So again, you know, we're talking about the fact that Elijah at this point in his life was very discouraged
You know, it says there verse 9 that he came thither under the cave and that he lodged there now
It doesn't say that
You know and when he first arrived the word of Lord came done and it kind of gives the impression
That he got to this cave and he kind of set up shop, you know, he was lodging there
So, you know, we kind of wonder how long was Elijah, you know lodging in this cave
How long was it exactly that he was you know
just hanging out and and and kind of feeling sorry for himself and kind of feeling bad about a situation and
You know, I don't want to again cast shade on him or make or disparage the man. I mean obviously
He isn't this isn't just a pity party. He's throwing
But it what actually does show us is that you know, the actions of other people can be a discouragement to us
You know, it could even be discouragement to a great man like Elijah, you know
He let what other people do or didn't do, you know affect him, you know, and that's just part of human nature
As and we see the source of a discouragement there in verse 10
He said I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant
and have thrown down thine altars and the slain thy prophets with the sword and I even only I am a left and I
Only am left and they seek my life to take it away. So he's saying look I feel bad
I'm discouraged here because of the fact that I've been very jealous for the Lord of hosts. I'm very fervent
I want to serve God. I want to see God do things but you know
The children Israel have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord, you know
And this is something that you know
I can relate to and probably we all can relate to to some degree is when we have
You know a zeal for something especially in Elijah's case where we're jealous for the Lord God of hosts. We're excited about church
We're excited about our Bible. We're excited about soul winning. We're excited about the things of God
And then we see others around us. We would assume would feel the same way and then they're not I
Mean, that's what he's saying. He said the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant
And of course
These are God's people that he's talking about and you can see that why Elijah to scar is discouraged
It's because of the actions of others or the inaction rather remember in chapter 18 where he said, you know
If bail be bailed and the Lord then serve him and if God be the Lord then serve him and the Bible says that the
People answered him nothing
They didn't want to take any action they wanted to just kind of you know
Hedge trimmers, you know, they just want to ride the fence and just not pick a side
You know and it would be better, you know in some instances that people would just get in or get out
You know and that's kind of the you know, something we can relate to you know in the Christian life today
You can see people that we that you know, and you would say hey this person loves God
I assume this person is
Zealous about the things of the Lord and then it turns out that they're really not
You know and that could be very discouraging to other people that that are around them. That could be very discouraging
The actions of others can be discouraging and look here's the thing about that. You can't do anything about other people
You can't you can't stop other people from the way what they're going to do or not going to do
You can't do anything about how they're going to
Serve God or not serve God you can't do anything about it
The only person you have any power to control is you
So really what the you know, the immediate application is this, you know
Although you can't stop other people from being a discouragement to others you yourself do not have to be one
You know rather than then then you being a source of discouragement, you know be a source of encouragement be something
It's somebody be something somebody that you know
It's gonna help other people want to serve God and want to stick in it and stay stick by the stuff
I really don't want to spend a long time that on that point
But if you look there that's why Elijah is discouraged in the story
He's lodging here he's telling him look I've been jealous they forsaken your covenant
I'm the only one left and anyone that everybody else is just seeking my life to take it away
And God, you know doesn't come down on Elijah that's you know what I point out
He doesn't want to he doesn't just beat him up and say well suck it up
Get over it be a man
Walk it off
Now he understands that this can be a very discouraging thing
That when he's trying to serve God when he's jealous for God's sake and other people are forsaking him
You know that can be very discouraging
You know, it's very discouraging the day
We ate a day and age that we live in
When a man of God gets up and just preaches what the Bible says and then he just catches a bunch of flack for him
for it
He gets up and just says here what the Bible says says, you know, this is an abomination to the Lord
This isn't you know, God hates this God loves that
And then you know other people out there in internet land or whatever
You know, they want to discourage that individual
You know that can be a very discouraging thing
You see other, you know, even other Baptists that want to
You know discourage somebody from just doing what the Bible says to do from just preaching what the Bible actually says
You know God understands that God looks on that and says I I see that
And his answer isn't just well, you know, just suck it up
Just get over it because that's not just something that it's always easy for people to just get over
It's not an excuse to quit
And God understands Elijah and why he's down and he's kind of asking, you know, he asked him. What are you doing here?
