Are we there yet?
I Kings 17: 1
I would like to thank God for choosing to use me as a vessel this morning.
I would also like to thank our founders and my Pastors Pastor Sonny and Sis Julie for this opportunity.
I also want to thank my sending Pastors Pastor Al and Sis Georgina for their leadership and exampleship in my life.
I would also like to thank the Elders for this opportunity to speak to you this morning.
I Kings 17:1-9
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."
2 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
3 "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
4 "And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."
5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.
6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.
8 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
9 "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you."
The title of my message this morning is "Are we there yet?"
There are a few things that I would like to point out from this passage of scripture and then I will be done.
1. The first thing we see is Elijah was experiencing the blessings of The Lord.
We see in verse 6 that The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
Elijah was on the mountain top and he was in the blessings of the Lord.
He had the Ravens bringing him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening. He was experiencing the supernatural on a daily basis.
You say why is that the supernatural?
Well I don't know about you, but if birds are bringing you food then I know it's not natural.
On the other hand - when I am eating and birds show up they are usually trying to take my food, come on somebody, but these birds were bringing food.
So I like to look at this portion of scripture, that Elijahs was experiencing the a move of God and the blessings were flowing.
He must have been feeling good...
Have you ever been there before - you are working for the Lord in ministry and the blessings are flowing, breakthroughs are taking place, miracles are happening, growth is taking place, and so much more.
2. The second thing I see is the brook dried up...
All of a sudden the brook that was flowing with blessings stopped flowing and the Ravens that were bringing the blessings stop showing up.
The method that God was using to bless Elijah was working any more.
So here is where Elijah had a choice - to either stay at the dry brook or seek The Lord for another plan.
I like to look at it like - the old was outdated and it was time to come up with somethings new.
The method that worked yesterday wasn't working today.
The Avenue God was using yesterday, He wasn't using today.
The style that was in yesterday wasn't in today.
It's kinda like when you and I were growing up - there were styles that were in back then, but if you were to wear them now you would be considered outdated.
Styles
I remember when I was growing up
- If you didn't have an Afro you weren't cool
- Then after the Afro came the Jerry curl - if you didn't have a Jerry curl with curl activator all on your collar you weren't in - come on somebody!!!
- I remember wearing my shoes with no shoe strings just to be like the latest rap group
But now things have changed...
Some of you can probably think of some of the things you did when you were growing up just to fit in - because it was the style...
But if we where to do those same things today, you and I would be considered outdated...
Elijah found himself in a place where things were changing.
Either he could stay with the old or get in with the new or nowadays I guess we would say stay with the old or Upgrade to the new.
We are living in a world where things are constantly upgrading or being enhanced.
Lets take a look at technology.
- how many remember the first iPod - oh wait it wasn't even called an iPod it was called a Walkman - it was a big O cassette player that strapped to your belt - it was bigger than the cell phones we have now a days, but back in the day if you didn't have a Walkman you weren't in.
- how many remember the first computer - the monitor was as big as a tv - now we have flat screen monitors.
- how many remember the first cell phone it was as big as a brick but it got the job done, but now we have the cell phones that fits in your pocket.
- Not to mention the first cell phone was as big as a brick and the only thing it did was make phone calls.
Now a days the cell phones fit in your pocket and can do just about whatever you need it to do.
- The point is technology keeps getting better and better. It keeps enhancing and if you still operate with the first cell phone that came out I know for sure you are outdated.
Technology is moving at such a fast pace that the latest gadget can be outdated in 3 months time.
Not only does technology change or get enhanced to be more effective, but Elijah found himself in a place where he needed to enhance his ministry or stay at a dry brook.
What was working before was not working for him now.
Just like styles change and technology changes, there are methods in ministry that also change.
If I really think about it, methods are a lot different from when I first started in ministry.
I was a youth Pastor for many years...
I can think of things and methods that I did to grow my ministry and to lead my ministry back in the day and it was effective in those days, but if I used those same methods today I dont know if it would be as effective as it was back then.
Especially compared to the resources that are available today...
As a matter if fact if I tried some of those same things today - it would probably outdated...
Why, because there are so many other methods and avenues that we can use to effectively spread the Gospel and build our ministries now a days, it is amazing.
Just in technology alone there are so many other methods and resources that you and I can use to be more effective in growing our ministries and even growing ourselves.
- Such as podcast, live webcasts, on demand videos of preachings and teachings, websites, online school, Internet radio, Internet tv, trainings through skype, meetings through Skype and on and on.)
All these methods and resources can be used now a days to help build our ministries and even to help grow us personally.
So Elijah was faced with a decision stay with the old or enhance it with the new.
Notice I didn't say get rid of the old but to enhance it with the new...
He could have stayed at the dry brook and reminisced on how God used to come through.
Well I remember when the ravens would come and provide me food and I used to drink from that there brook there, but now you know times have changed.
Oh how I remember the good ole days. Things are not like they used to be.
Have you ever met someone like that:
They walk around living in the past. Well I remember when I first got saved and how God used to use me.
I was on fire for The Lord.
