My Dwelling Place (Pr. Paul Hohman)

My Dwelling Place Overview

In this powerful 59-minute message, Pastor Paul Hohman delivers a convicting and encouraging word on the spiritual discipline of dwelling in God’s presence. Drawing from Psalm 91, Jeremiah 29:11-13, John 15:7, and Matthew 6:33, Pastor Hohman builds a compelling case that every believer must establish a consistent, daily dwelling place with the Lord — a secret place of prayer, Scripture reading, and intimate communion with the Father. Using vivid personal illustrations, including childhood habits, physical fitness analogies, and a conversation with an unbelieving friend asking why God allows suffering, Pastor Hohman shows that spiritual habits are the foundation of a thriving Christian life. Just as neglecting physical exercise leads to weakness and disease, neglecting the secret place leads to spiritual stagnation and confusion. He calls the congregation to deny themselves, take up their cross, and surrender fully to God, trusting that when they seek Him with all their heart, He will be found. The message closes with a heartfelt invitation to return to the dwelling place and allow God’s fire to burn fresh on the inside once more.

My Dwelling Place Outline

• 00:00 – Opening and Introduction to Habits: Pastor Hohman opens with warmth and introduces the central theme of habits — both good and bad — and how they shape the trajectory of our lives from childhood onward.
• 07:30 – Why Bad Things Happen: A Friend’s Question: A conversation with an unbelieving friend prompts a discussion of John 16:33 and John 10:10, explaining why suffering exists in a fallen world and how knowing the Father changes everything.
• 16:00 – The Physical and Spiritual Parallel: Using the analogy of physical fitness and health, Pastor Hohman draws a direct parallel to spiritual disciplines — Bible reading, prayer, and seeking God daily as essential habits for spiritual vitality.
• 24:00 – Psalm 91 — The Secret Place of the Most High: A deep look at Psalm 91:1-2 in both the standard and Amplified versions, revealing what it means to dwell — to abide and live — in the secret place of God as a lifestyle, not an occasional visit.
• 32:00 – Jeremiah 29:11-13 — Seeking With All Your Heart: Pastor Hohman unpacks God’s covenant promises in Jeremiah 29, noting that four times in two verses God calls His people to come to Him, pray, seek, and search — and the reward is finding Him.
• 40:00 – John 15:7 and the Condition of Abiding: The teaching turns to abiding as a prerequisite for answered prayer and kingdom fruitfulness. When God’s Word dwells in us, our desires align with His will and the miraculous becomes natural.
• 47:00 – Deny Yourself, Take Up the Cross: Drawing from Matthew 16:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, Pastor Hohman calls believers to complete surrender — laying down old habits, old identities, and trusting God to make them new creatures in Christ.
• 53:00 – Endurance and Not Drawing Back: From Hebrews 10:36-39, Pastor Hohman exhorts the church to build endurance through consistent spiritual habits, warning against drawing back and affirming that the just shall live by faith.
• 57:00 – Closing Prayer and Altar Call: The message concludes with a deeply personal prayer of repentance and return, inviting all who have drifted from their dwelling place to seek God afresh and surrender every habit, fear, and past mistake to Him.

Scripture References

John 16:33, John 10:10, 1 Timothy 4:8, Matthew 6:33, Psalm 91:1-2, Jeremiah 29:11-13, Psalm 32:7, John 5:19-20, Matthew 16:24, Psalm 23:6, John 15:7, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 43:18, Isaiah 65:17, Hebrews 10:36-39

Key Takeaways

• Dwelling in the secret place of God — through daily Bible reading and prayer — is the foundational habit upon which every other spiritual discipline is built.
• Just as neglecting physical exercise leads to weakness and disease, neglecting the spiritual disciplines of prayer and Scripture leads to stagnation, confusion, and vulnerability to the enemy.
• God promises in Jeremiah 29:11-13 that when we seek Him with all our heart, we will find Him — making wholehearted pursuit, not casual contact, the key to experiencing His presence.
• Christianity is not merely a prayer prayed once but a lifestyle of surrender, abiding, and relationship with the heavenly Father who never leaves or forsakes His children.
• When God’s Word abides in us and we abide in Him, our desires align with His will, making prayer powerful and kingdom impact natural and unstoppable.
• The enemy targets those who dwell in God because they pose the greatest threat to his kingdom — making the secret place not just a comfort but a strategic necessity for every believer.
• No matter how far someone has drifted from their dwelling place, one surrendered step back toward God begins the restoration of habits that lead to a life of thriving, not merely surviving.

