*****SERMON OUTLINE*****
The Borrowed Axe...
1) Intro...
a) Power For Service...
Praise God Church!!!
How many in here tonight know that we’ve
all been called to the great commission?
We’re all to be witnesses for Christ Jesus, Amen?
As a matter of fact last service I preached
on how to be a successful witness.
And I laid out seven essential steps to follow,
From the life of Philip the Evangelist.
Well praise God, How many know that
when we become successful witnesses that
that means we’re Probably going to
experience some church growth.
It’s when we go out into the highways and
compel them to come in,
That we’ll start to see an increase in number.
Then God’s going to start to fill this house
to overflowing.
So much so that I believe we won’t have
enough room to contain them all.
We’ll be like the widow who had to go and
borrow vessels in order to contain all that
the Lord had for her. Amen?
How many want to be like that widow tonight?
How many want to see this house filled to overflowing?
Well how many know that we have to get ready?
We have to be prepared to receive that blessing.
I believe that right now is a time of preparation.
A time where God is saying Get Ready!
I’m about to open up the flood gates and
send you the increase.
I truly believe that it’s going to take place. Amen?
I know that it’s going to take place because,
Where the Word of God is Preached,
With the Power of God,
That Holy Boldness that comes from the
Spirit of God,
Then it’s going to attract the children of God.
I believe so long as the Power of God is manifest,
in our services that the increase is going to come,
They’ll be drawn to Holiness Tabernacle
like a moth to a flame. Amen?
And that’s what I want to talk about
tonight is Power.
Power from on high.
How many in here tonight has received the
baptism of the Holy Ghost with evidence of
speaking in tongues?
Then you’ve been endued with power from
on high. Amen?
God gave you that power for service.
He set a blazing inferno in your heart and
said tend the fire.
He said Keep it going.
How many know that that is your
responsibility.
God requires that of you.
He requires you to crucify your flesh,
and walk in the spirit.
Because it’s when you’re walking in the Spirit,
That you’re walking in His Power.
Your flesh wants to rely on fleshly things,
But the Spirit trusts in the Lord.
Zec 4:6 ...Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Your not going to find refuge in your strength,
Or your power.
The Bible says He is your refuge and your strength.
His strength is sufficient.
His power is sufficient.
You don’t need to add yours to the mix. Amen?
You just need to put His power on.
Simply put you need to borrow that power
for service Amen?
Tonight I’m going to preach on borrowed power.
Turn with me to 2Kings Chapter 6...
b) Read:
2Ki 6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
2Ki 6:2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.
2Ki 6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
2Ki 6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.
2Ki 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
2Ki 6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
2Ki 6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
2) Get The Sin Out The Camp...
Praise the Lord!!!
Leading up to this story Gehazi had been
cursed with the leprosy of Naaman,
And therefore excommunicated from the
"Church",
It’s significant that in the very next verse...
2Ki 6:1 ... the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
Oh look at this now.
As soon as the sin was removed from the
camp The church grew.
The little meeting house suddenly became
too small for the congregation.
And I believe it was because they had
removed the sin from the camp.
How many know that the Power of God
relys on the presence of God?
And how many know that He can’t be
present when the Tabernacle is over run
with sin.
The Bible says that He can’t even look upon sin,
Much less live with you in it. Amen?
<<<
If we want to walk in the power and
annointing of God we’re going to have to
remove the sin from our camps. Amen?
We’re going to have to walk in Holiness.
The Church today ought to be concerned
with the lack of Power and the presence of
God.
The Church is the most important and best
established business on Earth.
After all it is founded on the Rock,
And it’s treasury consists of His riches and
His Glory.
And the retirement plan is out of this
world.
Business should be thriving but most
Churches are struggling to pay the light
bill.
Oh, but if we go through and clean up the
camp.
When they removed Gehazi from the
premises...
The bible says the next thing they knew
was that they needed a new building.
3) Build a New Camp...
How many knows that God is going to
bring Holiness Tabernacle to that same
place.
