More Than a Power Trip
Pastor David T. Elms 6/22/2025
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44:51
Summary
Pastor David T. Elms explores the life of Elijah to show that while God's power is real, it is the 'still small voice' of relationship, not the fire of Mount Carmel, that truly transforms the heart and sustains a believer.
Key points
- •Power is a real and necessary aspect of the New Testament walk, but power demonstrations alone do not produce lasting revival or heart transformation.
- •Elijah experienced extraordinary power at Mount Carmel, yet he still fell into deep depression and isolation because he confused God's manifestations with God's presence.
- •God revealed to Elijah that He was not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but in the 'still small voice' (a thin, quiet whisper), emphasizing relationship over spectacle.
- •Lasting faithfulness is built on falling in love with Jesus rather than just seeking His 'power moves' like miracles, promotions, or provisions.
- •True spiritual authority often operates through human weakness and trembling rather than outward show, as seen in the ministry of the Apostle Paul.
Scripture
Spiritual Maturity
Relationship with God
Miracles and Power
Overcoming Depression
Life application
Identify one area where you are waiting for a 'power move' from God (like a financial miracle or a healing) and shift your focus this week to simply listening for His still small voice through prayer and quietness. commitment to serve Him regardless of the immediate outcome.
Reflection questions
- Have you ever felt 'spiritually dehydrated' or depressed immediately after a great success or mountain-top experience? Why do you think that happens?
- In what ways have you treated God like a 'bell boy' or a 'power trip' rather than a Father to be loved?
- How can we distinguish between the 'trappings of our accomplishments' and the identity God calls us to put on in His presence?
- Why do you think the 7,000 who remained faithful in Elijah's day were able to stand even though they didn't see the fire or the chariots?
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Full transcript
0:00the kingdom of God. I want to talk to
0:00you about the subject more than a power
0:02trip. More than a power trip. Now, I
0:06want you to put on your your uh Holy
0:09Ghost helmet and go with me as we we
0:13really look deeply at somebody that you
0:15know an awful lot about. This year, the
0:18theme of our church is bless this city.
0:22And everything we're doing is seeking to
0:25bless our community, our places where we
0:27labor, our friends, our companions, our
0:30children, and to bless everything around
0:33us. We have a disposition of blessing
0:37that we're passing out. In part of that
0:41blessing comes our great commission from
0:43the Lord where he said all power in
0:46Matthew 28:18.
0:48Everybody quote 28:19, "Go ye
0:50therefore." But before you see what a
0:53therefore is, you need to find out what
0:55it's there for. Okay? And before the
0:59therefore statement, it says, "All power
1:02in heaven and earth is given unto me."
1:06That's an important thing for us to know
1:09about the ways of God. He has power. And
1:12then Acts the 2 chapter tells us that he
1:16will give us power after that the Holy
1:19Ghost has come upon us. And so power the
1:23power truth of the Bible and the power
1:26truth of serving God is very real. Uh
1:29there is uh uh amazing things about
1:32living for God that find their way
1:35through battles and through struggles
1:37and through valleys. And you even need
1:39power when you're on the top of the
1:41mountain. It applies itself differently.
1:45But you always need power to reframe
1:48your references, to reorient your
1:50dispositions, to readjust your
1:52attitudes. And that power doesn't come
1:55from just positive mental attitudes.
1:58that power doesn't come and I'm not anti
2:01the the study and the science of
2:02psychology. I love studying the mind.
2:05I'm thankful that people study the mind.
2:08And I'm also grateful that the that the
2:10attitude of uh study of psychology has
2:13turned from a negative perspective to a
2:16more proactive and positive perspective.
2:19That's happened in the last decade or
2:21so. But uh we understand that serving
2:24God requires power and being a child of
2:27the king, this power is something we
2:30cannot live without. I cannot live for
2:33God without the power of the Holy Ghost.
2:36Uh and of course you being here today is
2:39a unique gathering of people. You are
2:42handpicked. Some people you're here
2:45because this house is a pavilion for you
2:48in the time of storm. Some of you are
2:51here because this is a refuge that you
2:55have run to and found safety. I'm sad to
2:58report because some people don't take
3:01advantage of the word of God. This place
3:04for some is too often a stopover on
3:07their trip to nowhere. For far too many,
3:12church is just a sideshow. It's an
3:14add-on. It's just a talent search. It's
3:18a coming to a place where they recognize
3:21some talent and appreciate the talent.
