Your Future Is in Your Daily Routine: 15 Keys to the Secret Place
Dr RJ Sing, 1 September 2019, 34 min
This is the whole service. The video opens where he begins, at 51:39.
Originally preached as “The Secret of Your Future Is Hidden in Your Daily Routine”
Sermon outline
Jesus has chosen, appointed and planted you and sent the Holy Spirit as your Helper, so establish a personal secret place where you meet Him daily, in every season, good or bad, because your future is hidden in that daily routine.
Main text
- John 15:15-27
- John 16:1-7
- John 14:27
Opening
The recording joins him thanking people for their obedience to something he had asked of them, and telling those still thinking about it that they can act in the weeks to come as the Spirit leads. He gives his title, 'The Secret of Your Future Is Hidden in Your Daily Routine', with the subtitle 'Establishing your personal secret place for meeting daily with the Holy Spirit', and reads John 15 and 16 from the Amplified Bible.
I have chosen you, appointed you and planted you
Jesus calls us friends, not servants, and says we did not choose Him; He chose, appointed and planted us so that we would bear lasting fruit and receive whatever we ask in His name. 'Whatever' has no restriction: as big as you can dream, including houses, cars and material things, as you seek first the kingdom. Because you are no longer of the world, the world may hate you, but you can be friends with the Lord and with the angels who support you.
“If you can dream it you can have it. If you can see it you can have it.”
- John 15:15-16
- Matthew 6:33
- John 15:17-23
The Holy Spirit is your Helper and Advocate
Jesus said it was to our advantage that He go away so that He could send the Comforter, Counsellor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener and Standby, who will teach us all things and bring His words to remembrance. So you cannot say you have no counsellor. He pleads your case and defends you, so there is no condemnation for those in Christ.
Illustration: Think what an advocate costs today just to go to court; you have one who is a constant companion.
“When the enemy says guilty, he says not guilty.”
- John 15:26-27
- John 16:7
- John 14:26
- Romans 8:1
- John 8:36
Offence is a blessing blocker
Jesus told His disciples these things so that they would not be offended, taken unawares and caused to stumble. You can get offended in the car park, or because a greeter did not greet you, and lose your blessing.
“Offence is a blessing blocker.”
- John 16:1-4
Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid
Jesus leaves us His peace and tells us to stop allowing ourselves to be agitated, disturbed, fearful, intimidated, cowardly or unsettled, and he defines each word. Don't be faint-hearted or aimless, blown about by every wind of doctrine; be focused and steadfast.
Illustration: As a young born-again man at work he went into a dangerous place with just one colleague, and his boss told him off, saying he went where angels fear to tread; he says it was the Holy Ghost in him. A paying passenger cannot walk up to a pilot and tell him to change course, because his destination is preset.
“I know where I belong. I know who I am.”
- John 14:27
- Ephesians 4:14
Enter daily, with expectation, before financial decisions, confessing your weakness
The secret place is your prayer room, where you meet God every day, not once a week. Enter expecting God to answer: pain to leave your body, confusion to depart and supernatural peace to come. Enter before you buy a house or car, invest, or make a big business decision. Enter confessing your weakness, because God did not make you a lone ranger, and He will say, 'Do not be afraid, I'm with you.'
“You do not pray once a week to God. You pray daily to God.”
- Psalm 88:9
- Hebrews 11:6
- Philippians 4:19
Enter broken, when forsaken, when you need mercy and when you have fallen
Enter with a broken and contrite spirit. Enter when you feel forsaken and alone, because you can be lonely in a crowd or in an office full of people. Enter when you need mercy, and when you have fallen into sin, crying out to a God who is there not to condemn you but to help you.
“Humility is a magnet that never fails to attract God.”
- Psalm 34:18
- Psalm 37:25
- Psalm 37:26
- Psalm 37:23-24
Enter when slandered, in confusion, when undecided and when bankruptcy threatens
Enter when slanderous words stir up enemies and strife against you, in seasons of confusion and change, when you don't know which road to take, and when bankruptcy threatens and poverty is strangling you. Persecution can become overwhelming and make you despondent, but your times are in God's hand. The poor man cried and the Lord heard him; your husband, wife or children cannot cry for you.
“When you cry it's not in vain. When you cry God hears you.”
- Psalm 31:15
- Psalm 34:6
Enter when afraid, when your dreams seem out of reach, and when all is well
Enter when you are threatened and afraid, for the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him. When a senior position is advertised and seems beyond you, God will put faith in your heart to apply and give you preferential treatment. And enter with thanksgiving when everything is going well and the bills are paid.
Illustration: He remembers believing God for bread, groceries and petrol, coasting down hills praying the car would not stall and hitting the dashboard to make the fuel needle rise, and hitchhiking or using public transport; now he can fill the tank and pay his bills, and he thanks God.
“Had it not been for you, where would I be?”
- Psalm 34:7
Putting it into practice
- Set up a personal secret place and meet God there every day.
- Refuse offence, because it blocks your blessing.
- Pray before every major financial decision.
- Cry out to God in hard seasons, and thank Him in good ones.
- Stand on the Word instead of running around for a word of prophecy.
Closing
He tells those who are struggling that they are there only for a season, which is about to change, because those who are planted flourish year after year. When a relative warned him that giving would make him poor, he answered that he has a covenant with God and will never be poor, even as an old man. He urges the church to stand on the more sure word of prophecy, prophesies growth for the worship team and that God will raise up preachers from among them, encourages business people to take leaps of faith, and blesses them.
In his words
- “Offence is a blessing blocker.”
- “God is your advocate.”
- “Humility is a magnet that never fails to attract God.”
- “You can be lonely in a crowd.”
- “It's not a quick fix thing. It's a lifetime of success.”
Every scripture in this message
- John 15:15-16
- Matthew 6:33
- John 15:17-23
- John 15:26-27
- John 16:7
- Romans 8:1
- John 8:36
- John 16:1-4
- John 14:26
- John 14:27
- Ephesians 4:14
- Psalm 88:9
- Hebrews 11:6
- Philippians 4:19
- Psalm 34:18
- Psalm 37:25
- Psalm 37:26
- Psalm 37:23-24
- Psalm 31:15
- Psalm 34:6
- Psalm 34:7
- Psalm 92:13
- 2 Peter 1:19
- Proverbs 10:22