You know, he already knows the answer to that question
He's saying what he but God understands and you know, God wants to encourage us doesn't want to discourage us
It reminds me of the story with with Peter when Jesus, you know told him
hey, Satan's desired you that he might sift you as wheat and
Jesus knew what was gonna happen. He knew that he was gonna deny Christ three times
He was gonna die deny him and that he was gonna you know
Weep bitterly and then he was gonna feel really bad for having denied the Lord
You know after having said, you know, though all men forsake you I will never leave thee and he's saying look I'll die with you
And then just a short time later. It's denying him. He knows he's just gonna go through this extremely low point in his life
And he told me he said I have prayed for thee that thy faith hath failed not and when thou art converted
And he's not saying when he gets saved he's saying when you come around when you get right strengthen thy brethren
You know God wants to keep his servants going
You know, there is a lot of truth to what Elijah is saying you're saying look I'm the only one left
We understand there's 7,000 men that haven't bailed or bowed the knee to bail
But you know the 20 those aren't the 20 or the 50 prophets hidden in two caves
You know that there's in the hundred prophets that are hiding right now. That's a separate group of men
That Elijah might not even know about
And God sees that and says you know what you write Elijah
There's not a lot of you left rather than me just coming down on you and just telling you to get over it
I'm
Actually gonna try to encourage you and remind you of something
And try to get you to go out there and keep serving God in spite of the fact
That people can often be a discouragement
Well, you know whether it's through their words or even through their actions whether it's through the things that they do or the things that they
don't do
You know God understands and wants to encourage Elijah
Because men like Elijah are few and far between there's not a lot of them left
There's not a lot of people that are willing to take the stand that Elijah has taken at this point
And
Notice what he does here to encourage him
He says in verse 11 he said go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord and behold the Lord passed by in a great
strong wind rent the mountains
So this you know you try to understand what's going on in the story
This rock this wind is blowing so hard
It's just I believe but just blowing rocks over and just splitting the rocks and causing them to just break as they fall
He says he rent the mountains and break in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind
And after the wind and earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake
So you know I believe God is making these things happen
He's saying hey
you know go out there go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord and
Behold the Lord passed by and as he passed by these things begin to happen the wind came the the rocks break the earth was
Shaken, but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake a fire
Fire breaks out and the Lord, but the Lord was not in the fire
And then notice and after the fire a still small voice
What I want to preach about tonight is is not just God's presence or God's power
But God's presence you know if when we get discouraged what we need in life is not God's power. I mean, it's there
It's available
We don't need God to to do these great marvelous wonderful things and wow us in some way what we need is God's presence
What we need is to draw an eye to the Lord
We need to know that God is there
Because you know God's omnipotence. You know God's all the fact that God is all powerful. It's kind of a it's a given
It's a well understood fact that you know even you know the most unspiritual people understand say yeah
I know that there's nothing off limits to God God can do anything we all get that we all understand that
But is that really is that fact that knowledge? What's going to help you when you're discouraged?
When you're going through a low point would you find yourself in a cave hiding out not wanting to serve God?
Feeling like giving up feeling like you're the only one left no one else understands
You know is the fact that God
You know can move mountains is the fact that God you know the fact that God created everything is that is that really?