3:24Well, I'm thankful that we have some
3:25talent in this church. But if church is
3:28a talent show, I need to give you a Holy
3:31Ghost revelation. And that is, it's not
3:35a matter of me coming here and saying,
3:37"I like this. I don't like that." It's
3:40not a matter of me coming here and
3:42saying, "Well, I want to get close to
3:43this batch and not so close to that
3:46batch." This is a place where the bride
3:50with all of her growing and with all of
3:54her learning and with all of her desire,
3:56the bride of Christ gathers together in
4:00the house of God. And that's why when
4:02you get in the church, you've got to
4:04learn not to love just the church
4:07because loving the church can get really
4:10tough. You've got to learn to love the
4:14Lord. And when you learn to love the
4:16Lord, you learn to love his bride. And
4:20when you learn to love his bride, you
4:22love her because she's not always as
4:24pretty as you thought she ought to be.
4:26She's not always as kind as you wish she
4:29would be. She's not always as mature as
4:32you think she ought to be. But because
4:35she belongs to him, you learn to love
4:39here her. And when you come to church,
4:42you ought to take off what you are
4:45outside of the church. I don't mean this
4:47negatively, but let me tell you, we all
4:49come with the trappings of our
4:52accomplishments, our positions, our
4:54success, even our failures, even our
4:58shortcomings, even the things people
5:01have tried to brand us with. But when
5:03you come into the house of the Lord, you
5:04need to take off what you think you are
5:08representing, and you need to put on
5:11what he is calling you to be. When David
5:15came before the ark, he was wearing a
5:17king's robe. But because of his
5:20representation of the Lord, he took off
5:22the royal garment and he began to dance
5:25in the presence of the Lord. Because
5:28whether you're royalty or rubble, it
5:30doesn't matter to God. When you get in
5:32his presence, he makes all things new.
5:36He brings those that are high and he
5:39makes you get humility. And he brings
5:42things that are low and he keeps you in
5:44a position of being elevated. You've got
5:47to take off what you are and put on what
5:50he wants you to be. Blind Barnameus had
5:54a garment that said he was blind. Today
5:56we have canes that mark the blindness of
5:59someone. In that day they wore a garment
6:03that told everybody I'm blind. But when
6:05Jesus was coming by, the Bible says that
6:08Bararddmus took off the garment and
6:11began to shout, "Jesus, thou son of
6:14David, have mercy on me." So when you
6:17see those around you, begin to worship.
6:20Don't say they're worshiping because of
6:22who they are. Say they're worshiping
6:25because of who he is. He is making all
6:29things new. He takes me and he builds
6:32me. He forms me and he raises me and I'm
6:36still a project of the Lord. Nudge your
6:41neighbor and say, "I'm still a project."
6:45I know some of you all were hesitant to
6:47say that and others of you are wanting
6:49to run the aisles. You've been waiting
6:51for somebody to say that for a long
6:53time, but no, we're just going to sit
6:55there and say it's about me. In our
6:58text, we're learning about a man of God
7:01that we all have. If you have some Bible
7:03knowledge, you do know about this
7:06prophet named Elijah. Elijah had so many
7:09power events in his walk with God.
7:13Elijah was a man who had brought a
7:16showdown on the top of Mount Carmel.
7:19Elijah had 450 prophets of Baal against
7:24just him. and in that he felt like he
7:28had them surrounded 450 to1. But he
7:32wins. He was known as the prophet of
7:34fire. He also, if you know your New
7:37Testament, he appeared on the top of
7:39Mount of Transfiguration
7:41with Jesus. He appeared there with
7:44Moses, Jesus, and Elijah. It was one of
7:49the great power moments in the entire
7:52Bible. They were all power players. But
7:56James brings Elijah close to us and he
8:01said Elijah or Elias same man was a man
8:06subject to like passions as we are. In
8:10other words, he was a man in spite of
8:12all of his power moves, he had moments
8:16of great doubt. Duh. And so he was a man
8:21who saw the power working of God. I'm
8:24talking about more than a power trip
8:26today. He said that because of Israel's
8:29forgetfulness of God, that he was going
8:31to shut up the waterworks in heaven. And
8:34so he did. And he went to a river, a
8:38brook, Kiar is what they know it as. And
8:42that brook he drank and was fed by
8:44ravens, a power meal, and widows. Then
8:48when the brook dried up, a widow fed him
8:51in Zerapath, the hometown of Jezebel. He
8:56was a man who knew what it was to say to
8:58that widow, because you fed me, you're
9:01going to have meal that will never run
9:03out. You're going to have all the bread
9:05you need. And then he comes down to this
9:09day of power in which he calls the 45
9:12prophets of Baal, summons them to the
9:15top of Mount Carmel, and it's a demonic
9:18showdown, a showdown between the
9:21religion of devils where they would
9:23dance and gyate and have evil
9:27convocations
9:28over the desires of the flesh, all under
9:32the guise of religion. and he decided
9:35that he was going to have these demonic
