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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 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 Oh Oh You're dismissed You You You Oh You Oh