10-16-2022 - Internal Combustion

OPENING

Probably most of us are aware of at least the basics of how an internal combustion engine works. Internal combustion engines can be various types, but the one we are probably most familiar with, and probably the one you used to get here to church this morning, is the piston engine. A fuel source, like gasoline or diesel, undergoes combustion inside cylinders in the engine. This movement of the pistons turns a crank shaft that produces power that we refer to as horsepower. It is this horsepower that is used to do some type of work. In a vehicle, the main type of work that is desired is movement. The internal combustion engine produces the power needed to turn the drive shaft and the gears needed to turn the wheels and put the vehicle into motion.

This morning we are going to talk about a different type of internal combustion, but one that operates in a similar way. In a spiritual sense, we have an internal fuel source, the Holy Spirit, that when the conditions are just right, undergoes supernatural combustion, that begins to stir some things up within us, and produces spiritual power that moves us in the direction that God would have us to go and causes us move forward and advance the Kingdom of God!

The prophet Jeremiah referred to this as “a burning fire shut up in my bones.” Let’s take a look together this morning at Jeremiah Chapter 20.

SCRIPTURE

Jeremiah 20:7–9 NKJV

7 O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me. 8 For when I spoke, I cried out; I shouted, “Violence and plunder!” Because the word of the Lord was made to me A reproach and a derision daily. 9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

MESSAGE

Background

Back in Chapter 18, God had given Jeremiah a prophecy concerning the potter and the clay. God showed Jeremiah and Israel that the potter, who is God, could remold and rework the vessels (people) who were marred in the potters hand. But in Chapter 19, God gave Jeremiah another vision, this time concerning broken pottery. This was a prophecy of judgment on Israel for their sinful and idolatrous ways. God told Jeremiah to break a clay flask as a sign of how God was going to break Israel by handing them over to their enemies.

As you can imagine, nobody liked this message. Jeremiah was not a very popular guy. And Pashhur, who was one of the leading priests in the Temple, struck Jeremiah and put him in the stocks as punishment. The next day, Passhur had Jeremiah released and Jeremiah spoke a prophecy of judgment specifically over Passhur, which included how and where he would die.

It is within this context that Jeremiah lifts up the prayer to God that we read a portion of in Jeremiah 20:7-9.

Jeremiah’s Burden

Jeremiah Got Frustrated

Jeremiah got uncomfortably real with God. In verse 7 he says, God, “You induced me.” In essence, Jeremiah is accusing God of deceiving him into the prophetic ministry. Jeremiah said that he was “persuaded.”

The brochure sounded nice. I’ll be called by God. I’ll speak His Word. I’ll be God’s representative to the people. Sounds like a nice gig.

But Jeremiah said, “I am in derision daily. Everyone mocks me.” Instead of giving people good news I had to shout, “violence and plunder.”

In other words, instead of preaching about butterflies and rainbows I had tell people they were doing wrong, they were in sin, and judgment was coming.

And Jeremiah said, as a result, God you have made me a “reproach and a derision daily.” Instead of receiving the People’s Choice Award for Prophet of the Year, I’m a joke. Nobody likes me. Nobody believes me.

It’s almost as if Jeremiah is saying, “God, why did you do this to me? If I would have known it was going to be like this, I would have never accepted this assignment.”

Have you ever found yourself frustrated in your relationship with God? Be honest with yourself. Have you ever thought, “God, what is going on here? This is not what I thought it was going to be like. This is not what was on the brochure. I thought it was just supposed to be butterflies and rainbows. I thought things would have been different by now. Where’s the promotion? Where’s the next assignment? When does it get better?

And all the while God is saying, “Child, I just want you to be faithful where you are right now. I just want you to bloom where I’ve planted you. I just want you to show Me that you can be faithful over the small things.

Jeremiah Decided to Quit

Jeremiah thought he’d had enough. He said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak anymore in His name.” Jeremiah thought he would walk into God’s HR office, slam a resignation letter down on His desk, and say, “I quit!” Like it was just going to be that easy.

Jeremiah had reached a crisis moment in his life. He had reached a cross roads. Was Jeremiah going to continue to obey God and move forward, or was he going to pack it in, give up, and start a new career, like selling Kirby vacuum cleaners door to door?

You might have reached a crisis point in your walk with God like Jeremiah did. You might be frustrated. You might be saying, “What’s the point? I’m not doing any good. I don’t really know where to go from here. I used to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it seems like right now that light is the train about to run me over. Maybe it’s time to quit trying to press in and press forward.”

But let me encourage you this morning. It’s not time to give up. It’s time to let your frustration become your motivation. It’s time to turn your confusion into your combustion. Don’t let the fire go out! Don’t let the devil steal your joy in serving the Lord! There is a payday at the end of the road! Keep pressing on!

Jeremiah Realized He Had to Keep Going

Jeremiah said, I thought I would just stop. No more talking about the Lord. No more mentioning his name. No more moving forward. But Jeremiah said, “I realized this was not just a job, this was an anointing. This wasn’t just a career, it was a calling. Because when I tried to keep my mouth shut and hold it in, I could feel the internal combustion going on deep down on the inside of me. It was like a burning fire, shut up in my bones. I couldn’t hold it in. I couldn’t stop it. There was too much horsepower of the Holy Spirit that was moving me and it became impossible to try to stop it. I tried, but I became weary of trying to hold it back and I couldn’t.”

Two weeks ago, I encouraged you to Stir It Up. To stir up the gift of God that is in you. Let me just tell you, once you stir it up, once the momentum is started, once God places that desire down in you, once those charisma, those spiritual gifts are implanted down in your heart, there is no holding it back. An internal combustion will take over and start producing a power that you cannot contain.

The Holy Spirit will not only be in you, but will overflow out of you. Try it and see if the Lord will not open up the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that you cannot contain. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over! Stop trying to hold it back! Let God take control of your life! Let Jesus take the wheel and move you forward and use you to further the Kingdom of God!

Are you moving or are you stationary this morning? Tabitha, Brooke, and Allie and I all have an app on our phones called Life360. We can see where each other are at any time. It’s very convenient. But it occured to me the other day that not only does it show where we are at that moment, but it also shows our movements. It might say, “Tabitha is at home since 8PM yesterday.” Or it might say, “Tabitha is moving near Madrid Road.”

I wonder this morning, if God had you on Life360 on His phone what would it say about you? Would it say, “he or she has been stationary for the last 6 months.” Or would it say, “he or she is on the move!”

Internal Combustion

My prayer for our church today is for us all to experience that internal combustion of the Holy Spirit in our lives. An internal combustion that will produce some spiritual power that will move us forward. A power that we cannot hold back. A power that will be like a burning fire shut up in our bones. A power to be more effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. Acts 1:8 says, “but you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you. And you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

“Let us not grow weary in well doing.” Let us not reach that place that Jeremiah did in his heart where he felt like giving up. And if we have already reached that place or are in that place right now, let us find encouragement in Jeremiah’s persistence in the end. “Let us now grow weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not!”

CLOSING

Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit? Have you been baptized in the Holy Ghost and with fire? Have you allowed God to ignite an internal combustion in your soul? Have you recieved the power from on high that Jesus promised? Are you a soul on fire? Are you ready for what God has planned next for you and our church?

ALTAR CALL