9:37doctrines brought forward and they were
9:40to offer their sacrifices and he was to
9:42offer his sacrifice and the drought was
9:45coming to an end. And so after this
9:48happened, the story you all know well,
9:51fire was called down after they spent
9:54the whole day crying out and Elijah was
9:57so costic with them. He said, "Maybe
9:59your God's on vacation." He got sassy
10:02and said, "Maybe your god's at the
10:04outhouse." Literally, he said that in
10:07other words, in the original, he said it
10:09really rough. He said it, uh, "Maybe
10:12your god's in the outhouse." And then he
10:15said, "Maybe your god's asleep." And
10:17they begin to cry out all the more. And
10:20he said, "Maybe if you would cry out
10:22louder." And so they begin to cut
10:24themselves so that they could get to
10:26their God. And about sundown, Elijah
10:29said, "All right, boys. you've had a day
10:31enough. And he told them to make an
10:34altar. And he said, "Go get a bunch of
10:36water and put this altar and the
10:39sacrifice on it and then pour barrels of
10:42water. In fact, make a moat around the
10:44altar. Pour so much water on it so that
10:47that thing cannot burn because it's so
10:50soaked." And then he prayed a simple
10:52prayer and fire fell from heaven. Drink
10:57up all the water and lit the sacrifice
10:59on fire. And that day all 450 prophets
11:03of the false god were slain. Yes, it's
11:06rough. They were slain that day. And
11:09Elijah said, "Lord, send the rain." And
11:13the rain came. He said, "I hear the
11:16sound of abundance of rain." And he took
11:19off running. and he outran the chariot
11:23down to tell Ahab it's going to rain.
11:27Now, every one of these stories, there's
11:29about 20 sermons in. And you and I have
11:33heard a lot of the sermons about Elijah.
11:36But I want to bring another
11:37understanding today because it's more
11:40than a power trip. Here, Elijah runs and
11:44rain falls. There's no power
11:47demonstration in the entire Bible any
11:49greater than this power demonstration.
11:53The Egyptian demonstration might would
11:56be equivalent. But in the day when Jesus
11:59appeared on transfiguration, you can see
12:02why Moses and Elijah were the two who
12:05appeared beside him. Nobody had more
12:08power in demonstration than Moses and
12:12Elijah. Moses demonstrated power with a
12:15staff over the Red Sea. Elijah
12:18demonstrated power by calling fire down
12:20from heaven. And of all the men in the
12:22Bible, both of them had a heavenly
12:24entourage when they died. Moses, nobody
12:28got to attend his funeral because the
12:30angels took his body and shepherded it
12:33to heaven. When Elijah got to the end,
12:36he never did die. God sent him the
12:39chariot express. And Elijah got on the
12:42swinging low chariot, a fiery chariot.
12:46And Elijah was raptured out of the
12:48world. Power players. We're talking
12:51about guys that could part the sea. And
12:54of course, these were wonderful men,
12:57marvelous triumphs. And if you talk
12:59about triumphs and mountains in the
13:01Bible, Mount Si would be a great
13:04triumph. Uh, m Mount Carmel would be a
13:07great triumph. I was honored to go to
13:09the top of Mount Carmel last time I went
13:11to Israel and I found a spot. They've
13:14got the official formal religious spot
13:16where supposedly he stood. But, you
13:18know, I don't always buy into the
13:20accuracy of these spots. And the more
13:22you learn about history, the more you
13:24know they may have made a good attempt,
13:27but they don't always get it right. So
13:29my point is that I was on the top of
13:31Mount Carmel and I just went off the
13:34parking lot and I walked down some side
13:37road. Actually, it wasn't any road. I
13:39walked out where I couldn't see anybody
13:42and I couldn't see civilization. And I
13:44got by myself out in this spot among the
13:47rugged terrain on the top of Mount
13:49Carmel. And I had a little talk with the
13:52God of Mount Carmel because that's where
13:56power was demonstrated. He got sarcastic
13:59with them. He I like that part.
14:02Unfortunately, I like it when I can
14:04prove that my God is right. I like it
14:07when I have the power demonstration that
14:10God is the God of fire. I also like it
14:13that he didn't have to bow down to the
14:16hierarchy of culture. He lived in a
14:18culture, but God elevates his people
14:22above the hierarchy of their culture.
14:25We're not subject to the cultural
14:28hierarchies that exist. When you get in
14:31the kingdom of God, you stand tallest at
14:33the foot of the cross. And so if culture
14:36tries to come and impose their
14:38hierarchies on us, we resist that and
14:41say, "I'm a child of the king." Also, he
14:45resisted the aristocracies
14:48of high court. All those who had power
14:51and money, he resisted them. And he
14:54didn't just get by with it. He won. God
14:58showed out. Elijah's courage was
15:01shocking. His humor was cutting. His wit
15:04was brilliant. His power gift was in
15:07full effect. There was not. But that was
15:11not the end of the story. I'm preaching
15:14to you somehow to help you in this day's
15:18journey. This journey is not just a
15:21spectacle. His journey was strategic.