What it's gonna help you at that point just doesn't this you know this
This intellectual understanding the knowledge that God can do anything
You know God's powers. It's great. You know it's it can definitely move on our you know God can work on our behalf
And God can do things
But what we really need in that instance is not some great display of God's you know miraculous power
What we really need to know is that God is near and that God is with us and that God hears us
And that we are heard of God
What we really need is not that fire that earthquake that we don't need that what we need to know is that still small voice
You
See it's God's it's God's presence not his power
that encourages us and again it reminds me of
Peter and if you would go over to John chapter 21 John chapter 21
This is of course after you know they had the Lord had
Resurrected and and it showed himself alive to disciples and done many works and had a scent you know was
Getting ready to send into heaven and in John 21
After Peter had gone fishing. You know he comes and and corrects them
He catches them. You know the Lord ascends into heaven and then Peter says well, you know I
Go a-fishing
And he takes off
And he takes several others with him and says in John 21 verse 15 so when they had dined
Jesus saith in a sign this is of course after the Lord shows up
You know he says you know and and he says hey from the shore
Have you caught anything and they say you know we didn't catch anything
And he performs that miracle of fishes they understand
it's the Lord and the Lord and Peter throws himself into the water and swims to the shore and
They bring the fish and eat and when they had dined it says in verse 15
Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon son of Jonas love us thou me more than these he saith unto them yay Lord thou knowest that I
love thee
He saith unto them feed my lambs of course you got to remember as I pointed out
This is where Peter is going through a low point
He's still feeling guilty about the fact that he's denied the Lord
He's quit the ministry
He was told to tarry in Jerusalem until they be endued with power from on high
then he quits and he goes and he goes back to fishing in Galilee and
Jesus comes and catches him and he's saying look feed my lambs love us thou me more than these
And he's saying feed my lambs he saith unto them the second time Simon son of Jonas love us thou me he saith unto them yay Lord thou knowest that I love thee he saith unto them feed my sheep
He saith unto them the third time Simon son of Jonas love us thou me Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time love
Us thou me he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him feed my sheep
You know and of course we know the story of Peter. He goes on to become a great man of God
He goes on and he preaches the day of Pentecost and he does great works
You know but he went through a low point. What was it that got him back on track. Was it the miracle of fishes
Or is it that the fact that Jesus brought him near the shore that sat him down and gave him a talking to
And reminded him you know hey if you love me you're going to serve me you're going to hang in there you're not going to quit
Keep something there in John chapter 21
Of course this is what you know Peter again like Elijah is going through a low point and look when people get discouraged, you know often
They kind of beat themselves up and saying you know I I shouldn't be discouraged like there's something wrong with them
For being down for them going through a hard time being discouraged. You know that's a natural thing
You know when Elijah is not beating or being beaten up by the Lord here
The Lord's coming him and trying to encourage him and trying to remind him
Yes of his power that he could do anything that he could protect him through anything
But also not that just that he's powerful with that he's present that he's there that he's near and that's still small voice
The Bible says in Psalms 34 if you want to go to Psalms 34
Keeps something there in John 21. I'll read to Psalms from Psalms 51
It says the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart
Oh God thou will not despise
You know the person has a broken heart the person who's contrite the person who's maybe you know
Isn't feeling like they're on top of the world
Is not somebody that God is going to despise
God doesn't kick us when we're down
You know God sees us discouraged. That's when he wants to draw close
You know and that might answer the reason why why does God allow us to go through some of the things that we go through?
