Strike the Ground- Work Your Window. Pastor David Rathel. 07.23.17

Rivertown Church Podcast

STRIKE THE GROUND Put These In Order: Plant? Harvest? Plow? “You reap what you___. So, What comes before reaping?_____.” “But, What comes before sowing? _________.” Luke 9:62 “But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” 2 Kings 13:14-19 “14When Elisha became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, then Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17He said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And he said, “The LORD’S arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you have destroyed them.” 18Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. 19The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it.” But Why? Elisha Knew That The Outcome Of The Battle Is Often Decided Before It Begins. 1 Kings 19:19, 21 “So he [Elijah] departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. 21So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen…” The Outcome Of The Battle Is Decided By... “The Preparation Of The Plow.” Most of us are not performing at the level of our potential. We are performing at the level of soil preparation we have plowed for. Elisha was saying to Jehoash: “There Was More That God Had In Store, But You Stopped Short.” People “Stop Short” Of Preparation, But So Do Whole Churches! First: There is a fresh vision from God. Lives are transformed by the light of the Gospel and the Kingdom of God advances! Next: Satan strikes back in spiritual warfare against us. We take painful losses. We DO NOT understand! Then: In confusion and denial, we learn how to “stop short” so we are no longer threatened - and are no longer a threat! COLUMBUS GA, IS A GOOD PLACE FOR PLOWING. GOD Is A GOD... Of PREPARATION! You’ve been asking God to SEND It. He’s Been Asking You to FORM it. He Won’t FILL What You Don’t FORM! Don’t Expect Your Preparation To LOOK Like Your PROMISE. The PLACE God Prepares You The MOST... Is The PLACE That Seems The Most POINTLESS To You. God Prepares You To Trust The TEACHER By Putting You In A CLASS That Doesn’t LOOK Like The CALLING. I’m NOT Saying, “This Will Take Your PAIN Away.” I AM Saying, “Start SEEING Your Pain As Preparation.” I’m NOT Saying, “God Is The One Who Hurt You.” I AM Saying, “In His Hands, Whatever Hurt You Will Become Healing For Where He’s Taking You.” MY JOB Is The PLOW: “...Keep Striking The Ground.” God Is Preparing You. He’s Getting You READY. You’re Tending Sheep. You’re in the field. You ARE The Field. God Is Preparing You FOR... What He Has Prepared FOR You! It’s Not Failure. It’s PREPARATION! It Doesn’t FEEL Like Preparation. It FEELS Like FAILURE. The Failure Was Preparation. So That, You Would Have The INFRASTRUCTURE And The FORTITUDE For SUCCESS! Our Way: “The Preparation Exists For The Battle.” God’s Way: “The Battle Exists For The Preparation.” Battles Come And Go, But Preparation Creates Conquerors! WHERE HAS GOD TOLD YOU TO KEEP STRIKING THE GROUND?