But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. —Matthew 6:33

6 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:
to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger,
and speaking wickedness,
10 If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and
your darkness shall be as the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you continually,and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
12 Thosefromamongyoushallbuildtheold waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

13 “Ifyouturnawayyourfootfromthe Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words,
14 ThenyoushalldelightyourselfintheLord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of
the Lord has spoken.” —Isaiah 58:6 - 14

THE DELIGHTFULNESS OF THE SECRET PLACE

Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth… —Isaiah 58:14a - b

1. The delightful joy of The Secret Place.

For a day in Your courts is better than a
thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. —Psalms 84:10

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. —Romans 14:17

You will show me the path of life;
in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. —Psalms 16:11

1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.
2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.
3 He has put a new song in my mouth— praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord. —Psalms 40:1 - 3

2. The de-lighting of The Secret Place.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try
me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting. —Psalms 139:23 - 24

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily
ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. —Hebrews 12:1 - 2

“To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” —Isaiah 61:3

“28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28 - 30

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then
the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18 So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.
20 So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria! —2 Kings 6:17 - 20

3. The spiritual altitude that comes from de-lighting in The Secret Place.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. —James 4:10

But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. —Isaiah 40:31

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. —Habakkuk 3:17 - 19

13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth
and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”

15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so. —Joshua 5:13 - 15