The Best Way To Go

I want to tell you that the Scripture couldn't declare about the issue of life and death, heaven and hell. But in our anxiety to accommodate and not anxiety to compromise and anxiety of not offending anybody. We have compromised these truths. These biblical doctrines, it is clear as a sunshine in the life of this great man of God Elijah we going to see today how he went destroying up to heaven from Earth's why because he was a man who walked with God. He was a man who obeyed God.

He was a man who trusted in God and his word.

He was a man who feared God with all of his heart the spine of his temporary defeat this part of his temporary depression despite of his temperate discouragement. Elijah, like all of those who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ was taken to eternal life in heaven. So many of the surveys are conducted in America among the population in general.

The vast majority of people think that everybody when they got to go to heaven. I want to tell you. I wish it was a case that is not a bone in my body want to see anybody go to hell. But the truth is the truth and the truth is not everybody's going to happen. This is a live from the pit of hell that Satan delights to spread out than the population why to keep people from turning to Christ to keep people from turning to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He wanted to keep them going on the way to hell and therefore he blinds up about truth. So many of unbelievers out there are deceived into thinking that they can go to heaven without Jesus. Listen to me, read my lips. It is absolutely no not never possible that anyone would get to heaven without faith and surrender of one's life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Regardless of your church affiliation. Regardless of your family connection regardless of your head knowledge of what you know.

Regardless of your moral and ethical stand. You can only get to heaven. If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You only go to heaven when you come to the point in your life when you acknowledge that I am born a sinner and I will die a sinner unless I recognize that Jesus paid for my penalty of my sin.

I reminded as I looked through this in a larger going to heaven.

And as I began to look in this passage I was reminded of the great vision that this man of God.

John Wesley once had. John Wesley probably touched the world in a very unique way and one that he had this vision and the vision is that he went to the very gates of hell and he talked to the gatekeeper and he said do you have Catholics in hell and the gatekeeper was it all. Yes, many he said do you have Episcopalians in hell. He said oh yeah we have many deer Presbyterians here suggests many practices and yes we have been about this year reluctantly and you can understand why I'm literally in sorrow in his heart.

He said do you have Methodists here and the answer was the same. Yes, we have many and then in sorrow he felt God was privileged him to go straight into the gates of heaven, and he began to talk to the engine when he said to the angel he said do you have Catholics here and he said no, not one piece and you have Episcopalians here is not one.

He said do you have prospector density signal. Not one. What you have Baptists here said no not one.

And again, very reluctantly, Wesley asked and you can understand why he should you have any Methodists here and the answer was the same. No, not one and out of exasperation. He asked who have here in heaven. And the angel said all of those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

All of those who have come under the cleansing power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When those who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ die.

There is no waiting room. There is no waiting time. There is no purgatory. There is no call when you way up, but somebody can pray for you down here and then you'll make it up there know the Bible doesn't say that the Bible said that absence from the body is at home with Christ. It is instantaneous. It is immediate it is checking out of here and check again. There it is. Once the guy the Lord Jesus Christ and don't you ever forget. He coexisted with the father before all the foundation of the earth. He was in the Godhead when the world was created was created by him, through him before he was in the human body.

The God man, Jesus Christ. He knew everything and he said in Luke chapter 16 that when Lazarus died he went straight into paradise. But when Dyke started went straight into Hades is only two locations that you can choose to go to God has given us a choice only between two locations. There is no third, it is heaven or hell. The choice is yours. Which choice have you made, you can make the choice today. If you died today you can be sure that you're going to heaven. Now people say to me is not arrogance to say that if you died today is going to be in heaven.

I want to tell you I had clergy members of the clergy was sitting in my office, and saying I shutter for the people under whose process it and I said to one of them. I said my dear friend to me ask you something if you asked me to come to dinner at your home tonight would be arrogance of me to take you at your word would be arrogance of me to trust your word would be arrogance for me to know that when I come to daughter not to knock it to open the door and invite me with that be arrogance you going to heaven because of how good you are you going to heaven because Jesus said so, and there is no reason for me to doubt you a human being who can go back and you weren't much more God who never goes back in his word. Jesus said those who come to me in no way will I reject Jesus and those who come to me in repentance and faith will be with me where I am there will be in heaven. Therefore, it is not arrogance to believe God's word.

