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Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000082S
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00:06 Sermon #S043 - When Enough Is Enough (Part 1)
00:20 Pastor Snell: And so we're going to go ahead and go quickly into the word of God. 00:23 I'm going to invite those who are at home, I need you to partner with us, need you to be an Apple apostle, 00:28 need you to be an online evangelist, need you to be a digital disciple. So if you're on Facebook, copy that link and send it to somebody. 00:36 If you're on YouTube and if you're on Facebook, hit that share button a couple of times so that others might be able to receive this word as 00:42 well. And so fam, I invite you to stand to your feet as we go to the word today. 00:50 We're going to begin today in 1st Kings Chapter 19 as we continue our series entitled The Pivot. 00:58 And what we're going to be looking at today is how sometimes every now and then we don't necessarily need a physical pivot, 01:05 but sometimes we've got to pivot in posture. Can you say amen? So 1st Kings Chapter 19, 01:12 and we're going to begin together at verse number one. And again, this word is for anybody that has ever gone through something. 01:21 Anybody ever gone through something today? Amen. 01:23 1st Kings Chapter 19 and Verse One, we find here the prophet Elijah, right after his victory at Carmel, 01:33 where God had sent fire from heaven and they had overthrown the prophets of Baal. 1st Kings chapter 19:1, 01:40 and we'll see what happens next. When you get there let me hear you say amen. Amen. 01:46 The Bible says, and Ahab told Jezebel, his wife, all that Elijah had done also how he had executed the prophets with a sword. 01:56 Then Jezebel sent a what? Sent a messenger to Elijah saying, so let the gods do to me 02:05 and more also if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow this same time. 02:14 And when he saw it, he arose and ran for his life and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left his servant there. 02:24 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree and he prayed that he might what? 02:35 That he might die and said, it is enough. Now, Lord, take my life for I am no better than my father's. 02:46 Then as he lay and slept under the broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him and said, arise and eat. 02:55 Then he looked and thereby his head was a cake baked on coals and a jar of water. So he ate and he drank and he laid down what? 03:06 Again, and the angel of the Lord came back the second time and touched him and said, arise and eat because the journey is too great for you. 03:15 So he arose and ate and drank and he went in the strength of that food. How long? 40 days and 40 night as far as Horeb the mountain of God. 03:28 Then there, he went into the cave and spent the night in that place. And behold the word of the Lord came to him 03:35 and he said unto him, what are you doing here, Elijah? But I just want to read for emphasis verse number four. 03:43 But he went a day's journey into the wilderness and he came down and sat under a broom tree and prayed that he might die and said, 03:52 it is enough. Now, Lord, take my life for I am no better than my father's. 04:00 Today Saints, I want to talk to you for a little while under the subject When Enough is Enough. Let's pray together. 04:10 Father, I pray that in this moment that you would permit me to be completely possessed by your spirit. 04:22 Father, I'm praying for a visitation that is rare and distinct for a visitation that moves us from one plane spiritually to a 04:33 different plane. 04:35 So Lord, would you please multiply faith in the hearing of the word? Once again, 04:39 would you please hide me in the shadows of the cross that Jesus alone might be seen, that Christ alone would be heard? 04:47 And at the end of our time together, may Jesus alone be praised. We ask this in the name of the Almighty master Jesus Christ, 04:55 let those who believe say together. Amen and amen. You may be seated in the house of the Lord. 05:03 Again, talking to you today under the subject When Enough is Enough. As we begin today, let me provide some context for our lesson. 05:17 If you recall, king Ahab, had one of the more wicked reigns in the history of Israel due to his marriage with the godless Jezebel idolatry 05:28 had began to overtake the land and the hearts of the people had been drawn away from God. 05:36 And so God caused the land to be cursed with seven years of drought that was to begin and conclude with the word of the prophet Elijah. 05:47 And both Ahab and Jezebel suffered national embarrassment as Elijah in solitude stood over against the prophets of Baal 05:57 and a fire making competition. You see, Elijah challenged them to call upon Baal to cause fire to come down from heaven 06:07 and understand that after a day of praying and dancing and self mingling, 06:13 the impotence of Baal was revealed as the true God of heaven answered with such a force of fire that not only did it destroy the sacrifice, 06:25 it consumed the altar and it lapped up all of the water that was in the trenches there around. 06:31 And understand that Elijah operates with so much authority that Elijah calls Ahab's army to kill Jezebel's prophets. 