Climate Control
I. Introduction
We confuse climate with weather. They are not the same thing. Climate is in fact defined as "a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years." So this is more than weather! Climate is in fact what sets weather into motion. Climate controls weather. Climate dictates what the weather will be like. Climate can be a great destabilizing force. So some of you are fighting storms, trouble, difficulties and you only seem to get temporary relief or respite. Then those same challenges show up on the horizon again! We expend all of our energy on fighting weather when if we would spend the same efforts on controlling the climate the storms, patterns, cycles would change! We have a tendency to react to the patterns and never do anything to address the climate that is causing those patterns. Some of you have been fighting the same fight new versions for 10 years, 20 years, 30 years and you rail against the weather but never deal with the root which is the climate that produces the weather.
Let me see if I can show you what I am talking about from an instance in Jesus' life!
II. Climate Control
Matthew 9:18-19, 23-25
While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd (the disorderly crowd) and people playing pipes (one version says these are people who make music for funerals), he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him (KJV says they laughed him to scorn). After the crowd had been put outside (this is too docile in English - in the original it has "forcibly thrown" out feel), he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.
Matthew 9:23-24 By now they had arrived at the house of the town official, and pushed their way through the gossips looking for a story and the neighbors bringing in casseroles. Jesus was abrupt: “Clear out! This girl isn’t dead. She’s sleeping.” They told him he didn’t know what he was talking about.
Jesus didn't mess around. He was abrupt. He instantly, intentionally and yes even forcibly took control of the climate. We would have dealt first with the weather ... the storm ... the death. But Jesus goes straight for and first for climate.
From this backdrop may I mention a few things quickly about Climate Control?
a. Climate Control must precede Climate Change
Jesus dramatically shows us that in order for there to be climate change there must first be climate control!
He controlled climate rather than allowing climate to control him.
Jesus cleared the house! He didn't wait for it to clear. He didn't wait for people to wander out that needed to be kicked out!
Jesus recognized instantly that before there could be any change and before the climate would be conducive for a miracle He had to deal with the doubters, the haters, the scoffers, the unbelievers. Healing can't enter until haters exit.
Some of you need to hear that. You are asking for climate change but you are unwilling to control the climate so the climate dictates no change.
There are things in your life that are dead and seem to be past recovery that if you would take control of the climate would come back to life.
Elijah dealt with climate before dealing with weather. He killed false prophets so that the entire nation turns back to God. Then he prays and asks for rain (weather) to end drought.
You can't expect to have a climate change to focus if you won't deal with the distractors in your life. You want a change to righteousness but won't control the climate of filth around you.
Many of you are dealing with patterns that will continue until you take control of the climate!
Debt - but won't deal with the climate of overspending, lack of tithing, trying to change the weather to blessing but won't address climate of disobedience and rebellion.
Broken relationships - but won't address the climate of physical intimacy before marriage, won't address your own climate of brokenness, anger, sharp tongue, selfishness, etc.
Job - won't address climate of laziness.
Purity - won't manage what you listen to or watch.
Constant turmoil - won't deal with your double-mindedness.
Loneliness- but won't deal with climate of standoffishness, suspicion, etc.
Jesus was decisive about this. He knew if there was going to be change He had to first deal with the climate. The climate was disorderly and He is a God that operates in order. The climate was chaos and He is a God that doesn't operate in confusion. He knew that He could not call something sleep if everyone else in the room was calling it death! So He steps in controls the climate.
b. Climate control dictates dismissal.
Prior to operating in the gift of healing Jesus removed doubters. He also removed paid mourners. These folks that were mourning, playing music, making a scene weren't concerned family members or close friends. In fact, in accordance and compliance with the custom of that day, these were paid mourners. This was a paid gig. This was their job. This was their profession. No emotional investment just their to get their pay. They had to be forcibly removed not because they cared but because they would lose their check if they vacated.
There are people in your life who have made a profession out of celebrating the death that are living through.
They are pros!
There are people that are trying to profit from your pain. There are people that banking on your brokenness.
There are people that are rooting for your death and resisting your life because if you get it healed it reveals the sickness and death in their life. They are so comfortable with your current condition that not only could they not handle a change they are working against it. You will lose more people during ascension than you ever did when you were descending.
There are people trying to convince you something is dead when it is only asleep. They are saying your dream is dead but it is only asleep. They are saying your future is dead, your marriage is dead, etc.
There are people that are filling the room of your life with mourning, chaos, and death and until you are willing to dismiss them you will never usher in the miraculous.
I am here today to tell you that if you are ever going to have a climate change you must follow Jesus' example and put them out. Dismiss them. Take the steps necessary to get them out of your life. Forcibly, decisively, abruptly, completely cut them off. Give them no access. If you don't . . . life will not and can not come. If you don't the patterns will repeat. They will cheer you right back into confusion. They will tempt you right back into falling. They will dance you right back into distraction and destruction.
Dharius Daniels says it like this . . . Sometimes God would rather you deal with the pain of their absence instead of the consequences of their presence. Value your joy more than their company.
Listen some of you are allowing people to hang around that need to be dismissed. You are comforting what you should be confronting and in doing so you leave no room for Christ and therefore you are forfeiting climate change. If you don't like the weather you are enduring right now you had better be willing to address the climate even if that requires cutting.
Jesus teaches his disciples that there are times when you need to leave and take your peace with you. Some of you have no peace because you won't dismiss people who not only demand your attention but they steal your peace. So there is no climate for change. So if you can't see me right . . . see me later. I have to dismiss you if I want climate change. Jesus dismisses drama and then deals with death.
This is the issue! Some of you are more committed to their mess than you are desperate for the miraculous. Until you displace there is no room for anything different. Control your climate.
III. Close
If you are here and would say there is a climate issue in my life that I need to change and get Jesus' help controlling.
You need to evaluate who is filling your life.
