1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: Hello evam, especially our West Coast family, we have an 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: announcement for you, Elevation Nights twenty twenty two West Coast. 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: Are you ready for this? October twenty fifth through November third, 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: We're coming your way so exciting. You can get your 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:21,240 Speaker 1: tickets right now at Elevation Nights dot com. It's gonna 6 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: be me Holly, Elevation Worship. It's gonna be amazing, unbelievable 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: these nights. Don't want to miss So if you're in Glendale, Arizona, 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: Las Vegas, Sacramento, California, Eugene, Oregon, Seattle, Oakland, California, San 9 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:41,279 Speaker 1: Diego and La or anywhere near those areas, we want 10 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: to see you. Elevation Nights dot com. Don't miss it. 11 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: Elevation Nights dot com. Get your tickets Elevation Nights dot com. 12 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: See let's go to the message. It's time for me 13 00:00:52,680 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: to preach the word of God. And you know what 14 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: I want to do. I preached two weeks ago God's 15 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: Got three people. Remember y'all act like it was two 16 00:01:10,480 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: years ago. Two weeks ago I preached God's got your Back. 17 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: I want to revisit that thought. This message is called 18 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: God scot your back, Part two, and I want to 19 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 1: give you description real quick and then we'll be seated. 20 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: I want to share a story that I intended to 21 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,199 Speaker 1: get to the last time I preached, but I didn't 22 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: quite get there. But I'm going to go back and 23 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: revisit that today. Isaiah thirty, verse twenty one. What a 24 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: beautiful promise the Lord says. Whether you turn to the 25 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 1: right or to the left, your ears will hear a 26 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: voice behind you. That's why I said God's got your back, 27 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: because you can't always see what he's doing, but you 28 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: can always believe that he is doing exceedingly abundantly above 29 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: all that you ask or imagine, according to His power 30 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: that works mightily on the inside of you. How many 31 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: believes that shout us, say God's God, My say it, 32 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:15,920 Speaker 1: God's God. My fact, you will hear a voice behind 33 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: you saying this is the way. Walk in it, Holy Spirit, 34 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: have your way. As we preach and teach today, I 35 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: asked that every heart would be open. I asked that 36 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 1: every mind would be attentive. I asked that every devil 37 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: would be put on notice. You have no place in 38 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: the hearts of these people who belong to God today. 39 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: So we evict you now, Satan, and we ask you 40 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: to speak Lord Jesus in your name, we pray amen, 41 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: you may be seated. Oh stay one second, Chris Brewmn. 42 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: I got so mad at him the other day. We 43 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 1: were talking about a song we wrote together, and I said, 44 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:08,240 Speaker 1: what's your memory of writing that song? He goes that 45 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: we stayed really late. That's what you said. But that's 46 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: all you said. That my entry, He said, I remember 47 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: we stayed really late. No, but for me, it was 48 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 1: just such a beautiful memory. I was like, that's all 49 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: you remember. This was my best response. Well, no, in 50 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: your defense, here's what he said. He's like, he's like, 51 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: you remember everything really, and that's not true. I don't 52 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: remember well, I remember everything. I just don't remember everything right. 53 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 1: See my spare time, when I'm not preaching and teaching, 54 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: I'm a movie editor. I make movies out of memories, 55 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: clip them, sequence them, put new characters in, take certain 56 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: people out. It was worse. It was worse than that, though, 57 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 1: you didn't do the worst thing the other day. And 58 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: I'm just picking on him because we've been friends since 59 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: we were fifteen years old, so I can tick on him, like, 60 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: don't be so mean. To this guy. You just read 61 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 1: your scripture. You're over here hating on your worship leader, 62 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: not hating on this is my guy. This is my guy. 63 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: Trust me on that. But Graham the other day said 64 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: you weren't even at my sixth grade graduation, and I was, 65 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: and so Holly, thank God for her. She goes through 66 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: her whole photo archive, finds the picture of me proof 67 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: of parenting. She goes back through the photos room. Thank 68 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: god she had it, because apparently now I need an 69 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: official record keeper in my house for my kids to 70 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 1: even believe that I was there for their milestones of 71 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: their life. That's how they do you. That's how they 72 00:04:49,200 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: do you. You go to this sixth grade graduation, which, 73 00:04:52,520 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 1: let me just tell you, is exciting. I don't even 74 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: put you in the movie, okay. I just wanted to 75 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: point out that. So we're telling and it got me 76 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:11,360 Speaker 1: thinking about the stories that we tell, which of course 77 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: took me to me and Chris's favorite musical, Hamilton by 78 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: the Apostle Lynn Manuel Miranda, who wrote the song who Lives, 79 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 1: Who Dies? Who tells your story? And I thought that 80 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 1: was a profound question to ask, who tells your story? 81 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: How did he turn the story of a Treasury secretary 82 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: into something I would pay money to watch. How do 83 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: you do that? He told the story in such a profound, enthralling, 84 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: entertaining and heart wrenching way. And I have seen Hamilton 85 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: now seven times, not on Disney, pluss in person. I 86 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: have a whole line item in my budget called Hamilton. 87 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: I love it. Saw my wife, saw them take people on, 88 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 1: drag people, I convert people. I'm an evangelist for Hamilton. 89 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: But he did a song who Lives Who Dies? Because 90 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: he's telling the story of Alexander Hamilton, which we all 91 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 1: heard in history class. Nobody paid to hear it. But 92 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: he told the story in such a way that I've 93 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: seen it seven times. I didn't repeat history class seven times, 94 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: but I went to see how he told the same 95 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: story seven times. And one of the songs he did 96 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: said who lives? Who Dies? Who tells your story? I mean, 97 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: I was telling Chris, I remember when this and that 98 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: and with the song and this and that. He's like, 99 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: I just remember. It was really late, and I'm sure 100 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: he would have said more, but I cut him off, 101 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: because see, I don't really like to set through long stories, 102 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: especially if I've heard him before. And even when I'm 103 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: telling a story, I'm scared to death that the other 104 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: person has heard it. And we had a guest preacher 105 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: here last week who was amazing. Did you love doctor 106 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: