Where Do You Stand?

1 Kings 18:15 “Then Elijah said, "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today." NKJV

The context of this passage is that Israel has been facing three years of no rain and famine due to their idolatry and rebellion against God. 1 Kings 18:11 says, “The word of the Lord came to Elijah saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." So, Elijah is on his way to meet Ahab when he encounters Ahab’s right hand man named Obadiah, who was out looking for grass for Ahab’s horses. Elijah tells Obadiah to go tell Ahab to come and meet me here. The servant says if I go get Ahab and he comes and you are gone, he will kill me. Then Elijah says, "As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today."

The thing that strikes me about this verse is Elijah’s comment “before whom I stand.” The Living Bible says “in whose presence I stand.” Elijah had a unique perspective that we do not often have in our materialistic western culture. He had a sense that he perpetually stood in the presence of the Lord of hosts. It was out of this relationship and awareness of God that his powerful prophetic and miracle ministry flowed.

In 2 Kings 6, Elijah is surrounded by horses, chariots and a great host of the Syrian army that have come to arrest him. Elijah is calm and at peace while his servant is seized with fear. Elijah is calm because he sees what his servant does not see, that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire. He tells his servant, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” “Fear not.” That is a term Jesus often used with His disciples. Why was Jesus calm, while they were worried and fearful? I believe it is because, like Elijah, he understood where He stood.

Ephesians 2:4-7 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

“God has made us alive together with Christ, and has made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” We who are born again are placed in a unique position. We not only operate in this world, but we at the very same time stand in the presence of God by the Spirit. We are given this unique position and view that the world does not have, a heavenly perspective, so that we might show forth his glory and accomplish His purpose in the midst of the world in which we live. Our problem is that we become so caught up in this earthly realm that we lose our heavenly perspective.

Like Elijah and Christ, we can operate with confidence in the midst of turmoil and chaos that surrounds us. Wherever you are and whatever you are facing today, remember that you are in the presence of God Almighty, the Lord of Hosts. It is out of that position that you can operate in His authority and speak into your situation and the lives of those around you.

Andy

A Covenant-Keeping God

Scripture Reading: Luke 13:10-17

“On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.”

“Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath." The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?" When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.” NIV

It is interesting that in Luke 13:16 Jesus did not know the name of the woman but He remembered His covenant to Abraham. There are many times we see Jesus moved with compassion. But here Jesus is moved to action by His covenant.

Psalms 105:8-9 says: “He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.”

2 Corinthians 1:20 says: “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

All the promises of God, Old Testament and New Testament are YES in Christ and AMEN in Him because all the promises are fulfilled through Him. God loves it when we remind Him or let Him know that you remember and believe His covenant and promises. Moses constantly reminded God of His promises to Abraham, and this is an ongoing theme throughout the Biblical record of Israel’s history.

I want to encourage you today, that God is a covenant-keeping God. Take time to review the covenants in His Word. Pray and allow these to become alive to your situation. Do not let doubt or disobedience hinder you from pressing into those promises. Most covenants have requirements for us to fulfill. Remind God of His promises and be willing to step out in faith and maybe do something that you have never done before. Step out of the box of your routine and ability into the vastness of God’s greatness, and see Him work on your behalf.

May God by His Spirit and Word encourage you today.

Andy Clark

Thirsty

John 7:37-39 “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

This was the eight day, the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. In Leviticus 23:37 God called the people on this day to a sacred assembly to culminate the seven days of the feast. John called it “the great day of the feast.” On that day the priest brought forth, in golden vessels, water from the stream of Siloah, which flowed under the temple-mountain, and solemnly poured it upon the altar. Then the words of Isaiah 12:3 were sung, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation,"

In the midst of this intense celebration with thousands of people, Jesus diverts everyone’s attention when He stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Jesus is our source of life, our source of refreshing. It is not of us, our work, or our ministry that life comes, but it is from Christ that life flows to a thirsty world.

The water no longer flows from the temple-mountain. Today we are the “temple of the Hoy Spirit.” The rivers of living water are to flow out of our hearts. In order for this living water to flow in us and through us, Jesus said we must be thirsty, we must come to Him and drink and we must believe. The kingdom of God operates on the principle of supply and demand. How thirsty are you for God today, for His presence, for His Spirit and His Word? In the midst of a hectic world we live in, I believe the call of Jesus goes out today saying “Come!” “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

We live in a day when we cannot operate on our own. As this world shakes and challenges increase, personal challenges and challenges in ministry, we need more than ever the flow of God’s Spirit in our lives. We cannot wait for crises to come, but today we need a desperation for God that brings us to our knees. A desperation that causes us to tune out the world and to tune in to the voice of the Spirit. A desperation that causes us to act in faith to His Word, no matter the circumstances and consequences.

The call goes forth again in the closing chapter of Revelations, the end of the church age, “And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires let him take the water of life freely.” May you drink deeply today, tomorrow, and the coming days of the awesome greatness of our God, “who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” Ephesians 3:20-21

Andy

What do You Hear?

Revelations 2:17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."' NKJV

Two keys to entering into the promises that are common to all seven churches in Revelation are an ability to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches and the ability to overcome. We live in a world inundated with constant sound, voices from every area pulling upon our attention, drowning out what God is wanting to speak to us to enable us to overcome and come into the abundant life Jesus has provided for us.

In I Kings chapters 17 and 18 there had been no dew nor rain in Israel for three years and there was “severe famine.” God had supernaturally provided for Elijah with ravens that brought him bread and meat and a widow who only had a “handful of flour” and “a little oil jar.” Elijah came into this supernatural provision in famine because of his ability to hear the voice of God in the midst of insurmountable challenges and the courage to obey that voice. But God’s plan was not only to provide for Elijah, but to use Elijah to impact a nation.

In chapter 18, Elijah calls down fire from heaven, kills the prophets of Baal and then in verse 11 makes a startling pronouncement to Ahab: “Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.” There has not been rain nor dew in three years, there is not a cloud in the sky or even a hint of rain, yet Elijah hears what others do not hear, he hears the sound not of a little rain but the sound of abundance of rain. While Ahab eats and drinks, Elijah prays in what he has heard in the Spirit. Seven times he bows down and prays, six times he sends his servant to look and there is nothing, but the seventh time the servant sees “a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea.” Elijah leaps into action and outruns Ahab’s chariot to Jezreel in the midst of pouring rain.

To survive, overcome, and lead in today’s world, we need to hear what others do not hear. If all we do is listen to what others say, what we see on the news or read on the internet, magazines or books, we are simply being influenced by voices around us whether good or bad. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Our ability to act with faith and confidence even in the midst of drought and famine is rooted in our ability to clearly hear the voice of God and to pray it into reality.

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat.” God has hidden manna for you to eat today if you will shut off the shouting voices of the world and get into God’s presence. For those who hear and overcome there is also a new name that “no one knows except the one who receives it.” A name in Bible times defined identity. God has a new identity for you that does not come from this world, no one can give it to you, and no one knows it but God. He wants to reveal it to you if you, will hear His voice and respond in faith and obedience.

Andy Clark