By Pastor Mark Taylor
“Then God said unto Elijah, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, a still small voice spoke unto him.” (I Kings 19: 11-16).
The verses above are about a prophet who loved God and lived for God with all his heart. But he allowed fear and anxiety to overcome Him. Elijah was hiding in a cave afraid that the wicked queen, Jezebel was going to kill him. Then God spoke to Elijah in a way that He wants to speak to you and I today - in a “small still voice”.
In today’s technology, we have the GPS (Global Positioning System) to give us physical directions to get from one place to another. And being directionally challenge, I appreciate and use it frequently.
God has given each of His children a unique way to follow Him. It can also be identified as a GPS system which some have called “God’s Positioning System”. We know that this is the Holy Spirit who is that “still small voice” that guides His children throughout their lives. Even before we accept Him as our Savior, the Lord guides us toward Him. This is also called “grace”. He gives us an internal navigational package that divinely aligns us with people and events that helps us reach our destiny that God has given us.
“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, and skillfully made in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 114:13-15)
There are times when you meet people who change your life. There are times when you choose to drive a different direction and you miss a terrible accident. Something just told you to change directions and go a different direction. When you begin to see these things as God directing your life, you can understand that your life is not an accident at all. You are not just a life full of random events. You are not just “lucky” or “unlucky” in your life.
So, how do we engage this GPS (God’s Positioning System)?
How do we get it to operate for us? The best way to find the “on” switch is to simply start talking to your Heavenly Father through prayer. You talk to Him the same way you would talk to your father, your grandfather, or your best friend.
You have His permission to talk with Him about anything. “If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you ask, and it will be done for you you.” (John 15:7). His “words” in you is the programming of your GPS system. You will understand what to ask for and to also pray for God’s will to be done in your requests. “Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
Prayer is cooperation with God, a consent that opens the way for grace to work. Prayer is not our achieving contact with Him, but is is a gift of Him coming down to us from on height like a meteor, rather than up like a rocket.
Prayer exerts an influence upon God’s action. That is what the word “answer” means. God has chosen a different style of governing the world, a partnership, which relies on human agency and choice. The partnership binds so tight that it becomes hard to distinguish who is doing what, God or the human partner. God seems to do nothing of Himself which He can possibly delegate to you and me. Prayer is the power by which that comes to pass which otherwise would not take place.
After it is engaged or turned on, listen to the “small still voice”. Often we have loud external voices all around us that overpowers the inner voice of the Holy Spirit. You need to find the volume control of those voices and turn them down, and turn up the “still small voice” within you.
The events in our lives are not random. When we walk with God we have a destiny built in us. God has given us each free will, and it is up to us to program ourselves to find His will for our lives.
The Holy Spirit will continually place opportunities , events, and people along each of our paths to help get us to where we need to go. But if we sit by the side of the road waiting for our destiny to come to us, nothing will happen. Determining where you want to go in life is your job. As the Cheshire cat said to Alice, In Wonderland, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).
We have all been inspired by the children’s book “The Little Engine That Could”. We admire how he reached way down inside himself to find the belief, the commitment, and the persistence to get a train full of toys to children waiting on the other side of the mountain. Many people have become “The Little Engine That Should”. We should be going up the mountain, but we are still at the train station doubting ourselves and God. God has people and events all along our journey positioned to help us get to our destiny. But starting your engine and going forward is part of that “free will” God has given you.
There is a “small still voice” speaking to you as you read this message from the Lord. He is asking you to turn on your GPS (God’s Positioning System) and let the Holy Spirit put people and events in your path. You have “Path Power” and you have choices.
You can choose the path that leads to destruction or the path that leads to the happy abundant life. Jesus put it this way: “The gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:14). You need the Heavenly GPS (God’s Positioning System) that God wants to give you. Begin by asking Him for it today, and then allow Him to help you use it. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)
(Thoughts and information for this sermon comes from Divine Alignment by Squire Rushnell - A great inspirational book) For more sermons by Pastor Mark go to: www.sermonstotheworld.blogspot.com )