in life
Why does God allow some of things come into our life that you know cause us to be
Depressed that caused us to be upset that caused us frustration
It might be it's because through those things that that God is going to be able to draw an eye to us
That God will actually use those things maybe to get us to slow down a little bit
and go find that cave and
Listen for that voice and try to remind ourselves and be reminded the fact that God is near that God hasn't forsaken us
Look there in Psalms 34 verse 18
The Bible says the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and save us such as be of a contrite spirit
you know, he's nigh to the person of a
broken heart
Such as be of a contrite spirit, you know, it's it's hard for God to get near to the guy that
Just everything's perfect. He's got it all figured out
You know, he doesn't need God's help. He's riding high in the wave and life's great
Never has any problems, you know, that's tip that's typically how it goes with in human nature
When everything's going great everything's going well, you know, we we tend to not think about God as much as we should
But when we get go through something hard we go through some something difficult then very quickly our thoughts turn to the Lord
You know, I this is you know the case for me, you know, whenever I contract the man flu
You know and it's you say what's the man flu it's just it's like a flu like any other except it affects
It's the way a man goes through it
Maybe some of you guys haven't had it
But I don't about you, but when I get sick, man, I turn into a big baby. I mean, I think my life is over
You know if I get if I get sick to where the point where I'm bedridden
I mean, I'm I'm praying I'm you know, I'll be getting the Psalms out. I'm thinking I'm just I'm never gonna be healthy again
This is it
You know despair of life
You
Know but that that isn't how it goes when everything's going great, you know, we really don't think about
The fact that we need God that we need to draw an eye to the Lord
We should you know, and if you know if we're more spiritual, hopefully we will
But I believe what we see here in the story or what we can understand is that you know the fact that God is near
You know is greater than the fact than that. Well, God just knows
We all understand that God knows and that God can do anything the God, you know, yes God's in control
Yes, God can change things. We all we all get that we all understand that
but what we sometimes forget is the fact is that we can have a relationship with the Lord that God can be near to us and
That's really what we need when we're discouraged when we're going through something is to be reminded that God is near that's greater than well
Yeah, God knows
Greater than God knows is the fact that God is near
You know, God's power is is a given it's a fact, you know, but God's presence is a life-altering reality
And if you can
Understand, you know what it means to draw an eye to God and do that
You'll see what a difference that really makes. I mean that'll change your life to draw an eye to God
You know in our story there if you want to
Go back to first Kings first Kings chapter 19
I want to point out something. It's that
God does all these things before Elijah
Even gets up and goes to the entrance of the cave
It says again in verse 11. He said go forth and stand upon the mountain before the Lord
So he tells him to go do this
But if you notice in verse 13 it says and it was so when Elijah heard it heard what the stalts
Still small voice that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out
So, you know if my understanding is right what I'm seeing in the story is that God tells him
hey, go out and go near the entrance of this cave and
Either Elijah just doesn't do it or he's taking his time or I don't know what but why Elijah before he's even gotten to the
Entrance that's when all these things start to happen. That's when you know, the wind comes and the earthquake comes and the fire comes
You know, those things aren't what Elijah was looking for
Because the fact that God is powerful was not news to Elijah
Elijah just called down fire from heaven
Elijah has already knows the power of God. He's already seen it firsthand
He's already been at the brook being fed of the Ravens. He's already seen he's already he's already prayed and restored
You know brought a child back from the dead and just you know a few chapters earlier
He's already got he's already knows the power of God. That's not what he needs
Again we all understand the power of God. Is that really what we need in a life? I
Mean, I understand we all need the power of God
We need got the filling the Holy Spirit to do the things of God to do the works of God to live for the fort
I understand that
But wouldn't we admit that Elijah was a Holy Spirit filled man that he was a powerful man of God
And even he and his low point, you know
That wasn't enough to kind of bring him out of his cave and get him back into the service of God
What he needed what to know was the presence of God not just the power of God
So that's what Elijah was looking for because it says there in verse 13 and when he
Heard it when Elijah heard it after the earthquake a fire
Came the still small voice and when Elijah heard it, that's what got him to move
That's when he got up and it says there and he wrapped his face in the mantle and went out and
Stood in the entering of the cave and behold there came a voice unto him and said what doest thou hear Elijah?