Eui Smith? What a great preacher? And as I was 107 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: sharing with him after the service and after he preached, 108 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: we were getting to know each other and he was 109 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: telling me a story about his life, and he was 110 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:18,600 Speaker 1: cutting it short. And his wife goes, tell him this part, 111 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 1: and tell him that part, and tell him that part, 112 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: and so he did, and it was all fascinating, interesting, 113 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 1: but to him it was boring because he'd been telling 114 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: that story for thirty years. Well then I went to 115 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: tell him a story, and I told it in like 116 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: two or three sentences in Holly, who has the ability 117 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 1: to really tell good stories and doesn't mind taking her 118 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: time in the process, goes, don't cut it short, tell 119 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: him the whole story. This is a good one, she said. 120 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: And every time I was skipped something, she put it 121 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:51,520 Speaker 1: back in, and she started putting it back in, and 122 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: by the time we had sat there, our food was cold, 123 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 1: but we knew each other. I want to tell you 124 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: a story today that kind of ill straits. What Isaiah 125 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: said where he said, your ears will hear a voice. 126 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 1: Your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, watch this, 127 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: this is the way walk in it. This, this a 128 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 1: wonderful promise. The problem is the problem is this. Your 129 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 1: ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is 130 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: the way walk in it. But that will not be 131 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:29,120 Speaker 1: the only voice you will hear. If that was the 132 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 1: only voice I heard, I'd be said. If the only 133 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: voice I heard was this is the way walk in it, 134 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: I would be good to go. I could cut my 135 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:47,719 Speaker 1: sermon prep time in half because I just know this 136 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: is the scripture. Half my time preparing the sermon is 137 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: getting to the right scripture. If the only voice I 138 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: heard was this is the way walk in it, well, 139 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: just be honest with you. There's some staff I wouldn't 140 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: have hired if the only voice I heard was the 141 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: voice telling me what to do, how to do it, 142 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: when to do it, why to do it. But we 143 00:09:07,559 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: all know right that, as good as that sounds, your 144 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:14,199 Speaker 1: ears will hear a voice saying this the way walk 145 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: in in that that is not the only voice. It's 146 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:26,079 Speaker 1: not even the loudest voice that you hear. Because maybe 147 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 1: I should tell you a story maybe I should tell 148 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: you a story from One Kings nineteen that will illustrate 149 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: about the power of who tells your story, the voice. 150 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: Like if this was English class, we talked about history, 151 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: and us talk about English. If this were English class, 152 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: this or English class, we would talk about the point 153 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: of view, is it first person, second person, third person? 154 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: We would talk about the narrator, the narrative voice. Now, 155 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: if you go to First Kings, chapter nineteen, there is 156 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: a well well known, well loved Bible story about the 157 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 1: prophet Elijah, not the one that you like, Not the 158 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: story you like, where he stands on Mount Carmel and 159 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: calls down fire from heaven and says, if the Lord 160 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: is God, follow him, If bail is God, follow him? 161 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:20,079 Speaker 1: How long will you halt between two opinions and call 162 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 1: down fire from heaven? Not that story. This is a 163 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: very different story. But I should share it with you 164 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 1: because it's going to help you to see that not 165 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:33,439 Speaker 1: only do we hear the voice of God in our 166 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,200 Speaker 1: moments of decision and in those crucial transitions where we 167 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: have to decide what to do and where to go 168 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: and whether to quit, whether to stay, but there is 169 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,440 Speaker 1: another voice and a lot of times. It's not the 170 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: absence of the voice of God that stops you from 171 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: fulfilling your calling. It is the presence of other voices 172 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:57,959 Speaker 1: that you do not recognize as the enemy's voice until 173 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 1: they lead you off of the path of God's purpose 174 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,559 Speaker 1: for your life. And that's exactly what happened to Elijah. 175 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: Can I tell you the whole story. Your enthusiasm is discouraging. 176 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do it anyway. Now. Ahab told Jezebel everything 177 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: Elijah had done. We'll come back to that, and how 178 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel, 179 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: after hearing how Elijah slaughtered her false prophets, sent a 180 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 1: messenger to Elijah to say, may the Gods deal with me, 181 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: be it ever so severely. If by this time tomorrow 182 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: I do not make your life like that of one 183 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:49,080 Speaker 1: of them, I'm gonna kill you. If there are any 184 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,880 Speaker 1: police officers in the room at elevation, Valentine's stand up, 185 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 1: all right, all right, thank you for your sir, stay standing. 186 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: I got a question. I'm not an officer, I'm a preacher, 187 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 1: So I got a question for you. If you are 188 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: arresting somebody, do you send a messenger or do you 189 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: send a bailiff? If you're arresting somebody, do you send 190 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,199 Speaker 1: a messenger to tell them now this time tomorrow, I'm 191 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,439 Speaker 1: gonna come back and get you, and I'm gonna put 192 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: you on death row and I'm gonna kill you. Do 193 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 1: you send a messenger or do you send handcuffs? Do 194 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:30,840 Speaker 1: you send a messenger or do you send back up? 195 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,440 Speaker 1: It goes to show me that Jezebel couldn't back up 196 00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:37,480 Speaker 1: what she was threatening to Elijah that she was gonna do. 197 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:41,080 Speaker 1: I guess I didn't need you to answer that question. 198 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: After all, Please be seated, right. So we see from 199 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: the very beginning that this woman Jezebel wicked as she was, 200 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:55,280 Speaker 1: evil as she was, manipulative as she was, as angry 201 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,840 Speaker 1: as she was, as petty as she was, as much 202 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: destruction as she has called. She had no power over 203 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:08,360 Speaker 1: God's servant. She had no power over God's prophet. She 204 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: had no power to do what she said she would do. 205 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 1: The only hope she had was to threaten him to 206 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:18,080 Speaker 1: the level that he would abandon the place that God 207 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,360 Speaker 1: had put him, because she knew, if he stays my 208 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: God's camp, if he stays God is with him if 209 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: he stays, you know, the enemy knows the same thing 210 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 1: about you that if you ever plant your feet and decide, 211 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 1: this is what God has called me to do, This 212 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: is what I'm gonna do. This is what I'm made 213 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: to do. This is what I'm created to do. This 214 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: is what I'm called to do. This is why I 215 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 1: came to earth. This is why I was born. This 216 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: is why God gave me these gifts, This is why 217 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 1: he gave me these experiences. This is what I'm here for. 218 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna do it. No matter what Jezebel says about it. 219 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,959 Speaker 1: You've never made up your mind about that that you 220 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: would be unstoppable knowing this. The enemy sends threats, intimidation insecurity. 