I was sold out for Jesus.
I was radical for the things of God, but sometime later my brook dried up and the ravens stopped coming and I've been sitting ever since.
So now I am just right here at this dry brook remembering how God used to move in my life.
Do you want to sit here with me?
Yes we need to remember the old and how God moved in our lives back then, but if the brook has dried up it is time to enhance it with the new...
That's what I like about Elijah he didn't camp out at the dry brook reminiscing on how God use to move or on how God used to come through, but Elijah got a Word from God for his next move.
He got direction on what to do next...
That takes me to my next point.
3. He got a word from God( he could have camped out at the dry brook) opportunity or problem
See Elijah could have had a pity party and camped out at the dry brook but he didn't. He got a hold of God in his dry season.
He cried out to God in his dry season.
If you and I are honest, we are all going to face dry seasons in our life, but the question is - will you and I camp out in the dry season or will you and I get a hold of God for our next step.
See sometimes God will give you and I what like to call a Divine dissatisfaction.
That is a dissatisfaction that comes from God and it should create a hunger in you and I to cry out to God for the next level...
See even though the brook use to flow with blessings and God used the ravens to provide in Elijah's life. God wanted to do a new thing in Elijah.
He used the dry brook to get Elijah to cry out so God can speak to him.
God had another mission for Elijah to accomplish and that was to minister to a widow and her family in Zarepath.
God wanted to give Elijah a spiritual upgrade.
I wander how many of us here tonight need a spiritual upgrade?
See it doesn't have to be broke or not working in order to upgrade.
Just like we upgrade our phones, our software, and even our computers - for some of us it may be time for an upgrade in the way we do ministry.
What you and I have been doing has gotten us this far, but now we are in for an upgrade.
Their are too many countries crying out and too many continents to be reached and too many people that are hurting for us to camp out at a dry brook or to stay the same...
You may be thinking:
Well you don't understand brother I've been doing ministry like this for many years now and this brook is going to flow again.
Elijah understood something here. He said ok the brook has dried up so there must be something new that God wants to do.
Let me get a hold of God and see what my next move is.
Let me see where the next source is. Let me see what the next method is.
Let me hear how my next move should be.
So he got ahold of God and God gave him a word, for his next move.
This makes me think of what God is doing in our ministry - no longer are we sending out individuals to places, but we are now sending out teams to impact continents and countries for the honor and Glory of God.
- I remember the method when I got sent out and felt the call of God to go take a city as a youth pastor -
I got prayed for,
I got sent out,
and was told ok now go take the city...
I went to Albuquerque New Mexico as a youth pastor.
The funny thing is I didn't even know how to get there, I had to stop at the gas station and ask for directions, but I had a great time and it was exciting to be used of God in that city.
That was our ministries method back then and many Churches have been started, cities have been shaken, and souls have been saved because of that method.
But now we see God is doing a new thing in our ministry world wide, we are enhancing our method - See that style or method has gotten us this far and great things have happened and are happening, but now we are upgrading our method.
You hear the heartbeat of our founders and our Elders - that no longer are we only going to send an individuals into a city or a couple into a city and say go take it, but now we are sending teams.
We are sending teams into cities, sending teams into continents, and sending teams into countries to set up a base to impact that city, to impact that country and to impact that continent for the Honor and Glory of Jesus Christ.
Somebody say upgrade!!!
I wander if some of us here tonight, need an a personal upgrade in how we do ministry?
What you and I have been doing has gotten us this far, but maybe it's time for an upgrade in our personal ministry .
Even though the brook had dried up and the ravens may have stopped bringing food, God had another blessing for Elijah and that blessing was commanded in the there.
That leads me to me next point:
4. The blessing was in the there...
What I notice over and over in this passage of scripture is the word there...
We see it in:
I Kings 17:4
You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
I Kings 17:5
So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there.
I Kings 17:9
“Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”
Ask your neighbor "Are we there yet?"
The blessing was in the there.
See the blessing was in the there, all Elijah had to do was get there.
The blessing was not there before he got there, but God said once you get there I have commanded the blessing to meet you there...
They blessings are not there now, but they will be there when you get there...
They will meet you in the there...
See what happens sometimes to you and I as Christians we want to see the blessing first and then we step out, but God told Elijah I have commanded the blessing to meet you in the there...
All Elijah had to do was step out and get there and the blessing would meet him there...
The best way that I can describe of the blessing meeting us there is a wide receiver in football.
When the play is drawn up for the wide receiver to get the ball, there is a specific route that he needs to run...
Now when the quarterback sees an opportunity for the wide receiver to get the ball. The quarterback doesn't throw the ball to where the wide receiver is at, but he will the ball to where he wants the wide receiver to be...
All the wide receiver has to do is run the route.
The quarterback will throw the ball to where he sees the window of opportunity to be.
Also, same thing in soccer, if I am trying to kick the ball to my team mate. I don't kick the ball to where he is at, I will kick the ball to where I want him to be.
I will see the window of opportunity and kick the ball to the there..and there is where I want him to meet the ball..
