Reclaiming the Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life | Christine Caine Sermon | Full Sermon

We're going to turn to 2 Kings chapter 6. 2 Kings chapter 6 verse one. Scripture says, "The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, please notice that the place where we live under your supervision is too small for us.

Please let us go to the Jordan where we can each get a log and can build ourselves a place to go and live there. " "Go," he said. Then one said, "Please come with your servants.

" "I'll come," he answered. So [snorts] he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Oh, my master, it was borrowed. " Then the man of God asked, "Where did it fall? " When he showed him the place, the man of God cut a piece of wood, threw it there, and made the iron float.

Then he said, "Pick it up. " So he reached out and took it. So this is the word of the Lord.

And here we are in a dark time. And it seems interesting saying that particularly in light of what's happening in the world, but this was a a very dark time in Israel's history. This was a time when uh you know e Israel was under uh foreign occupation.

And I'm telling you, there was it was a very very dark time. What had happened is Elijah, who was obviously Elisha's mentor, had begun during those difficult times, had begun training up the next generation. Sometimes the best thing you could do when it seems like nothing is happening around you and things are dark, it's beginning to sew into the next generation, beginning to think generationally, beginning to think about the future.

So he started what was called the schools of the prophets and they were in Gal Gilgal. Um there was the three that he had in Bethl and in Jericho. Hey friends, it's Chris here.

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com. We are full of faith for what God will do as we double our impact and see revival sweep across the nations. So Elisha took on this mantle and he continued to train up the next generation of leaders, the next generation of prophets and he continued to invest into them.

So in the midst of that, these student prophets, these college students that were training up to be prophets, they went to Elisha and said, "The place where we are, it's too small. We've outgrown this place. " So obviously there was some kind of revival because there was a whole lot of people coming in to be trained and the place was too small.

And what I love is that this message didn't come from Elisha. It came from the people. It came from the students.

THEY SAID, "WE'RE NOT CONTENT TO STAY WHERE we are. We're not content for mediocrity. We're not content to be limited at this point.

We We need A BIGGER PLACE. WE NEED TO ENLARGE. WE NEED TO GROW.

" THEY WENT TO HIM. >> OH, I'm longing for THE DAY WHEN INSTEAD OF FROM HERE WE'VE GOT TO CAST VISION FOR SOMETHING NEEDING to be bigger. And the PEOPLE ARE LIKE, "HANG ON A MINUTE, PASTOR.

WE NEED SOMEWHERE BIGGER. THIS PLACE IS TOO SMALL. WE NEED TO be we need to have a place where we could be trained to have a greater impact in the world that is around us.

" So they said, "CAN WE GO DOWN TO THE Jordan and cut down some trees SO WE CAN BUILD A BIGGER PLACE? " And and Elisha says, "You can go. " He says, "Yes, you you can go.

" But then they said, "Hang on a minute, but but we want you to come with us. " And this is what I love because they didn't just want the permission from Elisha. They also wanted his presence to come WITH THEM.

THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT LISTEN, WE DON'T WANT JUST YOUR YES, WE WANT TO GO TOGETHER. UNDERSTANDING THAT GOD IS A GENERATIONAL GOD. THAT GOD IS THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, and Jacob.

And the devil has always wanted to separate the generations. The devil has always wanted us to think, well, they're they're older. They're finished.

They've got nothing MORE TO OFFER. BUT WE NEED the wisdom of the older generation. We need the resources of the middle generation.

And we need the energy and the zeal of the younger generations working together so that we could checkmate the devil. >> If we COULD BRING TOGETHER WHAT THE ENEMY'S ALWAYS wanted to keep apart. >> And you hear echoes here.

No, no, we want you to come with us. Do you remember in Exodus 33 where Moses said to God, I if you don't come with us, if your presence doesn't come with us, we don't want to go. >> We don't want to go.

Now, little were they to know how much they were going to need the presence of Elisha further down the track. They were going to need his wisdom. They were going to need his stability.

They were going to need his insight further down the track. A lot of times we want to take off prematurely not realizing we are going to need the wisdom and the experience of what has gone before us. So they so they end up going and then the scripture says and you know for a Sydney/C California girl this is a big deal because I don't know much about axes but one thing I do know is that if you're going to cut down a tree you're going to need an axe.