221 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,000 Speaker 1: And maybe you're familiar with this story, but I want 222 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: to tell you the story real quick. She said, by 223 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: this time tomorrow, I'm gonna kill you. She can't do it. 224 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: The proof that she can't do it is that she 225 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: hadn't done it yet. I'm gonna say that again. The 226 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 1: proof that the enemy can't do to you what he 227 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: keeps freaking you out that he is going to do 228 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: to you, is that if he could, he would have 229 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: by now, whoop, whoop, thank you Jesus. So you mean 230 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: so you mean so you mean he doesn't have any 231 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: power over me, that my thought patterns don't give him. 232 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: That's right. Now. Jezebel is a person in history. She's 233 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: a Phoenician queen. She brought bail idols of bail and Astira, 234 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: and she really hear in the nation away from God 235 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: when she married Ahab. But look at verse three because 236 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: it is not her threat that is the most significant 237 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: part of this passage, and it's not Elijah's feelings. Because 238 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: verse three says Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. 239 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: The way that is worded gives the indication that he 240 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: thought she actually could do what she said she would do. 241 00:15:29,360 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: I don't believe that. I'll show you why. Now this 242 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: is just the introduction. There's just something I want you 243 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: to see before we get to the part of the 244 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: passage that the Holy Spirit wants to illuminate for your understanding. Today, 245 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: said when he came to Beersheba, you got the picture. 246 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: He's had a great victory in the name of God. 247 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: He prophesied a three year drought. It didn't rain for 248 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: three years. He said, it's gonna rain. It did rain. 249 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: After he called down fire from heaven and slaughtered all 250 00:15:56,200 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: the false prophets, and he ran for his life. And 251 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: then when he got to Beersheba and Judah, he left 252 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: his servant there while he himself went a day's journey 253 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 1: in the wilderness. He came to a broombush, sat down 254 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 1: under it and prayed that he might die. I have 255 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 1: had enough, Lord, he said, take my life. I'm no 256 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 1: better than my ancestors. So it shows me that if 257 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 1: he was asking God, who is all powerful, take my life, 258 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:35,440 Speaker 1: that he wasn't really running for his life, because if 259 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: he wanted to die and he thought she could kill him, 260 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 1: he would have just stayed. Maybe it would be more 261 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:49,080 Speaker 1: accurate to say that he was running from his life 262 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: then to say that he was running for his life. 263 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: And somebody knows exactly what I'm talking about, because you've 264 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 1: been running from your life too. Not so much that 265 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: God didn't give you victories, not so much that you 266 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: don't believe He's with you, not so much that you 267 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 1: can't point out times in your past where God came through. 268 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: But it's just that hm weariness can lead to weakness 269 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: if not interrupted by worship. Who are you? You talk 270 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 1: to me all the time when I'm preaching. I've always 271 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: wanted to meet you. I love you so much. I 272 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: hear you on every sermon I have preached for the 273 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:42,399 Speaker 1: last seven years, and I love you for it. Thank you. 274 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: Send her like five thousand dollars worth of flowers this 275 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 1: week for me. I'm telling you because look, look, look 276 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,800 Speaker 1: the prophet said. The prophet said, take my life, Lord, 277 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:57,719 Speaker 1: I am no better than my ancestors. I'm gonna give 278 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,640 Speaker 1: you a contrast here, and you're gonna find yourself right 279 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 1: in it, because you're like, not a prophet. I don't 280 00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: have anybody trying to kill me. I don't even know 281 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:06,919 Speaker 1: why I came out here today. This guy is telling 282 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: me a story about an epic prophet, and I am 283 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: just trying to get my kid back in school, and 284 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: I am just trying to pay my rent and this 285 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: doesn't relate to me at all. You're wrong, You're so wrong. 286 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 1: This dynamic that I see in the story of Elijah's 287 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 1: life encourages me that even the people with the greatest 288 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 1: faith have to deal with the low moments. Don't let 289 00:18:38,359 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 1: these Instagram Christians fool you. They only post the moments 290 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: that they're proud of. But if I could follow them 291 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: around with a camera just for three hours in the 292 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: right situations, we would see them in this state as well. 293 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: Aren't you grateful the Bible didn't take these parts because 294 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: would have been easy for the Holy Spirit to be like, 295 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 1: don't put that on Elijah. Makes him look bad. That's 296 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,679 Speaker 1: bad pr for the prophet. If we want the prophet 297 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 1: to be in the Bible, he's got to be up 298 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: there on the mountain. But you can't put him down 299 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: there by the broombush. Look at this guy. This guy. 300 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:16,880 Speaker 1: You would edit this out of your story too. I'm 301 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: telling you right now you would edit this out of 302 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 1: your story if you were the editor. But see, the 303 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: Bible cares enough about our little moments to tell us 304 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: that Elijah praid he might die. I have had enough, 305 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:31,879 Speaker 1: Lord take my life. I'm no better than my ancestress. 