Clickbait - Week 3

Illustration of Mic and I playing hide and seek

Transition: I heard a pastor say one time - “Elijah had a hiding place, what’s yours?”

I think this is a great question because we all DO have hiding places.

What’s your hiding place?

Buying stuff

Alcohol

Relationships

Defensiveness

Porn

Blame

Perfection

The real problem with many of our hiding places is we go thinking we’re going to only spend a few minutes there but end up being trapped like my brother in the cabinets

We’re trapped in an addiction we can’t get out of

We’re trapped in a patter of thought we can’t move past

We’re trapped in a relationship we can’t seem to walk away from

Transition: We started this series a few weeks ago called clickbait

And what we have been saying is that everyone has clickbait

Recap the series so far

Irrational fears lead to irrational behaviors.

Transition: So if you have a Bible turn to , if you don’t we’ll put up on the screen for you...

Recap last weeks situation with Elijah and what happened to him

The New International Version Chapter 19

8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

You can actually find yourself running from God’s will, into God’s arms at the same time.

You can actually find yourself running from God’s will, into God’s arms at the same time.

Elijah is running towards God but running away from his calling in Israel

He’s quiting his calling

The New International Version Chapter 19

9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

The Lord Appears to Elijah

And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

This is the question we need to all be asking today.

What are we doing here?

Illustration of me looking at my son who was covered in his own poop and being ok with and asking what he was doing.

What are you doing here?

At River Lake

Attending vs Engaging

Gifted vs Giving

Let me back up a little and ask it differently - what are you doing HERE?

Henry Cloud Quote

Elijah is hiding from something…he is hiding from someone actually.

Are you running from something or towards something?

Too often they look the same but have very different results in the end.

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

And it is here we see the full power of FEAR in the Clickbait in our heads

It is a lie that drives away our calling and decieves us on so many levels

Elijah has

Run from God’s will

Run from all his family/friends

Is stuck in a mountain over hundred miles from his calling

Why? Because of ‘THOSE’ people

It’s BLAME

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Transition: So God does this incredible show of power to remind him of who He is...

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 an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

The New International Version Chapter 19

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 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 an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came,

What are you doing HERE?

And HERE is the key word to focus on.

No decision is a Decision

And for some of you today there is something God has called you to do for days, weeks, months, and you inactivity is a decision to walk away from God’s will.

§ And you might be like Elijah and just want to be with God and spend more time with him in prayer but all that is doing is just masking you’re scared.

And you might be like Elijah and just want to be with God and spend more time with him in prayer but all that is doing is just masking you’re scared.

You keep telling God you need to pray for it more or wait for the right timing and you have convinced yourself that you haven’t told God no but you have…no decision is a decision!

§ You keep telling God you need to pray for it more or wait for the right timing and you have convinced yourself that you haven’t told God no but you have…no decision is a decision!

Transition: He replies in the exact same way as before talking about those people and how great he is and how they are trying to kill him.

15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came,

15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came,

Transition: And in the remaining passage he informs Elijah he is not alone, in fact there are thousands of others who are faithfully serving God in Israel and He is not done with him yet.

But God tells him to ‘go back the way you came’

· There are no shortcuts back!

There are no shortcuts back!

o God could have transported him instantly

God could have transported him instantly

o God could have done incredible things

God could have done incredible thing

§ Gave him a magic carpet ride

Gave him a magic carpet ride

§ Teleported him like he did in the NT with a disciple

Teleported him like he did in the NT with a disciple

§ Drove him there on a nice new model camel

Drove him there on a nice new model camel

o It was a 40 day journey minimum and I believe it is probably longer

It was a 40 day journey minimum and I believe it is probably longer

§ We tend to run away from God’s will faster than we walk back into it.

We tend to run away from God’s will faster than we walk back into it.

· There is such grace in this command.

There is such grace in this command.

o Grace that you can make it right

Grace that you can make it right

o Grace that there are others with him

Grace that there are others with him

o Grace that it is not over

Grace that it is not over

o Grace that God is still walking with Elijah

Grace that God is still walking with Elijah

o Grace that no matter how you feel it doesn’t mean it is reality!

Grace that no matter how you feel it doesn’t mean it is reality!

· But he needs to go back.

But he needs to go back.

· He needs to change his direction.

He needs to change his direction.

· The Clickbait has lied to you but God will help you see that.

The Clickbait has lied to you but God will help you see that.

· Ultimately Elijah saw Jezebel and failed to see God!

Ultimately Elijah saw Jezebel and failed to see God!