But the fact is that you would need an axe, a great axe head and a very sharp axe head. And so they themselves all got involved and they all got involved in cutting down trees. The see the thing that I like is that in order to prepare the place for growth and expansion, no one left it up to just one person.

Everybody picked up an axe and went to work. EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, "OKAY, I AM GOD. " NO ONE THOUGHT, "WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT MY GIFT BECAUSE I'M A PROPHET.

THAT THAT'S NOT MY GIFT BECAUSE I I'M JUST ABOVE. " EVERYONE PICKED UP AN AXE AND WENT, "OKAY, LET'S LET'S GO TO WORK. " We we need a bigger room.

SO, WE'VE ALL GOT A PART TO PLAY AND WE'VE ALL GOT TO DO whatever needs to get done IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE PURPOSE AND THE PLAN of God in our generation. We we've ALL GOT TO PLAY A PART. YOU KNOW, IT'S SO INTERESTING THAT GOD INVITES us into his work.

>> He calls us co- lababorers. >> The problem is most OF US WANT TO BE CO-STARS. WE DON'T WANT TO BE CO- LABABORERS.

>> We want we want the front line. We're like, "No, God, I I'll tell you what I want to do for you. Let me scroll through Instagram and decide what's the best thing.

Let let me look at Tik Tok and whatever looks cool. That's what I feel that I'm called to. I I just want to be an influencer.

LISTEN, I'VE READ ALL THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN Romans and Corinthians. I I never saw the spiritual gift of influencer. >> We're all called to influence.

>> But the interesting thing is if we're going to build up the church of God, >> we all have to pick up an axe and co- labor. Ephesians 2:10 says that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. >> What do you mean, Christine?

God just wants me to just relax. >> He just wants me to be well rested. Of course, we labor to enter into the place of rest, which is the place where we can believe God.

>> But there were good works that God prepared before we were even born. We are his workmanship >> created for Christine. But we're saved by grace.

Of course we are. Ephesians 2:8. We're saved by grace for good works.

>> For good works. But we've forgotten that. >> We're just like, you know, no, I just need a constant Sabbath.

Well, yes, we all need a Sabbath, but a Sabbath presupposes >> work. Just putting it out there. [cheering] I need a 16EAR SBATICAL.

WELL, OKAY, BUT YOU'VE GOT to have >> worked. Be steadfast. 1 Corinthians 15:5758.

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is never in vain. >> And we're like, what do you mean labor? And so we've haven't flexed that muscle for a few years, a few of us.

And we're thinking, "What? What? What do you mean?

What do you mean? " But we're coll- laborers. And here they they all went to work.

They all picked up an axe. And the fact is that they needed an axe. But here's the problem.

If if the axe didn't have a sharp axe head, >> then not much is going to get done. And an axe without an axe head is a hospital waiting to happen. Nobody's wanting the axe head to come off.

But apparently during Bible times, this must have been a thing. You go, how do you know? Because I found this verse and it cracked me up because in Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 5, this is what it says.

For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood. And as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off. Who knew?

And hit his neighbor and kill him. This man may flee to one of those cities and save his life. So obviously, obviously flying axe heads was a thing.

It was a thing. So this prophet when you're reading that his axe head went flying off. Obviously it was something that might have happened during those times.

Now the interesting thing is that the axe head goes flying off. And what was this guy doing? This was a guy that had a dream to expand their territory, a dream to build something bigger.

And he had the yes from the prophet. And Elisha is a type of Christ in the New Testament. So a lot of us, GOD WILL GIVE US A PLAN AND a dream and a vision and it's definitely from him.

And we got the yes FROM HIM JUST LIKE THEY GOT THE YES. And then they went and did EVERYTHING RIGHT AND STARTED CUTTING DOWN THE TREE AND STARTED PUTTING ALL THEIR MIGHT INTO THE THING THAT WAS FROM GOD. GOD GAVE THEM THE DREAM.

GOD GAVE them the yes. AND THEY START CUTTING DOWN A TREE. AND WHILE HE was smack bang in the will of God, doing the purpose of God, the axe head went flying off.

