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 Sermon > Theme Words of Life |
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Title |
Goodness(15) - Elijah(1) |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
2Kings2:11 |
Date |
2005-10-30 |
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2 Kings 2:11
As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
This time is the 15th session of the series "Goodness," and its title is "The Goodness of Elijah."
Prophet Elijah was lifted up into heaven alive without seeing death.
In 2 Kings 2:11, there is a scene where Elijah was taken into heaven. "As they (Here they are Elijah and his follower Elisha) were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven."
Being lifted up into heaven alive without seeing death has a spiritual significance.
Just the way the first part of Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death," death comes as the result of sin.
That's why when Elijah was taken up into heaven without seeing death, it means that he had no sin at all.
Yes. Prophet Elijah was so sinless and perfect in the sight of God that he could be taken into heaven alive without seeing dearth.
And he rose in the first ranking in heaven among all the people cultivated on the earth.
What kind of his heart did God accept so that Elijah enjoyed that wonderful blessing?
For this, I will tell you about him with the combination of the biblical explanations and the revelations from God the Father. God has confirmed me with unimaginable power of God to this day, and whenever I prayed to Him for deeper understanding of the biblical verses, He has given me detailed and clear explanations.
Through those revelations, I have preached all my messages including The Message of the Cross, The Measure of Faith, Spirit Soul & Body, Heaven and Hell.
God has confirmed with the following signs that those messages are true and real.
The most significant among countless signs is that they came to have the assurance of salvation and burning hope for heaven and love God with all their heart after listening to my messages.
I wish you believe every word I will preach about Elijah is real and resemble his heart so that you can become God's perfect children.
Dear brothers and sisters inn Christ, Let's examine the historical background of the time of Elijah.
Elijah prophesied in the Northern Kingdom of Israel at the time of King Ahab. Ahab, the King of Israel took as wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sindonians to prevent Aram from attacking Israel. But, because of the idols of Baal she brought in, idolatry prevailed throughout the kingdom of Israel.
God judged this and sent Elijah to give the king of Israel His word saying that it would not rain for years. This was the first task for Elijah and is introduced in 1 Kings 17.
God told Elijah to hide from the king by the Brook Cherith.
King Ahab was so wicked in his heart that he disobeyed God, so when Elijah proclaimed the curse of drought to the King, he would not repent or turn from his ways but try to kill Prophet Elijah.
While staying by the Brook Cherith according to the command of God, God let ravens feed the prophet with bread and meat every morning and evening. And drought started as God said.
After that Elijah went to a widow in Zarephath and when he was given a piece of bread by her, he prayed to God that He might bless her with endless food until the drought came to an end. And he revived a boy by the power of God.
At Mount Carmel, he pulled own the fire from heaven and let the Israelites turn from idolatry to the Lord God.
When he prayed to God again, the long drought that had started with his prayer ended and it began to rain.
James 5:17-18 says about him, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and he sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit."
In addition, he parted the Jordan, prophesied what would happen in the future and manifested the great power of God, so that he testified to the living God in the dark age of Israel.
For what kind of his heart did God choose and use him?
Elijah was so humble in heart and never quarreled with anybody. It was the first goodness of Elijah that God recognized.
By the way, Elijah's humbleness began since he changed into spirit, but before he received strength of God, he was so weak and feeble in character.
Peter was so courageous and strong, but it was not the same with Elijah. Some people think they are credited with their good points and feel courageous and proud.
But Elijah was not so. He always thought he had nothing to boast of. He was so humble.
Thus he had no great vision or dream at all. He never desired to accomplish anything with courage and passion.
Because he considered himself as something to be changed, he never insisted on his own opinion in any circumstances.
Whenever somebody's opinion did not agree with his, he never tried to insist on his own, but always gave room for others.
Since he did not quarrel with anybody, there was always peace wherever he was.
He seemed feeble and not good at decision, but he has a good quality by which he could become a great prophet if he reached the level of spirit.
