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Introduction
“Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.”Proverbs 9:17,18.
Secret sin is like water and bread eaten in secret. Very satisfying so long as they remain a secret, covered, and unknown to the public. Our presumed ability to keep it secret is mistaken to be our smartness. We pitch our tents in secret sin without looking at what Jesus says to us, "nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light." Luke 8:17.
Secret sins are the very things we engage in our closet when no one is watching, when the lights go off and we are left all alone. It is the very wrong things we do under the duvet and grows them in secret until we cannot hide them anymore. They are the little foxes that spoil the vineyard. Flee from them and come to the secret place.
Jesus Christ calls on us to live in His secret place, where we have constant communion with God in prayer and the study of the word (Matt. 6:5-6, 16-18). The 'secret place' in this context is a hideout for divine connection, communion, safety, and strength for a purpose-driven life. The Christian is one who lives under the abounding grace of God with access to His infinite presence, mercies, and favour. Even in our weakness, God's love is made strong to keep us in His arms.
This abounding grace should not be mistaken to be God's weakness and our smartness. This is why Paul asked, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" Romans 6:1-2. How can you live in secret sin and claim to have died to sin? How?
Precious one, it is one of them, you are either living in secret sin or in the secret place of God. It is time to come out from your secret sins and be forgiven and be purged for the glory in the secret place of the Most High.
Let us discuss this with two Biblical events in the Old Testament. Two stories of two different people. One was hiding some things, whiles the other was hiding some persons. One with a glorious future and the other with a gory one. One destroyed a family, whiles the other saved a family. A soldier and a prostitute.
The book of Joshua 2, 6, and 7 gives us the events of Rahab and Achan.
Achan's Secret Sin
The battle against the people of Jericho was a holy war so, "the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction... keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it." Joshua 6:17,18. Achan disobeyed God's command and took some of the silver, cloak, and gold and hid them under his tent.
Achan represents those who publicly look like Christian soldiers raising the flag of Christ so high meanwhile, secretly, their desired act is of the flesh, lust, and pride of life (1 John 2:16).
Note this, there is a difference between privately struggling, battling, fighting in prayer, fasting, and confessing your sins as opposed to living in it, enjoying every moment of it, hiding it, and getting better each time at not being caught.
You can do the analysis yourself with this scenario; a sheep falling into the mud and a pig falling into the mud. The pig will find comfort and enjoyment in it whiles, the sheep keeps struggling to come out. It is written, "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise". (Micah 7:8). "The righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." Proverbs 24:16.
The problem with Achan's situation is his assumption of being smart and good at keeping secret sins without being caught. The same thing goes with Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5. "Peter said, "Ananias, how did Satan get you to lie to the Holy Spirit and secretly keep back part of the price of the field?" This led to his death and later the death of his wife Saphira.
Always remember the wise man's counsel in Proverbs 9:17-18 ""Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!" But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave."
Quit hiding before you get caught. Let the conviction of God rather grow strong to keep you fighting in prayer to come out fully.
"I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! ... When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong." Eccl. 8:10-11.
One big mistake a Christian can make is to believe that because the ministry is growing, the finances are on point, the public reputation is rising, academic performance is great, the followers are growing, and invitations for programmes are tripling in, therefore, we are right with God.
Fellow Christians, be conscious of the fact that divine miracles and wonders are still possible through us and with us even when we live in secret sin. So Jesus says, "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" Matthew 7:22-23. If the secret sins are still covered in our tents, then danger looms ahead.
If we are not in His secret place pursuing purity of heart and mind, living out the Christ kind of life when no one is even watching, then successes, miracles, signs, wonders, victories, and all the trendings are not proof of being right with God's standard. Sooner or later, the wind will blow to uncover what is hidden in your tent.
Precious one, Achan had to die with his household (Jos. 7:24-26). The desire of the devil to keep you advancing in the kingdom whiles living in secret sin is that, when you are falling into destruction, you will be destroyed with those you affected as well.
Quickly remove whatever you are hiding under your tent before you get removed from God's kingdom business. "Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire." Luke 3:9.
Confession is better than condemnation.
Your sin should make you run to God and not run from Him.
Rahab's Secret Place
Rahab is identified as a prostitute. An act that every society frowns on. Parallel to Achan, the soldier who was hailed and accepted by everyone. You can say, she was in a city marked for destruction and in a detestable profession before God. However, when the spies from Israel got to Jericho, she took them. She decided to put them in a secret place. The developed faith of the prostitute, Rahab, changed her life;
"I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath." Joshua 2:9-11.She had opened her heart to the greatness of God and had kept them in her heart. She had found solace in the secret place of God meditating upon His mighty works always. With this faith, her household was saved from destruction.
Achan's secret sin ruined him and his household meanwhile, Rahab's secret place raised her and her household. Rahab married Salmon and became the mother of Boaz, the grandfather of Jesse, the father of David. This is great, inviting the spies and keeping them in her secret place brought her glory.
Remember, what people don't know, they talk about it. What people know, they destroy or kill. That is why you need to be in the secret place of the Most High God. Let your life be kept in the secret place of God for His perfect will and purpose. Stop the unnecessary talks exposing yourself - visions and dreams all the time. Keep them in the secret place of God.
IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Let us dig deeper, it is not just avoiding secret sin, yes! it is a step in the right direction but not the final destination. If your secret life is void of sin but it is not full of the Holy Spirit, then your public life is bound to fall in times of trials.
Be that wise man who builds his house on the rock not in the sand as Jesus taught us in Matt. 7. Moving away from secret sin without entering into the secret place of God will give a footstool to the devil in your life. When your life is filled with selfishness, envy, unforgiveness, and anger, it is like building a great house in the sand not on the rock.
As Christians, we must build our foundation on Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). When you build with wood, hay, and straw, the fire will burn them and you will suffer loss. Meanwhile, if you build with gold, silver, and precious stones which are deep in the ground, the fire only purifies them and makes them shine brighter. Your secret place with God brightens you up when the storms of life come against you.
Being in the secret place of God is more than being busy with the things of God - committed to church activities, being a good executive member, being resourceful, and in all public performances we do. It is about consciously paying the price and intentionally building a relationship with the Holy Spirit in the secret place.
We have not been called to be busy but to be fruitful. Fruitfulness only results from intimacy with the Holy Spirit and abiding in Christ Jesus (John 5:7-8). In our days, we are obsessed with becoming popular instead of being pure.
The Holy Spirit comes to us at our invitation but a relationship with Him is built when we surrender our all to Him. Our consistent relationship with the Holy Spirit is the key to being in the secret place of the Most High God.
Conclusion
Beloved in Christ, create a routine of personal revival which is not just an event but a constant determination to live the Christ kind of life.
This is the time you must take a bold decision to stop secret sin and move to host the Holy Spirit in your life.
Precious one, it is time to move from the secret sin to the secret place.
Ponder over these;- ● Your secrets today will become your public scandals tomorrow.
- ● Secret sins weaken your spiritual strength and make you sick.
- ● Confession is better than getting caught for condemnation.
- ● You are called to be fruitful and not to frequent everywhere.
- ● Salvation invites the Holy Spirit but living in the secret place maintains the relationship.
- ● Your secret should be your secret place.
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. AMEN!