06:42 And this display of power left egg on the face of Ahab and Jezebel 06:49 and understand that this was perhaps the apex victory in the ministry of Elijah and his hope friends, 06:58 is that this would be a catalyst for national reformation and repentance, 07:03 that Ahab would see the era of his ways and that his wife Jezebel would begin to repent. 07:10 But understand that in this story, Jezebel is not filled with contrition, 07:16 but in fact she's filled with a greater rage so that she sends a message to Elijah saying that at 07:23 least 24 hours from now I'm going to do to you the same thing that was done to the prophets of Baal. 07:32 And the strange thing friends, is that the prophet complies, 07:36 he takes pursuit into the wilderness and it gets so bad that he lays down his mantale and he summons the sweet relief of death 07:48 and understand that this text teaches us a number of things. 07:51 But the first thing I need you to understand, number one is that there is a difference between a threat and an attack. 08:01 Let me say it again, that there's a difference between an attack and an actual threat. Are you with me today, friends? 08:07 Now, understand that humanly, I understand why Elijah takes cover. As a man, I understand why he begins to flee for his life, 08:18 but man, this thing gets so intense that Elijah literally lays down his prophetic mantle and he gives God his prophetic resignation. 08:30 Now, understand saints, that on the journey of faith that you'll experience authentic satanic attacks. 08:38 But there will be times where the enemy will magnify himself simply by issuing an intimidating threat. 08:47 Are you with me? And see what Elijah cannot see 08:51 or what he has failed to see is that his entire life has been lived under the watchful care of the Almighty God. 09:01 That God has put a restraint in Ahab's heart so that his advances can only come so far. 09:10 In other words, he's not recognized that Ahab's attacks only come to a certain threshold. 09:16 And notice now that Jezebel knows exactly where Elijah is. She knows exactly where he can be found. 09:25 But did you notice that she sends a messenger, not a murderer? Did you notice that she sends a herald, not a hit man. 09:37 Did you notice that she sends an assistant and not an assassin? 09:41 You would think that if she knows exactly where he is, that she would send the armies to arrest him and have him killed. 09:50 But Jezebel's goal is not assassination, it's intimidation. In other words, her goal is to simply silence his voice. 10:00 She wants him to cease and desist. She wants him to quit voluntarily 10:06 because she doesn't have the power to overtake or destroy the man of God. Notice friends of mine, all she does is send a threat, 10:17 but she does not send an attack. Are y'all hearing me today, friends? In other words, you know that when somebody's ready to fight, 10:25 they don't spend a whole lot of time talking to you about what they going to do. They don't stand in the corner selling wolf tickets. 10:32 Am I telling you the truth? In other words, when somebody's about that life, they don't spend a whole lot of time talking about it. 10:40 They just start moving in a whole different way. Are y'all hearing me today, friends? In other words, it is just like on the school yard, 10:48 you know how somebody really wants to fight and when they don't. In other words, 10:53 if they saying hold me back, hold me back, then you know they ain't ready to throw them hands. But when somebody's ready to fight, 11:02 they ain't asking nobody to hold them back. They trying to break through the barrier. Are y'all with me today? 11:08 And understand that your girl Jezebel may be godless, but she ain't crazy. She may be wicked, but she ain't stupid. 11:18 In other words, she notices that there is some divine agency upon Elijah. 11:24 She knows that God is with this man and that to destroy him is going to bring judgment upon her own house. 11:34 So she doesn't send an attack, she just sends an intimidating threat. Are y'all with me today, friends? 11:41 And see what God's people need to know is that in the realm of spiritual warfare, 11:47 I need you to know that you have a hedge around you that is equivalent to the hedge that God placed around Job. 11:56 I need you to know that you've got an angelic security detail that is with you in your coming in and your going out. 12:06 And the truth is that like Elijah, we are not succumbing to an actual attack, but some of us actually get weak 12:15 because of the presence of a threat. You see, notice Isaiah 54 says, no weapon formed against you will be permitted to prosper. 12:27 But notice it says the weapon won't prosper, but God is going to allow it to be formed. In other words, 12:35 I need somebody to get that God is going to cause the attack to fail even if he allows the threat to prevail and see real talk friends, 12:46 because there's somebody today that is dealing with a very real and authentic spiritual attack, but there is somebody that is fearful 12:55 and afraid and frightened simply because of the presence of a threat. You see, there is somebody falling apart because of a likelihood. 13:05 There is somebody getting weak because of a possibility. There is somebody afraid of what might happen. 