306 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:35,359 Speaker 1: Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep, 307 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: and all at once an angel touched him and said, 308 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: get read. It's about to be your favorite vers in 309 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 1: the Bible. Get up and eat. I gave you a 310 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:54,120 Speaker 1: verse to shout over right there, get up and eat. 311 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:02,480 Speaker 1: I think I'm gonna memorize that one. You got to 312 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: be by the life verses My life verses one King's 313 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 1: nineteen verse five, Part B, Part B, Part B. That's 314 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 1: a good part. Now look at it. He looked around, 315 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 1: and okay, okay, okay, the holy spiritual of this there 316 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 1: by his head. By his head was some bread baked 317 00:20:24,440 --> 00:20:30,199 Speaker 1: over hot coals and a jar of water. Man, if 318 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:32,240 Speaker 1: I hadnt known running from God was this much fun, 319 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: I'd have started sooner. God sends him a personal chef. 320 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: Now the door dash a personal chef to the broom 321 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,399 Speaker 1: bush and said, there by his head with some bread 322 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: baked over hot coals and a jar of water. And 323 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 1: he ate and drank, and then lay down again. The 324 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,639 Speaker 1: Angel of the Lord came back a second time and 325 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: touched him and said, get up and eat, for the 326 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:57,720 Speaker 1: journey is too much for you. So he got up, 327 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he went back 328 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,840 Speaker 1: and did what God told him to do. Now he 329 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:12,359 Speaker 1: traveled forty days and forty nine until he reached horror 330 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: of the Mountain of God. And there he went in 331 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:19,120 Speaker 1: a cave spent the night. So did you see it? 332 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: How God had his back even while Elijah was running. 333 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:30,400 Speaker 1: Did you see it how God fed Elijah even when 334 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: Elijah didn't have faith? Did you see it how God 335 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: carried you through some dark seasons of your life where 336 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 1: you denied that He even existed. Did you see it 337 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: that He followed you right there into that hospital room. 338 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: Did you see it that he followed you right there 339 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: into that divorce court? Did you see it that he 340 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 1: followed you right there to that broom bush. God's got 341 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: your back. Spurgeon preached a sermon. He talked about the 342 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,720 Speaker 1: turn back. He talked about not God having his back 343 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 1: to me, but me having my back to God. And 344 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: how God will feed you even when you are being 345 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:15,040 Speaker 1: led by your feelings away from his will for your life. 346 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,680 Speaker 1: And there by his head was the provision of God 347 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: right by his head. And yet it wasn't enough to 348 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: turn him around. Because even though the angel dropped off 349 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:41,680 Speaker 1: the provision by his head, Jezebel was in his head. Yeah, 350 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:49,399 Speaker 1: the angel drops off the food by his head. Jezebel 351 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: is in his head. Life, lesson, be very careful who 352 00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:05,119 Speaker 1: you led in your head. How many people won't let 353 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:07,399 Speaker 1: people walk in your house unless they take their shoes off. 354 00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 1: So what in the world are you doing on Facebook 355 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:20,439 Speaker 1: letting people walk all through. I'm so sorry that was 356 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,880 Speaker 1: so confrontational. I'm just trying to help you to see 357 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: the discrepancy that a lot of times we will protect 358 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 1: everything more than we protect our headspace. Everything. Don't get 359 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: in my car with don't get in my car with 360 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 1: those dirts. You can't leave trash in my car, but 361 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: I will go seek out trash on my phone and 362 00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,080 Speaker 1: I can get a new car. But I only have 363 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: so much headspace. I only have so much. I only 364 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: have so much, and I need it for my family, 365 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:58,880 Speaker 1: and I need it for my church, and I need 366 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: it for those who count on me, and I need 367 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: it for my future. So no, you just can't walk 368 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 1: through my mind with muddy shoes. I'm not being mean. 369 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: I'm being strategic because I got a call on my life. 370 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: And he went in a case and spent the night 371 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 1: forty days away from the Northern Kingdom, where the wicked 372 00:24:26,600 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: king Ahad was still reigning, even though Yahweh God had 373 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: just sent a shower to prove his presence and revival 374 00:24:33,560 --> 00:24:36,120 Speaker 1: was on the way. Ah But the enemy always wants 375 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,600 Speaker 1: to threaten you, to make you run at the time 376 00:24:38,640 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: of revival. I never did anything important for God that 377 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:49,719 Speaker 1: the intimidation didn't increase right before I did it. I'm 378 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: talking about breaking down, crying, freaking out, stomach sickness, all 379 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:58,360 Speaker 1: of it, just to try to get me to run 380 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:03,840 Speaker 1: from what God is doing. And he goes in a cave. 381 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: How many times have you heard me preach about this cave, Holly, 382 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,880 Speaker 1: she said a few? How many times have you seen 383 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 1: me go in that cave in my personal life? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, 384 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:26,199 Speaker 1: I know this cave well, because not so much the 385 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: physical implications of the cave. You know, we call it 386 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: a man cave, and that's supposed to be a good thing. 387 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: But when a man goes in the cave, the cave 388 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 1: of your own counsel, now the enemy has got you 389 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 1: right where he wants. You know, as many times as 390 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 1: I've preached about the cave, there's something that's even more 391 00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: important than where Elijah ended up in the cave. Because 392 00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: God called him out of the cave. But by the 393 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: time he got there, the Bible says, you ever seen 394 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: this before? In verse nine, it says, excuse me, verse eight, 395 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:12,439 Speaker 1: he traveled forty days and forty nine. Now, the last 396 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: recorded conversation that he has had with God happened forty 397 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: days ago. You cannot go forty days on the strength 398 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:31,840 Speaker 1: of your last conversation with God. You cannot go four 399 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:38,080 Speaker 1: days on the strength. You can't go four hours. You 400 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: can't go four minutes. When I'm preaching. Let me tell 401 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: you a little secret. I'm talking to God about you 402 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: while I'm talking to you about God. So if you 403 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: can see the conversation in my head in between each 404 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: sentence is an internal conversation where I'm sam, what do 405 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: they need next? Lord? Of what I've studied, of what 406 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:03,400 Speaker 1: I've prepared, What do you want to say next? Holy Spirit? Oh, 407 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:05,360 Speaker 1: thank you for that, Lord, that's good. No, I'm gonna 408 00:27:05,359 --> 00:27:07,159 Speaker 1: skip that because that's me, that's not you God. Oh 409 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna say this next because it might be vulnerable, 410 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: but it might help set somebody free. And that constant 411 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: conversation with God is not just for preachers, It's for 412 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: all God's people. Yes, you, forty days is too long 413 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: for you to go. I told you last week. You 414 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: can't let every Sunday be the next time you expect 415 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: God to speak. You really can't. You can't. And the 416 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: way people do church now if probably we're being honest 417 00:27:45,800 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: about it, it's about every three or four Sundays people come. 418 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: So when I say what I preached two weeks ago, 419 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: some of you all are like, was that your Easter sermon? 