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Thursday, September 24, 2015

Grow by reading: "Secrets of the Secret Place" - by Bob Sorge




Hi! It's been a little longer than usual.


I haven't been writing much lately. I've been busy with transitions at work and home. But the truth is, I didn't feel like writing, because I didn't feel I had anything valuable to say. I was in a mood, complaining, whining, pissy... You can't influence people for good or God in that mood.

My wife was kind enough to reorganize the house and put a comfy chair in my office. OK, it might be that she just wanted me to go away in that mood... but it was still great! This has become my prayer chair.

I've been reading:





This may be one of the most profound books I've ever read. I want to give a special thanks to my friend Allen for giving me this book. I don't know if I would have picked it up off the shelf naturally, and it's been a profound help.

As with many books, if I'd read it some time ago I may not have thought so. You have to be open and ready to grow. The book is divided into 52 mini-chapters of about three pages each. You could read straight through, or you could read one each morning or evening. I've been dong a bit of both.

Bob Sorge's insights into prayer have unlocked a new dimension to my prayer life. I've only touched the outside of the the tip of the iceberg, but I can sense a new season has already arrived. I'm not even half way through the book.

I'm not going to outline the book, or re-write it for you here. Every chapter was important so far. Go pick it up and read it!

But I do want to draw out some things that really stood out to me in this season of transition I'm going through.

I wanted to share some lesson's with you that I've picked up along the way so far:

Chapter 3: The secret of listening

Hearing God's voice has become the singular quest of my heart, the sole pursuit that alone satisfies the great longings of my heart. Things don't change when I talk to God: Thins change when God talks to me. So the power of prayer is found not in convincing God of my agenda, but in waiting upon Him to hear His agenda. 
'nough said

Chapter 4: The secret of radical obedience


The New Testament word for obedience, huakoe, is a compound word from two Greek words. Hupo "under", and Akouo "hear". To obey God is to "hear under".
Devotion to the secret place is the saint's first great act of obedience. 

If you haven't heard God, you have nothing to obey. You cannot obey God until you have heard God, and put yourself under that thing you heard.


Chapter 8: The secret of decision making


Intimacy precedes insight. Passion precedes purpose. First comes the secret place, then comes divine guidance. God doesn't simply want to get you on the right path, He wants to enjoy you throughout the journey. 
God's primary desire for your life is not that you discover His will and walk in it; His primary desire is that you draw near to HIM and come to know Him. 
God wants to be known!
And then He desires that from that knowing relationship there come a tender walking together in His purpose. 

My God. My Father (Daddy-Relationship), My Lover (the lover of my soul)... God is not a king that demands his servants serve Him. He is a Daddy who wants to be with his kids. Jesus is a husband that wants to be with his bride. This is the heart God has for you... and me. One of passion and pursuit.

God wants your heart, he wants you, not just your obedience.


Chapter 10: The secret of burning


OK... I was about to just write this WHOLE chapter out, because so far this one has had the greatest impact. Every word is awesome! God read it. Here is the biggest part:
The secret to staying ablaze for Jesus is not in responding to alter calls (as good as those are); it's not in having someone lay hands on you and pray for you (as valid as that is); it's not in listening to a good teaching tape or the latest worship CD; the only sure source for staying white-hot is in devoting yourself consistently to the place-of-the-shut-door. It's the place where the "spirit of burning" (Isaiah 4:4) ignites your soul as you gaze upon His glory with an unveiled face (2 Cor 3:18).

I've been to so many alter calls I feel like my knees wear out, but with no LASTING change. I dull down before the week is out. Sometimes before the service is out. I've grown numb to them. I don't feel anything anymore much of the time.

I thought this was a bad thing, a sign of my growing cold to God. At some level it might be that. I've been mad at God for a long time about certain things. But now I realize a deeper truth. The coldness, and the mad at God are symptoms, not root causes. Those will simply burn away in his presence through CONSISTENT time spent in his presence.

Chapter 12: The secret of humility

Prayerlessness is the first sign of prideful independence.

Chapter 13: The secret of intercession


As a body feels pain, and that is a signal to repair and replace... so THE BODY of CHRIST should feel pain in it's members. The disease of leprosy causes a deadening of the nerves so that the body doesn't feel pain. If the hand is burning the body doesn't react to stop it. For many churches, we have spiritual leprosy, the churches nerves are dead. If we do not feel the pain of our members (people hurting in our midst) than we cannot react to repair damage, and replace lost things.
Intersession is a response to pain.

If I know someone is hurting, I should go before God and intercede for them. I should also go before those demonic spirits and DEMAND they loose my brother or sister. I have the authority in Christ Jesus, I should be using it for others not just myself.


Chapter 15: The secret of radiation therapy


You don't know you're being exposed to radiation when it first happens. People who get sun-burned don't realize they've been exposed to excessive radiation until after the damage is done. The effects of radiation are always delayed. The same is true of God's glory. When you spend time in His presence, you first thought is, "This isn't accomplishing anything." However, if you will believe the truth and just devote yourself to mega-amounts of time in His presence, the effects of spending time with Him will eventually manifest... You start to think differently, and you don't even know why. 

That's all the things I wanted to share today. If you have a desire for, or even an inkling that you could benefit from, a deeper relationship with God through prayer... you need this book!

Shalom!





Your Turn:


What's the most profound, or impactful, thing you've learned about prayer. It could be about prayer, or how to do prayer. Share your thoughts with me. 

Comment on this post, or Hit me up on Twitter @DarrellWolfe , Google +DarrellWolfe, Facebook DarrellGWolfe, Etc...



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By Darrell Wolfe





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Written September 24, 2015 by Darrell G Wolfe

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