Elijah wasn't looking for the power of God. He was looking for the presence of God
And that's what is gonna change your life. That's what's gonna get you through those low points is the the presence of God
You know, maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about tonight
Maybe yeah, well, I don't know. Well, just give it time
Maybe you'll go through a low point
Maybe when you are, you know
if you're really serious about serving God if you have a zeal for the Lord if you're actually fervent about serving God and
Then you go through a season of discouragement
Like Elijah went through
You know, you'll understand what it what it means to want the presence of God more than the power of God
You know instead of wanting just the the gift you want the giver
You know, you don't want the power, you know, you want the person you want the presence of God
And I love Elijah the fact that when he you know, this is such a great
Picture that you know
Being discouraged is natural
It's something that comes to all of us, but it's not should should not be the power of God
It's something that comes to all of us, but it's not should not be something that stops us
It's not a reason to quit
Because he asked in the same question there
He says in verse the end of verse 13. What doest thou here Elijah the same question and Elijah answer is exactly the same as earlier
and saying, you know, I
Understand that the the presence is here. Now. I've got your God's presence, but that hasn't changed my disposition
I'm still upset
And he said I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts
I mean, this is the exact same answer because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant thrown down thine altars and slain
Thy prophets with the sword and I even I only am leftist and they seek my life to take it away
And look that's all truth. I mean, it's he's not exaggerating. All of this is exactly right. They have done all of these things
It
Is a dire set of circumstances the odds are stacked against him
Jezebel really is trying to kill him
We could understand why Elijah is so discouraged. It's understandable
But notice, you know
His direction his disposition is what's changed his his his direction rather where he's pointed
Instead of just sitting in the cave moping and feeling bad for himself now
He's standing in the entrance of the cave. He's looking out. You know what and he's about to get his directions, right?
He's about to be told hey, well, you need to go back and do this and do that
and
What what's changed?
The fact that he knows that God is there that he's heard that still small voice. Was it the earthquake that got him up?
Was it the fire that got him up? Was it the wind that got him up and got him back in the fight?
Was that what got him to get up off his
His backside and go back out in the mouth of the cave and to stand there like he was told to do
No, it was when he heard that still small voice who said, you know, I know the power of God
But I want to know his presence. I
Want to know that God is with me. I want to know what it means to be
near to the Lord
You've got to have that in life in the Christian life
If you're gonna stick in it through the low points in the Christian life
You have to have a desire to have the presence of God in your life
If you're going to succeed you have to want more than just the power of God in your life
You have to want to know the very presence of God in your life
You know, it's got to be real
You got to know what it is to be near the Lord and draw night in and that's got to be what you want
That's what a move to Elijah
Yeah, I know about the wind
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know about earthquakes and fire. I I've seen you do all that Lord. That's not what I'm looking for
I'm going through a low point here. Not what I'd I know you're powerful
You could take Jezebel's head off right now. You could end it all but what I need
I'm not asking you to do that. What I need to know more than anything is that you're with me
That you're near me because everybody else is forsaking you
Your own people who I thought would get it
You know encouraged and get excited about the fact that a man of God had come to town, you know
They're they're the ones that are forsaking you. They're not making any moves. I just need you to be real in my life
That's what got Elijah
Back in the fight here
God didn't change the circumstances
Elijah knows that he's saying well, you know, I know you the fire and the wind and the earthquake and everything
But the fact is they've still forsaken you and they're still shaking my life to take it away
But you know what?
I'm back on my feet and
I'm ready to go and do what you need me to do
You could tell me what to do now because I know thou art with me
You know, God doesn't always change circumstances he just gives us the ability to endure him
You know, we just want we just want God to just fix everything so that life's never going to be difficult
Well, you know, that's just not reality
You know and if God did that if God just you just made our path just smooth sailing all the way through life
You know what? We take him for granted
We wouldn't know the presence of God
God doesn't always change our circumstances
He just needs the power to go through them to endure them to get through them. And how does he do it?