15:25Elijah, you will still have power in
15:28your future. Elijah has now come down
15:32off the mountain and he doesn't feel
15:35like God loves him anymore. Jezebel has
15:38threatened him. Elijah gets into
15:40depression. Elijah curls up and wants to
15:43sleep all day. He's in a categorical
15:47season of depression. It gets so bad
15:49that he literally says, "I want to die.
15:53This is enough." So he goes from power
15:57to problem.
15:59And when the problem comes and the
16:01opposition comes, the power is nowhere
16:04to be found. So what to do? Elijah acted
16:07childish. He wondered if God was still
16:10with him. He wondered if he needed a
16:11revival. He thought maybe the revival's
16:14all over and the revival's all gone and
16:16I'm going to pull the uh the curtains
16:18and just sleep my way through this whole
16:20thing. Uh but the Lord would not let him
16:24settle in that place. He wanted him to
16:27know that I am still God. When I'm
16:31putting bringing down fire from heaven,
16:34I'm God. And when you're curled up
16:37depressed, I'm God. If you think you can
16:41just pull on me like I'm some power
16:43trip, I'm more than a power trip. He has
16:47all power. He's the one who spangled the
16:50stars and tells the sun its trajectory.
16:54But the God of heaven is also not here
16:57to just be a circus act and try to
16:59convince people that all is well because
17:01he's going to show out every day. And so
17:04the truth was even though God had all
17:06power, he there were and demons were
17:09bound and fire was called down and
17:11sacrifices were accepted and the power
17:14and might of the Lord showed up and
17:16spiritual warfare was one on that day.
17:19The fire, hold on,
17:22the fire did not turn the hearts of the
17:25people to God.
17:30Nobody started serving the Lord because
17:32God accepted a sacrifice.
17:36Nobody started serving the Lord because
17:38prophets of Baal had demonic attack
17:41attack uh uh or put down. No, they had
17:44demonic attacks shut down. They had
17:47sacrifices accepted. They had fire
17:49fallen from heaven. They had a
17:51demonstration of of the preacher showing
17:54the power of God. And nobody served God.
17:59In fact, it got so bad that Elijah said,
18:02"Lord, they've slain your prophets, and
18:06now they're trying to kill me, and I'm
18:08the only one serving you."
18:11So, fire did not save the people. Fire
18:14did not bring revival. The slaying of
18:16false prophets did not fix the religion
18:18problem. The casting down of demonic
18:20worship did not turn the people towards
18:22the Lord. The sanction of unacceptable
18:24sacrifice did not turn their hearts
18:26around. The drought did not save the
18:29people. The rain coming again did not
18:33change the people. They were so busy
18:35they just got what they wanted. They
18:37didn't want God. They wanted God's
18:40stuff.
18:42They didn't want God. They wanted God's
18:44healing power. They didn't want God.
18:46They just wanted power over devils. They
18:49didn't want God. They just wanted
18:50acceptable sacrifices. They didn't want
18:53God. They just wanted rain to fall. They
18:56didn't want God. They just wanted false
18:58preachers away.
19:01Now, here's the thing. I've passed by 20
19:04sermons because the bigger sermon of the
19:06of Elijah is this one event. The biggest
19:10part is even though the revival of rain
19:12came, they did not change. And when
19:16things turned around, God taught Elijah
19:21the lesson of our text. When you know
19:24I've got it, I've still got it. When you
19:28don't know I've got it,
19:33I've still got it. When you think
19:36there's great revival,
19:38there's great revival. When you think
19:41there's no revival,
19:45there's still revival.
19:47When you think God's healing everybody,
19:50he's a healer. When it doesn't look like
19:53he's healing anybody,
19:56he's still a healer. Because the power
20:00doesn't save.
20:03The power delivers, but the relationship
20:07is what saves.
20:11Elijah made the mistake of confusing his
20:14fire. He thought fire coming down from
20:17heaven was what would bring revival. But
20:20it was the fire in his own heart towards
20:23the Lord with what would bring revival.
20:26It wasn't the demonstration of the
20:28demonic being slammed that brought
20:30revival. It was the demonstration of
20:32heaven being loved that brought revival.
20:36Fire from heaven is not the same as fire
20:39for heaven.
20:43If if we had a demonstration of the de
20:45demonic here today, there would be a lot
20:47of trembling in this house. But if it
20:49was just a call for love, how much
20:52trembling would be in this house?
