Reviving Faith: Get Up, Look Up, Link Up
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the story of Elijah from 1 Kings 19:1-18, focusing on how to experience a lasting encounter with God. Elijah, a great prophet, faced immense discouragement and fear after his triumph on Mount Carmel. Jezebel's threat drove him to flee, feeling utterly despondent and alone. Yet, God met him in his lowest moments, providing sustenance and guidance. This narrative teaches us three essential actions for maintaining a close walk with God: getting up, looking up, and linking up.
First, God instructed Elijah to "get up and eat," emphasizing the importance of physical and spiritual nourishment. When we are down, God calls us to rise and take care of ourselves, trusting that He will provide the strength we need for our journey. Second, God led Elijah to Mount Horeb, where He revealed Himself not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. This teaches us to look up and seek God in the quiet moments of our daily lives, through prayer and reading His Word. Lastly, God commanded Elijah to link up with others by anointing new leaders and recognizing the 7,000 faithful in Israel. This reminds us of the importance of community and mentorship in our spiritual walk.
In our modern context, many of us, including pastors, face discouragement and burnout. Yet, God's message remains the same: get up, look up, and link up. By following these steps, we can experience a lasting revival and a deeper, more consistent relationship with God.
### Key Takeaways
1. Get Up and Eat: When Elijah was at his lowest, God’s first instruction was to get up and eat. This highlights the importance of physical and spiritual nourishment. In our moments of despair, God calls us to rise and take care of ourselves, trusting that He will provide the strength we need for our journey. This act of obedience, even in small things, can be the first step towards recovery and renewed purpose. [44:57]
2. Look Up to God: Elijah found God not in the dramatic wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. This teaches us that God often speaks in the quiet moments of our daily lives. We must cultivate a habit of seeking Him through prayer and reading His Word, allowing His still, small voice to guide us. This daily practice helps us maintain a close and personal relationship with God, even when life is overwhelming. [01:00:20]
3. Link Up with Others: God instructed Elijah to anoint new leaders and recognize the faithful remnant in Israel. This underscores the importance of community and mentorship in our spiritual journey. We are not meant to walk alone; linking up with others provides support, accountability, and encouragement. By investing in relationships and community, we can strengthen our faith and help others grow as well. [01:02:10]
4. Overcoming Fear and Discouragement: Elijah’s fear and discouragement were rooted in taking his eyes off God. Similarly, our fears often stem from focusing on our circumstances rather than on God’s power and promises. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can overcome fear and find the courage to fulfill our calling. This shift in focus helps us see beyond our immediate struggles and trust in God’s greater plan. [53:12]
5. Daily Obedience and Availability: God doesn’t require extraordinary abilities; He seeks our availability and obedience. Elijah’s story reminds us that God calls us to simple, daily acts of faithfulness. Whether it’s getting up, looking up, or linking up, our consistent obedience in small things can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact. God values our willingness to follow Him more than our capabilities. [01:06:43]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[35:47] - Introduction and Gratitude
[37:15] - Fresh Encounter with God
[38:35] - Elijah’s Despair
[39:56] - God’s Gentle Whisper
[41:18] - Prayer for Refreshment
[42:27] - Elijah’s Humanity
[43:38] - Pastoral Discouragement
[44:57] - Get Up and Eat
[46:15] - God’s Call to Action
[47:36] - Alexander’s Bad Day
[49:20] - Importance of Resilience
[50:32] - Dependence on God
[51:53] - Post-Sunday Letdown
[53:12] - Overcoming Fear
[54:34] - Look Up to God
[55:46] - God’s Love for Mountains
[56:52] - Avoiding Caveism
[57:47] - Seeking God in Quiet
[58:34] - Compassion for the Hurting
[59:13] - Focus on Jesus
[01:00:20] - God’s Gentle Whisper
[01:02:10] - Link Up with Others
[01:03:45] - God’s Call to Action
[01:05:10] - Invitation to Respond
[01:06:43] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1 Kings 19:1-18 (NIV)
### Observation Questions
1. What was Elijah's emotional state after his triumph on Mount Carmel, and what caused it? ([37:15])
2. How did God provide for Elijah when he was feeling despondent and alone? ([38:35])
3. In what manner did God reveal Himself to Elijah on Mount Horeb? ([39:56])
4. What were the three specific instructions God gave to Elijah after his encounter on Mount Horeb? ([39:56])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think God chose to reveal Himself to Elijah in a gentle whisper rather than through dramatic events like the wind, earthquake, or fire? ([39:56])
2. How does Elijah’s experience of fear and discouragement reflect common struggles in our own spiritual journeys? ([43:38])
3. What is the significance of God instructing Elijah to anoint new leaders and recognize the faithful remnant in Israel? ([39:56])
4. How can the concept of "getting up, looking up, and linking up" be applied to modern-day challenges faced by believers? ([44:57])
