27 Aug My Dwelling Place #2

Dwelling Place Habits Overview

In this powerful continuation of his ‘My Dwelling Place’ series, Pastor explores the critical importance of building spiritual habits as Christians. Moving beyond simply praying a prayer for salvation, he emphasizes that true Christian living requires developing consistent habits of dwelling in God’s secret place. Drawing from Psalm 91, he teaches that dwelling in the secret place of the Most High allows believers to abide under the shadow of the Almighty. The sermon addresses why bad things happen to good people, explaining that we live in a fallen world where Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy, while God desires prosperity and blessing for His children. Pastor challenges the congregation to move from head knowledge to heart knowledge, building daily habits of prayer, Bible reading, and intimate relationship with God. He emphasizes that Christianity is not just about religion or attending church, but about a complete lifestyle transformation that positions believers to receive God’s protection, provision, and power in their daily lives.

Dwelling Place Habits Outline

• 0:00 – Introduction: The Importance of Building Habits: Pastor introduces the continuation of dwelling place series, emphasizing habits formation
• 3:00 – Beyond the Salvation Prayer: Explains that Christianity involves lifestyle change, not just a one-time prayer
• 7:00 – God’s Plans for Prosperity vs. Satan’s Destruction: Contrasts God’s plans for good with Satan’s mission to steal, kill, and destroy
• 12:00 – The Secret Place – Psalm 91: Introduces the core concept of dwelling in God’s secret place for protection
• 18:00 – Building Spiritual Discipline Like Military Training: Compares spiritual habit formation to military discipline and structure
• 24:00 – From Head Knowledge to Heart Knowledge: Distinguishes between knowing about God versus knowing God intimately
• 28:00 – Practical Daily Habits: Shares personal testimony of morning devotions and setting mind on things above
• 32:00 – Living Above Earthly Circumstances: Teaching from Colossians 3 about setting hearts and minds on heavenly things

Scripture References

Psalm 91:1, Jeremiah 29:11, John 10:10, Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 13, Colossians 3:1-11, Isaiah 53:5, Genesis 1

Key Takeaways

• Salvation is just the beginning – true Christian living requires building consistent spiritual habits and lifestyle changes.
• Dwelling in God’s secret place through daily prayer and Bible reading positions us under His protection and blessing.
• We must move from head knowledge about God to heart knowledge through intimate relationship and personal experience.
• God desires prosperity and blessing for His children, while Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy our lives.
• Building spiritual disciplines is like military training – it requires breaking old patterns and forming new godly habits.
• Setting our minds on things above helps us live victoriously despite earthly challenges and circumstances.
• Knowing God’s character and names (Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Rapha) empowers us to stand against the enemy’s attacks.

Dwelling Place Habits Notes

Pastor continues his compelling ‘My Dwelling Place’ series by addressing one of the most crucial aspects of Christian living: the formation of godly habits. He begins by acknowledging that everyone has habits, whether they realize it or not, but emphasizes that as Christians, we must intentionally build strong spiritual habits that align with our new identity in Christ.The foundation of his teaching rests on the understanding that Christianity extends far beyond a one-time salvation prayer. While Romans 10:9 establishes that we must confess with our mouth and believe in our heart, Pastor explains that this is merely the starting point of our journey. The scripture declares that ‘old things have passed away, behold all things become new,’ indicating that our entire lifestyle must undergo transformation.Drawing from Jeremiah 29:11, Pastor addresses the prosperity versus poverty debate in Christian circles, firmly establishing that God has plans for good and not evil, plans for peace and great expectations. He challenges believers to serve a God who desires to bless rather than impoverish, while acknowledging that bad things happen because we live in a fallen world where Satan operates as a thief.The heart of the sermon focuses on Psalm 91:1, which declares that ‘he who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.’ Pastor uses the analogy of a childhood home to illustrate this dwelling concept – just as children instinctively know where home is and return there without question, believers must develop the habit of dwelling in God’s presence as our spiritual home.Using military training as a powerful illustration, Pastor explains how soldiers break old patterns and form new disciplines to become battle-ready. Similarly, Christians must undergo spiritual training to prepare for the enemy’s attacks, developing habits that position us for victory rather than defeat.Pastor makes a crucial distinction between head knowledge and heart knowledge, referencing 1 Corinthians 13’s warning that knowledge puffs up. He shares Dr. Hohmann’s testimony about wanting to know the God who created the universe rather than merely the God who wrote a book, emphasizing the importance of intimate, experiential relationship with the Creator.The practical application centers on developing morning habits of prayer and Bible reading, spending time getting to know God’s character and promises. Pastor shares his personal routine of morning devotions, continued prayer throughout the day, and meditation on God’s Word, explaining how these habits prepare him for daily spiritual battles.From Colossians 3:1-11, Pastor teaches about setting our hearts and minds on things above rather than earthly things. He addresses the practical challenge of living on earth while maintaining a heavenly perspective, showing how consistent dwelling in God’s presence enables believers to access His strength, peace, and provision throughout their daily activities.

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