Standing in His presence
1 Kings 19:1-14
Introduction-
1 Kings 19:1-14
Anyone ever feel like Elijah? Anyone ever feel like God deserted them? Anyone feel like they are the only one that cares for the things of God? Anyone want to admit that sometimes...we forget the things that God has done for us. Elijah just did great things for God. He was the tool that God used to bring down 450 prophets of Baal and Asherah. Elijah watched God do some incredible things. In the midst of all things, a message is sent to Elijah by Queen Jezebel. (That dreaded note right after God does something spectacular) Queen Jezebel tells him, may the gods deal with you ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow the very same thing doesn’t happen to you that happened to the prophets. God was with him against the 450 prophets, but Elijah flees to Horeb because of a note from the queen. At Elijah’s lowest point, the Lord appears to Elijah and gave him a word
Prayer. That God would give us a word. Each one of us.
This is the passage we studied on Tuesday night at Vacation Bible School. I enjoyed playing Elijah so much, that I decided to looked into this passage. If you are depressed this morning, God has a word for you.
If you are feeling isolated, God has a word for you this morning. If you need to hear from the
Lord this morning, God has a word. This morning, you can resign or quit or you can be restored
and energized. Which one are you determined to see happen? Because one of them will happen. Who is in control? Last week we looked at being a living sacrifice. We said that Isaac did not become a living sacrifice until God gave him a second chance, when he took him off the altar as a burnt offering, and let him live to become a living sacrifice. You can see where I am going with this this morning. You will never find answers for spiritual things without asking God for the answer. Elijah got in the presence of God. Elijah, what are you doing here? Elijah wanes about all the things he see’s is wrong. All the people who are out to get him. Expresses to God that he felt like he was doing it all alone. It’s not me, it is all the other people, those Israelites. They killed all the prophets and I alone am left to serve you and they are trying to kill me. The Lord said, go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Elijah, I have listened to you. I understand what you are saying. Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Stop your hiding- get from behind that rock. Stop hiding in caves and go out and stand in my presence because I am about to pass by . Amen. The answer to our problem is being in the presence of the Lord Get in the presence of God. I told you, the Holy Spirit is not.. Water, but He will cleanse you. He is not fire, but He will purify you. The Holy Spirit may be unseen, but His presence will rock your world and the world around you. Illustration- cab driver in Jerusalem told my friend when he was there. Welcome to Jerusalem, many holy places, not many holy people. Let that sink in a minute God is looking for His people to stop hiding in caves, being chased by the enemy, being depressed, and willing to stand on the mountain of God desiring for the presence of God to fall fresh on them and make an impact in their lives. In the Old Testament, they carried God around in a box, desiring to physically hold the things of God in their hand. But on the day of Pentecost, God came in His fulness. I am not in a box anymore. I am wanting to dwell in my fullness in you. My Spirit to dwell in my believers. Before Pentecost, the disciples followed Jesus around, made lots of human mistakes. Then the day of Pentecost they were filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Before Pentecost, God says you kept losing me, forgetting about me, letting the enemy steal me, but now I want to dwell within you. I need Jesus in my life I need Jesus more everyday. I need Him in His fullness. Outward accomplishments is what we usually seek. We need to have an inward focus and the power of His presence in us. Not it But Him The power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. I hunger for Him ..more of Jesus. “That I myself may be in them” 7 words of Jesus priestly prayer John 17 that gives us an assurance that He lives in us. Christians today live pre-Pentecost- without the power of the Holy Spirit when we should be living post Pentecost- Believers filled with the Spirit of God and making an impact in people’s lives. God does not need us, but we have value to God and He desires to use us in the Power of His Spirit. What dispensation are you living in? Pre-Pentecost or post Pentecost. It will be a factor on how powerful and effective your life will be for Christ. We don’t need another Pentecost God doesn’t say that We need to live Pentecost to the fullest. Are we living beneath the inheritance God has promised his children? Back to the text. V11-13- “The Lord said go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” “Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was a earthquake, but he Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.” when Elijah got it- he stood cloak over his head because of the awesome presence of God. He stepped out of hiding and got into the position to where he was going to be where the presence of God was. You have to go from Christ with us to Christ in us Judges 6:34 “And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and he blew a trumpet” we can only do it if Christ is the power and presence that we do things of God. Gal. 2:20- “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Jesus had to go, so the comforter can come. Post Pentecost holiness folks Not by trying, but by trusting God Amen There is no plan B- Jesus said I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail. Hell shall not prevail It is not by might, it is not by power, it is by my Spirit says the Lord.
Closing- maybe. I have a friend who thinks footprints in the sand is not biblical. He believes Jesus carrying us is not close enough. That Jesus must dwell within you. Enough when the enemy comes knocking, that Jesus answers the door for us. There is human error and human limitations. We have to understand that spiritual things are only accomplished by Christ doing it. The world is crying out for the church to redeem it’s inheritance and promises from God. You going to quit? That was Elijah’s first thought. Or are you going to reclaim your inheritance from God? From following Jesus to being filled. Saturated with the presence of the Holy Spirit. I’m preaching to myself, if you like it, grab unto it. It is the secret of holiness. It is the fulfillment of a life for God. Greg and Terri sent me an illustration this week, it is about a cracked pot. An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the women bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the women one day by the stream. I am ashamed of myself, because the crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. The old women smiled. Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side ? That is because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day we walk back, you water them. Each one of us is unique. The cracks and flaws we each have made our lives together rewarding. God will use our flaws if we let Him.
Altar Call.