420 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:56,280 Speaker 1: That's the last one I heard. I'm not beating up 421 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: on you. That's fine. We all get busy, just as 422 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:05,640 Speaker 1: long as you are talking to God along the way. 423 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 1: The last thing he said to God was kill me, 424 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: kill me. I'm done. That's it. I'm finished. I have 425 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: had enough. Flord and God follows him all the way 426 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:26,160 Speaker 1: to the mountain that he wasn't supposed to be at, 427 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 1: after feeding him on the journey he wasn't supposed to take. 428 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 1: Thank God for his grace. And this is how, this 429 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: is how, this is how intent God is. I'm getting 430 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: our attention for what he wants to do in the earth, 431 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: not because we're so important, because what he wants to 432 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,480 Speaker 1: do is so important. He replied, I have been very zealous. 433 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: Oh sorry, I missed the best part. I missed it. 434 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: I almost left out the best part. And the word 435 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: of the Lord verse nine party and the word of 436 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: the Lord came to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 437 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,840 Speaker 1: I will resist the temptation to preach question because I've 438 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: done it many times before. I want to shay something 439 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 1: different this time. He replied. I have been very zealous 440 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, 441 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: torn down your altars, put your prophets to death with 442 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: the sword. I am the only one left, and now 443 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:20,280 Speaker 1: they are trying to kill me. To leave that verse up, 444 00:29:20,560 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: I want you to find the lie in what Elijah said. 445 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: Find the lie? What'd you say? Okay, okay, let's keep going. 446 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: Let's see if he's right. I just wanted to quiz 447 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: you real quick so you can hold onto what you think. 448 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: He said, I've been very zealous for the Lord of Almighty. 449 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,640 Speaker 1: The Israelits have rejected covenant twenty afters put your pphets 450 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:41,960 Speaker 1: as the sword. I'm the only one left. Now they're 451 00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 1: trying to kill me. To go to verse eleven, the 452 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: Lord said, go out and stand on the mountain in 453 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about 454 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:54,000 Speaker 1: to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore 455 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:57,640 Speaker 1: the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord. 456 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: But the Lord wasn't in the wind. After the wind, 457 00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,959 Speaker 1: there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in 458 00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the 459 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came 460 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: a gentle It was next verse. When Elijah heard it. 461 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: He pulled his cloak over his face and went out 462 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 1: and stood at the mouth of the cave. In that 463 00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:30,680 Speaker 1: an interesting phrase. I know this isn't what it means, 464 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: but it almost reminds me that the whole time he's 465 00:30:34,120 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: in the cave, that there's talk going on that doesn't 466 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:43,560 Speaker 1: come from God the mouth of the cave, that the 467 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 1: whole time he's in that cave, he's playing a conversation. 468 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:51,280 Speaker 1: The whole time he's in that cave, there's a conversation 469 00:30:51,760 --> 00:30:55,160 Speaker 1: happening in the cave. The whole time that you withdraw 470 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,560 Speaker 1: from people, the whole time that you pull back from community, 471 00:30:58,840 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: the whole time that you skip what God gave you 472 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:05,200 Speaker 1: to do, because it's tuorl the cave keeps talking. It's 473 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: an echo chamber. It just bounces around, It just goes 474 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,280 Speaker 1: back and forth and back and forth. Forty days to 475 00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 1: get to the cave, spend the night in there, and 476 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,960 Speaker 1: the Lord asked the question, what are you doing here 477 00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 1: and watch his answer in verse fourteen, give me verse fourteen, 478 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: he replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord 479 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down 480 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 1: your altars, put your prophets to death with the sword. 481 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,720 Speaker 1: I am the only one left, and now they are 482 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,400 Speaker 1: trying to kill me too, y'all. I'm sorry. I think 483 00:31:33,440 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 1: the tech team screwed up. That's the same verse we 484 00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:39,960 Speaker 1: read in verse ten. So y'all put verse fourteen up 485 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: real quick. Who brought a paper bible with you? I'm 486 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:47,280 Speaker 1: looking for a rapture ready Christian with a paper bible. 487 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 1: You got it. Look at verse fourteen. They messed it up. 488 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: They had the same verse on fourteen they put on 489 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:59,280 Speaker 1: verse ten on them. Give me a new scripture. Person 490 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:04,200 Speaker 1: back there. Huh oh, that's the right verse, But put 491 00:32:04,280 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 1: verse timback off. He replied, I've been very zealous for 492 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:11,320 Speaker 1: the Lord God Almighty. The Israelis have rejected your governant, 493 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:13,200 Speaker 1: torn down your altars, put your prophise dead with the sword. 494 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: I'm the only one left, and now they are trying 495 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: to kill me too. Verse fourteen, he replied, I have 496 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:25,640 Speaker 1: been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites 497 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put 498 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: your profits to death with the sword. I'm the only 499 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 1: one left now they're trying to kill me too. You mean, 500 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 1: God just sinn an earthquake, a windstorm, and a fire. 501 00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 1: God just sent earth, wind and fire, and you're still 502 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 1: singing this same little sad song. Say leave it up, 503 00:32:57,440 --> 00:32:59,040 Speaker 1: leave it up. I just want you to see it 504 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:08,080 Speaker 1: for yourself, how we can get stuck in a story 505 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: and God can do crazy things all around you to 506 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: show you I'm still who you thought I was. I'm 507 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,560 Speaker 1: still who you claimed me to be in the mountain, 508 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: as you forgot in the cave. But it sounds like 509 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 1: to me Elijah has rehearsed this so much he actually 510 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: can't get out of the conversation even when he comes 511 00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 1: out of the cave. God can bring you out of 512 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 1: a situation, but if it's in your spirit what you rehearse, 513 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: you will take a bad spirit into a blessed situation. 514 00:33:59,120 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 1: I mean, after all, Oh, he had forty days to 515 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:06,360 Speaker 1: practice this speech. He's got it down now. With every 516 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:10,040 Speaker 1: step he took away from the will of God for 517 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 1: his life, away from the purpose of God for the 518 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:18,640 Speaker 1: prophet away from where God showed him miracles. Every step 519 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:25,239 Speaker 1: he took away in isolation, Jezebel's voice got louder, and 520 00:34:25,280 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: then he just starts leaving out the best stuff in 521 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 1: the story. I don't think this is the story he 522 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:37,880 Speaker 1: was telling forty days ago, fresh off the encounter on Carmel. 