Sunday Morning Worship Service

keep that same Spirit as you make your way back to your seats thank you praise team and musician I give my honor to this great church assembly and I welcome you if it's your first time here to First Apostolic Church of Knoxville all those tuning With Us online and through the television broadcast and also the radio broadcast we welcome you the same and it's a high honor that you have joined with us today to lift up that name that the praise team was just singing about because we truly owe him a great praise I join the voices in welcoming sister Brook Staton as well we love the state and so much and it's awesome to have you here and sister Croucher and sister Brittany we love you all it's awesome to have you all here and it's kind of it's it is Bittersweet uh fac Knoxville located so close to the University of Tennessee campus that we get to reap the benefits of having students come to church here while they are in school and we just think the world of them because they're here by themselves but still publicly living out their faith and being faithful to the house of God and but we get attached to them and then when it's time for them to go we it's tougher for us to let them go than when they when they showed up and with that being said uh with with sad news but hopeful news that she'll be back I believe that it is Haley Crouch's last Sunday with us before she moves back home to Nashville and we just want you to know Haley that we love you so much and fac Knoxville always your home I give great honor today also to project 180 students we were at Strong Tower last week and I give honor to all the chaperones Eternal honor to them but your students they are unashamed to lift up the name of Jesus and worship they were up front some of them were dancing on the stage I mean and what a tremendous example they have in you all but I give great honor to our students who are just unashamed to lift up the name of Jesus and it it gives me hope and I'm inspired by a generation that's coming on that I was wore out I didn't know what else to pray for after praying with them they they worshiped and rejoiced and it's such an inspiration and I love each and one of them and it's a high honor to be a part of them and again to every chaperone will forever be indebted to you all if you have your Bibles the second Kings chapter 13. we're going to read from verse verses 14 through 19. II kings 13 14 through 19. begin reading at verse 14 it states now Elisha was Fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died and this was the sickness that would end up taking his life so he was on his Deathbed and joash the king of Israel came down unto him and he saw the prophet there lying and he began to Weep the Bible says and wept over his face and said oh my father my father The Chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof giving Elisha compliments saying that he's the foundation he's the the leader the war captain of the nation of Israel and Elisha this Prophet again on his deathbed said unto him take bow and arrows and he took unto him bow and arrows and he said unto the king of Israel put thine hand upon the boat and he put his hand upon it and then Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands and he said open the window Eastward and he opened it then Elisha said shoot and he shot and he said the arrow of the Lord's Deliverance and the arrow of the deliverance from Syria for Thou shalt Smite this the syrians in afactal thou hath consumed them and he said take the arrows and he took them and he said unto the king of Israel Smite upon the ground continue to shoot is what he said until they hit the ground and we read that the king smote Thrice he shot three arrows and just kind of stayed verse 19 says and the man of God Elisha was Wrath with him he was angry he was frustrated and said Thou shalt have smitten five or or six times you had more arrows than just three then hast thou Smit in Syria tell thou Hast consumed it then you would have had Victory whereas now thou just Smite Syria but Thrice but three times I want to speak to you for a few moments this morning with God's help the arrow of the Lord's Deliverance the arrow of the Lord's Deliverance a man's search for God may be spurred by various reasons for some it's an intellectual quest to find answers on the origin and purpose of life for others it is a spiritual urge to find significance and meaning Beyond The Grind of everyday living a Natural Curiosity to understand the behavior of others has motivated some to begin a quest for God but many like king joash king of Israel found themselves crying out to God only when they see no way out of a desperate situation while every attempt to touch God should be applauded those who seek him only as a last resort too frequently drift back off into the comfortable habits once their crisis has been resolved and those who never develop a passion for the ways and things of God seem to continually struggle to establish a lasting and meaningful relationship with him Ephesians tells us that they are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine and not just Doctrine as we understand it with church doctrine but the philosophies of Life the stresses of Life they're impulsive in their decision making and they don't have a firm foundation in the word of God so they're just carried here and there on a whim on however it is they feel on that day but those who seek to know God value the relationship itself it's not just a repent baptized Holy Ghost I'm good now I'll be back to church when I need something but it is a step by step day by day relationship and those who obey his word in the good times and the bad times develop a passion for God that casual observers do not understand and this passion compels them to follow the voice of God even when he demands things that seem pointless or unnecessary or perhaps even unorthodox it is as if they are like Jeremiah who have fire burning inside that demands to be freed and they can