### Application Questions
1. Get Up and Eat: Reflect on a time when you felt physically or spiritually drained. How did you find the strength to "get up and eat" as God instructed Elijah? What practical steps can you take to ensure you are nourishing yourself both physically and spiritually? ([44:57])
2. Look Up to God: In your daily life, how do you make time to hear God's gentle whisper? What changes can you make to ensure you are seeking God in the quiet moments through prayer and reading His Word? ([01:00:20])
3. Link Up with Others: Think about your current community and support system. How can you be more intentional about linking up with others for mutual encouragement and accountability in your spiritual walk? ([01:02:10])
4. Overcoming Fear and Discouragement: Identify a specific fear or discouragement you are currently facing. How can you shift your focus from your circumstances to God's power and promises to overcome this challenge? ([53:12])
5. Daily Obedience and Availability: Consider the small, daily acts of faithfulness God is calling you to. What is one specific act of obedience you can commit to this week to grow in your relationship with God? ([01:06:43])
6. Community and Mentorship: Who in your life can you mentor or support in their spiritual journey? How can you take a step this week to invest in that relationship? ([01:02:10])
7. Personal Revival: Reflect on your current spiritual state. What steps can you take to experience a personal revival and maintain a close walk with God, even in the midst of life's challenges? ([37:15])
Devotional
### Day 1: Rise and Nourish Yourself
Description:
When Elijah was at his lowest, God’s first instruction to him was to get up and eat. This highlights the importance of both physical and spiritual nourishment. In our moments of despair, God calls us to rise and take care of ourselves, trusting that He will provide the strength we need for our journey. This act of obedience, even in small things, can be the first step towards recovery and renewed purpose. By attending to our basic needs and seeking spiritual sustenance, we open ourselves to God's provision and care. [44:57]
Bible Passage:
"And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, 'Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.' And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God." (1 Kings 19:7-8, ESV)
Reflection:
Think about a time when you felt physically or spiritually drained. What practical steps can you take today to nourish yourself in both areas, trusting in God's provision?
### Day 2: Seek God in the Quiet
Description:
Elijah found God not in the dramatic wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle whisper. This teaches us that God often speaks in the quiet moments of our daily lives. We must cultivate a habit of seeking Him through prayer and reading His Word, allowing His still, small voice to guide us. This daily practice helps us maintain a close and personal relationship with God, even when life is overwhelming. By intentionally setting aside time to listen for God's voice, we can find direction and peace. [01:00:20]
Bible Passage:
"And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper." (1 Kings 19:11-12, ESV)
Reflection:
Set aside 10 minutes today to sit in silence and listen for God's gentle whisper. What do you sense He is saying to you in this quiet moment?
### Day 3: Connect with Community
Description:
God instructed Elijah to anoint new leaders and recognize the faithful remnant in Israel. This underscores the importance of community and mentorship in our spiritual journey. We are not meant to walk alone; linking up with others provides support, accountability, and encouragement. By investing in relationships and community, we can strengthen our faith and help others grow as well. Building a network of spiritual support can be a source of strength and resilience in times of difficulty. [01:02:10]
Bible Passage:
"So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him." (1 Kings 19:19, ESV)
Reflection:
Identify one person in your church or community who you can reach out to for support or mentorship. How can you take a step today to connect with them?
### Day 4: Overcome Fear by Focusing on God
Description:
Elijah’s fear and discouragement were rooted in taking his eyes off God. Similarly, our fears often stem from focusing on our circumstances rather than on God’s power and promises. By fixing our eyes on Jesus, we can overcome fear and find the courage to fulfill our calling. This shift in focus helps us see beyond our immediate struggles and trust in God’s greater plan. When we prioritize God's perspective, our fears diminish in the light of His sovereignty. [53:12]
Bible Passage:
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one fear that has been holding you back recently? How can you shift your focus to God's power and promises today to overcome this fear?
### Day 5: Daily Obedience and Availability
Description:
God doesn’t require extraordinary abilities; He seeks our availability and obedience. Elijah’s story reminds us that God calls us to simple, daily acts of faithfulness. Whether it’s getting up, looking up, or linking up, our consistent obedience in small things can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact. God values our willingness to follow Him more than our capabilities. By being available and obedient in our daily lives, we open ourselves to being used by God in meaningful ways. [01:06:43]
Bible Passage:
"And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one small act of obedience you can commit to today? How can you make yourself more available to God's leading in your daily life?