through his presence
It reminds me again in our story and I had I've had you turn away from John so I'll just read to you but
in John word
21 where Jesus had called him to shore and he asked Peter if he loved him
He said in verse 18 verily verily I say unto thee when thou was young and thou girdest thyself and walkest whither thou wouldest
But thou shalt but when thou shalt be old
Thou shalt stretch forth thine hands and another shall gird thee and carry when thou wouldest not
This spake he signifying by what death he should glorify God
When he had spoken this he sayeth unto him follow me
So what I'm getting at is is is look at what the presence of God enables people to do
It's not just the power of God that we need in our life. It's knowing that God is with us and there and it's not left
us
He's coming to Peter at an extremely low point in his life where he's quit the ministry and gone back to fishing and he's failing
At that he's toiled all night taking nothing
And he's calling him to shore and it's the fact that he's near the Lord and that God is speaking to him again and
Reminding him of what it is. He's supposed to do that now even at this low point in his life
He's saying you know what Peter you're gonna die for me
You know Peter's looking for some encouragement here in his life and what does Jesus tell him
Hey, someone else is gonna gird thee and carry without thou where thou wouldest not
See, you know what? You're gonna be bound for my sake and you're gonna suffer for my sake
And he sayeth unto him follow me
Because God knows that his presence is what gives us the ability to endure anything
We can go through any trial. We can go through any difficulty we can face
the trials that come into our life if we have the presence of God, I
Mean, that's that's what I see with John. That's what I see with Elijah or excuse me with Peter and Elijah
Is that when people are discouraged and down and and even rightly so in Elijah's case
That as long as the Lord is near it doesn't matter what the circumstances are
And if we know that God is near us, he can pick us back up and tell us even hey
you know what you're gonna go suffer for me and
We'll say okay as long as you're with me. That's all I really ever wanted
Was for you to know that I love you and to know that you love me
If
You look there again in our story in first Kings 19 the Lord sent him go return on thy way to the wilderness of
Damascus and when thou comest anoint Hazeel to be king over Syria and J who the son of Nimshi
Shout down anoint over Israel and Elijah the son of Shaphat of Abimeleth of
Abel Meloah
And shout down anoint to be prophet in thy room. So
Nothing's changed the circumstances
But God has got Elijah back on his feet and he's telling him now go do this and now go do this
Okay, now that I got you back where I need you. Here's what you're supposed to go do
Not oh, I fixed everything Elijah. Don't worry. Oh, I you know, is that what's bothering you Jezebel?
Well, I took care of her. Oh the children of Israel forsaking you
Well, I mean I gave everybody a the correct attitude and everyone's just gonna be you know
on the straight and narrow from now on and
No one's ever gonna discourage you again, is that what is that what's going on here
No, he's saying now, you know, I'm with you. Now, you know, I'm here. I've met with you Elijah. I haven't changed anything
But now you need to go and do what I need you to do
What we really need in our lives is not God's power. It's God's presence
You know God would would would rather draw close to us than deliver us
God would rather draw close to us than deliver us. I
Mean both are possible. Obviously God could do both
But if it came before one before the other God would rather
Use those circumstances to draw close to us rather than just get us out of the circumstances so we could just be more comfortable
You think about Paul all the things that Paul went through
You know, Paul is not somebody who you could say dodged discomfort
He wasn't somebody who was just trying to find the smooth path through life
Who was trying to just go through the least amount of suffering and still be right with God?
He wasn't somebody saying well, I'll serve God as long as everything goes the way I plan on it going
You know Paul did not dodge discomfort he embraced suffering
Because more important to Paul
Was not God's power, but it was God's presence just like Elijah
He said what things were gained to me in Philippians those I counted lost for Christ
He said he counted all things lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ
He said he counted them dung why that I may know him and the power of his resurrection
And you know if you would go over to go over to Colossians chapter number one Colossians chapter number one
You know Paul prayed the same thing for us
Not that we would be delivered out of every
You know difficulty in life, but rather that we would be strengthened in the inner man that we would know God's presence
And that we would be strengthened that way to go through those things
That we have to go through in order to serve him
He said in Ephesians chapter 3 had you go to Colossians, did I ever go to Colossians?