say with the prophet that even though there are those that I had trust in or there are those that I had invested in or the society around me has isolated themselves from me even though all of those things are happening in my life there is a fire that is shut up in my bones that I have to let out even if no one else around me is and this passion forces entrance into a Divine realm where service and obedience become passageway into holy places not except accessible by humanly devised means the unattractive coverings of the Tabernacle of Moses they were not pleasing to the eye the EXT aesthetic of the exterior was not so Grand but once you got inside you saw the colorful tapestry and you saw the Beauty and the majesty and the Exquisite furnishings and this was reserved for those who had lives and lived lives fully devoted to God it was only once you got inside the Tabernacle could you see that beauty and that is what it lies ahead in the Sanctified lifestyle and we can miss the Wonder hidden inside with this relationship if we don't develop it and are you thankful this morning for a God that we serve when there seemed to be no way and one of the most catastrophic tragedies or situations in my life is what kind of pushed me further her into his presence and when I got deeper into his presence because I had a relationship with him that's when the majesty and the beauty of the entirety begin to reveal itself the prophet Elisha now up in age was on his Deathbed The Glory Days of his ministry were far past there wouldn't be no Whirlwind or Chariot of fire to take him home King joash like all the northern kingdom of Israel's Kings before and after him reigned in sin and Disobedience but even in his sinfulness King joash recognized the impact of Elisha's Ministry on Israel and when he learned of the prophet's sickness he knew that the Prophet by now he thought about him every once in a while was on up in age the prophet probably feeble probably couldn't get out of the out of the bed and had to have him come close so he could see him he heard that the prophet had taken a turn for the worse so the king went to see the Prophet Elijah although Elisha had been out on the public eye for many years his presence remained a powerful influence over the nation King Joe asked recognized this for as he stood over the ailing prophet he began to realize the connection Israel had with God was about to be severed and this urgency would be provoked even quicker knowing that an enemy Army was on its way to take over the nation and this prophet of God this mouthpiece this mediator between God and man showing how God could win the battle for him was on his deathbed taking his last breath and as he gazed into the face of Elisha this young king began to weep although King joash never had called on Elisha for guidance or for Spiritual Direction he understood that the prophet was Israel's connection with God's laws and instructions and he apparently received comfort in knowing the source was available when he needed it but sadly and tragically even though he had this tremendous resource available of Elisha right there in his kingdom he never sought counsel from him until Elisha was taking his last breaths and Joe Ash begin to weep over his face and this reaction of the king might seem strange having just read the description of the sin and evil that marked his ring however it's important to remember that joash was not a worshiper of the false gods he was a false worshiper of the true God he had some respect for the true God and therefore some regard and honor for Elisha but despite Elisha's Illness but despite being feeble and up in age and and having to have assistance to to get out of his bed he wasted no time in self-pity he understood his calling was until he took his last breath and even though his personal circumstance was Dire this was not the object of his focus and the passion that burned in this younger Elisha years later he still possessed it even though he was at death's door both men stood at a critical Crossroads the prophet was sick and knew his life was almost over Israel's existence was threatened and the King had no viable solution for its preservation one would expect hope and encouragement to come from the younger man who had much of his life still before him and all the resources of the Kingdom at his disposal yet this dying prophet was the one with the link to Hope and although death was moving over him Elisha's commitment to God's word provided a connection with God that even sickness and death and being on up in age could not serve and while the King was weeping and while the King was trying to butter up Elisha oh Israel's Chariot father my father even though this was the first time he had come to see him Prophet interrupted the king's weeping and without is so much as a gentle segue he said Son go fetch me a bow and some arrows what do you know I have some bow and arrows right here and he said take you a bow and some arrows and when he did that prophet of God though he was feeble though he was on his deathbed he still I believe just had a a real firm grip and he placed his hand over Elisha's hand and he commanded the king to shoot an arrow toward the East because this was the direction from which the enemy was coming and as the arrow flew the prophet would declare the arrow of the Lord's deliverance and the arrow of the deliverance from Syria for Thou shalt Smite the syrians in afact tell thou Hast completely consumed them I mean a a lie shaven that he he had his hand around that prophet and he said son I want you to shoot that Arrow right into the direction right into the mouth of the enemy joash was concerned that the true strength of Israel and it was was about to depart from Earth Elisha used this illustration of the arrow shot through the window saying that this is going to be the Lord's Deliverance he made it clear the connection and the act of obedience between shooting the arrow toward the East and striking the syrians would be Deliverance and