523 00:34:39,239 --> 00:34:41,319 Speaker 1: I think when he started walking away from where God 524 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,719 Speaker 1: called him, he was probably saying some other stuff too. 525 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:48,280 Speaker 1: You know, this is really hard, and I'm really tired, 526 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,799 Speaker 1: and I want to die. I mean, I saw God 527 00:34:50,840 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: do great things on Mount Carmel, and I do believe 528 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:55,279 Speaker 1: that there's hope now that God has sent the rain. 529 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: With every step that he took the wrong story, it 530 00:35:05,239 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 1: reinforced how big his enemy was, how intense his loneliness fell, 531 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:19,200 Speaker 1: and it diminished what God had done. That's exactly what 532 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: Jezebel intended with her threat. If I can get you, 533 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 1: this is what the devil does too. If he can 534 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:33,840 Speaker 1: get you to rehearse the wrong story, you will literally 535 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:35,759 Speaker 1: think it's true by the time you get to the cave, 536 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 1: and then you cave. You cave. You don't have the 537 00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:50,920 Speaker 1: strength to stand. You're not weak, you're weary, and with 538 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: every step that he took by himself without talking to 539 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:58,640 Speaker 1: the god who brought him this far, the devil was 540 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:02,360 Speaker 1: able to delete different things that could have been in 541 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:05,840 Speaker 1: the story. They said that ah have told Jezebel everything 542 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:10,240 Speaker 1: Elijah had done, and that's why she threatened him. AaB 543 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:15,319 Speaker 1: goes home and tells Jezebel, this dude, don't mess with 544 00:36:15,360 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 1: this dude. You better do something about him. He's gonna 545 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,600 Speaker 1: yank your whole idle worshiping kingdom out of your hands. 546 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:23,120 Speaker 1: He's gonna send you back back into Phoenicia. This dude 547 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: is crazy. He had him cutting up bulls. This dude 548 00:36:26,160 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 1: had This dude told them to take water in a drought, 549 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:31,799 Speaker 1: four jars of water and pour the water on the 550 00:36:31,840 --> 00:36:34,719 Speaker 1: wood three times, and then called for fire. This is 551 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:39,200 Speaker 1: not exactly a strategic mastermind, but he is a spiritual giant. 552 00:36:39,760 --> 00:36:44,600 Speaker 1: He was wedding wood and praying for fire. That's what 553 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:50,360 Speaker 1: a have said. That's what they have said. His enemy 554 00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,759 Speaker 1: was doing a better job telling his story than he was. 555 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: Ahab wouldn't shut up. He told Jezebel everything Elijah had done. 556 00:37:05,320 --> 00:37:07,759 Speaker 1: He didn't leave out any details, and then he got 557 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 1: the bulls and then he started taunting them, and then 558 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: he was like, hey, maybe you should call louder. Maybe 559 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:16,760 Speaker 1: bills in the bathroom, he told everything Elijah had done. 560 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:21,360 Speaker 1: He told how Elijah had told him in for chapter eighteen, 561 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 1: where he said there's a cloud the size of a 562 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:28,320 Speaker 1: man's hand. And his servant said, I don't see anything, 563 00:37:28,760 --> 00:37:31,439 Speaker 1: and Elijah said, well, the problem isn't with God's word, 564 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:35,160 Speaker 1: it's with your eyes. Go look again. He sent that 565 00:37:35,200 --> 00:37:36,920 Speaker 1: poor servant. Remember when I had you running up and 566 00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 1: down the stairs one time preaching this passage. Yeah, I 567 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,440 Speaker 1: sent him back and forth seven times, the most cardio 568 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,560 Speaker 1: he had ever done in his life. And then I 569 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:50,160 Speaker 1: sent him back and forth and talked about the frustration 570 00:37:50,280 --> 00:37:53,879 Speaker 1: of faith. He told a Jezebel, all that Aha did, 571 00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 1: the enemy did, the enemy did because the enemy is 572 00:37:56,880 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: a better storyteller than most of God's children. He'll tell 573 00:38:01,640 --> 00:38:03,520 Speaker 1: your stories. Here's how good he is, here's how good 574 00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:07,720 Speaker 1: he is. He will just make up stuff that might happen, 575 00:38:09,640 --> 00:38:15,600 Speaker 1: that might happen, and then he will emphasize the hypothetical 576 00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: as you forget the historical. So all Elijah really had 577 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:29,239 Speaker 1: to do was give the devil a history lesson all 578 00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 1: Elijah really had to do to stop himself from going 579 00:38:33,280 --> 00:38:36,720 Speaker 1: in the wrong direction, from sinking into the depths of despair, 580 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,919 Speaker 1: to be saying I'm suicidal. I don't want to live, 581 00:38:40,160 --> 00:38:42,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to do this. They're trying to kill me. 582 00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:46,680 Speaker 1: All he had to do while he was walking was 583 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:50,520 Speaker 1: stop for one moment and tell the story like it 584 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 1: really happened. Because I thought I was so only one, 585 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:58,319 Speaker 1: But my God is your way. I stood all that 586 00:38:58,560 --> 00:39:02,560 Speaker 1: nothing all alone. I coughed down fire. I've wept that 587 00:39:02,840 --> 00:39:06,400 Speaker 1: good heyk God came through. I went to the brooks 588 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:10,200 Speaker 1: called Thereah, and the birds brought me food. I went 589 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: to the widow's house and I've looked apply her oil. 590 00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 1: Why do you keep deleting all the stuff that God 591 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:24,719 Speaker 1: did and adding stuff that the enemy might do and 592 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:34,920 Speaker 1: running from your purpose? That's Jezebel, see, because you can 593 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:38,640 Speaker 1: have Jesus in your heart and Jezebel in your head. 594 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,600 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I'm saved and going to heaven. I got 595 00:39:44,680 --> 00:39:48,479 Speaker 1: Jesus in my heart. I believe you, I really do. 596 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:51,319 Speaker 1: All you gotta do is ask him and to come in. 597 00:39:52,239 --> 00:39:55,320 Speaker 1: That's not the heart part. The hard part isn't getting 598 00:39:55,360 --> 00:39:58,399 Speaker 1: Jesus in your heart. That's my grace anyway. And then 599 00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:00,520 Speaker 1: like you did so much good stuff, He's like, okay, cool, 600 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:02,239 Speaker 1: this is a five star hotel. I'll come live in 601 00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:06,759 Speaker 1: your heart. No, no, no no, no, nor your heart. Your 602 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:10,959 Speaker 1: heart is nasty, your heart is filthy. Your heart looks 603 00:40:10,960 --> 00:40:13,720 Speaker 1: like a college dorm room, looks like a frat house 604 00:40:14,040 --> 00:40:17,000 Speaker 1: been torn apart. Your house looks terrible. And he came 605 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:24,719 Speaker 1: in anyway, that's not the hard part. Hey, hey, hey, 606 00:40:24,840 --> 00:40:26,920 Speaker 1: if you believe in repent and turn to him, he 607 00:40:27,040 --> 00:40:30,359 Speaker 1: come in your heart. But if Jesus is in your 608 00:40:30,360 --> 00:40:38,000 Speaker 1: heart and Jezebel's in your head, you won't follow him. 609 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:46,359 Speaker 1: You'll follow fear and fear watches makes you forget. Every 610 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:52,800 Speaker 1: step he takes away, he's telling himself this same story, 611 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:58,360 Speaker 1: and with every step he takes away from what God 612 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:00,920 Speaker 1: has brought him into. Do you know what I mean 613 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:02,200 Speaker 1: when I say that, or do I need to break 614 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:04,600 Speaker 1: it down? It's when God has called you to be 615 00:41:04,640 --> 00:41:08,319 Speaker 1: really present, really invested, really faithful, really take the next step. 616 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:10,239 Speaker 1: Don't be afraid to look like a fool, Just do 617 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:12,040 Speaker 1: what He gave you to do. God has called you, 618 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:14,439 Speaker 1: He's given you a gift, and every step he takes 619 00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 1: away from that and he rehearses the wrong story. It 620 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:23,759 Speaker 1: becomes so solidified that by the time he gets to 621 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:28,960 Speaker 1: the cave, he's got this story down. Not even the earthquake, 622 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:34,840 Speaker 1: the windstorm, or the fire can reverse what he's rehearsed, 623 00:41:37,719 --> 00:41:45,440 Speaker 1: not even the greatest act of God. So God, come here, Ole. 624 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:50,120 Speaker 1: So God's like, I know what to do. Come come 625 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:53,520 Speaker 1: on upstate, coming upstairs. God's like, I know what to do. 626 00:41:56,480 --> 00:41:59,360 Speaker 1: Since I got your back, you know, since I know you, 627 00:41:59,400 --> 00:42:02,719 Speaker 1: since I made you, since I called you. I'm a 628 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:14,040 Speaker 1: whisper it because I'm right here. What are you doing here, Elijah? 