He’s going to increase our number because
we’ve already cleaned up the camp.
You say well Pastor JB how do you know
the camp is clean?
Because we’re in His presence this evening.
And the Bible says He won’t dwell in a
dirty camp.
Because we’re walking in His power and
authority, tonight. Amen?
God’s going to move!
He’s saying Get ready, Church!
The Church needs to be like the Sons of the
Prophets.
2Ki 6:2 Let us go...unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.
Every member of this community had a
mind to work,
and to help build up the House of God.
They all went to the forest by the Jordan.
And they all were there to provide for the
building fund.
They all came to get lumber.
We need people in the Church today with a
mind to work.
We need to all be about our Father’s business.
Each person doing their part to grow this Church.
Some may be called to preach.
And some teach.
Maybe some were called to lead the
worship services.
Or maybe God has blessed you simply for
you to be a blessing through your giving.
Your tithes and offering.
Whatever you’ve been called to,
God has already prepared you for that
service.
He’s endued you with the power to serve.
We just have to come into a place where we
can put the power into service.
We have to be like the sons of the prophets,
Who had a mind to put their abilities to
good use for the Lord.
How many knows that God called us to be
prayer warriors?
There’s power in prayer. Amen?
God responds to the cry of His people.
2Ki 6:3 And one said...to Elisha...I pray thee, go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
In the same way we need to be praying for
the presence and power of god. Amen.
Moses said in...
Exo 33:15...if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
He understood the necessity of the presence
of the master.
See unless the Lord is present to build the
city, then we Labor in vain,
We can’t overcome without the Overcomer amen.
It’s not our power but His that we have just
borrowed,
Let’s look and learn a lesson from the man who lost his axe....
4) The Man With the Axe...
a) Became Powerless...
2Ki 6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water:
How many know that at that moment he became helpless.
He became powerless.
No matter how strong or able he was physically,
He had lost his tool for the job.
At one point he had power, now it was gone.
How many know that in the same way we
can lose our power in service.
We can become complacent,
And let our fires burn out.
And at that point we become powerless.
It’s not that God isn’t there.
He’s there and He’s willing and able,
But the tools are gone because we’ve quit
walking in the Spirit.
b) While Working...
It’s not that this man didn’t have a mind to
work.
He was working, but he wasn’t watching
the axe,
To make sure it stayed fitted to the handle,
In the same way many christian workers
become complacent in service.
All because they aren’t tending to their own
spiritual needs as well.
c) It Was Borrowed...
2Ki 6:5...and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
He had lost something that wasn’t his to lose.
It was borrowed.
Just like our power is only borrowed from God.
We need to be good stewards with what
God has given us for service.
Because he who is faithful with little,
Will be faithful with much.
We have to be prepared for all that God
has for us,
And then as He supplies it we have to be
good stewards of it.
5) A Restoration of Power...
So many times Christians drop the ball.
Everyday there’s spirit filled Christian
workers
Becoming complacent in service.
In some Churches they’re quenching the
Spirit.
And in some Churches they’re doing a
whole lot of faking and shaking,
Trying to imitate the Spirit,
Whatever the case if they’re not relying on
Holy Ghost power,
Then there really isn’t any power.
He’s the oil we’re just the vessel, Amen?
We need to be empowered for service.
As soon as this man realized he had lost his power,
He cried out to the master.
He didn’t try to fall the beam without the axe.
He called on the master to restore what
had been lost.
How many know that if we would call on
Jesus,
If we would cry out to the Lord,
He would supply our need.
He is our master.
He is waiting to empower you.
He’s waiting to restore and revive those
who have become powerless.
Now’s the time amen!
It was a miracle for that axe head to float.
It was a miracle for that piece of iron to swim.
And how many knows that he is still in the miracle working business.
Every person in here is a miracle.
He’s already done the impossible in your life.
Will you trust Him to do it again?
The Borrowed Axe by:
Rev. John Butler Jr. (Copyright © 2008)