Have you ever lost your edge while you're slapbang in the middle of the will of God? >> The world feels heavy right now, doesn't it? The pace, the pressure, the noise, the challenges.

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And you lost your edge not because you were disobedient, >> but because you were full on doing what God called you to do. >> And somewhere along the line, while you're doing the thing that he said yes about, the axe head goes flying off. So this student prophet loses the very thing he needed that gave him the edge to fulfill the thing that God had called him to do and it's gone.

Not because of anything that was willfully disobedient to the plan or the purpose of God, but smack bang while he was doing exactly what he was called to do. And he lost it. He lost it.

And some of us in the last few years, it's like, what happened? >> What happened? >> That axe head just went flying off.

And this is what you can now get into because see, an axe without an accent is like a stick. A stick. And so this prophet COULD HAVE JUST WENT, "OKAY, WELL, I'm just going to pretend that the accent's still there, and I'm just going to keep doing WHAT I WAS DOING, AND I'M GOING TO KEEP TRYING TO CUT.

" AND SO MANY OF US HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO THE THING THAT GOD'S CALLED US TO DO WITHOUT AN AXE HEAD ANY LONGER. AND WE WE DON'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING TO ANYONE, BUT WE KNOW, MAN, THIS THING'S NOT EFFECTIVE. AND WE'RE EXHAUSTED AND WE'RE BURNT OUT AND PEOPLE ARE WALKING AWAY AND PEOPLE ARE DECONSTRUCTING AND PEOPLE ARE LEAVING BECAUSE THEY'RE SIMPLY NOT SAYING THE AXE HEAD'S GONE AND WE'RE TRYING AND WHAT WE DO THEN IS GO, MAN, WE DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO SEE THAT I'VE LOST MY EDGE.

WE DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO SEE THAT THE AXE HEAD'S GONE. SO, so I'll MAKE SURE THAT I'LL TAKE A LITTLE SELFIE AND I'LL POST IT AND PEOPLE WILL THINK the axe is still on BECAUSE I'LL MAKE SURE I PUT A REALLY NICE FILTER ON IT AND I'LL MAKE SURE LOOK IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY HAPPENING but there's no axe head and you're dying >> dying >> and there's no axe head and for the last three years all across the body all across the world a whole lot of us just looks ma'am, I'm sticking at this thing and it's just a stick. It's just a stick and there's no power and there's no breakthrough.

And so we start to think that God's not faithful to his word and we start to think there's no such thing as signs and wonders and miracles anymore. OR WE START TO SECOND GUESS OUR CALL OR WE START TO SECOND GUESS OUR MARRIAGES OR WE START TO SECOND guess everything >> and we're still turning up with a stick and there's no oil on what we're doing in scripture. The axe head represents the anointing.

That's what it represents. >> And a whole lot of us are trying to do relationships. We're trying to do finances.

We're trying to do ministry. We're trying to do life. And there's just no oil.

There's no anointing. >> So, people come inbound and they leave bound >> because we've confused gift with anointing. >> And we can't tell the difference.

>> A gift will fill a room. A gift will entertain a room. But it's only the anointing that breaks the yolks and chains and bondages that keep people bound.

[applause] And we're trying and we're going through the same old motions and we've got the same systems and the same structures and the same we're just going and it's like nothing's working cuz there's no oil. There's no axe head. We're trying to do everything as believers without just it's a stick.

And the fact of the matter is that we then end up burnt out and exhausted and we just go through the motions instead of soaring above it all. Not in denial of it, but living in victory in the midst of it. We're walking away.

We're dropping our faith. We're going through the motions. >> And we just got no power and no breakthrough and no anointing because we're just turning up with a stick.

And so whoever posts whatever, that's that's what will follow >> because we've stopped believing that this is true. >> And we've stopped believing that this has got power because we've got a stick and not an axe head any longer. Here's the deal.

None of us can fulfill the call of God for our lives in our own strength. Nobody can. Because God has actually woven into the call the the fact that you can't fulfill it because it's supernatural.

>> See, I can't do what God's called me to do in my own strength. It doesn't matter how educated I am, and I'm educated. It doesn't matter how gifted I am, and I have maybe one or two gifts.

