Pastor Dan’s Blog

Regaining Our Edge . . .

Regaining our edge . . .

I can imagine that time stood still. Like the movie the Matrix, everything goes into slow motion as the axe head flies toward the drink. His eyes examine the reason the axe is so light now. Confusion sets in . . . the axe head was just here a second ago.

Where did it go? Did any one see?

Then off in the background he hears the sound of the axe head splashing down in the middle of the Jordan River. How did this happen. Now what? How do I ever get it back? He is now standing on the edge of the Jordan River hoping somehow to catch a glimpse of the lost iron. He stands there starring at the place the axe head use to be. Desperation sets in.

How did this happen? How will I ever recover it? How do we get our edge back?

The process is actually very simple. Second Kings lays out the process for our lives.

First, we must admit it we lost it.

We have all faced a situation of loss or failure that can be embarrassing. One of the main schemes of the enemy is to make us feel isolated or embarrassed. This isolation can cause us to hide the fact that we lost it. The young prophet was wise enough to understand that he needed help so he runs and tells Elisha what happened.

What is funny is that many people attempt to fake it until they make it but like swinging a stick at a tree you are making no progress. Many people fake that there marriages, finances, health & mind are fine but they have no evidence of progress and embarrassment locks them into a prison of isolation.

If you have lost your edge, you must first admit it.

Secondly, you must go back to where you lost it.

Elisha asked the young man a very important question . . . “Where did you lose it?” We must know where we lost our edge in order to get it back again. Sometimes it is a hurt, a crisis or a unresolved offense that can cause us to grow indifferent and lead us to losing our edge.

Where did you lose your passion for your spouse? Where did the financial crisis begin? Where did you lose your love for God? Like Andrae Crouch’s old song, “Take Me Back” we need to go back to the place we lost it.

Lastly, allow God to restore it.

Elisha does something unusual; he cuts a piece of wood and throws it into the place where the young man has lost the axe head. This act is followed by the impossible. The laws of physics do not apply. This one act makes iron lighter than water and . . . the axe head floats! One man with a piece of wood makes the impossible become possible. As ridiculous as it sounds, one man (Jesus), with one piece of wood (the cross) makes the impossible happen. The same can happen in your life, ministry, marriage, finances & your body. The impossible is possible with Christ.

The axe head floats to the top of the Jordan River to the astonishment of the young man. Elisha then instructs him, “Go get it.”

Today if you have lost your edge. Go get it. Jump in, don’t be afraid of getting wet.

Get your edge back!

Tags: Edge, impossible, passion, restore

Favor In Famine: Trusting In Tragedy

Elijah has been supernaturally provided for by his God from a brook, a raven and now a Gentile widow. In the midst of the famine he has found the place of favor and provision. I believe in the middle of the world’s financial crisis that we the church must listen to the voice of God to find the place of favor in the midst of famine.

 

The tragedy strikes when the only child of the widow dies of an illness. Every famine is accompanied by pestilence.  Sickness & poverty go hand & hand. The child somehow is stricken with a disease. Even the prayers of Elijah while the child was alive were not enough to cure him. The child dies.

 

Notice what Elijah does:

1.      He doesn’t answer for God

The widow blames him for bringing God into the house and in essence causing God to remember her sins thus killing her child. Her accusations reach Elijah’s ears. What he does is amazing. He says nothing. He does not answer for God. He has no need to defend God. He realizes this is not a time for a theological discussion. She doesn’t need a sermon; she needs to see the power of God displayed.

 

People don’t need our philosophies at their time of need, nor our warped interpretations of the word of God. Some of the strangest doctrines are birthed when tragedy hits and people attempt to defend God as a result. People in crisis need to see the power of God displayed in their situations not empty philosophy.

 

2.      He goes straight to God

He tells her to give me your son. He carries the burden & need up to his room, she had prepared for him. Elijah may not answer for God but he does cry out for God to answer. He runs straight to God. Although up to this point raising a dead person has never happened in the history of the world, Elijah still goes to the God of the impossible.

 

In our times of tragedy and trouble we must be smart enough to know who to run to in our times of need. Like Elijah we must have total confidence in our relationship with God that we can bring Him the impossible. Stop running around telling your trouble to anyone who will listen and run to someone who can do something about your situation, Jesus.

 

3.      He doesn’t give up

Evidently Elijah’s prayers for the boy when he was alive did not succeed yet that did not hinder him from trying again once the child died. He had no formula to follow since it had never been done before. He relied only on his tenacity and belief in almighty God. He laid the lifeless child on his bed and laid on top of him and cried out to God.

 

(Note:  Had this happened in our time & someone would have walked in, it would be all over the news about the perverted preacher who was lying on a dead boy. Sometimes you got to take a chance to look foolish in the world’s eyes to catch God’s eye.)

 

Three times he cried out to God without results. Elijah would not give up. He would not fail this family. He was desperate. We cannot give up on our breakthrough. We must keep stretching ourselves out on the things we need God to raise. No giving up. If it doesn’t happen at first, we will cry, cry again! Don’t be afraid to ask for the impossible.

 

The conclusion of the matter is when Elijah presents the child ALIVE to his mother. Elijah’s breakthrough opened the doors of possibilities for the rest of the world to follow. Raising of the dead was no longer an impossible thing. In fact it happened quite often following his ministry. All it took was one person to believe and pay the price.

 

Are you?

Tags: answer, defend, famine, favor, impossible, never, run to God, tenacity

Setting Up Your Breakthrough

Zarephath has seen more than her share of heart ache and pain. She has lost her husband and father of her child, she has faced starvation, experienced the frustration of poverty and now she has watched her only son die. Sometimes good people experience some bad things.

 

However, it was Zarephath’s actions before the crisis that set up her breakthrough. She did three distinctive things:

 

1.       Put God First

From the moment that Elijah walked into her life, she put him first. Each day she acted in faith by making Elijah something to eat first. Every meal was an act of faith. Everyday wondering if there would be enough to meet the need. Like a savings account in heaven she made deposits of faith by making God a priority in her life. Her faithfulness built her an account in heaven whereby she could call on God in her time of need.

 

2.       Made Room For God

Zarephath went the extra mile. She not only provided food for Elijah, she actually moved him into her home and prepared a room for him. She literally made room in her life for God. She deliberately set up a place for the presence of God to dwell. It is too late to try to make room for God when tragedy strikes. By making room for God she felt the boldness to ask God for the impossible. Thank God he does not give us what we deserve but what His grace has purchased.

 

3.       Right To Ask For The Impossible

What was once inevitable now became unacceptable. Before her encounter with Elijah she had come to the conclusion that she was going to die along with her son. It was inevitable & unavoidable. That is until Elijah moved in. Everyday became a day of miracles. Every meal was a stage for the supernatural provision. Her standard had changed in the presence of Elijah. Her expectation level was raised; she had come to expect the unexpected.

 

Zarephath’s encounter with God through Elijah had caused her to elevate her expectations from life’s experiences. She had come to realize that was seemed like the end was only a new beginning. God must have the last word.

 

As a widow from a foreign land, she had no idea that God had never raised a dead person up to this point in history. Her ignorance of those barriers opened the way for a great miracle. Letting go of what you think you know may open the door to the unknown.

Tags: breakthrough, Crisis, first, impossible, raised expectations, room for God