When God Moves in a Congregation
02
March 2008
Lord's Day evening
1 Kings 18:36-40
Introduction: Open your Bibles to the book of 1 Kings 18:36-40. The title of the message is “When God Moves in a Congregation”. What we are talking about tonight are the marks and evidences of God’s moving among a congregation of people. Did God move on Mount Carmel? Was His presence unmistakable? God’s moving is identifiable.
How do you know when God is doing something? God most certainly does move in a mysterious way, but my hope tonight is to show you that when God moves in the lives a people, there is a very clear awareness that God is at work. You never have to wonder when God is changing souls and changing people’s eternal destiny.
We come to Mount Carmel and we see a great array of people there.
Ø There are the defeated and exhausted priests of Baal.
Ø You have the prophet Elijah.
Ø And at this point you have a vast amount of undecided people.
All are waiting in anticipation to see if the Lord will answer. Look at 1 Kings 18, beginning with verse 36.
1 Kings 18:36-40, “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”
First see what a great apostasy there was in Israel. It had come little by little over the course of 58 years. Solomon introduced it by allowing Baal and Ashteroth to be worshipped by his many wives. And it increased like a disease across the nation.
Even the professing believers of Elijah’s day had totally forgotten who the true God was. Who was going to remind them? It was the life and the prayers of an authentic prophet of God that would demonstrate the POWER and HOLINESS of God to Elijah’s generation.
The problem we face tonight is that we don’t know what a move of God even looks like. We think it has to do with bigger buildings, comfier pews, good feelings, and popular preaching.
Before we’re done, we’ll all see what it looks like when God enters the life of a congregation.
I. First, God entering our congregation means a giving of ALL to God. It means a giving of everything precious on the altar to God. First of all It means death to self! Death to my way of life. Death to comforts and a welcome to cross bearing. It means that we sell ALL and follow Christ! Verses 33-35, “And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.”
There was a drought in Israel, and Elijah poured twelve barrels of water on the sacrifice. Remember he had just come from the brink of starvation at the Brook Cherith. He survived miraculously on a tiny bit of oil and flour while he was in Gentile country up north with the widow of Zarephath. Now he cutting up the very best pieces of sirloin and steak and pouring barrels and barrels of precious water upon the altar and the sacrifice—not just once but three times.
Elijah held nothing back. He horded nothing for himself. Now today we’ve got to get away from the thinking that if we have big comfortable pews that God must be blessing us. God is not impressed with our big Study Bibles and faithful church attendance. Many faithful church attenders will be in hell. God doesn’t want your show, he wants you heart. We actually think that when somebody is really on fire and has strong convictions that that is something exceptional. Do you see how far we have fallen away? Many of the professing church would die before the seat of Peter because like Annanias and Saphira there is a false profession of faith. And one day we will stand before a seat that is much greater than Peter’s. We will stand before the Bema of Christ and His Great White Throne. My friends, this church as a whole needs to be set on fire by God Himself.
We are in great need tonight. I think there are some here tonight that need to look at the words of Jesus in Revelation 3:15-18. I want to direct your attention to a group of people in the church who think they are perfectly right with God, but they are totally lost and in need of salvation. Jesus says, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Now this is not a disputed interpretation. This is held by faithful churches across the board that this is referring not to Christians, but to lost people within the church. Now verse 17 says this group of people have this self-deceived false profession of faith. Listen to their profession: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.”
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we ought to have a heightened suspicion of apostasy in the church because it is everywhere, and it is rampant. We must be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Would to God that the Lord would separate the sheep from the goats, so that we might all have a true profession in Christ, so that there would be not one among us here tonight that we would see cast into the Lake of Fire.
Application: Let’s not apply this to someone in another church, or someone who is far away. Here we are tonight, and I’m talking to you who are unconverted in this congregation, who think that you’re ok and that you’re actually a believer. You are going to appear before the Great White Throne Judgment of God. And your weak profession will not go two inches out of your mouth. It will fall right to the ground, and you will go straight to hell for ever and ever. And when God shuts that door, no man will open it.
Now, if you would like to be a Christian, you must give all to Him. You must give that which you hold most precious to God including all earthly relationships, all of your properties, and all of your possessions. You must count them as nothing and hold only Christ as your all. And if you don’t do that, you are not a disciple of Jesus Christ. This is the message of Jesus. Peter says to Jesus in Mark 10:28, “Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. 29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” I’m not asking if you’ve given something to God, I’m asking have you given EVERYTHING to God. Think of what is most precious to you tonight. Would you give it up for God? Will you right now give that to God? It could be the dream of a family. It could be the dream of a job or a degree. No one may know about it. What is most precious to you? Have you given all for Christ?
