I Want More!!!

Introduction

I have been blessed with 3 Children, Noah, Ariah, and Nehemiah. Ariah is my only girl and she acts like she knows it because this girl is spoiled. Daddy I want this and I want that at only 2 years old. But, the other day she said something that caught my attention. It wasn’t anything new that she hasn’t said before but it stuck out to me this time. She was drinking her juice from her sippy cup and when it was empty she came over to me and said I want more. This caught my attention because she had already had some juice but for some reason it was not enough for her at this moment. As I began to pray and ask God to led me to what to say tonight he led me here to 2 Kings Chapter 2.

Background

2nd Kings is simply the continuing story from 1st Kings of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the ministry of the prophet Elisha, and the fall of both Kingdoms to Assyria and Babylon. It’s here in the text that we find that Elijah, the Lord’s prophet to Israel was preparing to go off the scene. He is preparing to be taken up into heaven.

Body

Move 1- When you want more of God, you have to desire the right thing. (v.9)

He begins in our text by asking the question to Elisha, what shall I do for you, before I am gone? What blessed me is what Elisha’s response. He says to Elijah, I want a double portion of your spirit. In other words, I want more of what you have. I’ve been walking with you for a while now, I’ve seen you do all types of things that regular folk can’t do, except God be with them, I want what you have. I know that I am the one that’s going to continue your ministry but I want more. This blesses because he could have said anything, but he tells him he wants more of his spirit.

Can we be honest for a few minutes and agree that one of the main issues in the church today, is that it is not that we do not want more, but the fact that we want more of the wrong stuff. As a church, we want more money, more members, and more resources, rather than wanting more salvation, more deliverance, more healings, more freedom.

Even in our personal lives, if presented with this same question right now, we would’ve tried to detour Elijah to the car lot for a car or a realty office for a house, or the bank for more money, when we should be striving and trying to find ourselves with more spiritual things. How many of us if presented with the same question “what can I do for you?”, would have responded “I am weak but thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied just as long As I walk, let me walk close to thee. Just a closer walk with thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea, Daily walking close to thee, Let it be, dear lord, let it be.”The fact of the matter is a Children of God we should be wanting more of God and wanting more of God means wanting more love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The fact of the matter is what the bible asks a simple, yet loaded question, What profits a man to GAIN this whole world and lose his soul? Is there anyone here that agrees with me and can say, if he doesn’t give me the house, if he doesn’t give me the car, if I don’t get the raise, that’s alright just as long as he give me more of HIM.

He tells Elijah that he wants a double portion of his spirit.

Move 2- If you want more of God, you must be in place! (v.10)

Elijah responds and says what you asked for is a difficult thing. Not because he didn’t want to give it, but because that wasn’t his place to give. Let me take a pause for a cause here and tell somebody that we have to learn that nothing can happen unless God allows. I know we like things but we have to get back to the place and ask God is this what you want for me. Just like now, there’s a new church on the corner every week, There’s a new pastor every week, there’s someone that being made a Bishop, an apostle, a prophet, but my question to them is were you directed by God or your emotions. Since I’m mad at the Pastor, I’m going to leave and start a church. I’m going to change my membership because someone made me mad. You move out of place. Yet Elijah tells Elisha, that if you see me when I’m taken up, you will have what you are asking for. Catch this revelation, in order to see something you have to be in proximity of said thing being seen. For example, I can not see what’s going on at my grandmother’s house in Spring Hope, because I am in Elizabethtown. But if I’m at my grandmother’s house I could see when means I am in place.

What get’s me in this current season that we are in in the life of the Church, I see so many people that want more of God, but is not willing to be where they need to be to get it. They seem to expect that because they say they want more of God, that’s enough. I want more of God but I can’t see you at the prayer service, Sunday School, or Bible Study. I want more of God but I don’t pick up the bible without being in church. I don’t pray at home. We’re out of place.

When you want God, you’re in place in his Word, every time you get a chance you’re in his word. When you want God, every time you get a chance, you in the place of prayer. When you want more of God you’re in a place of praise and worship. You don’t need anyone to pump you up or prime, all you have to do is produce a thought, because when you think of the goodness of Jesus and all he’s done for you, you just want to give him the glory. I might not be able to get to church every single time the doors are open, but trust and believe, I’m pushing to get there as much as I can because I want to be in place, I want to be able to have More of God. Tell somebody I want more!

Move 3- If you want more of God, you must be in expectation. (v.11)

The text says that they were walking and talking. They were literally waiting for what was about to happen. They were anticipating it, preparing for it, they were expecting it. They didn’t know how it was going to happen or when they just knew that it was going to happen. When you desire to have more of God, you have to be expecting God. You can’t call on God and not expect him to come. You must expect him. Psalm 130:5 “I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for he has promised.”

I know we like things right now, I know we don’t like to wait, yet let me remind you that even the youth shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength.

Conclusion

I want more!!!

Peace

Joy

Grace

Mercy

of God

I can’t keep going around feeling empty. I had a flashback, of when I came to Jesus just as I was, weary, worn, and sad. I found in him a resting place he made me glad. He put clapping in my hands, running in my feet, a song in my heart. I had it, but somewhere between then and now, I used to run to the church, now I’m trying to run away from the church, I used to talk about Jesus every chance I could, now I avoid those conversations. I have come to the realization that I need more of God.

If you want more of God, he’ll give you more!!

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ALL HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS WILL BE ADDED.