High Cost of Low Enthusiasm Part 1

(NLT) — 14 When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried. 15 Elisha told him, “Get a bow and some arrows.” And the king did as he was told. 16 Elisha told him, “Put your hand on the bow,” and Elisha laid his own hands on the king’s hands. 17 Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.” 18 Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. 19 But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” 20 Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring.

MAIN POINT- There is an abundant overflow of power and resource for those that are God’s people. Fully use everything he has given you with enthusiasm or run the risk of missing out on more.

My prayer in CrossFire is that we would see a generation that never grows content with the status quo… That a radical group of young people would rise up for mediocrity and compromise and seek more of God…

My prayer is that we would see a generation desire more like the tribes of Ehprium and Manaseh in who said the hills are not enough… Yes we conquered so much, but we desire more...

I want to see radical students who desire more and choose to worship beyond the norm like David did in 2 Sam, throwing the largest parades and worship services their city has ever seen…

Let there be young people who rejoice with every salvation but their desire to see heaven filled and the church built that they can’t rest until all of God’s people are saved like Ester did when she made it her responsibility to see God’s people saved from disaster...

I pray for young people who are so passionate for an anointing over their lives that they cry out for a double portion like Elisha did…

Faithfulness seen in this generation that there will be continual gathering to seek God together until all have recieved his spirit like the church in Acts…

KEY POINT- If you want to see real change in your lives and the lives of others its got to start with your enthusiasm for Jesus.

DEFINE- Enthusiasm is defined as intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.

(NLT) — 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

(NLT) — 31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

(NLT) — 10 Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.

(NLT) — 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

I want to preach to you tonight on this thought, “The High Cost of Low Enthusiasm.”

My prayer is that your enthusiasm for Jesus will be seen by so many in order to glorify God.

QUESTION- Why does my Enthusiasm matter???

Point- In our story Elisha tells King Jehoash to shoot an arrow out to the East.

(NLT) — 17 Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.”

KEY POINT- God often takes small examples of faith and turn them into large demonstrations of power.

KEY- The east was the direction where the enemy had taken over the land, and by shooting that arrow into that direction of what was defeated he was prophesying that is the new direction of victory.

CHALLENGE- I believe God is moving us into a new direction of victory, but that requires us opening up the window in the direction we last failed.

Elisha said open up that East window, not that west window where everything is fine, he said look out into the distance of your recent defeat… look out into the distance of your recent failure… look out into the distance of your recent disappointment…

CHALLENGE- Some of us are too busy looking out the window of comfort instead of looking out the window of our past defeat. But its not until we open up that East window that we have the opportunity to shoot our arrow of victory.

CHALLENGE- It is time for us to confront our previous failures and we shoot out the grace, love, and power that flows from the Cross of Jesus Christ.

KEY POINT- But then Elisha gives another instruction…

You see the first arrow that was shot out into the East represented the scope of the victory…

now Elisha tells King Jehoash to strike the ground, and he does, but only 3 times.

DEFINE- The Hebrew word for strike here is the word Nkh which means to deliver a sharp blow, to break in pieces, to pierce through. It ment to hit as hard as you can with all your might and everything in you.

KEY- 3 times would have taken energy, 5 or 6 times would have taken so much more energy, but King Jehoash relented at 3.

How many times have we relented, when we should have kept going?? How many times have we stoped short at ‘good enough’ when there was so much more we could have done??

QUESTION- Why does enthusiasm matter?? — The extent of my victory is connected to the level of my enthusiasm.

You might think, how does enthusiasm make any difference???

POINT- It has never been your ability, or strength, or determination that has made anything truly change it has been the power of God.

Enthusiasm is an outward display of an inward belief.

KEY- Enthusiasm is not only shown with emotion, but with commitment and demonstration.

MAIN POINT- There is a high cost to low enthusiasm. The extent of my victory is connected to the level of my enthusiasm, therefore I need to remove the caps of my enthusiasm.

What caps my Enthusiasm?

1. Sin

(NLT) — 10 Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to rule over Israel in the thirty-seventh year of King Joash’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria sixteen years. 11 But he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

You may read this and think to yourself, ‘It’s not fair, Elisha never told him how many times to strike the ground’ but the truth is sin will cause you to miss out, and not know what you need to do.

POINT- On going sin robs you of the opportunity to do what is right.

Some of you are wondering why you are not experiencing the success you want… Why am I struggling to be a witness to my friends?? Why can’t I seem to get ahead??

POINT- It’s not until you confront ongoing sin that you will be freed up to do what is right.

ILLUSTRATION-

KEY- This is why so many still deal with addiction, a confrontation of sin must in a resolution. We have gotten good at saying we are sorry, but we have failed to walk out the plan God has given us for our freedom.

(NLT) — 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

(NLT) — 5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.

CHALLENGE- It’s time to confront sin and resolve sin.

2. Fear

ILLUSTRATION- Limiting my climb because of fear of falling.

I wonder how many times we have struck the ground only 3 times because we were afraid of what may happen if we put everything into it…

KEY- Fear is often connected with the unknown… how is it that I know this to be true?? Almost every rationalization of fear is made with this statement, “wonder if…”

(NLT) — 14 When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried.

KEY- Elisha was approaching the end of his life and King Jehoash knew of Elisha’s and God’s relationship. Jehoash was aware of all of the miracles Elisha preformed, and now it appears that Israel’s hope was about to die.

POINT- Elisha was never the hope of Isreal it was God.

3. Wrong Focus

(NLT) — 14 When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried.

(NLT) — 6 But they continued to sin, following the evil example of Jeroboam. They also allowed the Asherah pole in Samaria to remain standing. 7 Finally, Jehoahaz’s army was reduced to 50 charioteers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Aram had killed the others, trampling them like dust under his feet.

KEY- This battle Israel was in had been going on for a while, and under the previous king Israel’s army was nearly obliterated leaving just a few Chariots; the icon of strength in an army.

POINT- Your resources will be the cap of your enthusiasm if you choose to solely focus on them.

KEY- Resources are great, but they will never be enough. We still need God!!

(NLT) — 7 Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.

Stop focusing on all the things you don’t have and start looking at what is in your hand…

4. Pride

(NLT) — 19 But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”

POINT- It may seem counter intuitive, but pride will cap your enthusiasm. Your enthusiasm will only extend to the limit your ability will go.

ILLUSTRATION- Completing reading comprehension stories.

(NLT) — 1 This is what the Lord says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place? 2 My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the Lord, have spoken! “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word.

Conclusion…

(NLT) — 19 But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”

MAIN POINT- There is a high cost to low enthusiasm.

CHALLENGE- It is time we feed our enthusiasm!

Enthusiasm is an outward display of an inward belief.

KEY- Enthusiasm is not only shown with emotion, but with commitment and demonstration.

QUESTION- How do we feed our enthusiasm?? — With action.

(NLT) — 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.

How will this world see my enthusiasm?? When I DO what I am called to do...

Lets get enthusiastic about the many salvations we are going to expereince this school year.

Lets get enthusiastic about the healings that are going to happen in this room and in the hallways of your school.

Lets get enthusiastic about the revival that is taking place.

Lets get enthusiastic about God’s word.

Lets get enthusiastic about God’s love.

CHALLENGE- It’s time for some followthrough!