If so, you will have a mother and a father and children and lands, indeed, the entire cosmos is yours in this life and in the life to come!! You have a thousand mothers and fathers in the Body of Christ! You have homes to sleep in if you are weary across this wide world! Christ’s church is our family. When we suffer persecutions, we all suffer and lift one another up. We have forsaken all and followed Jesus Christ. If you would follow Christ, you must forsake all.
I’m asking everyone in the congregation: would you give all to God right now? I’m asking you not knowing what the next second holds. In three seconds we could be in the air with the Lord. God would have all if you are His. As a Christian you have to make that decision to renew your mind and present yourself a living sacrifice every single day.
II. Second, God entering our congregation means a reestablishing PRAYER as the great focus of our life and existence. There was a great apostasy in Israel in Elijah’s day, and there is a great turning away from the true Gospel in our day as well. What will stand against this apostasy? Only a believer who is filled with power from on high that comes from the times of refreshing in the prayer closet.
The only answer to this current apostasy is the fervent life of a true believer coupled with a life of agonizing fervent prayer. Verse 36, “…Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel…”. By now most people denied or had forgotten that Yahweh was God in Israel. Elijah’s life was dedicated to knowing God and making him known. He was able to stand against the hypocrites of his day. He could do this because he took up God’s cause through the power of a life of prayer.
A. You see, a prayer filled life is a God-focused life. Elijah said in verse 36, “let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel…” God’s cause is that he would be exalted among the heathen—that heathen hearts would bow. Elijah’s God-focused life was birthed in his close walk with God. Paul said, “For me to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). Can you fill in that blank? What is it that you live for? For me to live is ___________. Fill in that blank. If it is not God you are living for you are holding back God’s people. Do you have any greater love than your love for God tonight? Does the Lord have complete rule on the throne of your heart? If you want to be more consecrated to the Lord, then give yourself to more fervent prayer. Your life ought to revolve around God, not God revolving around your life!
There are valleys of dryness in the Christian life. May it’s been a while since you entered into your prayer closet. But take this an opportunity to realize anew and afresh that God has saved you to commune with Him, to know Him, to love Him, to enjoy Him forever. That is the purpose of your existence. Now that doesn’t mean we become hermits. We pray for power so that we can change this world as Christ’s very Body in this wicked world. We are not mystics where we go behind a door and think that something is going to happen. God uses human instruments! “How shall they hear without a preacher?”
And let me say one more thing about our gathered assemblies. We don’t gather as a church for a preacher, or for fellowship, or even for ourselves. We come here for the Lord our God. Our lives revolve around Him! He was God in Israel and he ought to be LORD of lords, King of kings, and God of gods in our hearts!!! Does the Lord occupy the throne of your heart?
B. A prayer filled life is a Spirit-empowered life. Verse 36, “let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.” Elijah was a God possessed man. He spoke with authority as someone who walked with God. Would those who know you consider you a God-possessed person? In other words, is the presence of God evident in your life. Elijah was a man controlled by God in every way. Is that true of you?
I want to reach Hanover Park for Christ. We’re not doing it. We’ve seen a little bit of fruit fall from the Gospel tree, but we are failing in my estimation of taking hold on the power of God for our Jerusalem! This city will not come to Christ through gimmicks. They need to see the power of God and the power of holiness in your life.
We need the power of heaven itself to reach into the lives of hurting people. We can teach them the Bible, but principles alone will save no one. The people in this city and in northern Chicago need to see Christ in YOU!!!! Then need to see Heaven come down to earth in your life!! I’ve never been to heaven physically, but my I do not think when I get there it will be at all unfamiliar. I think all Christians experience a bit of heaven when we experience the Lord God Almighty in prayer.
III. Third, God entering among our congregation means a DEPARTURE from all known sin in our lives. My call to every one of you tonight is a call to holiness!!!!! If you think God is going to answer your prayer, no matter what way you are living, you are sadly deluded and mistaken. God is uncompromisingly holy, and His Word unmistakably declares, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).
Look at Elijah’s prayer in verse 37, “Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”
Elijah is praying for repentance to take place. He’s using the language of repentance. Paul rejoiced that the hearts of the Thessalonians were “turned from idols to the living God”. In a divine visitation, everyone who names the name of Christ departs from iniquity! Is there any sin that you are harboring?
