Anxiety overtaking. Stress overwhelming. Anger arising. Offense brewing. Depression overshadowing. Addiction gripping. Self-critic capturing. Shame and guilt empowering.
Dad’s in jail again. I am barely getting by in school. Hardly any money to pay rent. Family conflict is at a high. Parenting skills at a low. Just received a horrible health diagnosis. Sister passed away. I need a job. I’m pregnant. I don’t even know if I want to live anymore.
I have no idea what I am going to do.
These are just a few different emotions, thoughts, and situations that some of you, including me, have or are going through. And indeed, we may not know what to do. I wish someone would have told me, when I was going through some of the above, that I could go into the Secret Place and talk to Jesus about these things. Not only would I have wanted someone to tell me I could go to Jesus about the things just listed, but also that if I did, Jesus would guide, speak to, and protect me in the midst of these things.
Last month I wrote about the Secret Place, and if you missed the article, no worries, I will catch you up to speed. The Secret Place is partially your one-on-one time with Jesus, with your Bible and perhaps journal out, and at a much deeper level, it is a life that remains in the hiddenness of the Lord. It means you dwell, abide, and stay in all of Jesus’s promises, truths, direction, and love for you—no matter what. You talk to Him at your inner core, and you do not stop.
The Secret Place, which is talked about in Psalm 91, will change everything. We first want a relationship with Jesus. To have a relationship with Him means you have acknowledged you are a sinner (we all have sinned), ask Jesus for forgiveness of your sin, and believe Jesus died on the cross for that sin and that God raised Jesus from the dead. It is also believing that Jesus is Lord, meaning He is God. After you have believed and confessed the things just shared, you invite Jesus into your heart, into your life. You talk to Him like a friend, and you do not stop.
When you start talking to Jesus, you have entered into the Secret Place. After you enter the Secret Place, then you want to stay there as you share with the Lord everything, and I mean everything, that is going on in your heart and life. He will indeed guide, speak to, and protect you.
How will He guide and speak to you? He will guide you by the Word of God, the Bible. Being in the Word of God is imperative (see Joshua 1:8). This is the number one way the Lord will teach and lead you. When Jesus speaks, He will speak with the tone and gesture of the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [patience], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23a).
How do we know the Lord will protect us? We know Jesus will protect us because that is what the Bible says, especially in Psalm 91. Did you know there are twenty-three benefits of dwelling in the Secret Place? I want you to find a Bible—a real, concrete Bible—and look up this psalm and study it carefully. In the NKJV it starts off in verse 1 by stating, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High . . .” It then goes on to list out those twenty-three benefits if you remain (stay) in the Secret Place. Here they are:
1. You will abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. You will be delivered from the snare of the fowler (the bait-layer, this is the enemy).
3. You will be delivered from the perilous pestilence (epidemic disease/plague).
4. You will be covered with His feathers.
5. Under His wings you will have refuge.
6. God’s truth will be your shield and buckler.
7. You will not be afraid of terror by night.
8. You will not be afraid of the arrow by day.
9. You will not be afraid of the pestilence that walks in darkness.
10. You will not be afraid of destruction at noonday.
11. Only with your eyes will you see the reward of the wicked.
12. No evil will befall you.
13. No plague will come near your dwelling.
14. God will give His angels charge over you.
15. You will tread upon the lion and cobra (I see this as, you have authority)!
16. The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot (again, you have authority)!
17. You will be delivered.
18. You will be set on high.
19. God will answer you.
20. God will be with you in trouble.
21. You will be honored.
22. God will give you a long life and satisfy you.
23. You will see God’s salvation.
No matter what you are facing, the Lord is going to guide, speak to, and protect you; you just need to go running to Him. He can remove the grip of the bottle, heal the brokenness of your heart, and calm that anxious mind. He can give hope where it seems hopeless. You just need to enter into the Secret Place and stay there.
When life gets tough for me, and trust me, it can get very dark, I am reminded of Psalm 91. I will read this psalm over and over, out loud. Sometimes I am weeping as I do so, as depression is thick, anger is high, and shame is crippling. After I read the psalm, sometimes many, many times, those heavy emotions eventually lift.
Psalm 91 is a wonderful psalm to read in the midst of spiritual warfare, dark emotions, and hard life circumstances. This psalm reminds as well as declares that the Lord has you and will guide you, speak to you, and protect you. You are going to make it. You are going to make it. You are going to make it. You are more loved by the heavenly Father and Jesus than you will ever realize.
If you have not accepted Jesus into your life and would like to, you can read, believe, and confess the following prayer. If you struggle with being suicidal, no shame and you are not alone. At one time in my life, I did not want to live anymore. If you need to talk to someone, you can dial or text the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988. They are available 24/7. It’s legit, I tested it. With love and blessings, my beloveds, Ashley.
“Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I ask that you forgive me. I repent (I turn away from my sin). I believe that you died on the cross for my sins and that God raised you from the dead. Jesus, I believe that you are Lord and Savior! I ask that you come into my life and my heart. Help me grow in my relationship with you. Thank You! Amen.” (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:9–10; Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9–10; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 3:26)
