the Secret Place, He reveals His story to you.

 

There is a story of God that is unfolding across the earth, America, 

-Oklahoma, 

-the Durant region Ohio

 

The prophet comes and anoints Jehu, 

-and then tells him the story of what God is about to do in the nation.

 

As believers, we need to know the story of what God is doing right now.

 

(ILL) Have you ever read a book or watched a movie and you were just lost?

 

Like the third Matrix move…

 

It’s hard to be discouraged in the secret place because God tells you what He is going to do.

 

(ILL) Hulk vs. Iron Sheik (every match)

January 23, 1984

Hulk Hogan fresh off of Rocky 3

-Favorite guy gets beat up, bad guy celebrating and all of a sudden guy on mat starts stirring, gets up on one knee, bad guy shocked, good guy wins

 

You know he is down, but wait until the end of the story.

-He is getting up.

-It’s on now.

 

You look at our nation and it is easy to get discouraged.

-Unrighteousness in our leaders

 

But when you get in the secret place, “This is the best part. 

– evil may be gloating. It’s not the end of the story. 

-It’s the middle of the story.”

 

We don’t pray what we see.

-We pray what He tells us.

 

We don’t operate from what we see on the news.

-We operate from what He tells us in the secret place, “I am about the dethrone Jezebel and wipe out the house of Ahab.”

 

It doesn’t matter what I see with my eyes, 

-I know what He told me in the Secret Place when I separated myself.

 

Just to complete the story:

  • Jehu and his men ride out to and kill the evil kings of Israel and Judah

 

2 Kings 9:16-20 (ESV)

16 Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to visit Joram.

17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came and said, “I see a company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send to meet them, and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18 So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me.” And the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus the king has said, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu answered, “What do you have to do with peace? Turn around and ride behind me.” 20 Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

  • Jehu had such a zeal for the Lord that even the way he drove was recognizable

  • How many of you, that is your excuse for the way you drive “furiously”?
  • “Officer, the spirit of Jehu came upon me!”
  • Executes Jezebel
  • Rides up to the window of her castle, has the servant throw her down, his horses trample on her body and the next verse says, “Then he went in and ate and drank.”
  • Dogs eat her body so there is nothing left—which Elisha had prophesied would happen
  • Executes Ahab’s 70 sons in Samaria
  • Wrote letters to the elders and leaders of the city, said if you are with me, bring me their heads
  • They did
  • 2 Kings 10:15-16 (ESV)

 

15 And when he departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. And he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart true to my heart as mine is to yours?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand. And Jehu took him up with him into the chariot. 16 And he said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord.” So he had him ride in his chariot.

 

“Officer, it was my zeal for the Lord…”

 

see my Zeal for the Lord—took him for a ride

  • Pretended he was zealous for Baal, kills all the prophets of Baal and worshippers of Baal

 

2 Kings 10:27-28 (ESV)

And they demolished the pillar of Baal, and demolished the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day. Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. 

 

One man wiped out Baal worship in all of Israel. 

 

Here was a man, doing his job, but at the call of God, 

-he separated himself to an inner chamber

-was anointed, 

-was commissioned

-and out of that did great exploits.

 

It may look like the good guy is down.

-But it is not the end of the story. 

 

God has called many, but few are chosen.

 

We don’t just need better programs, structure, and methods. 

-We need people willing to give themselves fully to the Secret Place of Prayer until their lives are anointed with a word from God. 

 

From there He will send you with an authority on your life you’ve never had before. 

 

It’s not about spending one hour, ten minutes or whatever. 

-It’s you raising your hand and saying, “Teach me to pray.”

 

God is calling people because He intends to shift a city.

-Some have a heart for Hollywood. 

-God is about to shift Hollywood.

 

Jesus was consistently pulling Himself away to the inner room of prayer. 

 

CLOSING: 

 

The Rest of the Story…

 

So there we were, in our Fortress of Solitude. 

 

The bullies were down below and told us that they were going to take over the fortress

-they made some physical threats

 

We decided to protect our Secret Place. 

 

As the first bully yelled something like, “Fine, then I’ll come up there and make you leave” we proceeded to baptize him with buckets of dirty creek water on his head.

-He was discouraged and quit climbing.

 

A second bully started making the ascension,

-and much to his surprise, we began to rain down rocks upon his body like daggers from the sky.

 

They tried to return fire with a few small stones they could scavenge, but we had the superior position.

 

Once they realized they were outgunned, they ran like scalded cats and never returned.  

 

We protected our secret place,

-And you will have to protect yours as well. 

 

(ILL) If you ever want to see if the devil is real, just try to plan for some secret place time and watch all hell break loose to keep you from it.

 

There will be distractions.

There will be fatigue.

There will be emotions that try to bully you to give up your secret place.

 

You cannot replace the secret place.

 

When you separate yourself to the Secret Place

-you will hear the call of God

-be anointed 

-get commissioned

-and out of that do great exploits. 

 

ACTIVATION:

Where in your life can you carve out some unhurried, unfrenzied time to be alone with God?

 

(ILL) John Wesley’s mom, who raised 19 kids, would sit in her chair and throw her apron over her head to find that place. 

 

Where in your life can you carve out some unhurried, unfrenzied time to be alone with God?

 

This isn’t works, it’s wisdom.

It isn’t earning, it’s enjoying. 

 

LECTIO

  • Speak Lord, for your servant is listening  
  • Word of phrase
  • How it connects to your life right now
  • Call to action 

 

Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 

39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 

40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. 

She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 

42 but only one thing is needed

Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”