the symbolic Act of Deliverance for Israel this window was opened Eastward towards Syria and specifically toward afact this was the most strategic site between Damascus and Samaria it was ancient custom to take a bow and arrow or a spear and cast it into the country that you were about to invade but in this case the enemy was coming and oh Elisha even though he was on his deathbed he wasn't scared at all because he knew who the captain of the Heavenly Army was and he said son I want you to take that arrow and we're not on we're not playing defense here I want you to shoot it right in the mouth of the enemy and this will be the Lord's Deliverance this this is a call to action King this is a a call to war that the enemy is not just going to come in this Kingdom and invade this Arrow here son when you shoot this this is proof that the Lord is fighting on your behalf Elisha in the waning days of his life and Ministry his heart was anchored to the Future the enemy had taken a toll on Israel but God had promised Deliverance to his people if they would be obedient and ask problem was King joash was out of his element inside Elisha's house as king he gave little thought to the word of God following instead in the path of his sinful and often evil predecessors now inside a room with the ailing Prophet the mediator to the nation between them and God Elisha gave obvious instructions but unfortunately King joash was just going through the motions and as to the significance of the prophet's demands the king because he was not familiar with God's word did not have faith and trust in God's word was only just seeking to go through the motions at the last second to butter up this Prophet Elijah completely missed what God was trying to do he tried to please the man of God but his habit of living in opposition to God's word made it impossible for joash to passionately Embrace what Elisha was so desperate to impart it was the simple Act of obedience in shooting the arrow and he completely missed what was taking place this can happen to us when we're in the presence of almighty God when we have all of the resources at our disposal we can consume so much of the entertainment and so much of the things in this world oh we'll share memes we're in direct opposition with certain Lifestyles but we'll invite them in on our big screens and get familiarized with the story lines oh that's not for the kids I can handle it I'll fast forward through that or I'll you know that type of language doesn't bother me you're lying to yourself and all the all the while your heart begins to become callous or perhaps you Harbor bitterness or anger over those that you once trusted and this can be the most deceitful of things because there are those in our life that we all look up to or there are those or those things that we place trust in and if they let us down we can use those seasons of hurt of somebody that we elevated so much and it can be so deceptive in Our Minds when we try to reconcile this if if if they were doing that and they lived such a public bold life of faith and they messed up then what I'm doing shouldn't be so bad or or I'll use it as justification to just incrementally digress and all the all the time all the while our heart can have another layer of hardening on it or perhaps worry begins to penetrate our minds or maybe maybe we're just in this a season of busyness where we have so many things going on and like Martha in the Bible when Jesus is in her house well she just has too many things to do than to sit at his feet and listen to what he has to say Dr Tara Furman said the following things can cause callous to the hearts of Christians we can begin leading God following our ideas thoughts and plans we no longer seek Godly counsel for our lives we we no longer believe that there's wisdom in a multitude of counsel we no longer count the cost before going to war we no longer get an architectural Plan before building a building and we'll make decisions based on our emotions and how we feel and because of who let us down or what I'm harboring at the moment or or what season I'm in and it can just add another layer and we come to church and we love church and I would never speak against church but I find myself just going through the motions or as I mentioned earlier worry begins to penetrate and worry is in direct opposition with God's mercy and Grace and living a a a a a a a life absent of fear and listen we can become under strong delusion when we incrementally digress from his presence we can have difficulty understanding the message or lesson and we're just going through the motions and our heart can become so hard and that we we have no emotional connection to God's words it's become so hard and that that the mere word of God just does not arouse us to any type of attention compromise becomes easier and easier with each passing digression incremental it may me justification over this taking place in my life it becomes easier and easier just to step away according to Dr Tara Furman number five she said mediocrity becomes standard instead of living lives of Excellence no not Perfection all have sinned and come short of the glory of God so don't purposely misinterpret what I'm saying we become mediocre our standards shift downwards often our standards reflect who or what we are spending time with or we'll probably Proclaim that we're closer to God than we've ever been but we praise even less it's an interesting correlation and the sad thing that can happen the word of God calls it getting a callous heart and do you know who's open to this every single person every Pastor every singer every musician every saint of God and we can find ourselves going through the motions and the mundane and what can happen and this is the scariest thing that can happen a move of God can take place a move of God can take place and God have Victory laid right out in front of you God's telling you what you need to do through an act of obedience right in front of you and because your relationship