It is not arrogance to take him at his word.

It is not arrogance to place the word of God and the promises of God. Please listen carefully. People who ask such questions not know if you ever talk to anyone about the Lord. This is a very common misconception is a faulty and false premise. But when the ask such a question in their mind. This is how they think. They think that you saying that I am good enough to go to heaven and that is why I'm sure, but they completely blown are they not thinking the right way and if that's the case would be arrogance to say that I am not good enough to go anywhere near heaven. I have not even on the rock to heaven but I go to heaven based on the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ was invited the Bible from cover to cover tells us that it is only through faith in the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ, that anyone will make it to heaven. Therefore, this nice perception, it may feel good in my feel mushy but I want to tell you it's deceptive to think that everybody's going to make it. That is deception and present government with me. Elijah was a man who walked with God and now it is time for him to be in the presence of the Lord.

When the time came, God decided that Elijah, like Enoch is going to go straight to heaven he will not see an earthly grave, but he is transformed to a heavenly body on his way up to see Paul said that this flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Paul said this is a corruptible tent that we live in, and therefore, it goes to the ground and brought just like the seed goes into the ground. You never see it anymore. But in heaven for the believers when you get up there. Jesus has a body that is prepared for you a heavenly body, a body like the Lord Jesus Christ after the resurrection, abutted this free of pain about it is free of battles about this, free of agony about it is three but God in his mercy in God and his grace. He did not allow a large order Enoch to rot in the ground.

I want to tell you that didn't came undone in his way up and filter the ground symbolic of the mental that fell off so he goes up to heaven, his corruptible body fell to the ground and corruptible body was prepared for him in heaven is mortal body was literally dissolving as he was going up because he received an immortal body. This perishable give way to the imperishable. As we looked at this series of messages entitled how God works we've seen in the life of this man how God works.

We have seen how Godhead Elijah insurance Brooke, we have seen how God provided for Elijah supernaturally in the middle of the heart of bail worshiping country we have seen how God performed miracles in Zada FF we have seen how God performed miracles amount, we have seen how God minister to a larger when he was depressed when he was discouraged when he wanted to die God minister to him at every need and then we have seen how God restored into a ministry to the even the next generation of Israelite.

Today we see God taking him home, taking him to the very presence of the Lord turn with me if you haven't already. The second Kings chapter 2 Elijah has been given a word from the Lord. And now he said it's a matter of hours before his going to be propelled into the presence of God.

But before that, he goes into a missionary journey. He goes out and he visits three seminaries that he has helped found three Bible schools in three different cities where the sons of the prophets. These are all students of a larger he goes over there and he says goodbye to everyone of them before he takes off and goes into the presence of God. Elisha, his understudy Elisha, his disciple Elisha was his heir apparent, would not leave. He goes with him wherever he goes. Every time they go to town. He said, look, you stay here said no sir I'm done with you. Is it now, you stay here said no I'm going with you in these towns that Elijah has visited with Elisha until have significance within them and in the sequence in which he visited them. I wanted to listen very carefully marked them in your Bible because they are important.

There are the three stages in which every believer goes through first in verse one. He went to give go from Joshua chapter 4 we know what Gill gal is Gill gal represented the place of beginning Gill gal represented the place of security and safety Gill gal represented the place of communion and sharing with God Gill gal represented the place of preparation and in Joshua chapter 4 Gill gal become engraved in the mind of every June we say why because there Joshua piled up 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel, and he said to them is that in the future when your descendents ask you and say what are these stones stand for the zip tell them that this is where God dried up Jordan in order God's people might cross over and going to the promised land. Gill gal is a symbol of preparation and their Elijah was remembering the beginning of his obedience to the Lord God is a time when God gave him a challenge and he said get up and go to I have and he said yes Lord, that is a symbol of his preparation as a symbol of his obedience to the Lord when he called them initially from Gill gal. He goes to Bethel market again. Elisha close on his heel. Bethel is a place of altars. Bethel means the house of God. Abraham, when he came out of Egypt and repentance and turn back to God after he live in Egypt to offer the sacrifice and Bethel.

