Elevation means Confrontation

INTRO- It’s time for us to start experiencing “new heights”

ILLUSTRATION- Going up all the way in the lift.

ILLUSTRATION- I used to be afraid of heights.

ILLUSTRATION- My favorite part of skiing in a new place is seeing a new view from the mountain top

Its time for some new heights… Is there anyone who wants to expereince more… I’m talking about more miracles, more salvations, more encounters, more freedom…

We have been in this series about transition and the focus has been on when God transitions us from a place we enjoyed to a place that has challenges, but tonight I want to focus on when God transitions us to a high place, I want to talk about when God transitions us to an elevated place…

CHALLENGE- Is there anyone who wants to expereince the transition of elevation.

We expereince new vision in the high places.

(NLT) — 33 He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

What happens when we stand out spiritual mountain heights??

We expereince new vision in the high places.

We are refreshed in the high places.

We are strengthened in the high place.

So now I see my setbacks as set ups… So now I see my sickness as opportunity, I see my disappointments as opportunities

You might think well you are just making this up, this idea of, “the high place” well lets just look at God’s word…

Noah; Found safety from the flood on top of a mountain (high place), Offered a sacrifice there.

Abraham; It was in the high place where God provided a sacrifice saving Issac

Moses; Received his call in the high place, recieved the 10 commandments in the high place, saw his reward in the high place…

David; On many mountains is where David would find safety; Perhaps this is why he wrote .

Elijah; Would call down fire from heaven, where? In the high place, In the very spot God gave Moses the law would be the spot he would hear the comforting voice of God that was more powerful than mighty winds, quakes, and fire.

You say well thats all just old testament…

Jesus would give the sermon on the mount in the high place showing us how to live.

Jesus would climb up high to pray because when he would “come down” there were people waiting for him.

Jesus would take Peter James and John to the high place to meet with Moses and Elijah.

It was the Mount of Olives that Jesus often prepared for his very purpose for walking this earth moments before his crucifixion.

It was in the high place Jesus paid the ultimate price for sin

AND IT IS IN THE HIGH PLACE THAT JESUS STEPS HIS FOOT BACK ON EARTH IN GLORY!

I don’t know about you but my prayer is Jesus let today be a day where you transition me to a high place! Let tonight be the night where I can stand in the high places…

Is there anyone that wants the high places?? Come on!!

Now you might be thinking to yourself does this mean tonight I need to go climb a mountain??? NO, no you do not…

KEY- The cross allows us to walk into the high places.

Because of the cross wherever I stand for God’s word is a high place, Because of the cross everywhere I bow my knee in worship is a high place, Because of the cross the place I fall on my face in reverence is a high place, everywhere I carry out my purpose is a high place, anywhere I run my race is a high place, where I jump for joy because of the Lord is a high place, where I walk in obedience is a high place…

KEY POINT- The shadow of the cross and the empty grave mean we can tread in the high places!

KEY- Now I believe the high place is always available to a believer, but I do believe there are seasons where God will intentionally transition you to “new heights.” He does this when we ask, he does this in his own sovereign timing.

Anyone want to transition to, “new heights.”

MAIN POINT- It is impossible to expereince elevation without confrontation!

ILLUSTRATION- Climbing out of the grand canyon.

(NLT) — 1 Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!” 2 So Elijah went to appear before Ahab. Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria.

Many of you know the story of what I am about to read, but I’m asking you tonight to look at it with a fresh set of eyes… To look at it in the context of where Elijah has been. Keep in mind in just the last chapter it starts out with Elijah hiding from Ahab and then taking care of a widow…

(NLT) — 17 When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?” 18 “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead. 19 Now summon all Israel to join me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who are supported by Jezebel.” 20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. 22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets. 23 Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. 24 Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed. 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.” 26 So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made. 27 About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!” 28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. 29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response. 30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.” 34 After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench. 36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

KEY- At first glance we only can see the confrontation between Elijah and Ahab, but Elijah had to confront so much more!

MAIN POINT- It is impossible to expereince elevation without confrontation. If you want to expereince new heights it means confronting obstacles.

1. Confrontation of CONCEIT (pride)

(NLT) — 1 Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!”

DEFINE- The word for present yourself in this text in the Hebrew is this word, “r’h” (he-ra-eh) which literally translated means, to enjoy the light. It was a word which described the formal presenting of oneself to a person in position of authority such as a king.

