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Steak or Shake: The Power for Living Dr. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ tells this story of a famous oil field called Yates Pool:During the depression this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family (like many others) had to live on government subsidy. Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract.

At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.

And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he'd been living on relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn't know the oil was there even though he owned it.

Many Christians live in spiritual poverty. They are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energizing power, but they are not aware of their birthright. Citation: Greg Asimakoupoulos, author and speaker, Naperville, Illinois; source: Bill Bright, "How to Be Filled with the Spirit" (Campus Crusade publication)

In Matthew 10:1 we read that Christ gave the disciples power over and the authority to act against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. They were sent into Galilee to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

In addition to this Christ appointed and empowered 70 elders as point men or representatives of Christ to go into Judea and Perea. In Luke 10:17 we read the excited report of the seventy when they said, "Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name." Because the disciples had cast out many demons during their tour in Judea, they confidently expected to deliver a demon-possessed boy brought to them by his father. It appeared that the boy was afflicted with epilepsy, which was aggravated by demon possession causing suicidal tendencies. The disciples attempted in vain to cast out the demon. They found themselves now powerless in this situation. Along with the father, they brought the child to Christ who promptly heals the child.

The father says to Jesus, “So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Matthew 17:16

In verse 19 we read, “Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?”

This is our question for today. We are really looking at the spirit of this question. Christ in commissioning us as His Ambassadors has given us power to be effective and efficient in His service and to live vibrant and victorious lives.

Many, like the disciples, find themselves powerless, defeated and asking the same "Why?" Why is there such as lack of power in our lives? Why do so many people never seem to get help with overwhelming sin in their lives? Why at times do we feel weak, anemic, desperate, defeated, and dejected as Christians?

Before attempting to answer the "Why’s" of powerlessness, we must understand some of the effects or results of our powerless.

Lack of power affects the life and testimony of Christ followers.
Lack of power results in a mediocre Christian life and an ineffective, embarrassing witness.
Lack of power affects the work and ministry of the church.
Lack of power results in ministries going undermanned, needs going overlooked, programs being under funded, and workers being overtaxed.
Lack of power affects the evangelization of unchurched people.
Lack of power causes the world to question the validity of our faith and to question God and His ability and power.

Jesus answers these questions by simply giving the disciples three things to think about.

In verses 20 and 21 we read, “So Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief, for assuredly, I say to you if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

This morning I want us to examine the three things that Jesus identified for the disciples. They are practical and insightful and probably everyone in this room needs to be reminded about one of these important truths.

1. Why is it so hard to believe? Faith

“Because of your unbelief...” Matthew 17:20

Unbelief is a power killer. The only power that a Christ follower has comes from God. If for some reason our faith is wavering or we are toying with unbelief we destroy the ability for God to help us.

Action step: Avoid “Faith Lite”

We live in a time in which people have succumbed to advertising hype. "Lite-ness" is fashionable in our society. Lite is not necessarily always what it appears to be nor is it always good or beneficial. An example is a food product can be labeled "light in sodium" if the food has at least 50 percent less sodium than a reference food. It does not mean that it is low in sodium; it just has half the sodium of the referenced food. Lite does not always mean lite. When you compare Milky Way’s Lite© candy bar ounce to ounce with the regular bar, the lite bar actually contains a higher amount of sodium and carbohydrates, almost identical saturated fat, and less than 18% fewer calories. The public has also been misled with products like the "light" vegetable oil that is just light in color and the "lite" cheesecake that is just light in texture. Lite is also not good especially when it is applied to faith. The Bible declares, in Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him."

Christ told the disciples it was their unbelief that drained their power. In the parallel passage to our text, we read in Mark 9:23 "Jesus said unto him, If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes."

Unbelief doubts Christ. It questions the power of Christ. It doubts the power of Christ within oneself. It questions the power of Christ within oneself to accomplish the will of God.

“Beware of worshipping Jesus as the Son of God, and professing your faith in Him as the Savior of the world, while you blaspheme Him by the complete evidence in your daily life that He is powerless to do anything in and through you.” - Oswald Chambers, Christianity Today, Vol. 37, no. 11.

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

A lack of faith is indicative of a lack of walking with the Lord.