has waned because your heart is so hardened by the things and the cares of life you don't feel a thing and it's a sad state that each and every one of us can find ourself in and after commanding joash to shoot an arrow toward the east he said take to how many arrows you got son you're shooting at the at the enemy but we read that joash just three times you know I came to see the prophet and I I got overwhelmed a little bit emotionally when I I saw that elderly man of God and you know probably there's some urgency on my part as well considering there's a neighboring Kingdom coming in to to take over the land and the mediator between the word of God and my kingdom not only myself but a future Generations here and I got overwhelmed a little bit emotionally I cried a little bit but then the prophet said shoot that narrow toward the East and that'll be the Lord's deliverance and King joash just still didn't get it so he took his he he took his arrow and just kind of without any passion just kind of just kind of shot it out and then kind of looked back at the the prophet again and it's like okay I guess we need to shoot another one toward the toward the East right uh Elisha there's a there's another one okay um Elisha what I mean what's happening here uh I love you can you give me a word I mean we need something to happen today and he shot another one just kind of shot it out the window and Elisha looked at him in his passionless motion it angered the man of God he said how many arrows did you have you should have shot five or six you should have went to you should have gone over to that window and you should have been singing like hey This Means War or you should have been singing My Dance will put Satan under my feet and I declare I've got Victory hey there's a neighboring Kingdom coming in son this isn't just about you your whole family your whole Kingdom future Generations come in and I'm telling you to shoot an arrow right at the mouth of the enemy not just one Arrow if it takes the whole quiver you keep shooting until I tell you to stop but unfortunately this isn't what the king did and he just went through the motions without any type of passion at all because he didn't have a relationship with the word of God he was not familiar with the promises of this book and because he didn't get it because his heart was hardened he missed Victory he missed a mighty move of God for his kingdom I I gave you an arrow of Deliverance Elisha was so convinced God would deliver Israel from the Syrian Army he was so intent on getting this message across that he just ignored joash's compliments and we read that the the man of God the elderly man of God who couldn't get out of the bed we read that he took his hand and he put it over the king's hand how sad the word of God I mean all over him telling him what he needed to do for victory but it's just a just half-hearted attempt his response was spiritless and empty he lacked passion for the word of God and Desperation for the plight of his people to him it was a motion without meaning and as a result he did not connect the appropriate spiritual response to the physical act of obedience the king's half-hearted obedience disappointed the prophet and because of his lack of passionate involvement with God's word Israel's Victory would only be temporary he knew the connection the prophet laid it out for him and Joe asked timidly received this invitation of the Prophet to shoot the arrows at no particular Target until they hit the ground he shot three arrows and stopped not sensing that he should have just kept shooting arrows until that represented the victory over the battle of the syrians and he should have received the prophet invitation more boldly he should have been singing while he shot he should have been rejoicing while he shot he should have been praising while he let that Arrow go right into the mouth of the enemy each Arrow modeled prayer and praise shooting the arrows requires effort and aim it doesn't happen on accident he he gave me breath in my lungs so I need to understand that it's my responsibility to give God praise at all times if every single person turns away I have to have the mindset that I will continue to praise God he gave me hands to lift up as the praise team sang he gave me hands to clap he gave me a tongue to shout out his name he gave me the ability to LEAP in his presence shooting the arrows required instruction and help from the prophet of God shooting the arrows had to be done in a specific Direction and I want you to know that you have an opportunity today and I wouldn't let the moment pass by because there is an arrow of Deliverance for the Lord for whatever situation you're facing but you cannot give it a half-hearted attempt God's not going to accept half-hearted worship and he's not going to accept half-hearted praise he's not going to accept half-hearted Faith he wants all of you and he wants you to every arrow that you have I wonder if just for a moment I wonder if just for a moment we could get in our minds maybe it's a person or a situation or a circumstance that you're facing we need to get a line to this morning we need to know exactly what we are shooting at I wonder if just for about 60 seconds and I want not just me praying I want you to pray where you can hear yourself praying over whatever that situation is in your life mighty God we hear your word this morning we know that the word of God is on our life we know that you have your hand upon us leading and guiding us God let me not enter into your presence with a half-hearted praise let me not enter into your presence with half-hearted worship Lord You Know The Prodigal Son and Daughter you know the situation that needs provision you know the family that needs healing Mighty God right now we're shooting this Arrow of Deliverance toward it right now father God and we we do so right now with authority and Dominion of the Holy Ghost we don't do it with Just half-hearted Praise but God God give us the direction and give us