IN the SECRET PLACE

IN the SECRET PLACE
-David Wilkerson.

The Holy Ghost came to a godly man living in Damascus named
Ananias. The Spirit instructed Ananias to go to Judas' house on
Straight Street, lay hands on Saul and restore his sight.

Of course, Ananias knew of Saul's reputation and he realized this
was going to be dangerous. Yet, here is how the Holy Spirit
recommended Saul to Ananias: "Behold, he prayeth" (Acts 9:11).

The Lord was saying, in essence, "Ananias, you will find this
man on his knees. He knows you are coming. He even knows
your name, and why you're being sent to him. He wants his eyes
opened."

When did Saul receive this inner knowing? How did he receive
this vision, this pure word from God? It came through fervent
prayer and supplication. In fact, I believe the Spirit's words to
Ananias reveal what moved God's heart about Saul: "Behold, he
prayeth."

Saul had been shut in with God for three days, refusing all food
and water. All he wanted was the Lord. So he continued on his
knees all that time, praying and seeking God.

When I was growing up, my preacher father taught me, "God
always makes a way for a praying man." There have been
periods in my life when the Lord has provided indisputable
evidence of this. I was called to preach at eight years of age,
when the Holy Spirit came upon me. I wept and prayed, crying
out, "Fill me, Lord Jesus." Later as a teenager I prayed until
the Spirit came upon me in divine intensity.

As a young pastor a deep hunger rose up in me that caused me
to pray diligently. Something in my heart told me, "There's more
to serving Jesus than what I am doing." So I spent months on my
knees - weeping and praying for hours at a time - when finally the
Lord called me to go to New York City to minister to gangs and
drug addicts.

I was also on my knees twenty years ago, seeking God with tears
and loud crying, when he called me back to New York to start a
church in Times Square.

If I have ever heard from God - if I have any revelation of Christ,
any measure of the mind of Christ - it came not through Bible
study alone. It came through prayer. It came from seeking God
in the secret place.

SOURCE - http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/8275

(c) 2010 World Challenge, Inc.