Quotes
1. "I want to talk to you this morning about how to experience a lasting encounter with God, how to have a lasting we could call it a lasting revival with God. Now this is not necessarily a revival sermon but I think any sermon should revive us. I think and pray that every message from God whether it's us reading it ourselves or whether somebody is proclaiming a word to us that it would somehow help us to have a fresh encounter with the Lord. That's my prayer for myself I hope and pray that it's your prayer that today you would have a fresh encounter with the Lord and we need those and as we're going to look in just a moment in God's Word how important it is to have a and maintain a close walk with the Lord." [37:15] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You know, I love Elijah. He's a great prophet of God and probably one of the greatest in the Bible outside of Moses. I think the Jewish people esteemed him to be one of the great prophets of all time. In fact, he's associated with the coming of the Messiah. He's associated in many ways with many of the things that often were spoken of, even by the Lord Jesus himself. But if you look at this prophet, I'm so thankful that the Bible gives us these great men of God, warts and all. I'm grateful because they make them very human to us. They make us realize that even these great men of faith, they struggle in all kind of ways, the same way that you and I do." [42:27] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Folks, if pastors are discouraged, I can assure you, and I know this to be true over all the years of my ministry, that there are many people sitting in the pews Sunday after Sunday, and they're just about to give up. They're in a place of discouragement. They're in a place of despondency. They're in a place of doubt. There's something going on in their personal lives, something going on perhaps in the lives of others, perhaps things that they're just having to experience on an ongoing basis. And it happens to the best of saints that we get discouraged." [43:38] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Yes, we're living in difficult times and it's getting worse. I'm only 67 years old. It's the worst I've ever seen in our country. It's the worst I've ever seen in people's lives. It's the worst I've ever seen what's going on in churches today. But I can still hear that God is still talking through his spirit, still saying through his word today, you and I need to get up. God wants us to hear him." [46:15] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "You know what I admire about football players? They get knocked down, and they get back up. Man, I saw some of them take some pretty bad hits. I'd be in traction. I'm not even sure if I'd be in And they get back up. And folks, that's as believers. Somehow or another, we've got to do something that it's hard to hear, but it's very important today in the times in which we live. We need to get up. We need to get up and do what it is that God wants us to do." [49:20] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "I can assure you, God is not calling you to do what you can do. He's calling you what he wants to do through you. And so he tells Elijah to get up. Now, again, Elijah running for his life, I get that. I remember one time we were passing out Bibles, and a German shepherd was making his way out of the garage. He was struggling a little bit because the door was only partly open, but I found myself on top of my Volkswagen before he could get me. So I know what it is to run. I know what it is to be fearful. But hear me very carefully. It doesn't matter what we're going through. It doesn't matter how fearful you are. No matter how tired we are. No matter how discouraged we are. God says, get up." [50:32] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "But can I just tell you that if pastors are having a great let down after Sunday, well, so are a lot of church members. I had one of the greatest experience, like this worship service this morning, an outstanding, wonderful, what a blessed experience to be able to sing praises to the God of God. The one who is the Almighty. The one that we just sang to and glorified. And we get lifted up. And there's nothing wrong, folks, with getting lifted up. There's nothing wrong with a Mount Carmel experience. The problem is it didn't sustain Elijah the moment he heard from Jezebel. All that just went away. And unfortunately, that's what happens in church every Sunday. We have uplifting experiences, and we get out there in the real world, and all of a sudden, whoa, I'm having a terrible day. God says, get up. Get up. This is not about Mount Carmel experiences. It's about you hearing me and doing what I say." [51:53] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Sometimes we're not careful churches become caves. I'm talking about a church building. We're looking for an escape. We're looking for a way to get away from all the things that we're dealing with during the week, and this is a glorious, wonderful place to come and worship the Lord. It's a great place to come. But, folks, the problem that a lot of Christians are having today, they develop caveism. And God didn't call us to caveism. He called us to preach and minister and witness and to serve and to encourage and do all the things that God has equipped us and called us to do. That's why he gives spiritual gifts, so we can edify the church, so it can be made strong and can go out and do the things that God has called us to do." [56:52] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "But what I'm saying is that as Christians, God has called us to look up at him. To get up and look up. Because he's the reason we're here. If you go back and look at the seven letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, you know how each one of those churches start. I don't care how big it was, how small it was. I don't care how great it was, how troubled it was. Whatever the condition of the church, the first thing Jesus said to each one of those churches is, you look at me. I am the Alpha. I am the Omega. I'm the beginning and the end. He would tell those churches, you look at me." [58:34] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "The greatest motivation that you and I will ever have to get up and say, I'm going to go. To serve the Lord is that we look up. And we always are looking at Jesus. Notice, I love the object lesson here very quickly. I mean, God sends the wind. God's not in the wind. Is he sometimes in the wind? Yes. The day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came. It was like a mighty Russian wind. But the Lord here wasn't in the wind. He wasn't in the earthquake. He wasn't in the fire. All these things normally would speak of the presence of God. But that's not where Elijah found God. You know where Elijah found God? The still, small voice. You know how you and I are going to find God? When we're in our time alone with God, praying, reading his word, and letting his Holy Spirit speak to us in a still, small voice. And that has to be daily. Every day." [01:00:20] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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