Jacob offered a sacrifice and Bethel. Bethel is a place of heart searching Bethel is the place of self-examination. Bethel is the place of putting whatever's precious to your heart. Whatever you're holding on to whatever you clinging onto and God says that whatever that is. God wants you to put that on his altar that is Bethel.

Let me ask you this what is it that God is been saying to you put that on the altar for me that an offer for me, not because God wants that all God needs it, but because you do from Gill gal to Bethel to Jericho Jericho represented battles for their Joshua led the people of God into a supernatural victory when they shouted and God got the walls to fall down. Jericho was a place where God supernaturally gave victory in battle and their Elijah stood there on he remembered he remembered his battle in his own life. He remembered the battles with the prophets of bail he remember the battle with Jezebel and with Ahab. He remembered the bottle of discouragement. The battle of depression and the burden of the spunk and said he remembered the battle of injustice that took place when neighbor for just like was killed for no reason except greed and there he remembered the battles and I guarantee you lower hard on convincing hard to say.

I'm so glad the battle is over Gill gal and to Bethel and to Jericho and into Jordan. The departure point.

Some of you are in the place of beginning. Some of you, and give go. Some of you in the beginning, in your Christian walk.

Some of you have begun your process of sanctification. You are symbolically speaking in Gill gal right now then others of you are making your way into Bethel and their your building an altar for God and then are you hearing the voice of God telling you to sacrifice there you hearing the voice of God and saying the reason you feel that there is dryness in your Christian walk. The reason you feel that heaven is like iron on the earth is like brass is because you not obeying me and sacrificing Bethel that sacrifice might be a tall home that sacrifice might be a broken romance and that sacrifice might be a shutter dream that sacrifice might be a lost job order lost career that sacrifice might be a loss of a loved one. Whatever it is handed over.

Don't ever ever ever ever forget that when you are standing there Bethel offloading your sacrifice, God is doing his work in your life within the some of you who already been to Gill gal and you into Bethel and now you are in Jericho you have known.

Even the places of victory in battle and off the battle. It may have been a battle in your own home, and God gave you victory it may have been a battle of your son or your daughter who turned away from the Lord and God brought them supernaturally to the kingdom it might have been a battle through where you have Russell didn't doubt you have wrestled and fear was taught that you have wrestled with unbelief and disbelief. And now you've made it across the river.

It may have been a battle in prayer what God is telling you to spend time with him and maybe a battle of sensuality, whatever it is a battle whatever Jericho you ran God if he has given you victory in the past you know what he wants to give you victory again and he wants you to look back at the past victory and know that the one who gave you that victory in the day was to give it to.

I wanted to notice that Elijah wanted to go and walk in these places alone. You remember back after mine, who was so discouraged he got to Beersheba with his officer's servant, the one before Elisha Lisa Tama said you stay here, and I'm going to go alone when he got there alone to face at the Gothic my life. It was so discouraged. You're so despondent.

Remember I told you that had the servant been there. Elijah probably would not be discouraged because this young man would've reminded him of the goodness of God and here again.

He wants to do it alone, but Elisha, God bless him intellectual would not let him go alone Elisha out of a sense of loss without a sense of loyalty, not a sense of commitment notices of devotion he will not walk there alone. Such friendship and such commitment, such devotion is very rare indeed. But it is also blessed indeed for later only going to see how Elisha received double portion of Elijah's spirit. Mr. P for a moment until you this. If you have one person who walks with you into Gill gal who walks with you and to Bethel. He walks with you into Jericho, you are blessed indeed. But if you don't listen to me.

Please.

I would urge you to take time to cultivate a person who would walk with you not only to Gill gal not only to Bethel not only to Jericho but all the way to Jordan, a manager choose a man and a woman chooses a woman when they got to the Jordan. The point of departure is a gust of wind began to blow the largest mental falls and Elisha picks it up and with the departing moment came Elijah. The mental Elijah the disciple turns to his disciple, Elisha, and he says what can I do for you what can I do for you what are you going to ask you know I love Elisha's boldness. I really really do. I just love it. I have been praying for God to give me such boldness is added. You could have been all shucks I don't need anything not worthy to receive anything, but he didn't do that. Look at his response.