A. It could be that this church lacks a visitation from God because there is an Achan among us. Now I’m not saying Christians must be sinlessly perfect in order for God to sweep through us. I wish perfection were possible. But you as a Christian should be struggling with all your might against any known sin in your life. Joshua 7:1 gives us the record of this man named Achan. We read, “the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan…took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.” Notice God addresses the whole congregation of Israel as committing the trespass. They had not dealt rightly with sin in their midst. And so God holds the entire gathered congregation responsible for dealing with sin rightly. Is your conscience perfectly clear tonight? Are you harboring anything that is an offense to the Lord?
B. I want to give you an example from history that if we would remove sin from our midst, God would move among us very mightily.
Illustration (Evan Roberts): I want to tell you the story of Evan Roberts. He was the son of a coal miner from the small village of Loughor on the south coast of Wales. Evan Roberts did not possess the gifts of a great intellect or eloquent speech, but simply a burning passion for Jesus. Evan Roberts spoke after the usual Monday night meeting to 17 people. The Holy Spirit moved on them all.
He then spoke every night to increasing crowds. By the weekend the church was packed and invitations came for him to speak in many other churches. Newspapers began describing the crowded meetings. Three months later, by January 1905 the papers had reported 70,000 converted to Christ in less than three months.
The Spirit of God convicted people as each night Evan Roberts insisted on four simple Biblical principles.
1. You must put away any and all unconfessed sin.
a. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18).
b. “Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Timothy 2:19).
2. You must put away any doubtful habit.
a. “he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).
3. You must obey the Spirit promptly.
a. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14).
b. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).
4. You must confess Christ publicly.
a. Matthew 10:32-33, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven”.
My friends, this is not something new, but it is the Biblical picture of repentance!
Ø Is there any unconfessed sin in your life? You must not just confess it, but you must forsake it!
Ø Is there something you are not sure about, but because you enjoy it so much, you continue doing it. You must put it away!
Ø Do you obey the voice of the Holy Spirit as He illumines your mind with the Word of God throughout the day?
Ø Are you ashamed of Christ, or do you confess Him as your Lord and Master publicly?
IV. Finally, God entering among our congregation means a radical effect on our community. Look at verse 38. The people there on the side of Mount Carmel would not be the same ever again. Look here at verse 38, “Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. 40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”
Let me tell you what happened to Whales when the fire of God fell. Let me read you one account.
“The Welsh revival was a mighty invasion of the Spirit; God's Kingdom radically manifested on earth. ‘The earnings of workmen, instead of being squandered on drink and vice, were now bringing great joy to their families. Outstanding debts were being paid by thousands of young converts. Restitution was the order of the day. The gambling and alcohol business lost their trade and the theaters closed down from lack of patronage. Football during this time was forgotten by both players and fans, though nothing was mentioned from the pulpits about it. The people had new lives and new interests. Political meetings were cancelled or abandoned. They seemed completely out of the question since nobody was interested. The political leaders from parliament in London abandoned themselves to the revival meetings…’ One of the outstanding features of the revival was the confession of sin, not among the unsaved only, but among the saved. All were broken down and melted before the cross of Christ”.[1]
A. I want you to notice that when the fire falls, God takes every thing. Verse 38, “Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” We cannot schedule a church wide revival, but we can pray continually that God have every part of us. I believe God will answer that prayer. Do you really want God to answer that prayer?
B. When the fire falls the people notice. Verse 39, “The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.” It is unmistakable. There won’t be any question as to who is in charge of our services. God Himself will show up and minister through each one of us. He will be exalted in our midst!!!! There will be nothing to hide. God is King, and may He be King in our lives!
C. When the fire fell, false professors were exposed. Verse 40, “40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.” When real Christianity is lived out, pretenders get nervous. They are uncomfortable. When the temperature of a church gets hotter and hotter, pretenders go elsewhere to hide.
Conclusion: In Elijah’s day, they slew the pretenders. Now perhaps we have some prophets of Baal here tonight. You are wolves in sheep’s clothing. You have a profession of faith, but you know it is a mockery to the holiness of God. You say you know God, but He knows you not. And tonight I want to ask is there anyone here tonight who is a pretender who will expose himself or herself and go to the Brook Kishon and lose your life in Christ? Would you cease the pretending and become a real Christian?
Christian, are you holding anything back? Do you really want God to take all? Can you say tonight that you have forsaken ALL and are following Him?