See even though the blessing was not waiting for Elijah - God had already commanded it and all Elijah had to do was get to there.
God had already seen the window of opportunity so he commanded the blessing.
Now another thing about when a quarterback throws through a window of opportunity.He needs to make sure his timing is right, if not he may miss the window of opportunity.
So in order to throw the ball through the window of opportunity he has to wait for the correct timing.
When the window of opportunity is right and the timing is right - all the wide receiver needs to do is get there and the ball will meet him there.
Tell your neighbor "The Time is Right..."
Now lets take a look at timing.
Did you know that there are 2 Greek words for the word time.
One is Chronos and the other is Kairos.
- Chronos is the time that you and I are used to and the most familiar with. It has to do with hours, minutes, and seconds...
It is the time we keep - such as Appointments, calendars, and schedules, it is time that is marked and named.
These references are “of the clock,” such as two o clock or three o clock because they belong to the clock.
We have clocks that we wear on our wrists and call them “watches,” and with them we can watch Chronos time coming and going.
Now there is another Greek word for time and that is Kairos.
Kairos can be looked at as Gods purposes intersecting and overruling in the world of Chronological time.
Which can be translated as a divine appointment, the right moment.
Basically it can be looked at as a window of opportunity...
Kairos operates within human time, but focuses on the fulfillment of Gods ultimate purposes...
Kairos is a God moment.
An appointment that God has set on His Calendar that shows up in Chronos time.
Tell your neighbor "It's our time..."
See when we are saying "it is our time"
What we are saying is there is a window of opportunity that is open for you and all we need to do is get there.
God has already thrown the ball or should I say He has already commanded the blessing - its in the air all we gotta do is get there.
There is a window of opportunity that we have in cities that are crying out, states that are looking for answers, countries that are in need, and continents that need to be reached.
Why because they are looking for answers for the drug addict, the gang member, and the hurting families.
Guess what Church we have that Answer - whats His name Jesus...
God has anointed us Victory Outreach to bring good news to the inner cities of the world...
It is our time...
God has already given us the anointing, the window of opportunity is already open, but I just wanna know is there anybody that is willing to get there...
Is there anybody that is willing to get there?
You say yes I've been through some dry brooks and some dry times, but I am on my way there.
You say yes I have had opposition, but I am still on my there.
You say yes the ravens haven't stopped by in a while, but get out my way because I am on my way there.
Is there anybody in the building this morning - that is on your way there!!!
5. The last thing I would like to point is the reason why we need to get there.
Elijah needed to get there because there was a widow woman and her family that was waiting for Elijah there.
If Elijah would have stayed camped out at the dry brook I wander if this family would have made it through the famine.
If Elijah would have stayed at the dry brook I wander if the widows son would have gotten healed.
If Elijah would have stayed at the dry brook I wander if he would have made it through the famine?
Just like there was a family waiting for Elijah in his there, there are cities, there are states, there are countries, and there are continents that are waiting for you and I in our there.
There are drug addicts waiting for you and I in our there...
There are gang members that are waiting for you and I in our there...
There is a world that is in need of the good news that are waiting for you and I to get there..
I know the dry brook has tried to keep you stuck.
I know the dry times have tried to discourage you.
I know the oppostion has tried to stop you.
but I just stopped by to encourage someone, that all you gotta do is run the route because God has already commanded the blessing.
Are there any leaders ready to get there?
Are there any missionaries that are ready to get there?
Are there any preachers that are ready to get there?
Are there any world shakers that are ready to get there?
Are there any trailblazers that are ready to get there?
Imagine if Elijah would have stayed camped out at the dry brook singing and testifying about how God used to come through.
The family probably would have died in the famine?
That family may not have gotten touched and the son may have not lived,
But Elijah said No No No aim going to go after all that God has for me.
I have a question for you and I this morning...
Are we there yet?
There are too many cities crying out
There are too many countries crying out and
There are too many continents that are crying out for us to camp out...
but I believe we have some soldiers in the house this morning - that say "get out my way - I am heading to my there."
Watch out fear I need to get there!!?
Watch out doubt I need to get there!!
Get out of my way because I need to get there!!!
The dry season has tried to discourage me, but I am about to get there...
The set backs have tried to throw me off track, but I am about to get there...
The opposition has tried to get me to camp out but I am heading to my there!!!
The provision is already in the air - I just need to get there..
God has already thrown the blessing It is in the air - the only thing that you and I need to do is get there.
The challenge for some of us is maybe we have been running the same route over and over and the opponent has you figured.
I dare you to change up your route and throw a move you haven't done before - do you juke you haven't done before...Do a shake you haven't done before.
Try something new and throw off the opposition.
There are too many countries for me to be camped out at the dry brook.
There are too many continents to take for me to be camped out at the dry brook.
There are too many hurting families for me to be camped out here talking about how God use to move in my life I got to get to my there...
I would like to close by asking:
- Are there any missionaries that are ready to go there?
- Are there any preachers in the building that are ready to go there?
- Are there any world shakers that are ready to go there?
- Are there history makers that are ready to go there?
- Are there any trailblazers that are ready to get to you there?
