Rebuilding the Altar of the Lord

SCRIPTURE

Malachi 4:5 NKJV

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.

Luke 1:17 NKJV

17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

INTRODUCTION

Declaring the Word of the Lord

2 Timothy 4:2 KJV 1900

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

The Church should be declaring the Word of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah.

Paul encouraged Timothy to “preach the Word.”

Preaching should be our priority.

The Word should be the only thing we preach.

The Church should be “instant” (ready) “in season and out of season.”

“In season” refers to times when preaching the Word is convenient and accepted.

“Out of season” refers to times when preaching the Word is inconvenient or rejected.

The Church should be preaching the Word for 3 main purposes:

reprove = convince

rebuke = correct

exhort = comfort or encourage

Examples

Elijah declared the Word of the Lord against Ahab.

John the Baptist declared the Word of the Lord against Herod.

EXPOSITION - Rebuilding the Altar of the Lord

First, the Church should be declaring the Word of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. Second, the Church should also be rebuilding the altar of the Lord.

After Elijah declared the Word of the Lord to Ahab, he called out the false prophets:

1 Kings 18:19–20 NKJV

19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.

Then Elijah called on Israel to return to the worship of the Lord.

1 Kings 18:21 NKJV

21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

Then Elijah issued a challenge to the false prophets to determine who was the true God:

Jehovah or Baal?

The true God would be the One who answered by fire.

1 Kings 18:22–25 NKJV

22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.” 25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”

The prophets of Baal could not get their god to answer.

1 Kings 18:26–29 NKJV

26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. 27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. 29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

Elijah set out to rebuild the altar of the Lord that had been neglected and was broken down.

1 Kings 18:30 NKJV

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

MESSAGE POINTS

We Need to Rebuild the Altar of Praise

One of the primary purposes of the altar in the Old Testament was to be a place of worship.

The altar was used to present a sacrifice to the Lord.

Although there is no longer any need for animal sacrifices, the Word of the Lord tells us that we are to bring a sacrifice of praise to the Lord.

Hebrews 13:15 NKJV

15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

We Need to Rebuild the Altar of Prayer

The altar is a place where prayers are presented to the Lord.

Going to the altar to pray is not just for seeking forgiveness and repentance of sins, it is also for:

Seeking Healing and Restoration

Seeking for Deliverance

Experiencing God’s Presence

Seeking God’s Guidance

Surrendering to God’s Will

Interceding for Others

Fighting Spiritual Warfare

We Need to Rebuild the Altar of Pentecost

God still answers by fire.

Pentecost is not just a denominational belief system, it is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for service in the Kingdom of God.

Believing in Pentecost simply means that we believe God is the same yesterday, today, and forever and He still moves today like He did for the early church.

The power of Pentecost is what is needed in the Church to combat the kingdom of darkness.

CALL TO ACTION

Are there some broken down altars in your life that you need to rebuild?

Do you need to rebuild the altar of praise?

Do you need to rebuild the altar of prayer?

Do you need to rebuild the altar of Pentecost?

Do you need a breakthrough in an area of your life?

God still answers by fire.

Do you need:

Healing?

Restoration?

To experience God’s presence?

To seek God’s guidance?

To surrender to God’s Will?

To intercede for others?

Wage spiritual warfare against demonic powers?