A Life of Power: The Secret of True Power

A Life of Power: The Secret of True Power

1 Kings 19:7-21

Introduction:

Our emphasis is on the word TRUE not the word secret.

When we use the word secret we are using in the way the NT uses it. Not something that God is trying to hide from us but something God wants to reveal to us.

NT—God is not desirus of having only a few spiritual giants—he desires that all will have his power—not some secret formula for a special few.

There are somethings we can learn from the life of Elijah this morning:

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Eliajh—prophet of power yet went through hour of weakness

--An hour of weakness can come to anybody

--God can still use us despite anything that happens in our life-in spite of our failures

How is Elijah going to regain the power

How he is going be usable again and go beyond anything he had been before.

What can he learn about the Power of God.

If we are going to have God’s power flowing through us:

I. Preliminary Requirements:

1. Be in a position to hear God’s voice:

· God sent him to the cave

· Couldn’t God have spoken to him under the Juniper tree? Yes, but would he have listened.

· Some feel that because God is sovereign that in his power when he speaks, a person has to hear him. But I don’t think that’s the case---I believe God is speaking and so often our ears are deaf to the message that God is trying to get across.) He that has ears to hear---

· So many things distract us and drown out the message of God. The television roars and duties call us here and there.

· IN this day of doing everything quick—fast food, its so hard for some to realize the time it takes to be ready for God, to hear God’s voice.

· It takes intention and effort to find that place physically and mentally to be still and hear from God. This may be a prayer closet, a comfortable chair away from the TV, a Bible Study class, a worship service, outside in nature, on a boat.

· Sometimes---going back to a place that carries significant spiritual meaning to you can be helpful.

· One of the things I look forward to each year is going to Lufkin to visit my Dad’s grave. We go and visit with family there about my Dad. We spend time at the cemetary—his funeral was on memorial day weekend and it was decorated with flags all over and when we go back, we go back that same weekend and it brings back so many memories. For me---it is a spiritual revival---it was during the week of his death and funeral that I finally surrendered to preach and really meant it. I had fought that thing for so long—but God reached down and touched me in a very tangible way and scales fell off my eyes and I could see so clearly his will for me. And every year after that, during seminary I would start to question things, and grow weary, and doubts would seep in, but something about going back there---its like I could hear from God in fresh way and my soul would be revived for the journey. So refreshing.

· Does a person a lot of good to certain places

· ---where you were saved—baptized

· We can’t all go back physically to a place like that but we can all go mentally.

· Its why sometimes we need to go out alone and be still and quiet and know that he is God and listen and talk to God.

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2. Have a right attitude toward God.

· You can have a symblance of power...and not have the right attitude

· You can have a show of what would some call power

· Enthusiasm..excitement—real genuine spiritual power

· Two things about Elijah

A. Have an Attitude of reverence

§ takes his mantle and pulls over his face as he walks to the mouth of the cave.

§ I wondered, that Elijah could have lost some of that.

§ He had been in the presence of God and presence of miracles for so long.

§ Might have been thinking as he ran down from mount carmel

§ You can see him as he is jogging along in front of the chariot to the streets of Jezreel and maybe he was thinking---you know, God and I have really got things going well havent we! Me and the Lord are doing all right!

§ You can get so familiar with the things of God that we forget how amazing and powerful he really is.

§ Take God for granted.

§ Someone once said that an overfamiliarity with the things of God can create an attitude of irreverence. And it really can.

§ This can happen in a persons life—we can become brash about our relationship with God.

§ I don’t know what his attitude was then but I do know that now his attitude is right—he has an attitude toward God..an attitude of reverence.

B. Have an attitude of Obedience.

§ He says go and he goes.

· Go—eat---go to the mountain—go to the mouth of cave etc.

· Trust and obey

· (Some people wonder why they aren’t exp power of God—they are basically moral people—but they are not following him in service to him)

II. Primary Lessons:

We need to learn some lessons about God’s power.

· God is going to show him somethings

· Teach Elijah? Elijah need to learn?

o You and I have better not come to a place in our experience where we think we don’t need to learn anything else.

o We often reach a place where we think we know everything.

o No Christian should ever come to place where stop learning about the Lord.

o Paul---I have not yet attained.

A. Don’t try to fit experience with God into a mold.

o God never changes

§ No shadow of turning

§ You can depend on him

§ He is the same yesterday and today and forever.

o But when you try to take an individual and his experience and say this is how God has to work—no

· HE wont always do things the same way with you or with others.

· God works differently because we are each made different and we have different needs.

· Moses—fire—not in the fire

· Job—whirlwind—not in the wind

· There are several ways Christians struggle with this.

o Salvation—all saved in one way---simple faith in Jesus—turning from our sins thru faith in Jesus Christ. But the way God reaches each of us are different. We are made different and God works differently with each of us. It seems like some people are holding out to be hit over the head and knocked down like Paul was on the road to Damascus. In other words, unless I see a blinding light and some miraculous experience and overwhelming feelings then I am not going to surrender to Jesus—I want to be saved just like Paul.