It doesn't matter how talented I am or how resourced I am. If the thing is truly from God, it's always going to be outside of my natural reach. Amen.

>> And so God has built it in >> to our call >> that you can't do this in your own strength. I COULDN'T STAY MARRIED IN MY OWN STRENGTH. >> That's right.

>> I COULDN'T RAISE DAUGHTERS BY THE GRACE OF GOD IN MY OWN STRENGTH. I NEED THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE THE MOTHER THAT I NEED TO be in this hour. To be the wife that I need to be in this hour, to be the friend that I need to be in this hour.

To be the leader that I need to be in THIS HOUR. I WAS NEVER MEANT TO DO IT ALONE. AND YET, IF I KEEP TURNING UP WITH A STICK, doesn't matter HOW MANY DEGREES I'VE GOT.

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE I'VE GOT. I NEED OIL. >> I need the anointing to do what I'M CALLED TO DO.

NOT JUST WHEN I'M HOLDING A MICROPHONE HERE. >> But when I'm at home, >> WHEN I'M IN THE WORKPLACE, WHEN I'M READING THE NEWS, JUST LIKE YOU. >> And yet so many of us, we're turning up and we're just a stick.

and we're trying to do this thing called life a new one and we're blaming the pandemic and we're blaming all of the instability in the world and God's like, "It's always been like that. >> It's always been like that. Why would this take you out?

The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives on the inside of you and me. WHY WOULD WORLD EVENTS CAUSE us to unravel if we understood the power of the anointing? We don't even talk about the anointing anymore >> systems struct.

It's such a therapeutic coun uh culture and I'm all about counselors and therapy. I use it all. But there is a wonderful capital C counselor.

[cheering] >> There is a capital C. >> And for you and I to not just allow the spirit of the world to infiltrate us as believers. I've gone more old school in the last three years than ever because listen, I I I don't want to do this with just a stick >> when I can have a axe >> to do the thing that I'm called to do.

And I'm talking every sphere of life. I am not talking about just preaching. >> I'm talking to the singles in the room.

I'm talking to the marriage in the room. I'm talking to those with children, those without children, those with jobs, those without a job. We are all ultimately co-laborers in the kingdom harvest field.

>> And we need axes that are sharp to do what God's called us to do. And yet there's a whole bunch of Christians if we could see it in the spirit. We're just like a stick and you're wondering why you're so tired.

Why this all just seems like a religious just going through the system. It's because there's no oil. And the reason why there's no oil is, you know, I just came back and I've just written a a Bible study on the olive tree.

So I took my girls to a olive farm in Italy and to show how olive oil is made. Listen, there's one key thing is in order for an olive to produce oil, there's crushing. >> But we're Christian people in the 21st century.

We don't want to be crushed. >> We want to be pampered. So, we've turned church into a Christian spa service.

Pick your menu. What do you want? Oh, I wouldn't want to offend you.

Wouldn't want to hurt you. WOULDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. AND THEN WE'RE WONDERING WHY THEY'RE not producing any oil or any victory because even Jesus IS IN GETHSEMANE, THE PLACE OF CRUSHING IN THE OLIVE GARDEN.

And even he said to the father, "IF THERE'S ANY OTHER WAY, WOULD YOU TAKE THIS CUP FROM ME? " HE IT'S NOT THAT HE NEVER WANTED TO GO AND FULFILL HIS PURPOSE. HE'S JUST, "IS THERE ANOTHER WAY THAT I COULD fulfill this?

>> Is there's any other way? Take this cup from me. " And then he said the most MISSING WORDS IN THE 21st century church.

>> Nevertheless, >> not my will, >> but yours be done. in a culture where WE'VE JUST ALLOWED IT TO INFILTRATE US AS IF THIS WHOLE THING IS ABOUT ME AND I'M JUST A consumer and what I WANT AND GOD'S MY SUGAR DADDY TO GIVE ME WHATEVER I WANT. >> When was the last time you had a nevertheless not my will?

When was the last TIME YOU WERE LIKE, "MAN, EVERYTHING IN ME WANTS TO JUMP INTO BED WITH THAT PERSON THAT'S NOT MY SPOUSE, >> AND MY HORMONES ARE FIRING CUZ MY BODY'S HEALTHY. AND OF COURSE I WANT TO DO IT. BUT >> NEVERTHELESS, >> everything in ME WANTS TO TAKE THAT SHORTCUT AT WORK.