20:54Because power isn't what saves. What
20:57saves is relationship. He confused the
21:01causes of heaven with conviction for
21:04heaven. He confused working for God with
21:08being in love with God. If the Lord
21:11wanted a power play, he had that before
21:13he ever made man. If he wanted people to
21:16be in awe of his might, he had that
21:18before he ever had man. But he covered
21:21his power. He hid his beauty. He hid his
21:24majesty. He covered his wealth. And he
21:27came as a servant. And they didn't
21:29receive him because they all wanted just
21:32power. All they wanted was a
21:33demonstration of his might because they
21:36wanted his gold. And they wanted his
21:37beauty and they wanted his might and
21:39they wanted his eternal life and they
21:41wanted his perfect health. But they
21:43didn't want the relationship. And so the
21:45Lord was teaching Elijah, "I love you,
21:47Elijah. I will part waters for you. I
21:50will bring a chariot to pick you up. I
21:53will teach you how to destroy Baal and
21:55all false doctrine. But if you think
21:58that's what I'm in, you've got it
22:00wrong." Our text says first Corin Kings
22:0419:11, "Go out and stand on the mount
22:07before the Lord, and behold, the Lord
22:10passed by, and a great and strong wind
22:13tore the mountains, and break in pieces
22:16the rocks before the Lord." Somebody
22:20thought that was revival. But I want you
22:22to notice how many times the biblical
22:25writer makes it plain. The Lord was not
22:30in it.
22:32He doesn't just say it once. He says it
22:34three clear specific times. The great
22:39and strong wind tore the mountains and
22:41broke in pe pieces the rocks before the
22:43Lord. Some people want a church like
22:45that, but the Lord wasn't in it.
22:49And the wind came, but the Lord was not
22:53in the wind. And after the wind, an
22:56earthquake. What? The Lord was not in
22:59the earthquake. And after the earthquake
23:01of fire. But the Lord Well, we got fire
23:05in our church. The Lord was not in the
23:08fire.
23:10Now, people that are only living for
23:12power will say, "We've got it all going
23:15on." But Elijah needed to learn this
23:17lesson. You will have power and you have
23:20had power. Power is a part of the
23:22kingdom of God. If you're sick, we're
23:25going to pray the prayer of faith and
23:26the Lord can raise you up. If you're
23:29demonpossessed and you want deliverance
23:31without a doubt, the demons are going to
23:34go. If you need somehow God step in in a
23:37flash and you didn't even know you would
23:39need him, just say Jesus. And there's
23:43people in this house who know what I'm
23:45talking about. In the mention of his
23:48name, Jesus saves.
23:53[Applause]
23:55But the Bible says, "And then
24:00came
24:01a still small voice.
24:04Three delays,
24:06three denials.
24:08The Lord was not in the fire. He was not
24:10in the earthquake. He was not in the
24:12wind. The power players thought
24:14certainly that was of God. God made it.
24:21But God wasn't in it.
24:25God can heal people
24:28and still not be in it.
24:31God can deliver people
24:34and his power delivers them, but doesn't
24:37mean they're in love with him. You got
24:40to know what's going on when you come to
24:42the Lord. I am not just here to get to
24:45your shout. I'm trying to get to your
24:48soul. I'm not needing a people that'll
24:51just say amen to the preacher. I'm
24:53needing a people that'll say yes Lord,
24:55work on me.
24:57I want the Lord to know that it's in the
25:00that we know it's the still small voice
25:04that God told Elijah that's where I am.
25:10I'm in the still small voice. I'm not in
25:13the power move. I'm in the whispers.
25:16Carmel the mount was not good for
25:19Elijah's understanding. his own judgment
25:22miscalculated and got warped because the
25:27all of the assets of God that showed up
25:31in power, it got Elijah bent out of
25:34shape. And whenever the numbers showed
25:38up not looking very good for Elijah,
25:42Satan the statistician showed up and
25:45started saying, "Look at how few there
25:47is and look at how little there is and
25:50look at how small that is and look at
25:52you're the last one left and nobody's
25:55going for God." and he believed the
25:58statistics of the devil
26:01and he said, "Lord, I and I alone." Have
26:05you ever felt that way sometimes? I
26:07don't know if there's any churches that
26:09have it like I want it. I don't know if
26:11there's any churches that are going on
26:13like it used to be. I've come to tell
26:15you, you're on a power trip. And it's
26:17more than a power trip. It's about a
26:20walk with God. Because when God got
26:22Elijah finally situated, he told him,
26:25"Elijah, your numbers are off by 6,999.
26:31I've got 7,000 who you don't even have a
26:34clue about. Who have not kissed the
26:36atmosphere of this world. They don't
26:39love the way of iniquity. They're not
26:41consumed with this culture. They haven't
26:44kissed the idol. And they love me and
26:47they're serving me." None of them called
26:50down fire from heaven, but they're
26:52serving me. None of them parted the
26:55River Jordan, but they're serving me.