13:11 There is somebody that's lost their faith because of probabilities. In other words, there is somebody that is employed but you are nervous 13:21 because of the threat your job might be taken away. There is somebody whose provision is sufficient, 13:28 but you are afraid or threatened about what may happen if it's taken away. 13:33 There is somebody that's preoccupied with what enemies might be planning and what people might be saying. 13:40 And we're afraid about what might come to pass. And what I want to say to somebody is, don't fall apart because of a threats. 13:50 In other words, you might not know what tomorrow holds, but how many of us know who holds tomorrow? 13:58 You see, I need you to know that Satan has a way of suggesting possibilities 14:05 and setting up evil imaginations that make war against your mind and the posture of faith. 14:12 And I just need to say to somebody today because there's somebody waiting on some medical test results, 14:19 but I want to admonish you don't start living in the worst case scenario until you are in the worst case scenario. 14:27 There is some single person and the devil's tried to convince you that because you can't see anyone, that they'll never be anyone. 14:36 Go ahead and enjoy this season until God brings you into the next. There is somebody worried about the money getting little low, 14:46 but you don't know what God has in store for your future. There are times where as a parent I have to curtail my thoughts 14:55 because when I watch the news and see these shootings and kidnappings, I get worried about what might happen to my kids. 15:02 But God has to let me know that even though they came from you, they don't belong to you. They actually belong to me. 15:11 Are you hearing me today? And see, this is the critical message 15:16 because when the warfare is in the realm of threat, meaning that the devil is coming for your peace, 15:23 the mistake we make is that when the threat is spiritual, we try to secure the physical. In other words, when this threat is spiritual, 15:35 what we start trying to do is get a ring camera for our doorbell and guns for our houses and deadlocks for the doors, 15:44 and we start moving money around bracing for what is about to come. But you've got to know how to respond to a spiritual threat. 15:53 You see, the only way to respond to a spiritual threat is with a spiritual promise. Okay, take your time. 16:02 The only way to respond to a spiritual threat is to stand on a spiritual promise. Why pastor? Because understand what a threat is. 16:14 A threat is not what's already happened, it's just when the enemy promises what he's going to make happen. 16:22 And what I'm saying to somebody today is that a threat is just the enemy's guarantee of what shall be. 16:29 And what I believe is that if a threat can make you anxious, then a promise should make you peaceful. 16:36 Let me say it to y'all on this side, that if Satan's threat makes you anxious, then God's promise should make you peaceful. 16:45 How many of us know that Satan's promise should not outweigh God's promise 16:50 and that there is a promise for every threat that the enemy puts in your life? 16:56 Oh God, see, I need you to know it's God's job to manage the threat. It's your job to manage you. In other words, 17:09 God has got the odd economy under control. God has got the job market under control. 17:17 God has got your baby mama under control. God has got your ex-husband under control. God has got Trump, Biden and DeSantis under control. 17:27 God has got everything under control. You've got to get yourself under control And see, 17:36 I need somebody to know that there is a promise for every threat that might prevail in your life. 17:42 I need you to know that when enemies come up against you, Psalm 46 says that God is our refuge and our strength, 17:50 our very present help in the time of trouble. I need you to know when affliction threatens you. 17:56 Psalm 34:18 says, many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them from them all. 18:03 When financial woes threaten you, the promises of Philippians is that my God shall supply all your needs according to his richest in glory. 18:14 Sometimes when folks threaten and talk about you, remember the name of the Lord is a strong tower 18:20 and that the righteous run in and find safety. 18:23 Sometimes circumstances seem like they'll never work together. But Romans 8:28 says, all things work together for them that love God 18:33 and are called according to his purpose. And sometimes trouble threatens like it's not going to ever end, 18:40 but I've got to promise for the word says, he that shall come, will come 18:47 and he will not tarry that one day trouble is going to come to an end. 18:55 Are y'all hearing me today, friends? And see there are times where we get all worried about stuff 19:03 because when we're threatened we can't see God. But I, but I shared this with you last week. 19:08 Sometimes it doesn't matter if you can see God, all that matters is that your enemy can. 19:17 So, last week I was out in Los Angeles preaching and I took my sons and we made it a little bit of a boys' trip. 19:23 And so what happened is I go inside of they were in this little mall area and I go inside of a department store. 