the victory today yes Jesus we got to get specific on what we're aiming at this morning oh don't let the opportunity pass you by don't let the moment pass you by I plead with you yes Jesus yes Jesus oh would you love him just for a second would you love him just for a moment we serve a god who's leading and guiding us shooting the arrows had to be done without knowing the exact outcome ahead of time the target is only known by faith shooting the arrows was even ineffective if it was not repeated enough that is proof to me that sometimes I might come up here and praise and worship and I still don't get an answer next Wednesday next Sunday or at my home wherever your prayer closet is I need to do it again I need to keep letting these Arrows fly right into the mouth of the enemy failing to shoot these arrows hurt others and not only himself Mom and Dad please hear me you've got a family that's depending on you you've got a family that's watching you students please hear me he's not going to accept half-hearted worship he's not going to accept half-hearted praise he's not going to accept the half-hearted prayer life it's not going to get the job done a half-hearted church is not going to happen half-hearted Holiness isn't going to cut it a half-hearted home life half-hearted students we've got to be all the way in in every capacity of our life because God is moving up and down the aisles and he's wanting to tell you what it's going to take for victory to take place in your home but you've got to be ready to receive musicians come almighty God we love you this morning he just got to keep letting the Arrows fly just keep letting the Arrows fly he should have just continued shooting those arrows till the prophet said that's enough sometimes I got to keep praising I got to keep worshiping until I received the victory I've got to do it with authority I've got to do it in the face of odds that are against me or in the shadow of a giant when God invites us to take something by faith we must receive it boldly and ask him knowing that he is the great king and Giver who is honored by bold and reverent requests the outcome for joash was based upon his faith three arrows three victories but it would be temporary but sometimes we can come into his house and be so bound up that we don't want to shoot the arrow and things that can cause us not to shoot them neglecting God's word just like in King joash Faith Can erode Faith Can erode our hearts and make us not getting in his word it can our faith erodes when we do not study and know his promises we got to know what God has for us we've got to get into his word I reiterate from earlier leaning on our own understanding this can be ignited by stress or loss or uncertainty betrayal or fear the heart the Bible says is deceitful above all things and Beyond cure and all of these things that can take place in our life we can in a Twisted manner sometimes even well-meaning manner but the heart is deceitful we can become hurt and broken and by the human standards you have every right to be hurt and broken and you've suffered some incomprehensible circumstances I don't deny that for a second but you still got to get in his word you still got to shoot the arrow of Deliverance because God is not through working in your situation when you worry it's in opposition to Mercy and Grace when you hang with the wrong crowd when you hang with those who don't sharpen your faith or that do not allow you to grow spiritually if you hang out with those who complain and criticize and gossip it just hardens your heart thus more you rely on self and you refuse to Hope and you just come in and we can just go through the motions but I believe this morning that I am in a passionate congregation who is determined to do whatever it takes to see my soul saved to see my family saved and to leave a foundation and Legacy for the future who and I love music and I love the keys and I love the drums but when the word of God goes out I believe I'm in a house who just the the word of God can go forth and it gets me to my feet like it's done you it's it causes me to lift my hands when I read it it causes me to sing praise that exits the lips of my mouth and I believe I'm in a house today who's committed wholeheartedly not to give God a half praise not to give God a half prayer life and not to become and my message for you today is this the opportunity is not too late and I just believe that whatever you're going through that you still have some arrows left and I want you this morning every one of us this morning with whatever the situation is I I'd like to see you bend that bow back just one more time and step right into the mouth of the enemy and say my dance will crush Satan under my feet and I declare I've got Victory I Declare War this is an act of War I declare war on my hope I Declare War for my family I Declare War for my healing I Declare War for the provision that I need to take place please and I think you ought to step into his presence and not give him a half-hearted praise but give him every arrow that you've got and say almighty God I'm shooting this Arrow right into the mouth of the enemy I'm shooting this just as far as it will go I'm shooting it right in this direction God you know the name you know the details and I'm letting this Arrow of Deliverance go one Arrow of Deliverance one Arrow of healing one Arrow of provision one Arrow of Holiness one Arrow of reconciliation one era of Peace one Arrow can turn your situation right around it's not a time to weep it's a time to dance it's a time to attack we used to sing that song I'm dancing on the grave of my enemy I'm dancing on everything that was troubling me I did not else you do oh but I shot that arrow and Jesus Christ he brought me through I've come to the fight I've come to the blood it's a flood and if you're wondering what I'm dancing about hallelujah hallelujah he brought me out would you give him a whole praise this morning what's that look like for you what's that look like for you