26:58None of them were fed by ravens, but
27:01they're serving me. None of them have a
27:04chariot express before they die, but
27:06they're serving me. While you're sitting
27:09there having a power trip, thinking the
27:11only way that I know God is for me is if
27:14I'm casting out demons, God's saying,
27:16"No, there's se 6,999
27:20that there's no stories written about."
27:23But they are not bowing their knee. Oh,
27:26somebody's helping me preach today.
27:28They're saying, "I want you, Lord. I'm
27:31not in it for the power trip. I'm in it
27:33because I love you.
27:36[Applause]
27:39It's a still small voice that brings
27:40Elijah out of his cave up from his
27:43depression through his self-destruction.
27:46Carmel messed him up. And I know I love
27:49Carmel. I prayed on the top of Mount
27:51Carmel. And I'm going to go back to it
27:53with Jesus one day. But the Bible reads
27:56me when I come to the house of God. I
27:58don't read the Bible. It reads me. And
28:00whenever I come because I'm only wanting
28:02a bailout. I'm coming only because I
28:05want children. I'm coming only because I
28:07want a husband. I'm coming because I
28:09only want a job. I'm coming only because
28:12I want a a a miracle. I'm coming only
28:15because I want a promotion. None of
28:17those things are wrong and God can do
28:19every one of them. And God has done
28:21every one of them in this house. But if
28:23that's the reason you're serving God,
28:25you're going to soon be falling down in
28:28a spirit of depression and oppression.
28:31Because it's not about demonstration and
28:34power. If it was all power and
28:36demonstration, then this church would be
28:38packed and we would have buildings built
28:40and walls busted out and more property
28:43than 10 acres. But it's not that. We all
28:46want the power button. And the power
28:48button is real. God does use fire from
28:51heaven. He does use floods coming down.
28:54He does use droughts to wake people up.
28:57He does use a power over the de demonic
28:59to set men free. He does send strong
29:02winds and earthquakes, but when God does
29:05his greatest work, it's the still small
29:09voice that reaches down to where you and
29:12I are.
29:16Hallelujah. And the songs of life,
29:19there's a lot of them. Sister Elms,
29:20come. There are anthems, there are
29:22classics, there are blues, there are
29:25spirituals, and we all find different
29:28ones at different seasons of our life.
29:30There are lullabi we love to sing. There
29:33are durges we don't want to sing. There
29:36is dance music we can't wait to get in
29:38the presence of. But the power trips of
29:41life are not the things that hold us.
29:44Demons don't hold us. The fear of hell
29:48doesn't hold us. The wanting of miracles
29:51don't hold us. The realization of dreams
29:53that God gives don't hold us. Signs that
29:56he gives in the sky don't hold us. It's
30:00what holds us is when you fall in love
30:04with Jesus. It's the still small voice
30:08that'll hold you serving God. I'm
30:10preaching to somebody in this house
30:12today that you've been looking for more
30:15power and he's wanting more
30:17relationship. On that day, Jesus said,
30:20"Many shall say to me, Lord, Lord, we
30:23did did we not prophesy in your name and
30:25did we not cast out demons in your name?
30:28and did we not do many mighty wonderful
30:31works in your name? And then Jesus said,
30:34I will declare unto them. I never knew
30:37you. Depart from me, you worker of
30:40lawlessness. You thought that power
30:43moves were the definition of
30:45relationship. You thought that because
30:47you were healed of cancer and of
30:49migraines, of and of all kinds of
30:52ailments, it doesn't mean that you're
30:54saved. Just because you got that
30:56promotion and that promotion and even
30:58got that big bonus doesn't mean you're
31:01saved. Power moves are great. They're
31:03still around and you haven't seen
31:05anything yet if you're waiting for power
31:08moves. But the Lord doesn't want people
31:10to serve him just because he can walk on
31:13water and turn water to wine. The power
31:16trip of Carmel has got to turn into the
31:19hush of Mount Horeb. When he saw the
31:22wind and God wasn't in it. when he saw
31:25the fire and God wasn't in it. When the
31:28earth shook and quakd and God wasn't in
31:31it and suddenly a still
31:37one one version of the Bible says a thin
31:43quiet voice
31:46that helps me when I'm trying to listen
31:49for God. I wish he always spoke to me in
31:52thick tones.
31:55You know what I'm talking about? Have
31:57you ever been there and you wanted to
31:58hear from God and it was just a a thin
32:04whisper,
32:06a thin
32:08soft voice. Oh, God, come on.
32:12Of course, I got to be careful how I
32:14talk to God.
32:17I know one thing. I've been very angry
32:18at my angels.
32:22You were late.
32:26I know God sent you a long time ago. You
32:28should have been here by now.
32:32It's not the power moves.