AND I COULD DO A FEW DODGY THINGS THAT NOBODY WOULD REALLY KNOW ABOUT. But nevertheless, >> when was the last time that we were like nevertheless where there's this place of crushing so oil will flow so that yolks and chains will break in people's lives so that we lay our hands on the sick and they do recover >> so that people are set free. >> We become so cool for school.

We're so gifted there's no oil >> and people are bound. >> Most of all us. >> We just got our sticks, but man, we can post a nice picture of us in the stick.

We put beautiful filters on it so everyone thinks that we're crushing it because we're not willing to be crushed. We want to look like we're crushing it. And yet, if we were willing to be crushed, >> God would crush it.

>> And people would marvel at your life. >> But unlike unlike this prophet, we're just not willing to be humble enough to go, man. He was humble enough he ran to Elisha, I've lost my accent.

>> I've lost my edge. I'm not sharp. I've lost it.

We want everyone to think that we still got it. But we haven't gotten up and had a quiet time in who knows how long. Haven't read the Bible for ourselves and in who knows how long.

>> Haven't worshiped God outside of this sort of in who knows how long. We've been anisttizing ourselves and numbing ourselves like the rest of the word. Binge watching Netflix, binge watching everything else, getting caught up in everything.

Have not stood in the presence of God. >> Haven't hungered and thirsted after righteousness. >> Haven't longed for him.

>> Haven't depended on him, >> pick up our phone and run to our friends or vent on social media before we ever pray about anything to Jesus. Just like the spirit of the world. >> Just like the spirit of the world.

>> And they're wondering why there's no power. >> No power. So the fact is that this is what the scripture says.

I want you to see this scripture from Ecclesiastes 10:10. It says, "If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. " And you know, if you're doing this thing, you're wondering why you're so weary and heavy laden and this whole thing seems like it's just hard work.

It's because we haven't sharpened our axes. Somehow we've come to believe that you can be in close intimacy with Jesus, but you don't really need to read the word or believe it >> or worship him. See, time spent sharpening your axe.

That's what time alone with God. It's something you're old school, Christine. You're in your 50s.

You believe in a quiet time. I'm like, "Honey, I depend on it. It is not for a religious practice.

It's like I'm ever one thought away from going back to how I used to think. I'm one dumb action away >> from blowing the whole thing up. It is a lifeline.

>> It's not a religious ritual, >> an utter dependence on him. Our spiritual disciplines, prayer, fasting. So the issue is very quiet.

>> But that's how we sharpen our axe. >> That's what keeps us in this thing. >> That's what keeps this thing real.

>> So the fact is that so many of us in this hour why we feel overwhelmed by the darkness and the shaking is because we're trying to do in our own strength with a stick >> what can only be done with the anointing, the divine enablement of the Holy Spirit of God. And it's time for the church to get back to our utter dependence on the spirit and the presence of God >> because we can't do this no matter how cool we are >> in our own strength or ability. You know Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint because it promises that those that wait UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW.

It's a divine exchange. So I can renew. I CAN TRADE IN MY WEAKNESS for his strength.

My hopelessness FOR HIS HOPE, MY FAITHLESSNESS FOR HIS FAITH. THAT'S WHAT I CAN DO. IT'S A DIVINE EXCHANGE.

THAT'S WHAT THAT WORD RENEW. Renew their strength. So we can mount up on wings like eagles and run and not grow weary.

I could walk and not faint. >> You either believe this stuff or you don't. >> And so at the end of the day, you and I are called to come to him to take on his burden.

His yoke is easy. His burden is light. We're trying to do this with a stick.

We're putting burdens on our own back. You know, I love how Eugene Peterson put it in the message translation in Galatians. [music] He said, ' Let me put this question to you.

How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's message to you?

[music] Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could [music] complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't, I love this part.

I read this to myself all the time, Christine. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, and I wasn't, how do you suppose you could perfect it? I love verses 5 to six answer this question.

Does the God who lavishly provide you with his own presence, his Holy Spirit, working things in your lives you could never do yourself?