While visiting Grand Coulee Dam, my family and I were surprised to see that the visitors' center was dark. It was a sunny day, so we thought the center might have tinted windows, but as we got closer we realized there were no lights on. We went in and saw that none of the displays were working. Suddenly it became clear: there was no power to the center. Due to a technical difficulty of some kind, the visitors' center that sat only hundreds of feet from a hydroelectric dam had no power. How could something be so close to the power source, yet not be "plugged in"? Citation: Paul Dawson; Pendleton, Oregon

2. Why is it so hard to pray? Fellowship

“However this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:20

What God is looking for in us is simply our willingness to keep in fellowship with Him. He longs for us to pray and spend time with Him. Sometimes we pray with words and sometimes we listen.

As someone once said, “We should always pray and sometimes we should even use words. Basically God wants us to spend time in His presence.

“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord is faithful.” I Corinthians 1:9

Why is it so hard to pray?

Could it be that you are too busy?
Could it be that you would rather not be in God’s presence because of some act of disobedience in your life?

Action step: Reject the temptation to be lazy. Matthew 17:20

Before one can exercise authority or power one must submit to authority and power. Before one can lead they must learn how to follow. Before God’s power can flow through our lives we must submit to His authority and keep the channels open and clean for that power to flow through.

Matthew 14:25-30 "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a spirit’; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be You, bid me come to You on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me."

Note that Peter had the power to walk on water while his gaze and walk were centered on Christ. When he took his eyes off Christ and looked at the world around him he lost his power.

We are too busy to pray, and so we are too busy to have power. We have a great deal of activity but we accomplish little; many services but few conversions; much machinery but few results. – R. A. Torrey

How’s your power source? Are you plugged in? In his book Spiritual Stamina, Stuart Briscoe tells the story of a man who bought a new computer. Bringing his new prize home, he carefully opened the box, gingerly took the machine out, studied its manual, and connected the wires. Eagerly he flipped on the power switch--but nothing happened. Puzzled, the man switched the computer off and rechecked all the connections. He rounded up a screwdriver and fastened the wires more securely. He read again the relevant portion of the manual. Satisfied that he’d followed directions, he flipped the computer on--and again nothing happened. As his anger rose the man’s little girl walked into the room. Hi, Daddy!" her cheery voice rang out. "What a pretty computer! Can I plug it in?" –Moody

Matthew 21:22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Our prayers lay the track down on which God’s power can come. Like a mighty locomotive, his power is irresistible, but it cannot reach us without rails. - Watchman Nee, Christian Reader, Vol. 34.

1 Chronicles 16:11 "Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually."

Little Prayer = Little Power, Some Prayer = Some Power; Much Prayer= Much Power.

In Point Man, Steve Farrar tells the story of George McCluskey. When McCluskey married and started a family, he decided to invest one hour a day in prayer, because he wanted his kids to follow Christ. After a time, he expanded his prayers to include his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Every day between 11 a.m. and noon, he prayed for the next three generations. As the years went by, his two daughters committed their lives to Christ and married men who went into full-time ministry. The two couples produced four girls and one boy. Each of the girls married a minister, and the boy became a pastor. The first two children born to this generation were both boys. Upon graduation from high school, the two cousins chose the same college and became roommates. During their sophomore year, one boy decided to go into the ministry. The other didn’t. He undoubtedly felt some pressure to continue the family legacy, but he chose instead to pursue his interest in psychology. He earned his doctorate and eventually wrote books for parents that became bestsellers. He started a radio program heard on more than a thousand stations each day. The man’s name was James Dobson. Through his prayers, George McCluskey affected far more than one family. - Loyal J. Martin, Newton, Kansas. Leadership, Vol. 16, no. 4.

3. What’s fasting got to do with it? Focus

I am afraid that this is a very little known and little practiced Christian discipline in these days.

Fasting is found in both the Old and New Testaments. It was talked about and practiced by Jesus when He was on this earth. In I Cor. 7, the writer talks about giving ourselves to prayer and fasting.

Fasting is simply the practice of intentionally giving up a meal or meals for a period of time. This discipline is to allow you to focus on your relationship with God and to focus on the situation that you are praying about.

I want to encourage you to give this a try. Find a way to apply this teaching into your life. Practice this and see if it doesn’t make a difference in your life.

Action steps: Don’t allow things in your world disconnect you from God.