32:38People look at Paul's preaching and he
32:40and he says this amazing verse in second
32:42chapter of 1 Corinthians verse 4 and he
32:46said and my speech and preaching
32:50was not with enticing words of man's
32:52wisdom
32:55but in demonstration of the spirit and
32:58of power.
33:01Okay, I like that.
33:04It sounds like he's called fire down
33:07from heaven.
33:10It sounds like he's parted the Jordan.
33:15It sounds like it's an earthquake.
33:20But the problem when so many quote that
33:22verse is they they're plucking it out of
33:24the Bible so it become a pet power verse
33:27for them and they don't read the verse
33:29before it.
33:32So let's go to the verse before it so we
33:34can see a real disposition
33:37of Paul operating in power.
33:42Okay.
33:43Is it all right if I introduce the Bible
33:45to my message?
33:49Because I'm losing some folks.
33:52They want the power demonstration of
33:55fire falling, miracles coming, dreams
33:59given signs.
34:01What was Paul's demonstration?
34:04All those things are real. I had a dream
34:06this past week that was from God. I
34:09thanked him for it. I praise him when he
34:12gives me a dream and I know it's from
34:14him. You, you know, all dreams aren't
34:16from the Lord. Okay? You need a few
34:19extra jalapenos. And
34:22so, we're not going to sit here and
34:24pretend all kinds of makebelieve
34:26superstitious stuff. I'm not that. But
34:30by the same token, don't tell me God
34:32doesn't speak through dreams. Yes, he
34:35does. He'll give you a confirmation.
34:38He'll give you a wakeup call. He'll stir
34:41your heart to pray with someone else. He
34:44has ways to move us.
34:49But what does Paul say in verse three
34:52when he's about to reveal power and
34:55demonstration?
34:57But I was with you
34:59in weakness
35:02and in fear
35:05and in much trembling.
35:09And my speech, let's keep reading now.
35:11My speech and my preaching was not with
35:14enticing words of men's wisdom. Let me
35:16tell you, if he was calling down fire,
35:18if he was working miracles, th this this
35:22whole little deal here about me being
35:24weak,
35:26I I promise you, I the Lord has used me
35:29times past, and there's been amazing
35:31things that have happened. All right?
35:32I'm not going to make it sound big, but
35:35there's been some great things. Most of
35:36the time, I didn't know it happened, and
35:38that's the way the Lord keeps me humble.
35:40I don't need to know it happens. I'm
35:42always wondering about these who know it
35:43just happened. You just got this
35:46Well, the Lord kind of blinds his
35:48servants a lot of times. The Bible says
35:50signs follow them that believe. They
35:52don't precede them that believe. Signs
35:55follow. The evidence is in the fruit.
35:59You judge people by their fruit. A lot
36:02of people can say a lot of things. What
36:04works out in two weeks?
36:07How are they with their family?
36:10Bible says, "Know them that labor among
36:12you." It's easy to come in with high
36:15sounding words and power moves. But
36:18who's going to love him because of a
36:20still small voice? I was with you in
36:25weakness and in fear and in much
36:26trembling. And my speech and my
36:28preaching was not with enticing words of
36:30man's wisdom, but in demonstration of
36:32the spirit and of power. You know what I
36:37mean? I think he means he wasn't talking
36:39about fire and wind and earthquake. He
36:41was talking about the demonstration of
36:43changed lives. People who used to not
36:47love the Lord would wake up singing
36:50about the Lord. People who didn't want
36:53to serve the Lord went to work the next
36:56day and their life was changed. They
36:59didn't fall into a hole in two weeks
37:01because they didn't have the new
37:03promotion that they wanted. They had a
37:05changed life and they wanted to serve
37:08the Lord.
37:11Billy Graham was at the Atomic Research
37:12Center in Oakidge National Library in
37:15Tennessee. And when he was there, they
37:18were talking about novas and supernovas
37:21and protons and neutrons and what holds
37:24the world together. And I found this uh
37:27interesting since we bombed Iran
37:30yesterday worried about neutrons and
37:33protons and nuclear power and nuclear
37:37bombs and they were talking about how
37:40the whole universe is tightly and
37:43delicately delicately woven together but
37:47it's very precariously balanced. And
37:50they were talking about how a an atomic
37:52bomb, a neutron bomb, it's just this
37:56smallest of things that explodes and can
37:59destroy so many things because of a
38:02balance that was disrupted. And the
38:05scientists said, "We're not sure how
38:07it's all held together,
38:10but we know that all it takes is a few
38:14degrees of protons and neutrons
38:18offkilter,
38:21redirected,
38:22and everything can be spun into fiery
38:26oblivion because of small
38:30adjustments."
38:32Billy Graham sat there and listened to
38:34their awe of small adjustments.