Well, I'll just read from Colossians it says in verse 9
he says for this cause we also since the day however do not cease to pray for you and
Desire they may be filled with the knowledge of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding
What's he saying? He's saying I want you to know God's will and I want you to have spiritual understanding
He didn't say that you would you know have
No problems in your life ever that you would never be discouraged
You'd never go through any difficulty know that you would have wisdom and spiritual understanding
What he's saying is you know we've prayed that you would have a real
sincere walk with God
Yourself and that God's presence would be a reality that you would know personally
That
Ye might walk worthy of the Lord verse 10 unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God
Strengthened with all might according to its glorious power
Unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness
He's saying look. Yeah, you we want you to have that glorious power
I want you to be filled with spiritual understanding and wisdom and knowledge to know the presence of God so that you can be patient and
long-suffering
Look, there's only one reason why you need patience and long-suffering. It's because things aren't going the way you planned
It's because things are hard
You know we don't have to exercise patience when everything's going the way we want it to go
You know we have to exercise patience when the temptation is to be what impatient
When things are tough when things are hard we say well, I just want this to be over with I
Just want this to stop I
Don't want to do this anymore. I just want to hang out in this cave and not be bothered by anybody
What he's saying here is that you need patience and long-suffering that's what he's praying for
That you need to have the presence of God in your life
not just the power and
You know that's why Jesus promised us his presence
I'll close will be a short one tonight if but if you would go over to
John 15
You know we see Elijah in the cave going through a very low point in his life and
What we see bring him back out of that cave and get back into serving God is not the fact that God came down and
miraculously changed all of the circumstances
And said there I fixed everything for you life's gonna be perfect now you won't have any problems
that's not what got Elijah back in it and
Elijah knew God could have done that in fact God made a point of showing him look I could do that I
Can bring fire I can bring wind I can I can shake this mountain I can rend these rocks
Like they were paper
But that's not what Elijah needed because look if that's what's gonna take to keep us serving
God is God constantly have to just making everything perfect just making every situation just
Just just ideal for us that just make sure you know that life see is just like you know as smooth as glass
Then that's all God's ever going to be doing because that's just not life
You know life is trials persecutions afflictions life is suffering
Because of sin
You know it might not be that our entire nation is you know we're some prophet, and you know we're trying to stand the gap
between
You know God destroying a nation and not you know we're probably never gonna be in a dire
Set of circumstances as Elijah was
You know what sickness is gonna come into our life
trials and persecutions
We're gonna we're gonna go through afflictions that are just inherent in life, you know financial problems marriage problems
Personal problems health problems, we're all gonna go through things and
the first thing we always that people do is they just they go to God and they say fix this make this go away and
I and I get that I
Understand that and you know that we should pray that because you know God can do that, but what about when he doesn't?
What about when you have some need and you go God, please make this change and that doesn't happen
Where your circumstances don't change what then what's you say you know a lot of people that point to say well
What's the point? I mean God's not doing what I want him to do
Because if that was the answer to prayer then that's all that's all you would ever pray
That's all God would ever do just fix your problems fix your problems fix your problems fix your problems fix your problems
Make everything perfect
And you would take it for granted. That's what most of us would do
But when God says no, you know what I'm gonna let that problem stay
You know what Elijah Jezebel is gonna keep looking for your life Israel still gonna be backslidden
I'm not gonna change anything about your set of circumstances, but I can give you this assurance that I'm with you and
I'm near you and that you can hear a still small voice. You can know I'm that close to you
Because that's really what's gonna get us through life, isn't it and get us to through these problems and temptations and trials
Not God just fixing everything
It's knowing that God's with us through all those things and then he knows what we're going through
It's the fact that he's promised us his presence. That's what's gonna make us keep going
That's what's gonna get us back out of that cave
You know Jesus promised us his presence he said that the Spirit of truth that the world cannot receive
Will dwell in us it'll be in us that he would not leave us comfortless that he would come unto us
Talking about the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, you know, we all have that
You know if you're saved here tonight you have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit you have God's presence you you have a closeness with God
potentially, I mean
Elijah didn't have the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Nobody the Old Testament did that was that's a New Testament phenomenon
That's something that that came after Jesus he said hey, I'm gonna send the Comforter unto you he says it's expedient that I go away
But that the Comforter might come unto you
He had to go so that the come we have that
We have that closeness it's been promised to us
So, why did he give us that because not only did he promise us his presence but you know what Jesus also promised us persecution
Say if you're gonna serve me, you know
You're gonna go through if you're gonna love me and keep my commandments and do those things which I've command
You know what just be prepared to be hated by the world
He said if the world hate you are you in John 15? Did I have you go there verse 18?
