The Authority of Our Message
1 Kings 17:1 “A prophet named Elijah, from Tishbe in Gilead,
said to King Ahab, ‘In the name of the Lord, the living God of Israel, whom I
serve, I tell you that there will be no dew or rain for the next two or three
years until I say so.’ Then the Lord said to Elijah, ‘Leave this place and go
east and hide yourself near Cherith Brook, east of the Jordan. The brook will
supply you with water to drink, and I have commanded ravens to bring you food
there.’”
See Elijah didn’t start out battling the prophets of Baal and
showing out with God. You have to remember that everyone starts somewhere. I
don’t doubt that it’s quite possible that King Ahab's first thought after
encountering the prophet Elijah may well have been, “??? Srsly? Who’s this guy?
Doesn’t he know I’m a conservative? Doesn’t he know I’m a 4th
Generation? Doesn’t he know that I will do what I think is right?” or, quite possibly
something along those lines. He kind of just stepped on the prophecy scene out
of nowhere… an unknown that challenged a king, asked for direct help,
challenged local false doctrines and prophets and generally shook up a kingdom.
But, it was his confrontation of evil and his message that mattered, regardless
of the disruption.
See, here’s the raw and real deal: The validity of Elijah wasn’t
that he could talk to God and make cool stuff happen. It wasn’t in the fact
that he could call down fire or that the supernatural was exercised in his life
on an hourly basis. The validity of those revelation(s) rested with the Source,
not the mouthpiece. Elijah was a man of great faith who believed what God told
him; he could boldly speak with authority because he knew and trusted the One
God who gave the message. He spent time alone with the Lord and listened as he
stood before Him.
Now, that is a downer for some – the work involved in getting
to the miraculous, the time and relationship that has to be built with God. Some
chase the supernatural. If it’s not tongues and Holy Ghost chills… they don’t
seem to want to hear it without the “feeling” that comes with the message. They
will chase after evangelists and traipse from conference to conference; living
in God’s house, and gorging on God’s bounty. But where are the reapers to the Harvest?
(Matt. 9:37) When you leave that latest conference and that flood that God
gives you, what do you do with it? Do you hoard it, like a cistern just so you
can “make it another week without letting go” or do you use that to share with
others that are dying and thirsty? Lanny Wolfe could not have written a more
prophetic song than when he penned “My house is full, but my fields are empty…”
Generally, the lost don’t make their way into a church house… it’s your job to
live, talk, walk and share the gospel AS YOU GO ON YOUR WAY (Matt. 28:19).
Society devolves, not evolves… regardless of what humanistic
logic tells you. It will continue to get worse, and be harder to live a holy
and separated life – whatever that means for you and in your walk with God. People
are leaving the church every day. People that are STAYING in “church” are
bastardizing the message, watering down the call, and using social pressure to
keep numbers because the bills have to be paid. I mean, you’re not successful
if you don’t have 2000+ members and prosperity, right? 37 people, having to
work two jobs to pay the church rent, and making sure your flock has truth and
makes it to Heaven isn’t really what people look at as success, is it? Make
sure you KNOW who you are following and what you think of as successful. The
very ELECT are starting to get weary and move landmarks… to be deceived (Matt
24:24). Don’t give in this close. And don’t let signs and wonders and promises
of relief and rest cloud your judgment. You can use signs and wonders to show
the lost what God can do, and you can use them to get by in life because we
NEED God’s daily help. But if you require signs and wonders to stay in church,
then you don’t have the right Holy Ghost, and whatever you DO have is taking
you down the wrong path. Don’t ever get it twisted in your head: Salvation is
the greatest miracle. The miracle of being touched, dealt with, cleaned up,
filled, and loved by God, having mercy extended by God, walking in the daily
grace shown by God… NOW THAT’S a miracle! Listen closely… WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT
BY SIGHT (2 Cor. 5:7)
It appears to many that
God doesn't speak to us in exactly the same manner that He spoke to the Old
Testament prophets, but the process of receiving His message hasn't changed. It
never has, society has changed and people’s patience has changed. But the
formula is simple. It begins with being alone in His presence and involves
listening as He speaks through His Word. When you get that, and when you
practice that… then GREATER things than these shall you do (John 14:12) – but don’t
make that the goal. The goal is Christ. The message is Christ crucified,
resurrected, and ascended; comforter in His place; Spirit poured out; Gospel of
good news spread. It’s that simple; it’s that direct.
The Old Testament Prophets had the responsibility of telling
the people what the Lord revealed to them. Similarly, we are to share with
others what we learn from God's Word. God can and will talk to people. But the
message NEVER contradicts the scripture and if it does, it’s not God you are
dealing with, Shug. It’s just not. That’s why it’s tantamount to your personal
relationship, your personal walk and you PUBLIC ministry that devotional time
with the Lord is not just about our own interests and needs. God reveals His
treasures to us so that we can share them with others. Begin each day alone
with God in His Word and in prayer, listening as He speaks to your heart. Do it
early – see what God will do.
The last days are here. The harvest is here. The Spirit is
here. It’s being poured out NOW (Acts 2:17) and hon… you need to believe what
He says in Scripture, apply it to your life, and then share with someone else
what He has revealed.
Be bold.
Be confident.
Be assured.
You are not just representing you. Your signs, your wonders…
they don’t matter. You’re a mouthpiece,
an opening act, and a useful and helpful vessel… but you are not the main
event. You are not the attraction, and you are not the “reason” for any of it.
#JustBeingMichael ツ
No comments:
Post a Comment