Have you ever noticed how easy it is to treat our relationship with God like a tourist destination? We pack our bags when life gets stressful, take a quick trip to His presence for comfort or a breakthrough, and then pack up and head back to our regular routines once things smooth out.

In his powerful message, Dwell Here, worship leader Alan Murrah challenged the Cornerstone Church family to change our posture. God isn’t looking for tourists; He is looking for inhabitants. He doesn’t just want to give us a temporary visit—He is inviting us to dwell.

Watch the full sermon on YouTube

What is the Secret Place?

Drawing from Psalm 91:1-2, we see a beautiful promise: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” [02:21]

The “secret place” is a profound reality for every believer, but too often, it remains a vacant place [03:12]. In the Old Testament, access to this level of intimacy was rare, reserved only for trusted leaders, prophets, and kings like Moses or David [03:56]. But because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, the veil was torn wide open, granting every single one of us access to the Holy of Holies [11:23].

Jesus Himself modeled this lifestyle for us. Luke 5:16 tells us that He “often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” [04:48] If God in the flesh needed to consistently retreat to the secret place to find refuge, peace, and strength, how much more do we?

The Practicality of the Secret Place

In Matthew 6:6, Jesus gives us direct instructions on how to find this space: “But when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place…” [05:42]

Alan broke down two crucial, practical truths from this verse:

  1. It’s Not Confined by Geography: You don’t have to literally be in your bedroom [06:28]. While God’s omnipresence means He is everywhere at all times, His manifest presence is tangible, and it happens wherever you choose to intentionally meet Him [06:49]. It can be in your car, a quiet corner, nature, or even a backyard shed [07:34].

  2. Shut the Door (Spiritually): Shutting the door means actively shutting out distractions [07:55]. The moment you decide to pray, everything in the world will try to poke its head up to grab your attention. We have to guard and protect our moments with the Lord [08:30].

6 Ways the Secret Place Transforms Your Life: The Example of Moses

To illustrate the raw power of dwelling with God, the sermon unpacks the life of Moses—the ultimate example of someone who carried a deep, unique, face-to-face relationship with the Almighty [12:30]. Looking at his first encounter at the burning bush in Exodus 3, we see six distinct impacts the secret place leaves on a believer:

1. A Revelation of Who God Is

We don’t go to the secret place just to present a grocery list of requests [04:07]. We go to discover His character [18:31]. You can read your Bible and listen to worship music all day, but surface-level knowledge changes when you encounter His holy, manifest presence for yourself [18:53].

2. A Renewed Purpose

Before his encounter, Moses was content simply living in obscurity as a shepherd in Midian [15:55]. But God had more [20:12]. When you dwell in the secret place, God reveals your true identity and align you with the purpose He has for your life [20:30].

3. A Personal Word and Promise

Moses left the mountain with a specific word: “I will certainly be with you.” [21:15] Just one word directly from God is enough to sustain you through your darkest seasons. We often chase after people or prophetic words, but the life-altering word you are looking for is already waiting for you in the secret place [23:45].

4. Divine Power

God will never call you to a purpose without equipping you with the tools to fulfill it [26:01]. He gave Moses signs and power to bring before Pharaoh [25:37]. Without consistent time spent hidden in God, we end up trying to live out our callings in our own strength, leading to a powerless faith [27:46].

5. Strength in Inadequacy

Moses famously argued with God about his lack of eloquence and his stutter [28:48]. Yet God didn’t look for perfection; He looked for a “yes.” [30:19] In the secret place, God works on our weak points and provides His strength right where we fall short [29:36].

6. An Insatiable Hunger for More

The ultimate sign that you have been dwelling with God is that you leave wanting more of Him [33:50]. Later in Exodus 33, Moses boldly prays, “Please, show me Your glory.” [33:43] He realized that without God’s presence, everything else—the promises, the land, the journey—was entirely meaningless [34:05].

Shift Your Posture Today

When we choose to move from being casual visitors to daily residents of God’s presence, the spiritual after-effects will show openly in our lives [10:21]. We step out covered by the promises of Psalm 91—finding refuge, losing our fear, and walking in spiritual authority [36:22].

Let’s stop settling for the outer courts. Find your secret place today, shut out the noise of the world, and make the intentional choice to dwell here.

Reflection Questions for the Week:

    • Where is your intentional “secret place” right now?

    • What distractions do you need to actively “shut the door” on this week to guard your time with God?

    • Are you currently running from a calling or waiting until you “have it all together” before giving God your yes?