On average, people use only 13 percent of the features and programs on their computers.

            Houston Chronicle, May 22, 1998

I have a feeling that we live far below the quality of relationship that God wants us to have and experience with Him. There is power from God that is available if we make the adjustments in our lives that will allow Him to be in our lives.

Have you had a lot of stuff going on that you would rather not deal with? Have you been through situations that have drained you of even your emotions? You don’t even feel like crying anymore. You’re beyond tears. Maybe you feel powerless and weak.

God will not leave you alone during your times of grief and sorrow. Often the first question that comes out of our mouths is, “Why did God let this happen to me?” As I have said many times before, life happens. That is not supposed to make it any easier but it is a fact that every one of us has to deal with in our lives at one time or another.

There are things in our lives that will tear us apart. Things like, the horrible words that come out of the mouth of the doctor when he or she informs you of a dreaded disease.

The unexpected phone call that comes in the middle of the night or the knock on the door that brings us devastating news of a loved one who has passed away can just about destroy us. Many of you have lived through the pain of a marriage gone bad. You never planned it that way. You never envisioned your life ending up like it has. The fact of the matter is life happens and we have to find ways to deal with it.

I want you to watch a testimony of someone who has had some pretty challenging moments in life...

A My Story Video

In Isaiah 40:28-31 we read, "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." God wants us to utilize His power, His power in us. We can have and use that power when we walk a separated life by faith in communion with Him.

Let’s spend some time with God this morning. We are going to do this with music. Let’s stand together.

Response after song set:

World-renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman was stricken with polio as a child. As a result, he wears braces on both legs and walks with the aid of crutches. At concerts, getting on stage is no small achievement for him. He slowly crosses the stage until he reaches his chair. He lays his crutches on the floor, slowly undoes the clasps on his legs, tucks one foot back and extends the other foot forward. Then he bends down and picks up the violin, puts it under his chin, nods to the conductor, and proceeds to play.

One fall evening in 1995, while performing at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center in New York City, Perlman had to deal with one additional handicap. Jack Reimer, a columnist with the Houston Chronicle, described the scene. "Just as he finished the first few bars, one of the strings on his violin broke. You could hear it snap--it went off like gunfire across the room. There was no mistaking what that sound meant."

There was no mistaking what he had to do. People who were there said, "We figured he would have to get up ... to either find another violin or find another string for this one."

But he didn't. Instead Perlman waited a moment, closed his eyes, and then signaled the conductor to begin again. The orchestra and he played from where he had left off. He played with passion and power.

Of course, it is impossible to play a symphonic work with just three strings. But that night Itzhak Perlman refused to know that. You could see him modulate, change, recompose the piece in his head. At one point, it sounded like he was detuning the strings to get new sounds they had never made before. Citation: Submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos; source: Houston Chronicle (11-18-95)

A small congregation in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains encountered a major problem when they built their new church. A church member had willed the growing church some property so they relocated and constructed a new sanctuary. Just ten days before their dedication service, the building inspector told them their parking lot was too small for that size building. He informed the pastor they could not occupy the facility until they doubled the parking. Unfortunately, they had already used every usable square foot of their property. They backed up to a mountain so their situation seemed hopeless. Rather than lose hope, the pastor called a special prayer meeting and asked for those with “mountain-moving faith” to be present. A couple of dozen people showed up for a prayer time that lasted nearly three hours. With confidence, the pastor said, “We’ll open next Sunday as scheduled.” The following morning, the pastor was greeted by a contractor who came with a unique request. He explained his position as the builder of a shopping mall and told of a problem they were having in getting fill dirt. He asked if the church would be willing to sell them dirt from the mountain on the back of their property. In exchange for their prompt agreement, the contractor would level the surface and pave it at no charge. The mountain movers’ prayer had been answered and their church was packed for the dedication service that next Sunday. God’s Vitamin C for the Spirit, Kathy and Larry Miller, 1996, p. 55

Let’s listen to the words of Jesus one more time, “...if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move: and nothing will be impossible for you...”

What mountain are you facing today? What situation in your life has threatened to tear you apart and maybe even destroy your faith? Don’t give up on God. Don’t pull away from God. Get closer to Him. Get to know Him better. Let your heartaches and disappointments draw you to Him.

2004/08/08