Touched by an Angel [Part 1]

Alan White, pastor, Bible teacher and author of his latest book, the power to bless I know the voice of shame can lie in the gutter with us when were and are always moments of failure surprising.

I just voice of shame can come on the heels of your greatest victory. Understand this, shame is not relegated to those who have disgrace shame also comes to those's at the pinnacle of society that's pastor Alan Wright welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life a whole. I'm Daniel Britt excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series miracle me has presented at renewal. The church in North Carolina are not able to stay with us throughout entire program I like to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact Pastor Alan.org that's Pastor Alan.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860.

More on this later in the program. Now let's get started with today's teaching you how I'm writing good news. You have a great journey in front of you is on and when you're discouraged. It's just the seed of thought.

The sprinkling of a rain they can let you know that the drought can seem endless.

It is not, and that God has plans in the future for you all hope for you and when you're at your most discouraged. That's what God's word brings to you and we have such a word today from first Kings chapter 19 as we continue to learn from the life of this miracle man. Elijah whose life in many ways points us to the true miracle man. Jesus Elijah has won a unbelievable miraculous victory at Mount caramel in chapter 18 and then we come to something that's well is quite surprising.

In chapter 19 is the kind of story that almost shocks you that the Lord would be so honest to take his great heroes of faith and show us at their most vulnerable, and here is one such story of the mighty prophet Elijah becoming discouraged unto the point of giving up in first Kings chapter 19 verse one Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying so may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life is the life of one of them.

By this time tomorrow. They was afraid he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left to serve in their but he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree and he asked that he might die saying it is enough. Now the Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my father's, and he lay down and slept under broom tree in the Holden Angel Touchton and sent him arise and eat. They looked, and behold, there was at his had a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water and he ate and drank and lay down again that Angel Lord came a second time and touched him and said, arise and eat for the journey is too great for you and he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb.

The amount of God when the Baylor Bears are struggling to make it to the NCAA playoffs.

They are on their way to fight to get into the big dance.

It was looking bleak for the Bears basketball team because they started out the conference play two and seven and then they started winning some game start to get a glimmer of hope.

Maybe they could make it won a few games in a row and all Monday night they had a must win situation when their plan, the Longhorns and Austin. They needed to be Texas in Texas is readable and we were on the road so I was listening to the game on ESPN radio and the Bears were leading most of the game got up by as much as nine points and were up by four or five points. Most of the game and it got down to just a couple minutes left and I got that worried feeling like they lost so many this year. At the last minute just you know that feeling of snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory and I was worried about the Bears but the Hanging in there and they had the lead getting down to two minutes and then even a minute left, they still had a lead and think and they've got it and then you know how these things go. Texas sinks and surprising three-pointer missed shot or two for Baylor and next thing you know you thought you had to game one you know that feeling aware you think you've won have played sports as a kid and I is a very hard thing psychologically when you get close to winning. Like I play tennis and I won the first that and I got the second set them up maybe 53 and you start thinking about how nice it's going to be winter by to congratulate you on your good when you know I mean, the Bears. I'm sure they're starting to think with just 30 seconds left in the game about the bus ride back to Waco. How fun it is, as a team to go in the locker room. What kind a little dance in my going to do celebration after this to start thinking about the possibilities of making the NCAA playoffs. It's hard not to put your mind on there at the end of a game that you think you've one.

I wonder if they were thinking like that they shouldn't have, because I Said I missed shot here. There surprising three-pointer from Longhorns Empire clock in overtime. You know what overtime is, is where you thought you one and yet you had one yet because they don't put five more minutes on the clock and you will huddle up for a few minutes and then you gotta get back out on the court. You'd already been dancing in the locker room in your head, but now you gotta get back out there and play and play harder than you were before. And now you got a couple guys in foul trouble. Overtime it happens in life sometimes doesn't, those moments where you think you've arrived, only to find out the battles continuing no when I'm talking about those moments where you've been through the chemotherapy and you think you're done and the doctor says there's one spot I'm still concerned about.

We should do radiation also overtime where you have raised your kids and you take a deep breath, only to have your daughter call and say my marriage is in trouble, can I come home for a while in overtime moments in life where maybe you've reached the pinnacle and you think that because you have that everything should be smooth sailing downhill coast.