19:30 And so the boys did not want to go in, so they just played out in the little open square. And so what happens is, mom, I 19:37 I'm looking at them through the window of the department store and as I'm looking at them, 19:42 I see two older boys that looks like they're roaming and casing them as if they are interested in my oldest son's cell phone. 19:51 And so I need you to know that when I see them seeing my sons, I don't really go out and make a big deal. 19:58 I just go stand outside of the door and let them see me. And it's crazy, as soon as they see daddy, 20:08 they start moving in the other direction. No, I need you to know my boys never saw me, but they didn't need to see me. 20:17 Their enemies just needed to see me. Oh God, there are somebody today that's saying I can't see God. 20:26 It doesn't matter if you can see him. As long as your enemy sees him, you going to be okay as you stand strong in him. 20:36 Are y'all hearing me today, friends? Second thing, our story teaches us today, friends is never create your own expectations for God. 20:54 Now, again, it's okay to have expectations of God, but don't set your own expectations for God. 21:03 You see, we find Elijah in the place of disappointment and disillusionment. 21:09 And can I just say this, to help your faith out along the way that you'll wind up being disappointed 21:15 when your expectations are based on your preferences and not God's promises. 21:22 And the reason Elijah responds to God the way that he does is because of mismanaged expectations. 21:30 You see, friends, Elijah has been in the uncomfortable portion of faith for an extended period period of time 21:38 because of the persecution and threats of Jezebel. He has lived in the outposts and the outskirts of society 21:46 and he had to move with a certain amount of caution. You see, because the drought commenced at his word. 21:53 Remember, Elijah has been in this uncomfortable place of dependence. In other words, during these seven years, 22:02 he does not live with a fridge filled with food, but he literally lives from day to day as he is dependent upon a raven to send bread 22:13 and meat. And he is sitting by a brook that is consistently drying up. Now, watch what happens church. 22:22 He has been in this posture of uncomfortable faith. But what happens is that after the victory at Mount Carmel, 22:31 Elijah sets an expectation that because God answered by fire and because the prophets of Baal are no more, 22:42 and because God sends rain upon the earth, that there's going to be a season of repentance that Ahab 22:50 and Jezebel will turn their hearts and that he will be able to go back to normal assimilation into the culture of normal life. 23:00 But notice the victory at Carmel does not end his sorrows. They just unleashed a whole different set of sorrows. 23:11 And one of the reasons Elijah lost his faith is 23:15 because he thought this was the final trial when the truth is that was just getting him ready for the next trial. 23:24 Oh God. Elijah thought he was at the finish line, but he looks up and he is got miles of highway left to go. 23:33 And see friends of mine, this is a critical spiritual truth because sometimes we can go through circumstances that are so daunting 23:41 and so overwhelming and so traumatizing that sometimes we create our own expectation that says, when I finally get through this, 23:51 that my sorrows are going to come to an end and we create an expectation like Elijah that's not based on a promise. 24:02 When you look at the story, where did God tell Elijah that if you stand fast here, that after the prophets die, 24:10 everything is going to be well. Where did he say that if you do this, 24:15 all your enemies will vanquish that there'll be peace in the valley and that there will be no more hills to climb. 24:23 Where does Elijah get that expectation if God never made that promise? And see friends of mine a need us to understand, 24:33 the reason Elijah's messed up is he thought, man, that when the prophets of Baal were destroyed, this was the last trial, 24:41 but God was just getting him ready for the next trial. Okay, since y'all mad already, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, 24:51 but I got to make sure your faith is not disillusioned down the way 24:56 because how many of us know that on this side of heaven there is no such thing as a last trial, 25:05 but each trial just strengthens you for the next trial? Oh God, y'all. 25:11 In other words, sometimes we set up this false notion that says, man, 25:17 when I finally get through this thing, man, it is going to be smooth sailing from here. 25:23 But how many of us know I'm telling the truth that sometimes when you get over the edge of that one cliff, 25:31 there's a whole nother incline waiting for you. 25:35 Thank you so much for joining us for the Breath of Life Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor Debleaire Snell! 25:43 We hope and pray that you have been blessed by this sixth message in the sermon series entitled “The Pivot.” 25:52 Join us next week for Part Two of the message entitled “Enough is Enough.” You don't want to miss it! 28:11 (Breath of Life Theme Music) 28:34 [END] |
Revised 2023-08-22