My Dwelling Place Notes

The Core Teaching on Spiritual Habits

Pastor Hohman’s central argument is straightforward: just as the human body requires consistent nourishment, hydration, and exercise to remain healthy, the human spirit requires consistent time in God’s Word and prayer to remain strong. He draws this parallel deliberately throughout the message, reminding the congregation that no one would expect to be physically fit by spending ten seconds a day eating a single bite of food. Yet many believers try to sustain their spiritual lives on a Facebook scripture verse or a brief email devotional. The dwelling place, he insists, is not a drop-in shelter but a home — a place you return to daily, where God’s presence becomes the atmosphere of your life.

A Fallen World and a Father Who Cares

One of the most grounding moments in the sermon comes when Pastor Hohman recounts a conversation with an unbelieving friend who asked why God allows terrible things to happen. Rather than deflecting, Pastor Hohman turned to John 16:33 and John 10:10, explaining that suffering is not God’s design but the consequence of a fallen world where the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. This exchange becomes a teaching moment for the entire congregation: believers who dwell in God’s presence will have scripture rise up in their hearts when hard questions come, because the Word has already been deposited through faithful daily habit.

Psalm 91 as a Covenant of Protection

Psalm 91:1-2 serves as the theological anchor of this message. Pastor Hohman pays close attention to the word ‘dwell,’ pointing out in the Amplified version that the one who dwells in the secret place shall remain ‘stable and fixed’ — unmoved by the attacks of the enemy. This stability is not accidental or automatic; it is the direct result of making the secret place your home. God becomes refuge, fortress, and shield not to those who visit occasionally but to those who choose to live there. The covenant promises of Psalm 91 are reserved for dwellers, not tourists.

Surrender as the Starting Point of New Life

Drawing from Matthew 16:24 and 2 Corinthians 5:17, Pastor Hohman calls believers to the radical act of self-denial as the entry point into genuine Christian living. He is careful to distinguish this from asceticism or legalism — it is not about giving up all possessions or comforts, but about releasing the old self with its bad habits, wounded emotions, and self-directed will into the hands of a God who trades it all for a new creation. The old moral and spiritual condition passes away, and the Holy Spirit brings a steady, living stream of renewal that flows outward to everyone around the surrendered believer.

Practical Steps to Build the Dwelling Place

Pastor Hohman does not leave the congregation with inspiration alone but with practical instruction. He encourages even ten to fifteen minutes of early morning Scripture reading as a starting point for those who feel they cannot sustain a longer time. He shares his own practice of daily Bible reading, multiple prayer times throughout the day, and intentional listening for God’s voice — not as a performance but as a cultivated relationship. He compares it to joining a gym: the commitment must be made, the time must be taken, and the habit must be built one day at a time until God’s presence becomes as natural as breathing.

The Urgency of Returning to Your Dwelling Place

Pastor Hohman closes with a clear and compassionate exhortation drawn from Hebrews 10:36-39: the church is in a marathon, not a sprint, and endurance is built only through consistent spiritual habits. He acknowledges that many in the room may have drifted from their dwelling place — that bad habits have crept in and the fire has dimmed. His invitation is not one of condemnation but of return. God is crying out for His sons and daughters to come back, to find the secret place again, and to let His fire burn fresh on the inside. The just shall live by faith — and that faith is fed and kept alive in the dwelling place.

Frequently Asked Questions