Lessons From the Secret Place - Lesson 2: God is calling us out of the Boat
God has been speaking to me about going deeper with him. This has been a recurring theme in my secret place encounters of late. Today I felt the Lord speak to me about what that looks like and why it is necessary. I want to share that message with you.
God wants to take us into deeper levels of revelation and knowledge in him.
Webster 1828 dictionary defines revelation as: The act of disclosing or discovering to others what was before unknown to them; appropriately, the disclosure or communication of truth to men by God himself, or by his authorized agents, the prophets and apostles.
Knowledge is defined as: learning; illumination of mind.
Ephesians 1:17-19, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might. (ESV)
In the secret place Holy Spirit might illuminate scripture to us bringing deeper or new revelation about its meaning or application to our current situation. He may also speak a word directly to our hearts. Both events bring greater revelation and knowledge from God to our hearts.
As we listen to Holy Spirit and allow this revelation to penetrate deep into our soul, it will develop within us deeper wisdom, faith, hope, peace, joy, and trust. Of course, every word we receive must be tested by how it aligns with the written word. God will never tell us something that is not compatible with the written Word.
He is calling us to get out to the boat. The boat illustrates for us our place of comfort and “safety”. Safety is defined as: Freedom from danger or hazard. Only our loving, Savior can truly keep us safe. All our best attempts fall flat when compared to his powerful, protective hand. It is safer outside the boat with Jesus, than in the boat on our own. Of course he never leaves us and if we stubbornly choose to stay in the boat, he will be with us but we will likely face rougher seas than if we had been obedient and walked with him!
He is calling his bride out onto the deep waters. The deep waters represent the world: the lost and broken. He is calling us to a place where we are in over our head. Where the only way we can walk on the water is through total dependance upon him.
As we climb out of the boat, we must keep our eyes fixed on him. If we do, we will be able to walk on the water together with Jesus. The path we are taking may be forged with trials and testing. It might seem tight and steep, but we must remember, Jesus has already walked this way before.
Deuteronomy 31:8, The Lord, He goes before you. He will be with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you. Do not fear, nor be dismayed.” (MEV)
Deuteronomy 1:30a, The Lord your God who goes before you, He shall fight for you. (MEV)
Isaiah 45:2, I will go before you and level the mountains [to make the crooked places straight]; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron. (AMPC)
God is famous for caring and preparing us for greater things. He walks ahead to fight the battles we fear we can't win. He calms the seas we're convinced we can't beat. He softens the blows we worry will take us down. He knows our road.
God knows where the refreshing streams are. He also knows where the quiet meadows are. He has mapped out the path and will guide us one step at a time if we will yield our will to his and follow his leading.
Psalm 23:2, He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. (AMPC)
In each of our lives we can look back and see how the hand of the Lord has been with us, even when we were not aware of his protection. It might be good to ask Holy Spirit to bring some of the situations to your mind. We are not looking back at them to allow the enemy to bring condemnation (there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ), rather we want to be reminded of the times God has rescued, preserved, sustained, and provided for us. These are stones of remembrance to remind us that in every situation God has raised a standard for us against the enemy and we came out victorious! They serve to demonstrate God’s faithfulness throughout our lives.
Isaiah 59:19, So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
God is calling his bride to take her place of authority and anointing. He is creating a mighty army that will tread upon the enemy and take new ground.
This morning as I listened the Father said, “We (Jesus and his righteous remnant: those who are willing, obedient, and walk in humility and authority) will reclaim stolen ground and rebuild our rule and reign here on earth.
Once we have taken all the ground I have designated, I will send my Son with a shout and the trumpet blast. He will come to carry his bride to the new home he has prepared for her. The eternal kingdom of which there will be NO END!!!
Come away with Me! Step out of the boat and walk with me on the water, My Beloved!”
Father,
I thank you for speaking to your people. I thank you for your faithfulness to us through every season. I ask you, Holy Spirit, to illuminate your Word to our hearts and minds. Reveal fresh truths and direction to each of us. May we all be obedient to your call to get out of the boat. May we learn what it means to totally depend on you, and may we hear your voice as you lead and guide us. Teach us to walk on the water, keeping our focus on Jesus rather than the cares of life. Help us to always remember that our God is walking with us each step of the way and that you have already been down these paths before. Lead us to streams of refreshing and peaceful meadows where we can rest in your presence and be refilled, refueled, and refreshed. I ask all of this in the Matchless, Powerful Name of Jesus!
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