629 00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:18,000 Speaker 1: Elijah's like, I have been very zealous for the Lord 630 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:23,759 Speaker 1: God all mine. Now, Now here's why. Here's why I think. 631 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:29,080 Speaker 1: Here's why I think Elijah's speech sucks. That's why I 632 00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:33,120 Speaker 1: think his story is trash. Put it back up verse 633 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:37,440 Speaker 1: ten or fourteen, doesn't matter. They're both the same stupid story, 634 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:39,799 Speaker 1: the same stuff over and over again. You know how 635 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:42,560 Speaker 1: you get when you get stuck in a story. We 636 00:42:42,680 --> 00:42:46,719 Speaker 1: used to say in my house, that's my story, And 637 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 1: I'm all right, let me tell you something new. Your 638 00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:53,759 Speaker 1: mama didn't tell you this one, that's your story, and 639 00:42:53,800 --> 00:43:02,080 Speaker 1: you're stuck in it. Even then, God blessed the cave apart. 640 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:03,880 Speaker 1: Now there's no real cave for you to stand in, 641 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:08,640 Speaker 1: but you're still trapped in that conversation in your head. 642 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:13,440 Speaker 1: What Jezebel said, So anyway, he's like, I have been 643 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:18,840 Speaker 1: very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have 644 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:27,399 Speaker 1: rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your 645 00:43:27,520 --> 00:43:39,600 Speaker 1: profits to death with a soul. That is why the 646 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:52,040 Speaker 1: story stopped because of what he started with, I I 647 00:43:52,040 --> 00:44:03,160 Speaker 1: I AH. Wherever this story goes next, it is going 648 00:44:03,239 --> 00:44:08,800 Speaker 1: to be confined by the point of view of the narrator. 649 00:44:10,160 --> 00:44:18,320 Speaker 1: You can't narrate by faith in first person. In fiction, 650 00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:22,759 Speaker 1: they have what's called a third person narrator. It's when 651 00:44:22,800 --> 00:44:25,680 Speaker 1: the character isn't saying I did this, and I did that, 652 00:44:25,840 --> 00:44:28,600 Speaker 1: and I went here and I went there. So basically, 653 00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:30,359 Speaker 1: like the way we live our lives, what do they 654 00:44:30,360 --> 00:44:32,160 Speaker 1: think of me? What are they saying about me? Why 655 00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:34,160 Speaker 1: didn't they invite me, Why don't they like me? What's 656 00:44:34,200 --> 00:44:38,520 Speaker 1: wrong with me? Third person narrator is different. It describes 657 00:44:38,600 --> 00:44:40,719 Speaker 1: the event. Watch this because remember Holly has a book 658 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:48,120 Speaker 1: club and then they have third person omnission. This is 659 00:44:48,160 --> 00:44:54,640 Speaker 1: a narrator that knows stuff that they have no business knowing, 660 00:44:55,719 --> 00:44:58,440 Speaker 1: and they say stuff that the characters in the story 661 00:44:58,760 --> 00:45:02,239 Speaker 1: can't see. So God said, you have been stuck in 662 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:07,920 Speaker 1: first person frustration. But when the third person mister it 663 00:45:08,600 --> 00:45:14,120 Speaker 1: the Father, the Son, and the third person of the Trinity, 664 00:45:14,600 --> 00:45:19,120 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit speaks, when the Spirit 665 00:45:19,200 --> 00:45:23,600 Speaker 1: tells your story, When the Spirit interprets your situation, when 666 00:45:23,640 --> 00:45:27,160 Speaker 1: the Spirit clickens you, when the Spirit of God shows 667 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:30,239 Speaker 1: you what's up. When the Spirit of God tells you, 668 00:45:30,520 --> 00:45:33,480 Speaker 1: I still got something for you to do. When the 669 00:45:33,520 --> 00:45:36,959 Speaker 1: Spirit of God speaks. When you speak to God through 670 00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:41,480 Speaker 1: spirit and He speaks to you through spirit, something happens. 671 00:45:41,800 --> 00:45:51,600 Speaker 1: Maybe he tells, come so so, Holly, Holly, I'm not 672 00:45:51,640 --> 00:45:54,080 Speaker 1: gonna holler at you. I'm just gonna let you know 673 00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:58,680 Speaker 1: I'm writing with you and we can talk. We can 674 00:45:58,719 --> 00:46:02,719 Speaker 1: talk talk about this. Talk to him, Talk to him 675 00:46:02,760 --> 00:46:05,160 Speaker 1: about it, Talk to him about what you're afraid about. 676 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:07,600 Speaker 1: Don't you go forty days trying to figure it out 677 00:46:07,600 --> 00:46:10,600 Speaker 1: in your own strength, starve in your soul, starve in 678 00:46:10,680 --> 00:46:14,279 Speaker 1: your spirit, eating junk food, wondering why you're weak. I'll 679 00:46:14,280 --> 00:46:17,280 Speaker 1: tell you why you're weak. You can't go forty days 680 00:46:17,280 --> 00:46:25,680 Speaker 1: telling yourself stuff that starts with eye cause you tell me. 681 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:28,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you what the kids taught me. They 682 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:31,640 Speaker 1: taught me that. In video game, you have an NPC. 683 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:37,680 Speaker 1: You'll know this term, the what's it called non playable character. 684 00:46:38,160 --> 00:46:40,320 Speaker 1: That's the people that's just there over to the side. 685 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:44,400 Speaker 1: They don't do anything, They just there. And then, of 686 00:46:44,440 --> 00:46:48,520 Speaker 1: course you're the main character, y'all. That's a boring game 687 00:46:49,120 --> 00:46:52,239 Speaker 1: when everything else in your life is NPC and you're 688 00:46:52,280 --> 00:46:55,640 Speaker 1: the only character that matters. What about what God wants? 689 00:46:57,560 --> 00:47:03,160 Speaker 1: What about what he wants to do through you? I 690 00:47:03,160 --> 00:47:07,600 Speaker 1: have been very zealous, true for the Lord God Almighty. 691 00:47:08,640 --> 00:47:11,200 Speaker 1: They give me, give me Verse ten, verse fourteen, Verse ten, 692 00:47:11,440 --> 00:47:16,000 Speaker 1: verse fourteen. The Israelies, I know what's wrong with us now. 693 00:47:16,120 --> 00:47:17,799 Speaker 1: I saw it in the text. I saw what's wrong 694 00:47:17,840 --> 00:47:21,520 Speaker 1: with me. I saw why I'm stuck in my story 695 00:47:22,440 --> 00:47:28,000 Speaker 1: because it says I and them I have been very 696 00:47:28,040 --> 00:47:31,200 Speaker 1: zelfil of got of money. They have rejected your covenant, 697 00:47:32,520 --> 00:47:34,319 Speaker 1: torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death 698 00:47:34,320 --> 00:47:36,160 Speaker 1: with the sword. Wait a minute, Elijah, you killed eight 699 00:47:36,239 --> 00:47:38,160 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty of them. Yeah, I'm not going to 700 00:47:38,239 --> 00:47:45,680 Speaker 1: tell that part. Leave an emper down. Oh, be very 701 00:47:45,719 --> 00:47:50,920 Speaker 1: suspicious of any story that has self pity. Be very 702 00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:54,759 Speaker 1: suspicious of it. Anytime that little voice inside you start 703 00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:58,120 Speaker 1: saying stuff like nobody appreciates you, call it into question. 704 00:47:58,360 --> 00:48:03,319 Speaker 1: That's probably not true. She's getting fired off. Now. I'm 705 00:48:03,320 --> 00:48:06,120 Speaker 1: getting ready for a fleck, y'all. I'm getting ready for 706 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:09,799 Speaker 1: a fled because I want you to know when you 707 00:48:09,880 --> 00:48:12,920 Speaker 1: go to prepare to preach to the ladies Friday, God's 708 00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:17,000 Speaker 1: voice won't be the only voice speaking to you. Jezebel 709 00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:19,200 Speaker 1: will be telling you stuff too. Who do you think 710 00:48:19,200 --> 00:48:22,120 Speaker 1: you are to preach this? You don't have anything to say. 711 00:48:22,360 --> 00:48:24,640 Speaker 1: Nobody wants to hear from you. You struggle with all 712 00:48:24,680 --> 00:48:29,359 Speaker 1: this same stuff too, you hypocrite. By the way, Jezebel 713 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:33,719 Speaker 1: will be the loudest voice you'll hear, because Jesus will 714 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:41,520 Speaker 1: whisper to watch this. Jezebel's trying to attack you from 715 00:48:41,520 --> 00:48:48,600 Speaker 1: the outside. Jesus is empowering you from the inside. Oh God, 716 00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:53,759 Speaker 1: I feel somebody getn't set free today. I feel you 717 00:48:53,800 --> 00:49:01,080 Speaker 1: will hear a voice behind you saying, just at this, 718 00:49:01,200 --> 00:49:03,400 Speaker 1: how I wants you to raise those kids. This is 719 00:49:03,400 --> 00:49:05,440 Speaker 1: how I want you to do. Great stuff for your husband. 720 00:49:05,520 --> 00:49:08,479 Speaker 1: Be really nice to them. He's wonderful to the Lord 721 00:49:08,520 --> 00:49:13,839 Speaker 1: says stuff like this, just for example. And I want 722 00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:22,239 Speaker 1: you to understand the power of the story that you 723 00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:26,840 Speaker 1: tell yourself. If the story that you tell yourself starts 724 00:49:26,840 --> 00:49:33,279 Speaker 1: with I, it's going to end in insecurity. If the 725 00:49:33,320 --> 00:49:36,279 Speaker 1: story that you tell yourself starts with I, it's going 726 00:49:36,280 --> 00:49:40,560 Speaker 1: to end in inadequacy. By the way, if the story 727 00:49:40,600 --> 00:49:43,239 Speaker 1: you tell yourself starts with EYE is going to end 728 00:49:43,280 --> 00:49:49,560 Speaker 1: in idolatry, and you will find yourself leaning on a 729 00:49:49,760 --> 00:49:56,200 Speaker 1: God that cannot prop you up. I wish Elijah would 730 00:49:56,200 --> 00:50:02,680 Speaker 1: have said, tell Jezebel, you know just Oh, I can't 731 00:50:02,719 --> 00:50:04,520 Speaker 1: say it like I wanted to. If I can say 732 00:50:04,560 --> 00:50:08,440 Speaker 1: it like I wanted to, Josebel, please, that's what I 733 00:50:08,480 --> 00:50:12,719 Speaker 1: want to say. Oh, I can't say it like I 734 00:50:12,760 --> 00:50:21,120 Speaker 1: want to say it. Don't you remember what God Dad. 735 00:50:22,000 --> 00:50:25,680 Speaker 1: The last time you'll challenge me, you'll fill me devil, 736 00:50:25,960 --> 00:50:29,200 Speaker 1: Get your hands off my house, get your money, feet 737 00:50:29,239 --> 00:50:33,120 Speaker 1: out of my buck. Don't sum liver the blood of Jesus, 738 00:50:33,400 --> 00:50:37,680 Speaker 1: the lamb that was slave just about park the lamb 739 00:50:38,160 --> 00:50:41,760 Speaker 1: that was slave drumped up down, fass up the world. 