§ But Peter James and John were different—Jesus said follow and they dropped their nets and followed him.

o Some people envy others who had a checkered past and then were saved and when they give their testimony---applause! But when you are saved at a very young age---you can envy those people and wonder if your testimony means anything. Sometimes we may even question our own salvation since we don’t remember a huge change in our life.

§ Listen---it is not just about what we used to be—it is about who we are now and whose we are now---not I was this and now I am this---listen that’s great—but whats just as great is---the fruit of the spirit in my life that has grown from a very young age and the future I have been saved from!

o The point is we are all different—we are approached different by God—but saved the same way—simple faith in Jesus Christ!

· Filling of the HS—talk more later—Sometimes we try to make the filling of the HS an automtic thing---not that simple—123 zap. Not that complicated either.

· Calling: Everyone of us who is saved has been called by God into His service. But what we are called to do is different for each person. Our job is to offer ourselves to God and allow him to show us, day by day, what it is He would have do and then obey Him.

o We should not look up to others and envy their calling and try to copy what they do.

o So too, we should not down at others because they aren’t doing as much for God as you think you are.

o For example, over the last 10 – 20 years or so there has been a big push in Christian circles regarding becoming a missionary. Not so much full time, but part time or at least serving on mission trips.

o What has happened –unintentionally---is that a hierarchy has been created in level of Christian commitment—those who rarely go to church at the bottom and those who are missionaries at the top.

o I struggled with guilt and questioned my growth in Christ because I really have never sensed any calling to go on mission trips on a regular basis. My circumstances in life don’t support that either. So I really really struggled with this. It held me back in other service because I was seriously questioning everything.

o Then I heard from God. I was studying one of my favorite preachers—Martin Lloyd Jones. He started talking about this exact subject in a sermon from Ephesians. He went through the same thing (a few decades ago) and made it very clear---I am called to be a missionary right where God has placed me. I have not been called to go anywhere else (yet). He went on to say that there are some on the mission field who were never called there and they are hurting the cause of Christ.

o That is true for each one of us---do what you are called by God to do. Period and don’t ever ever look down on someone else who doesn’t appear to be doing as much as you think you are doing.

B. Don’t just look for God in great physical demonstrations.

· God is not always found in Physical demonstrations.

o Sometimes he is---quite often he is found in other, much more subtle ways.

o Mouth of the cave---

§ Wind---illustration- run for the cellar

· It’s a gale—this is it—I have been looking for God! Here God is—I know this is God------I couldn’t sense Gods power there on the streets of Jezreel standing in the rain—I felt so alone there and powerless when I ran from Jezebel to the wilderness.-- but here He is—God’s Power—God is here!!

· But God is not in the wind!

§ The Earthquake—illus-haiti

· Ground begins to tremble beneath his feet---this is God—God is here---I want your power! This is what I have been wanting God!

· But God is not in the Earthquake

§ Fire—illustration---california

· Don’t know how the fire appeared

· Yeah---I was wrong—Here God is

· But God is not in the fire.

o Listen—There are times that God is going to bring a miracle and show us his presence and his power in a way we would never expect but I sincerely believe that most often ours is a walk of faith. We do not walk by sight but by faith!

o ---if God wants to bring a miracle—if God wants to show himself if some powerful demonstration—if God wants to give you a vision or whatever it may be---accept that with gratitude but don’t look for one tomorrow morning.

C. Discover the Power of God right where God is.

· Power is where God is.

o After all these great demonstrations

o A still small voice

§ Whisper? Margins of the bible—there is a hint of that.

§ Voice to the soul

§ Literal translation –a sound of a crushed silence

§ Whatever it was—it was in stark contrast to what he had just witnessed.

§ God is here!

o Here is the message---Power is found where God is.

· What is God teaching Him---

o Elijah—Ive been with you all long. I was with you on the streets of Jezreel just as much with you there as I was with you on the top of Mt. Carmel. No there was not fire falling from the sky there on the streets of Jezereel—there was no miracle present. Because My power if not always found in the miraculous.

o Hear me---I still believe God does miracles---but ours is largely a walk of faith.

o I have been with you all along

§ Yes—you knew I was with you by the brook cherith when the ravens came

§ You knew I was with you at the widows house when the food was supplied and the boy was raised

§ I was with you when the fire fell from heaven and the rain began to fall

§ I was with you on the mountain –and you knew it—you could see it.

§ But the secret to true power is this Elijah---I am with you always.

§ Even when you ran down into the valley, to the streets of Jezreel and you stood there feeling all alone and helpless in the rain---I was with you just the same! I never left you. I was with you when you ran from me to the wilderness. I have been with you all along.

§ My presence with you is a promise—not based on feelings.

