When I was about 15 or 16 years old, living in the hostel of a Christian high school in Ibadan, our Mama (the proprietress of the school) came into the girls’ dormitory to address some challenges we were facing. I vividly remember her sharing Psalm 91 with us and encouraging us to recite it regularly. During my time at school, when I had nightmares, I would wake up in fear, but as soon as I recited Psalm 91, the nightmares would stop, and I would fall back asleep in peace.
As I grew older, I had Psalm 91 memorized and could recite it without opening my Bible. Recently, I woke up from a nightmare, overwhelmed with fear, glancing at my door certain that what I had seen in the dream might come true. I stayed in that state for a while, reminding myself that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but still feeling paralyzed. Eventually, I gathered the courage to grab the remote, turn on the TV, and put on a sermon by Apostle Arome Osayi. This helped me regain some strength and push my anxious thoughts away.
Apostle Osayi was speaking about the condition of our hearts, and out of curiosity, I asked God to show me the state of mine, so I could better understand where I stood with Him. As I drifted back to sleep, I had an unexpected yet deeply significant experience—something I had carried with me for a long time was revealed. After a quiet conversation with God, wondering how my heart could be renewed, He led me to Psalm 91:1. I felt called to explore it with a deeper focus than I ever had before. I believe God’s grace covered me during the times I didn’t fully understand this chapter but still had the faith to pray it consistently. Now, he was using it as a heart check.
Psalm 91:1 says, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Apostle Joshua Selman shares that while God is omnipresent, He does not meet with everyone everywhere. The secret place is a spiritual posture that requires time and intention. God desires a relationship, and that relationship grows when both parties can be trusted. For me, God showed me what I needed to see because He knew the secret place would be where my heart would be restored. I know God can be trusted, but the consistency of my “dwelling in the secret place” shows Him that I have a desire for Him. It reveals my longing to become His dwelling place, and that He can trust me to show up every day for revelation and intimacy.
In Luke 10:38-42, we see a contrast between Martha and Mary when Jesus visits Martha’s home. Martha is preoccupied with serving, while Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to His words. What Martha did wasn’t necessarily wrong; after all, when Jesus visits, it’s natural to want to serve Him with the best you have. However, Mary understood when to serve and when to simply be with Jesus. This is why Jesus gently rebuked Martha, saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Both serving and sitting at Jesus’ feet are important, but there are times when we must choose the better part—the one that cannot be taken from us. Redemption is for all of us, but intimacy with God is a choice. God doesn’t compete with distractions; He waits for us to live in His presence and that is a conscious decision.
Pastor Vlad of Hungry Generation opened my eyes to something important. God enjoys our presence more than we enjoy His. He has scars to prove His love for spending time with us. Simply coming into His presence brings Him great joy. He said that when Adam sinned, God still desired to spend time with him. Despite Adam’s disobedience, God came to him in the cool of the night to reason with him. Adam, however, hid from God. We, too, can either live in the secret place or live in secret sin. You cannot dwell in Christ and not be pruned, reproved or disciplined. David understood this very well and through the book of Psalm, many times we see David dwelling with God and asking God to literally try him by fire. It is in the secret place that we emerge refined and purified. You don’t know who you truly are until God opens you up like a book. Even reading a regular book takes time to go through the pages and assimilate the words. How much more you, so complex with so many layers. It will take time to know God and God will take His time to transform you. Transformation does not happen overnight, it happens overtime.
I recently watched a movie called Surprised by Oxford, and one scene really stood out to me. It showed a painting of a religious figure knocking on a door—but there was no handle on the outside; it was on the inside. The door could only be opened from within. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with me.” God stands at the door of our hearts, knocking, but the choice to open it is ours. Some of us are waiting for an elaborate sign that He’s present, but He has always been here. Look closely at who has been steadily impressing His love upon your heart. Often, we drown Him out because He is not loud. His love is all-consuming, yet gentle—it doesn’t force its way in.
The secret place is not meant for hurried recitations of Bible verses. The urgency we should feel is the urgency to spend time with God, not just to say a few words so we can check it off our day. He is Alpha, Omega; He owns all your days. The secret place is where you listen before you speak. It’s where you share your day, worship, and meditate on the Word of God. Tell Him what’s on your heart, and receive what’s on His for you. Bring your pain, because His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. When you spend enough time with Him, passages like Psalm 51 and Romans 12:1 will flow naturally from your heart. Out of the abundance of the heart, your mouth will speak only two things: mercy and surrender.
Minister Dunsin Oyenkan once said, “The devil knows the Word of God, but he lacks the Holy Spirit.” As believers, we have both the Word and the Holy Spirit. The devil’s tactic is to lure us out of God’s secret place, where we are safe from harm. He will even go as far as quoting Scripture, just as he did with Jesus:
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone’” (Matthew 4:6).Or like the serpent with Eve: “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden ?” (Genesis 3:1).
It is not enough to know the Word; we must also understand the cunning snares of the enemy. The more time we spend with God, the more His protection and wisdom are revealed. Study Psalm 91 carefully from beginning to end, and you’ll see what happens to those who do not dwell in God’s secret place. The blessings described there—“a thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand”—can so easily become devastation for those living outside His presence. I don’t know about you, but I choose not to be counted among casualties. The shadow of the Almighty is the ultimate place of safety. Whether at work, in the car, or asleep, we remain under His care when we dwell in His shadow. This includes freedom from addiction, depression, loneliness, envy, and bitterness—truly, God is the cure for everything.
How do you start? Prioritize prayer & fellowship —just as you prioritize food or water. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Take God as seriously as He takes you. Treat Him with the value He places on you. Matthew 26:40 tells us, “And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, ‘So, you men could not stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?’” You see, the Lord never asks for too much. The more time and devotion you give Him, the more your own heart will long to give Him even more. Take that precious oil—your time—and pour it out at the feet of Jesus daily. While prayer times set apart for God are important, Luke 18:1 reminds us that we ought always to pray and not to faint. This means any time during the day is a good time to pause and spend time with God.
The place called “secret” is your heart choosing to be intimate with God —to choose daily, to live for an audience of One.
Shalom.