740 00:50:49,160 --> 00:50:53,759 Speaker 1: The Lord said, I heard your story. It sucks. Verse fifteen. 741 00:50:54,239 --> 00:50:59,360 Speaker 1: Let's change the main character, the Lord said to him. 742 00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:05,080 Speaker 1: The Lord alright said to him, hop prophesy drives here 743 00:51:08,239 --> 00:51:13,560 Speaker 1: the word of the Lord. So so now we're switching 744 00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:20,960 Speaker 1: point of view. Eli just said I did. They're trying. Hey, hey, 745 00:51:21,280 --> 00:51:25,239 Speaker 1: you decide what part of the story you emphasize. Go 746 00:51:25,280 --> 00:51:27,600 Speaker 1: back to verse fourteen. I'm gonna make it better. I'm 747 00:51:27,600 --> 00:51:29,160 Speaker 1: gonna make it better. I'm gonna fix it up. I've 748 00:51:29,160 --> 00:51:31,000 Speaker 1: been very else rely got the money. There's a real 749 00:51:31,040 --> 00:51:32,520 Speaker 1: list of reject your coven. Toy on the ultras. Put 750 00:51:32,520 --> 00:51:34,200 Speaker 1: your prophess the sword. I'm the only one left. And 751 00:51:34,239 --> 00:51:44,640 Speaker 1: now they are trying, trying. First of all, everybody isn't 752 00:51:44,680 --> 00:51:47,640 Speaker 1: trying to kill you, Eli, Joe, one woman is so 753 00:51:47,680 --> 00:51:51,799 Speaker 1: stop exaggerating. Who is that word for a razor hand? 754 00:51:51,840 --> 00:51:54,280 Speaker 1: Be honest, don't lie. God, I'll strike you right now. 755 00:51:55,520 --> 00:52:02,360 Speaker 1: Exaggerating stuff. The whole nation after ma A, I've my 756 00:52:02,520 --> 00:52:11,360 Speaker 1: ras alas they Hi, they Hi? They Where's God in 757 00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:21,080 Speaker 1: your story? They are trying, but they can't quit misquoting 758 00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:26,560 Speaker 1: Isaiah fifty four seventeen. No weapon will be formed against you. 759 00:52:26,600 --> 00:52:30,879 Speaker 1: No no weapon formed against you will prosper. It will 760 00:52:30,920 --> 00:52:40,440 Speaker 1: always be formed. It won't work, it won't when it 761 00:52:41,480 --> 00:52:50,359 Speaker 1: won't prevail, it will not be the end of you. Cool. 762 00:52:51,719 --> 00:52:54,080 Speaker 1: You better sit down, babe. I feel like Christian. I 763 00:52:54,120 --> 00:52:56,640 Speaker 1: feel like Christian. I feel like Christian. I feel like 764 00:52:56,719 --> 00:52:59,680 Speaker 1: coming for everybody who has been under the spell of 765 00:52:59,719 --> 00:53:02,319 Speaker 1: Jack's the bell. Get it out of your head. Get 766 00:53:02,360 --> 00:53:04,360 Speaker 1: it out of your head, Get it out of your mind, 767 00:53:04,480 --> 00:53:06,279 Speaker 1: get it out of your thoughts, get it out of 768 00:53:06,280 --> 00:53:08,759 Speaker 1: your meditation, get it out of your phone. Get it 769 00:53:08,760 --> 00:53:15,000 Speaker 1: out of your head so you can hear the whisper, 770 00:53:15,800 --> 00:53:20,640 Speaker 1: and then you will hear a voice behind you. Watch 771 00:53:20,680 --> 00:53:25,680 Speaker 1: what God said to Elijah verse fifteen. Go back the 772 00:53:25,719 --> 00:53:32,759 Speaker 1: way you came. God will send certain words in your 773 00:53:32,800 --> 00:53:38,480 Speaker 1: life that will be turning words. Lors, I'm preaching to 774 00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:40,160 Speaker 1: somebody today that might not even be in this room 775 00:53:40,200 --> 00:53:42,160 Speaker 1: and may not even see this message for years. This 776 00:53:42,239 --> 00:53:47,120 Speaker 1: is a turning word for you, A turning word, A 777 00:53:47,239 --> 00:53:52,479 Speaker 1: turning word, a turning word. Go back the way you came. 778 00:53:53,400 --> 00:53:57,160 Speaker 1: But stop telling the story that you've been telling. Some 779 00:53:57,239 --> 00:53:59,400 Speaker 1: of your suffering is not because of your situation. It's 780 00:53:59,440 --> 00:54:03,600 Speaker 1: because of your right. This why is happening. This is 781 00:54:03,600 --> 00:54:04,960 Speaker 1: why they did that. No no no, no, no, no no, 782 00:54:05,719 --> 00:54:08,800 Speaker 1: go back the way you came. And here's the brilliance 783 00:54:08,840 --> 00:54:12,480 Speaker 1: of it. God says, when you get to the desert 784 00:54:13,120 --> 00:54:16,959 Speaker 1: of Damascus, annoying Jaseel king over Aaron. That's right, star walking, 785 00:54:17,000 --> 00:54:19,480 Speaker 1: star walking. And as you go, you will hear a 786 00:54:19,560 --> 00:54:23,080 Speaker 1: voice saying, this is the way verse sixteen, and annoyed 787 00:54:23,120 --> 00:54:25,520 Speaker 1: Jay Whu's son of them she king over Israel, and 788 00:54:25,560 --> 00:54:28,719 Speaker 1: annoying Elisha's son of say Fat from able Miloa to 789 00:54:28,719 --> 00:54:31,919 Speaker 1: succeed you as prophet Jay, who will put to death 790 00:54:31,920 --> 00:54:34,239 Speaker 1: any who escaped the sword of Jseel and Elivesha will 791 00:54:34,280 --> 00:54:37,520 Speaker 1: put to death any who escaped the sword of Jehu. 792 00:54:38,640 --> 00:54:44,920 Speaker 1: You mean God has already worked out what I'm worried about. 793 00:54:52,800 --> 00:54:57,359 Speaker 1: Spoiler alert. Jezebel is trampled by horses at the end 794 00:54:57,400 --> 00:55:02,200 Speaker 1: of her life. Eli is taken up by horses and 795 00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:07,759 Speaker 1: chariots of fire. Who tells your story? Come on live, 796 00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:12,959 Speaker 1: man will help me preach? Who tells your story? I 797 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:16,800 Speaker 1: am redeed by the blood of the laft hop standing 798 00:55:16,960 --> 00:55:21,279 Speaker 1: by the grace of God. Hop going how the wonder. 799 00:55:25,640 --> 00:55:29,680 Speaker 1: This is the word of the Lord. Jezebel can't or 800 00:55:29,760 --> 00:55:34,320 Speaker 1: she would have anxiety. Can't or it would have depression. 801 00:55:34,480 --> 00:55:39,279 Speaker 1: Can't or it would have sin was strong. Jesus's stronger, 802 00:55:39,800 --> 00:55:51,120 Speaker 1: greater is he is in need. Whisper, Holy Spirit, Whisper, Whisper, Whisper, 803 00:55:51,239 --> 00:55:55,360 Speaker 1: whisper the wind words. Whisper to your servants. They're tired, Lord, 804 00:55:55,600 --> 00:55:57,960 Speaker 1: they want to quit, they want to give up. They're 805 00:55:58,000 --> 00:56:01,400 Speaker 1: stuck in a story. Oh, everybody let me because I'm defected. Oh, 806 00:56:01,440 --> 00:56:04,720 Speaker 1: everybody walked away from me. They can't even see what's 807 00:56:04,800 --> 00:56:08,440 Speaker 1: in front of them. You already had seven thousand that 808 00:56:08,520 --> 00:56:11,680 Speaker 1: had not bowed their need to bail, or whose mouths 809 00:56:11,719 --> 00:56:14,400 Speaker 1: had not kissed him. Oh God, we thank you for 810 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:17,320 Speaker 1: what we can't see when we're stuck in our own story. 811 00:56:17,640 --> 00:56:20,680 Speaker 1: We thank you for being the third person. The Holy Spirit, 812 00:56:20,920 --> 00:56:24,000 Speaker 1: the spirit that gives life, the spirit that raises dead, 813 00:56:24,320 --> 00:56:27,640 Speaker 1: the spirit that speaks truth, the spirit that confirms, the 814 00:56:27,640 --> 00:56:31,480 Speaker 1: spirit that answers the door when condemnation knocks. The spirit 815 00:56:31,520 --> 00:56:34,600 Speaker 1: that sets us free, the spirit that leads and guides 816 00:56:34,600 --> 00:56:39,640 Speaker 1: into truth and seasons. The Spirit of God is here. 817 00:56:40,000 --> 00:56:44,680 Speaker 1: Speak Holy Spirit, Speak, Lord, Speak Lord, guide them back 818 00:56:44,719 --> 00:56:47,440 Speaker 1: to the place they belong. They don't belong in a bottle. 819 00:56:47,600 --> 00:56:49,600 Speaker 1: They don't belong in any kind of bottle, not a 820 00:56:49,640 --> 00:56:52,360 Speaker 1: bottle of pills, not a bottle of too many drinks, 821 00:56:52,600 --> 00:56:54,640 Speaker 1: not a bottle of their own battles that they can't 822 00:56:54,680 --> 00:56:56,799 Speaker 1: get out of. No God, No God, I call them 823 00:56:56,840 --> 00:56:59,640 Speaker 1: out of the cave, right now, Holy Spirit, call them 824 00:56:59,640 --> 00:57:02,560 Speaker 1: out of the Okay, you sent the earthquake, they didn't listen. 825 00:57:02,719 --> 00:57:05,160 Speaker 1: You sent the fire, they didn't see it. You sent 826 00:57:05,239 --> 00:57:08,520 Speaker 1: the wind. They still went back inside. Oh, my Holy Spirit, 827 00:57:08,600 --> 00:57:13,280 Speaker 1: if you whisper like only you can, that I've already 828 00:57:13,280 --> 00:57:20,640 Speaker 1: worked out what you're worried about. It took Elijah forty 829 00:57:20,720 --> 00:57:23,760 Speaker 1: days to get back, just amount of time it took 830 00:57:23,800 --> 00:57:29,040 Speaker 1: him to get there. But I gotta imagine that with 831 00:57:29,120 --> 00:57:32,800 Speaker 1: every step he took back to God's assignment, he told 832 00:57:32,880 --> 00:57:38,280 Speaker 1: himself the real story. As you step into a new week, 833 00:57:39,280 --> 00:57:42,280 Speaker 1: as you step into a new season, as you step 834 00:57:42,320 --> 00:57:48,320 Speaker 1: into a new challenge, with every step, I want you 835 00:57:48,360 --> 00:57:55,160 Speaker 1: to tell the story of a God who brought you 836 00:57:55,240 --> 00:58:01,400 Speaker 1: this far and did not bring you the far. Believe 837 00:58:01,600 --> 00:58:08,200 Speaker 1: you of the sustaining God, the Saving God, forgiving God, 838 00:58:08,600 --> 00:58:16,000 Speaker 1: the Covenant God, the Loving God, the kind God. Every 839 00:58:16,040 --> 00:58:20,240 Speaker 1: step tells a story. Every step tells a story. You 840 00:58:20,320 --> 00:58:23,160 Speaker 1: can't believe what God brought me through. You can't believe 841 00:58:23,160 --> 00:58:25,800 Speaker 1: where He brought me from. You can't believe how much 842 00:58:25,840 --> 00:58:31,680 Speaker 1: He delivered me out of He's been so faithful. So 843 00:58:31,840 --> 00:58:36,800 Speaker 1: instead of starting your story with how zealous you've been, 844 00:58:38,120 --> 00:58:42,080 Speaker 1: why don't you start with how faithful God is. Well, 845 00:58:42,080 --> 00:58:44,520 Speaker 1: if you enjoyed today's podcast, there are a couple things 846 00:58:44,600 --> 00:58:47,840 Speaker 1: I'd love for you to do. Make sure to subscribe, rate, 847 00:58:48,200 --> 00:58:51,120 Speaker 1: and review this podcast. You can also help us reach 848 00:58:51,200 --> 00:58:54,720 Speaker 1: others by investing today at Elevation Church dot org, slash 849 00:58:54,760 --> 00:58:57,120 Speaker 1: and give and thanks again for joining us on the 850 00:58:57,160 --> 00:58:58,280 Speaker 1: Elevation Podcast