§ And where my presence is, there also is my power.

§ Jesus said—Lo, I am with you always! Always!

· The lord is not just with me when I feel good.

· When Jesus told us to go and make disciples of all nations—he didn’t say, Lo I am with you when you feel like it.

· He didn’t say, Lo I am with you as long as you have a certain emotional experience.

· He didn’t say, lo I am with you as long as you don’t have a sinus headache.

· He said, Lo I am with you always!

· He is with you—you can go and you can know that the Lord God is right there with you.

When you and I are saved, He comes to live in our hearts and our lives---all of him—indwelling you and me. But just because all of Him is in you, does not mean you are filled with the HS or with the power of God.

That brings us to the next point----

III. Be in a Position for Power:

· Not in a position to HAVE power.

· —but to be in a position where God has us and THUS HIS power.

· In other words---we must be in a position where God can use us.

· Elijah needed to do some things---because

· 1. Power NOT for public display and boasting.

· 2. Power is for service.

· Power is a practical gift from God. His power is for enables us and those around us in the church to be able to serve the Lord—not boasting—not so people look and say—wow look how spiritual he is. No—power is for service.

· Doesn’t take power to sulk under a juniper tree

· Doesn’t really take power to be alone in a cave and worship God

o The Christian who is not intending to serve the lord is not in need of the power of God.

o Potential and kinetic energy.

§ Spring

§ Tank of water

§ There always is power in my life because Power is where God is.

§ Holy spirit is in you—God is in you. Power is in you.

§ It is not that you need more of the HS—he is not a substance—he is a person

§ But often there is something plugging it up—when we say I am ready to serve—I am ready to do your will---its like someone pulls the plug and the power of God flows. It releases the power of God

Illustration: Missionary—hispanic—Rob Saul---job as an irrigation man---pipes---watch other men---pipes put into the muddy water and pop the end to get the water to suck up into the pipe---my pipe doesn’t work---reached down in there---mud all down in there---Water wont flow through a muddy pipe

My power wont flow thru a dirty life.

· Lessons to learn—

Where is the power of God? Perhaps there is Something holding God’s power back---

· Sometimes there is a plug

· Sometimes there is a hand holding things bac

· Sometimes there is an unwillingness to let God live in and thru our lives

· Unconfessed sin and unyielded lives to the will and purposes of God. So, the power to serve God can flow through our life.

Here is another way to look at it:

How much of your life do you want God to fill?

Heart like a house---how many rooms do you have unlocked for God to fill.

Or do you have a pad lock on one part of your life?

o Illus—poor seminary students during depression—trainwreck carload of molasses. He had a washtub. He was ready—he wanted as much as possible.

o There are some who say—Oh lord—I want you oh how I want you! Give me all of you Lord---but they are not ready to serve him that much—they aren’t ready to give themselves to God completely.

o How can you say OH LORD fill me with your HS—fill me with your power but here in this corner of my life there is a sin—and here is an interest that keeps me from doing what I should be doing at church or other ministry—here is something else that occupies my energies and my affections and drains my ability to serve God.

o We need to be in a position that God can use us---not just give God a corner of our life but give all to him.

Have you yielded your life to the Lord.

§ Please don’t be one who has to have some sort of sensation to believe you have the power of the HS.

§ If God does indeed give it, that’s great but

§ Believe God---He says I’ll give you my power! He says I am in you---He says I will strengthen you! He says he will be with you! Then Do it! Believe GOD!

IV. Positive Reminder: We need to recognize we are not alone.

· There is power in realizing this.

· He had the same complaint---I am the only one left.

o No body else doing anything for the lord

· Hold on Elijah—there are 7000 people in Israel have never bowed—never kissed his image—Obadiah

· They are waiting for you Elijah—they need you to lead them

And you think you are all alone---

You know—there’s a man down there named ELISHA---( rich farmer) you go down there and let him know that I want him to join you in this service and I will show how wrong you are.

· Elijah goes----throws his mantle etc... Tells story---stunned at willingness

· Burns the bridges

Elijah---You are not alone!

Illustration: Sammy Deboard---missionary tells about the Billy Graham crusade in Africa. A number of people saved—a great number...they had evangelists out in the bush country reaching people for the Lord. And then they had this great event in a huge arena in the city and thousands and thousands came from the bush country—never left their little villages before---

And the main contribution of these big meetings was not just for people to be saved but the main thing it did that it reminded these folks out in these villages are not alone!

Tribal chief ---Look at all these people that love Jesus. I thought there were only a few of us who loved Jesus.

Yes—we are called to pick up our cross and carry our cross, but it helps to know there are others doing the same thing.

and Paul rights in Galatians that we are to carry our own load. But he also writes, we must help lift the load of others.

We are not alone---look around you. Think of the thousands of people in church this morning, just in Abilene, county, state, country and around the world.

We are an army! We are not alone.