God, who sees the r heart of each individual, deemed Elijah's heart as so good, and chose and refined him so that God could use him as a great prophet.
When courageous people change into spirit, they can be preciously used for God. Moses, Peter and the apostle Paul were courageous, clever and capable before they changed into spirit.
Until they were used by God, they needed to deny themselves and be refined.
When they confessed from their inner heart they were nothing and they could do anything only by the grace and strength of God, they were anointed by God and could be used for Him.
When they changed into spirit, their courage and wisdom did not disappear but those aspects were so beneficial to the kingdom of God.
Elijah did not become humble through trials, but his nature was originally feeble and lowly. So that he was not proud or boastful from the beginning.
God deemed these aspects of Elijah as good and chose him.
When God gave him a calling, he was afraid in his feeble heart how he could accomplish God's work with his weakness and that he would break the work of God because of his defects.
He was not confident in his heart.
It was so good for Elijah to empty himself and be humble in everything, but he should change his feeble nature into spirit to be used as a great prophet of God. So, God allowed him to receive trials.
When God let Elijah prophesy on the long drought before King Ahab, God told Elijah to hide from the king by the Brook Cherith.
But God treated him differently three years later when He let Elijah speak to King Ahab, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."
At that time the Israelites had suffered many hardships because of a long drought, and King Ahab attributed it to Elijah. So, the king extremely hated Elijah and tried to kill him.
That's why when Elijah showed himself to the king, he would be killed by the king. But God told him to show himself before the king.
So, how burdensome Elijah felt in his feeble heart to obey God's command? Elijah, however, came to the king according to the command of God and spoke God's will to the king.
Moreover, he suggested to the king that he would send the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who ate at Jezebel's table to the Mount Carmel for them and Elijah to wage a spiritual war for fiery answer from heaven.
The reason that Elijah overcame his weakness and did courageously like this was because he never stopped communicating with God.
Because he thought himself lacked in many ways, he tried his best to communicate with God and to clearly understand God's will.
He thought he could do nothing on his own, so he had no choice but to rely on God and try to communicate with God to receive His power by which everything is possible.
Since Elijah communicated with God without stopping, God gave him answers. That's why he could overcome his weakness and triumph to with faith and in the courage and power God had given.
Through these experiences, he became certain that anything that was impossible with human thoughts could be possible when God commanded it.
He did not take off his weakness at a time. While receiving trials God allowed, he never stopped communicating with God and he became strengthened and empowered by the power of God, and he succeeded in everything.
After trials, he confessed that he was nothing and he could do nothing on his own but could 애 anything with the power of God.
Since then, he was confident that he could do anything in the faith coming from God, and greatly glorified God. The reason that he performed great power was because he had the firm faith that he could not do with his human ability but all things were possible with God, and he obeyed all the will of God.
Through this Elijah who obeyed anything in faith, God let him show what is impossible in this physical world but is possible in the spiritual realm.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Our Father God is almighty and all-knowing.
So, with the almighty God there is no need for Him to search for competent people for His glory.
The only person that God needs is to abandon all his will and proclaim only the will of God so that he can receive and show the power of God.
If a man's heart vessel is full of his own self, the power of God cannot fill it. Even if God pours down His power into his heart vessel, the power of God cannot be fully revealed because it would be mixed with the self that has filled his heart.
That's why God searches for a pure vessel that has taken off his own self above all else.
Next, He looks for a big and deep vessel. That's because even if a vessel is empty and clear, it can contain more with the bigger depth than with the smaller one. The humbler one's heart the more he receives the power of God.
Elijah met these two conditions.
He always confessed from his inner heart he was nothing and could do nothing, and he never stopped communicating with God.
God chooses a person who looks incapable and weak outwardly and empowers him with His power to let him do the works of God and glorify Him.
So, God says in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God."