WHY?? Why would God have Elijah go to this wicked king and have him present himself??? Could God not have done the same miracle without Elijah presenting himself to Ahab?? Why couldn’t Elijah just draw his own crowd to Mt. Carmel?? Why did he have to go before the king???

KEY POINT- It was so important for Ahab, Elijah, and everyone present, and for everyone who would ever hear this great story of God’s power to know, that IT WAS NOT ELIJAH who started the drought, it was not Elijah who sent fire down from heaven, and it was not going to be Elijah who would send rain. IT WAS GOD!

Imagine for a moment if Elijah decided that going to present himself to Ahab was beneath him (which it kind of was) imagine if he said I thought we would do it a different way…

KEY- Pride loves to rest in the words, “I thought”

I thought we would do this different, I thought they would still be there, I thought my scenario would change…

When are some of us going to stop worshiping at the altar of “I thought”

KEY- Elijah first going to the king was a demonstration of humility. It showed everyone that it is ultimately God who is in control, It was not Elijah, and it was certainly not Ahab.

Its a funny thing about pride, when your heart is full of pride you try to write your own prescriptions… If they this if they that…

but wander if God isn’t going to heal you on your terms, what if he doesn’t set it up to be easy, what if he asks you to do something that in your mind seems insignificant or even foolish, or embracing…

POINT- You can not get to new heights because of who you are or what you do, its got to be God!

(NLT) — 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

CHALLENGE- I believe many of you here in this room tonight desire for God to take you to new heights, but are you confronting pride?

POINT- You confront pride not with humility, but with obedience. Obedience to God has a way of introducing you to humility.

It is not unusual for God to put you in a situation that is so far over your head so much out of your control so that its his glory that is seen. Pride only seeks to have the focus.

2. Confrontation of COMPROMISE (Sin)

(NLT) — 17 When Ahab saw him, he exclaimed, “So, is it really you, you troublemaker of Israel?” 18 “I have made no trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “You and your family are the troublemakers, for you have refused to obey the commands of the Lord and have worshiped the images of Baal instead.

KEY POINT- God will only allow compromise to go unnoticed for so long. God will often disrupt your comfort to confront your dysfunction.

KEY- There is no person in the world that is worth compromising your passion in order to please!

POINT- Compromise is often understood in the terms of an exchange.

KEY- Isn’t it something that the temptation of compromise comes when we see something that the flesh wants but the spirit rejects…

Some of you have made bad deals and you don’t even know it yet… You have chosen your way for convince but you don’t realize that it will leave you wounded, You have chosen sin for enjoyment but you don’t realize that it will steal your purpose…

KEY- Isn’t it something that the temptation of compromise comes when we see something that the flesh wants but the spirit rejects…

It’s when your flesh wants to look at what you should reject that you compromise - It’s when your flesh wants to have something that you compromise.

ILLUSTRATION-

I’ve made up my mind that what we stand for here in CrossFire we will not compromise.

POINT- Arn’t you glad Christ didn’t compromise even to the point of death!

3. Confrontation of COMPLACENCY (Laziness)

(NLT) — 30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.”

KEY POINT- Could God have just sent fire as it was, of course but this demonstrates our part in God’s plan.

Some of you might be thinking wait didn’t you just take a lot of time to explain to me that it is not about me its not about what I can do?? Now you are telling me that new heights is up to me???

If its supposed to be God what am I supposed to do???

(NLT) — 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

(NLT) — 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

(NLT) — 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

KEY POINT- Our hope is not dependent on responding to our problems it is dependent on responding to God’s word.

… and God’s word is full of INSTRUCTION, things that I am supposed to DO! So I do have a part to play in God’s plan. My part is to be obedient, to be faithful, to be steadfast, to pray, to worship.

CHALLENGE- God won’t bless complacency!

4. Confrontation of CONTROL (what is normal/natural)

POINT- New heights don’t happen in the natural it happens in the super natural.

(NLT) — 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.” 34 After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench. 36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

CONCLUSION…

POINT- God won’t allow you to elevate until you are ready. This is why Elijah had to spend time at the brook with the ravens, he had to see the miracles at the widows house.

QUESTIONS…

What are the things keeping you from experiencing “new heights”? Get specific!

Are you making it a point to confront your obstacles?

What are you going to do to confront your obstacles?