If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you
If you were of the world the world would love his own but because you're not of the world
But I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore the world hateth you
Remember the word that I said unto you the servant is not greater than his Lord if they have persecuted me
They will also persecute you if they kept my saying they will keep yours also
Saying look if you're gonna serve me you're gonna have problems you're gonna have persecutions
Go to John 16 John chapter 16 and look this might not be a concern to the person that has no intention of serving God
You say well, I'm not gonna get anything out of that because the fact that you know
I'm I'm not gonna serve I'm not too worried about the world hating me because I'm never gonna
I'm not gonna keep his commandments
I'm not gonna preach what Jesus said. I'm not gonna preach the whole counsel of God
I'm not actually gonna say what the Bible says. I'm not gonna take a stand
I don't have to worry about in you know, Jezebel getting bad at me because I'm not gonna be a threat to her
But you know the people that are serious about serving God they're gonna go through persecution
And you know, he's given us his presence he's promised as that is but he's also promised us persecution
But what's the last thing I want to point out is that he's promised us his peace
John 16 verse 33 these things have I spoken
unto you
There's that still small that idea of God's presence of that still small voice the fact that we have something that God has told us
There's something that God has told us
That gets us through
These things that I have spoken unto you that you might have peace and the world you shall have tribulation
But be of good sure good cheer. I have overcome the world
Now does that well Jesus overcame the world so no problems, right
No, he overcame the world, you know what in the world you shall have tribulation
But greater see that is in you than he that is in the world
So what you really need to get in touch with is the fact
That greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world
You know we want he that is in the world to just be just go away
Why why doesn't God just take the devil out of the picture?
Why do I gotta just stop bad things from happening and just make life perfect?
Because that's God's power he can do that, but what you really need in life is God's presence not just his power
And how do you get it it's through his word
The same way Elijah got it that still small voice
Now don't go home tonight and expect to hear a still small voice
You know it just might be your parents yelling at you from the other room might be the neighbors fighting
But you know you can go home tonight, and you can hear that still small voice right here in this book
And God can speak to us in that same voice
Through this word right here, and through the Holy Spirit that's in us I
Mean that's a reality. That's a spiritual reality that we all have that we we can live in
And that's what's gonna get us through not through God just coming down and fixing all our problems and making everything perfect
But we'll go through those same problems. We'll face those same trials of same tribulations those same difficulties
With the with joy
If we have if we've been with God if we've been listening to that still small voice
You know so rather than just you know living your life, just looking for God to constantly fix things
Just looking for God to just correct every situation and just make everything perfect rather than just going through life
Looking for God's power
What we should really be doing is seeking God's presence
That's really what we should be doing
Rather than just praying that God would just fix everything and make everything perfect
we should just be trying to draw closer to him and
Hear that still small voice and say come what may as long as your God's with me. I'll go through anything
That if I have him you know if God before us who then can be against us
What shall separate us from the love of God that it which is in Christ Jesus nothing?
There's nothing that can separate us. That's what we need to get in touch with
That's what we need to understand tonight
That greater than God's power is God's presence. I mean God's power is great
But is that really what you need is that what Elijah needed in the story?
To be reminded of something that he already was perfectly well aware of that. God is powerful
What he really needed to know in that time of that season of his life where he was?
Going through some great trial and some difficulty was that God was near that God was with him
What he really needed to know more than God power is God's presence. Let's go ahead and pray your Lord again
Thank you for the power
Of God the power of the Holy Spirit. We thank you for it Lord and Lord
But more than that Lord. We thank you for your presence and thank you that we can draw nigh to you and
That you will draw nigh to us
And Lord I pray you'd help us to seek that in our lives Lord and that we would have a
Real walk a sincere walk with you. We ask in Christ's name. Amen
All right. We'll sing one more song before we go tonight. We're gonna sing song number
You
Oh
You're dismissed
You
Oh
You
Oh