But some believers say they are chosen and used by God although they have not emptied themselves but greed and boastfulness fill their hearts.
Some receive a spiritual gift after eagerly asking to God many times, but sooner or later they become arrogant and go the wrong way.
They say the live to the glory of God but seek for their own glory inwardly, so they are so far from goodness.
Since Matthew 7:20 says, "So then, you will know them by their fruits," I wish you discern everything by fruits and not be deceived by anybody.
It is said in James 1:14, "But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust."
Therefore, I hope you empty your mind day by day just as the apostle Paul confessed, "I die everyday."
Please get rid of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of this life as soon as possible. And please cast off every form of fleshly things and uncleanness.
Then, God's spiritual power and abundant grace will come upon you.
I wish you thoroughly demolish every kind of self-righteousness and the framework of your thought.
Elijah never commended himself at all nor disputed with anybody before he was called by God. At the Old Testament times, men of God communicated with God but the Holy Spirit did not come upon their heart. But Elijah never boasted himself and made peace with anybody.
Today you have received the Holy Spirit and live the age of the grace of God. But some church workers do not have peace with but ill feelings against others because they have not thrown away their self-righteousness.
And they cause troubles to others with the wrong frameworks of their thought they consider as truth.
When you are right and the party is wrong, which is more acceptable to God, to judge him or to lead him to truth in love?
If it were more important to argue about what is right and wrong, only a person who is faultless in the sight of God would be allowed to show his own opinion. Nobody can argue about the party with his own imperfect opinion.
When sinners repented and turned from their ways, God forgave them of their sins and transgressions with the blood of Jesus Christ and covered them with love.
Therefore, you, who have received the grace of God, have not only to discern sin and righteousness with the truth but also to cover anybody with love just the way the Father has done.
And you have to serve unrighteous-looking people just as our Lord Jesus served sinners. It is real righteousness in the sight of God.
When you believe this as true goodness and empty and humble yourself, it is deemed to be good in the sight of God.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
When Go d called me as His servant, I thought how I could take charge of this task.
God not only called me as His servant but also prophesied that I as a pastor would cross mountains, rivers, oceans and perform wonders and signs.
Until then I had prayed I would become an excellent (charismatic) elder and glorify God, so when God told me to become a pastor in His direct voice, I was embarrassed and at a great loss what to do.
How can I become a pastor? I am old and I have a poor memory. How can I study again to enter a seminary? I must become a pastor who would travel around the word as a revivalist according to the word of God. I feel so ashamed before the congregation, so how can I deliver the messages before the congregation? I thought many ways.
I had never disobeyed the will of God until then. So I prayed to God for more three months that I would become a pastor and obey the will of God once He would speak the same prophecy to me again.
Finally, I heard the voice of God again.
He said to me, "Didn't I call you as My servant because you would be able to become a pastor? You have loved Me more than anything else, so I consider you as very proper for My mission."
After that, I began to walk as a pastor with Yes and Amen.
I have fervently prayed to God all the time because I could do nothing with my own strength and ability. Every time God answered me and poured down great power and grace to me.
Now I can perform the Most High Power of Creation, clearly discern what is truth and righteousness and I am recognized and favored by God. I never insist my own opinion.
I have taught the word of truth and when some church members did not obey the truth, I mourned with the prayers of repentance on behalf of them. I have bee at peace with anybody and embraced everybody.
Let me conclude this message. As the first goodness of Elijah I explained why he was chosen by God.
Elijah had a humblemind from the beginning and had no quarrel against anybody. And he used to be so feeble in his nature, but came t obey any command of God because he always communicated with God.
If you want to be used as a pastor or a servant of God, you must meet this qualification.
I wish you understand the humbler you become the more you receive the grace and strength of God.
2 Corinthians 4:7 says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves."
I pray in the name of the Lord that all of you give thanks to God for choosing you like earthen vessels and making a precious vessel that contains the treasure and always glorify with the grace and power of God. |
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