From there, only to find out the spiritual battle is still at hand. That's what happened to Elijah in first Kings chapter 18 we see him in one of the great miracles of all the Old Testament where he, having prayed that there would be a drought and seeing God's faithfulness and he having seen God come down and fire of judgment upon the altar to expose the folly of idolatry and the phoniness of the ball. He saw God move so mightily and validate his own prophetic ministry that indeed he was speaking the word of God, and those 450 prophets that had been rebelling against God. They died that day.

It was a powerful unbelievable mountaintop experience and how then can it be we come to the very next scene in his life. The next chapter and he's running in fear from 11 to talk about those overtime moments in life. The nature of discouragement.

Some plain talk about depression, but mainly I want to point to to how God ministers to the discouraged. So the all of us today would have that hope corrupt and us fresh just walk through the story with me in verse one. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how it killed all the prophets with the soul.

I think the problem here. You know, it's hard to can't read the tone of these words but I think problem with Ahab was. He was too mousey and is wife was the one who was ruling the roost and she was a pagan meat. If ever there was a time where Ahab should have come home and sad. I just found out who the true God is. This was the time I meet here just saying miracle on top amount, but he also had seen the prophetic ministry of Elijah.

He heard of the wonders God was working through Elijah and now he saw with his own eyes. This awesome powerful God would manifest himself and the people the prophets that Jezebel had sponsored the prophets of Baal.

They have said the Lord he is God, and if ever there was a time should been now that Ahab came home and said honey good news I have discovered the one true living God. Funny, I know you love about all that I need to tell you these bony week I get these idols out of here we go to tear down Asherah balls where you eliminate the fertility rites on the high places the King I tell you and I better tell you right now we need to make some changes around here honey is that only a lead that of a game is to remove Alan Wright will have more teaching moment from today's important series feel like something is holding you back if you lack an important seal I could change everything. Is there someone you love to sing stack to help them back child. What's missing blessing on the faith filled vision spoken over, I learned you can learn how to embrace the biblical practice of blessing to pastor Alan Wright's new book, it's a blast, which quickly became an Amazon number one bestseller after 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month. Alan Wright Ministries once to send you the book I thank you for your donation did this not only receive the best-selling book that you also receive a free session video place in which Pastor Alan teaches how to blast and covers content not found in about a video course includes a detailed study guide perfect for personal growth or small group discussion. Make your gift today discovered the power to blast the gospel is shared when you get to Alan Wright Ministries this broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today.

We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as I banks from Alan Wright Ministries call us at 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website.

Pastor Alan.work.

Today's teaching now continues you once again is Alan writing Jezebel because she is Jezebel.

She decided to take matters into her own hand. Jezebel verse two sent a messenger to Elijah, saying so may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life is the life of one of them. By this time tomorrow is the voice of the rat and shame that comes on the heels of Elijah great victory seek when sin entered the world, so did shame, no sooner had Adam and Eve disobeyed God, then there was this diabolical voice that slithered in next to them said, look at you now. Now your flawed so you should cover yourselves hide from God high from each other because you just not acceptable anymore you don't measure up. You've messed up and so failure, you are unworthy of anything good in your life so you might as well just start covering it all so they did.

They have regions they hid from God the voice of shame is so galling and poisonous because it it conveys a message of hopelessness and do because I am hopelessly flawed. I am therefore doomed and cannot be fully accepted and therefore I need to cover up and not let anybody know how flawed I am less the voice of shame and we try to cover ourselves and all these different ways.

Maybe with a substance may be. This will make you feel less ashamed for little while. Maybe it's an activity might do the trick for just a little while and for many, and I think this is been more the Lot tended to be an we try to cover it by answering the voice that says you're not enough by saying I'll prove to you I am enough. I'll do more. I'll be better. This is the seed of perfectionism. I will perform well enough to be accepted and here becomes a particularly dangerous point for anybody is ever had that feeling. What do you do when you feel like that you've had your mount caramel and you've done your best, and that voice is still there trying to shame you, even in the middle of your success. I know the voice of shame can lie in the gutter with us when were and are lowest moments of failure but was surprising that we learn from Elijah's story is at the voice of shame can come on the heels of your greatest victory. Please understand this shame is not relegated to those who have fallen in disgrace shame also comes to those who were at the pinnacle of society, and here is Elijah with this voice let's be clear.