38:37They said, 'We don't really know what
38:38holds it together.
38:40Billy Graham got up to speak. He said,
38:43"Thank you all for letting me be here
38:46concerning novas and supernovas, protons
38:49and neutrons. I don't know a very lot
38:52much, but I do know how it's all being
38:56held together."
38:59He said Hebrews 1:3 said, "Who being in
39:02the brightness of his glory and the
39:04express image of his person and
39:07upholding all things by the word
39:11of his power,
39:13he keeps it together.
39:17So what now? What are we to do with this
39:20today?"
39:21I've come to preach an appeal to love,
39:25an appeal to the still small voice. If I
39:31called down power, it would be easy to
39:33come. If I pulled down fire, it would be
39:37dynamic. But you wouldn't live for God
39:40very long on a power trip. No, it's an
39:45understanding
39:47that he loves you. It's a still small
39:50voice. He said, "Not by might, nor by
39:53power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord
39:56of hosts. It does not yet appear what we
40:00shall be, but when he shall appear, we
40:03shall be like him, for we shall see him
40:06as he is." How did I get like him? Not
40:10because I was baptized just with fire,
40:13but I was baptized with love for the
40:16Lord. I've seen people get the Holy
40:18Ghost and still walk away. Baptized in
40:22Jesus name and still walk away. Healed
40:25in their body of cancer and still walk
40:28away. People that came to church because
40:31they wanted somebody to marry and walk
40:34away. People that came to church because
40:37they couldn't have children and God gave
40:38them children and they walked away. They
40:42only wanted God to be their bell boy.
40:44They wanted God to get them what they
40:46wanted. They wanted a power move. And
40:49the Lord wanted a relationship.
40:53He wanted to know them. He said, "Will
40:56you fall in love with my still small
40:59voice?"
41:01When God speaks to you, the preacher
41:04might be shouting, but it'll be a still
41:06small voice that gets your heart. The
41:10singing might be shouting and loud, but
41:13it'll be a still small voice that moves
41:16on you. While I was preaching today, you
41:19heard a still small voice come by. The
41:24wind may blow and the fire may fall. The
41:27dead may raise, but that's not what's
41:29going to hold you. A still small voice
41:33will call to you. Why are you here? Is
41:36it because you need a miracle? Jesus.
41:39He's a miracle working God. Is it
41:41because you want wonder?
41:43Isn't he wonderful? Is it because you
41:46want provision and blessing? There's no
41:49blesser like our God. We're going to
41:51bless this city. But at the end of the
41:53day, you've got to fall in love, Elijah.
41:57If you're going to fall in love, you got
42:00to fall in love, Elijah.
42:03Not with the ravens that bring you food.
42:06Not with the widow woman who will feed
42:08you. Not with the miracles that gives
42:12you power over demons. It's the still
42:15small voice. Somewhere he speaks. Come,
42:21let us reason together. Though your sins
42:23be as scarlet, they shall be white as
42:26snow. Some trust in chariots and some in
42:30horses. But we remember the name of the
42:35Lord our God. He's speaking. He's
42:39speaking. He's whispering to you. Will
42:42you hear his voice as we stand all over
42:45this building? I'm going to make an
42:47appeal today. We've got a baptism after
42:50this service today. And I'm so thankful
42:52for it. If you need to be baptized, you
42:55won't be baptized because we make a
42:57power appeal. It's going to be because
43:00it's going to be because a still small
43:02voice comes and calls your name. Why
43:07don't you fall in love with him today?
43:09Why don't you hear that stillness,
43:14that thin,
43:16quiet
43:18voice? That voice that's louder than the
43:22thunder, but it's so thin you can't
43:25hardly get a grip on it. That voice that
43:28calls, I love you. And yet it's so far
43:33it seems. I can't own it. I want it, but
43:37I can't control it. I need it. But now I
43:41cannot command it. No, Elijah. You can
43:45summon God and he will come. But you
43:48will serve me because you learn to love
43:52me. I open this altar today to anybody
43:56who wants to fall more in love with
43:58Jesus, who wants to respond, not because
44:02of power, not because of blessing, not
44:06because you need a miracle. H I'm not
44:09saying you don't need a miracle. I'm
44:11just saying you're saying, "I need you,
44:13Lord. I need you, Jesus. I'm willing to
44:18stand when there's no miracles. I'm
44:21willing to stand when it looks like I'm
44:23all by myself. I'm willing to stand, oh
44:26Lord, when it seems like no one else is
44:29around. I'm going to serve you. I'm
44:32going to fall in love. Oh, the saints of
44:35the Lord love him. Those who are
44:39learning to walk with him, learn to love
44:42him. He's spoken to you today.
44:46Come, come to him. I'll wait on you.
44:49Count yours and you are mine.