Church 2/16/2025
Sermon message:
Thesis: is God waiting on you?
Consider Naaman. Naaman had to do a thing in order to receive healing.
Consider the wedding feast at Cana. Jesus’s first miracle.
Philippians 4:19
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Consider even Jesus who paid the price for all sin. But we still have to receive Him.
Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Consider Elisha.
2 Kings 2:9-13
9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
There was never merely a time of miracles; there only is a God of miracles.
Point #1: believe more can be done.
Elisha believed more can be done.
2 Kings 2:9
And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
Mark 9:23
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
John 14:12
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
Point #2: put confidence in God’s Word
Elisha put confidence in God’s Word
2 Kings 2:8 - Elijah
Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.
2 Kings 2:13-14
He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, it was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
Philippians 4:9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Do what you saw other anointed men & women of God do.
Don’t fall into unbelief.
Psalm 78:41
Yes, again and again they tempted God,And limited the Holy One of Israel.
Mark 6:5
Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.
Matthew 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Back to Elisha:
2 Kings 2:15
Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.
Point #3: Have courage to release God’s miracle power.
Elisha had courage to release God’s miracle power.
Remember Joshua, and the battle of Jericho.
Joshua 6:26
Then Joshua charged them at that time, saying, “Cursed be the man before the Lord who rises up and builds this city Jericho; he shall lay its foundation with [at the cost of] his firstborn, and with [at the cost of] his youngest he shall set up its gates.”
1 Kings 16:34 (the fulfillment of Joshua 6:26)
In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram his firstborn, and with his youngest son Segub he set up its gates, according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun.
Pause: there was a curse placed in mankind. Jesus, God’s firstborn, paid the price of that curse.
Galatians 3:13
Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
2 Kings 2:18-21
18 And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”20 And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and cast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘I have healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ”
We can turn curses around in Jesus’s name.
2 Kings 2:22
So the water remains healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
And we can speak blessings in Jesus’s name.
What will you do?
Mark 16:17-20
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
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| This is an old photo (from 2019), but the image/thought of a double portion/blessing came to mind toward the end of hearing the above sermon at church. I don’t drink anymore, so it’s no longer about the wine, but the double portion aspect of this image still speaks to me. |