You could arise to the presidency of the third grade or of the PTA of the presidency of the bank or the presidency of the United States, the voice of shame is not to leave you alone. There will always be a Jezebel.

She lives by idols and valves may the gods be with me ever so severely if I don't make Elijah in your life like one of those profits that's been slain. Hell operates by valves demonic commitments and this is Jezebel.

She is seething with hate. She eats and feeds upon fear and dispenses fear. She is a picture of the diabolical nature of all shame. This is where we think okay that's fine. This is Jezebel. She's threatened them one woman. So what Elijah will just flicker away like a flea.

He just defeated 450 prophets of all he is the man of God.

He is going to just ignore her. He's going to keep dancing his victory dance he'll just mock her gods the way he mopped the prophets when ball didn't show up, but that's not what happens is surprising in next verse, verse three, then Elijah was afraid and he arose and ran for his life.

Forget her Elijah.

She's a flea. She's a nothing to the next squatter letter bluster letter, rant and rave, but just dismiss take a little vacation. Go down to the Dead Sea get a little sign float in the water. Drink some pineapple juice you'll be. I just need a little rest. Instead, this profit who James says is the model for miraculous prayer doesn't pray for weird sometimes the mighty people of prayer. Don't pray when they most need to this man who was the voice of God to the people who live by the word of the Lord, this man instead began living by the word of Jezebel noted well and don't be astonished in your own life or someone else's. How much things shift if you move from living by the word of God to living by the word of some Jezebel. It changes everything. And it did for Elijah in the was exhausted and he was drained and this man who had said at top mount caramel with full faith. Answer me. Oh God and come down and fire now has no answers at all and instead of taking his shame and exhaustion and ear to the Lord. He decides to try to Barrett himself in isolation. Verse three said he was afraid he wrote ran for his life came to Beersheba, which belong to Judah and left a servant. They are that strange. Why is it when we most need people we most don't want to be with people saying this for 30 years or so my I don't see all the sudden and the body of Christ.

Chances are something's wrong. The times we most need the body of Christ.

There's some powerful temptation to pull away and Elijah did. He even took his servant. He felt so alone that he just wanted to make himself alone. Sometimes what you do is you have such feelings of isolation that you want your life to actually mirror what you're feeling on the inside. Even though we need to do the opposite and they left him there and he went out some distance away by himself and author Gordon Dalbey's words, the effort to hide the truth of your inadequacy and barrier shame consumes you and sabotages your destiny. When all your energies focus on an enemy you have no energy or vision left to discern and fulfill your calling in life. The enemy thereby begins to define how therefore could aptly be described as trying to bear your own shame is living alive forever sandbagging against the rising tide of truth and eternally exhausting distraction from your holy destiny Allen right. Today's teaching touched by an Angel from the series miracle man. Allen is back in a moment with additional insight on this for your life in a final word like something is holding you back if you lack an important scene I could change everything. Is there someone you love to sing stack to help them out what's missing blessing.

We all need faith filled vision spoken over, I learned you can learn how to embrace the biblical practice of blessing to Pastor Alan writes new book, it's a blast, which quickly became an enzyme number one bestseller after 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month.

Allen right ministries once to send you the I thank you for your donation did this not only receive the best-selling book that you will also receive a free session video place in which Pastor Alan teaches how to blast and covers content not found in the video course includes a detailed study guide perfect for personal growth or small group discussion. Make your gift today and discovered the power to bless Collison 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor Alan.work Allen. If we need that touch today for praying for a miracle in our life.

Whatever's whatever is wrong whatever is broken, God is there, in the end we can really be longing for that touch. What's next. Will Elijah, who was used by God in such a dramatic way it mount caramel and then finds himself running and depressed and discouraged and the great man of God's ready to give up well I think there's some part of that in that they know that's encouraging us to say simply matter how long you walk with God. You can go through times of profound discouragement. But God is ready to bring encouragement to you open up your heart is ready to comfort you and encourage you and strengthen you because you're still journey in front of today's good news message is a listener supported production Allen right ministries