He said I want to double portion of your spirit is the Lord that this language is very familiar to the Old Testament. The older son receives double portion of his father's inheritance. Why, because he supposed to take care of his mother, the widow is supposed to take care of the little one I received double portion and therefore that's not a strange thinking when Elisha set the logic give me a double portion of your spirit. He knew exactly what he was asking. It wasn't an easy thing, but he got in the Lord Jesus Christ. Walking concert next to you sister you call you by name.

What can I do for you what is it that you asking me what would you ask for. What would you set think about this for a long long time. Elisha could have asked for power to call down fire from heaven, but he did mess with it either. So give me power to raise the sound of widows, but he didn't ask for that. This wise man of God. He asked for the spirit of God that dwelt in the larger to dwell in him and asked for the spirit of God in abundance.

James tells us that you have not because you ask not.

And when you ask you ask wrongly, I believe the that when it comes to God's work when it comes to God's glory. God wants us to ask for big things.

God expects us to come to him and ask for a notion, but instead we go to God and would bring him a symbol is why I want to bless you want to use you. God wants you to come to him at times ask for a mountain and we come to him and ask for more Hill when you read on the life of a larger going to discover that God answered his prayer exactly specifically for a larger perform for miracles, but Elisha performed what a great God we dare to ask God for big things dare to ask God for great things dare to ask God for Mikey things he wants to know what is your lack of faith that stopping it from coming through an owner comes to the work of God when it comes to the kingdom of God comes the salvation of souls when it comes to equipping of the saints when it comes to impacting the world for Jesus Christ. I want to tell you I am the first among the amendment and the claimant. Something struck me as I was working my way through this passage when he larger was privileged to be lifted up on the way to heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ himself. After the resurrection and spending time with his disciples, he was ascended into heaven.

This is a series entitled how God works.

But notice how, in both cases the witnesses were personal disciples, not the large crowds listen if I was entrusted to stay. Elijah's going up in the whirlwind man alive. I wanted to bring the Israelites royal family there.

I would've want to bring the leftover profits of bail that I'm going to bring everybody there I was at say thank God this is not series about how Michael Yousif works but how God works for Vallas in charge of staging the Lord Jesus Christ ascension into heaven. Man I tell you I will have some people that I want to have Pontius Pilate there, and special on his wife.

There you know why because I knew she was going to him and says I told you so.

I would want to have Caiaphas the high priest there I would wanted the Roman soldiers who nailed him to the cross.

There I want the crowd was it give us Barabbas.

I wanted to be there but God didn't work that way. God does not work this way. These moments were reserved only for the eyes of faith.

These moments were reserved only for those who determined to live by faith and walk by face and not by sight. Want Joseph to notice that when the larger was taken up to heaven his mantle. Spirit fell in one man, Elisha, all but for the Lord Jesus Christ was ascended to heaven.

The Bible said he gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to all desire. I want to end the series of messages what I've begun this message. Namely that if you truly desire heaven and the hereafter.

You have to walk with God in the here and now Jesus said only the father knows our and I live every day as Jesus will come back today, but here's a question if you were to die and you go and face the Lord Jesus Christ. What would you say to if you look in his eyes. The one who died for you. No one will pay the price of your sin and Savior and Redeemer do what you say if your answer is I'm not sure I'm go to heaven.

You can be sure to just take God at his word. That's all I'm asking you to do, but if you have known the Lord Jesus Christ and you walked with him. What would you say when you see him to what you say I'm sorry, Lord, I was indifferent. I'm sorry I was cold. I'm sorry I was busy I'm sorry I didn't realize you kingdom needed me.

I'm sorry. Would you apologize for all these things are would you say Lord God of giving you my all of giving you my all the word of God tells us that is not a single member in the body of Christ.

That is not important to him to his work into his kingdom. We all offer different gifts, but each of us can offer something. Could you say Lord Jesus, I have given you my all may that be the prayer of my heart in your heart today when the time came for the apostle Paul to go and face the Lord Jesus. There was no regret. He said off Fort the good fight, and therefore he knew that the crown is awaiting Lord Jesus Christ use a search of our hearts. You, the examiner of our motives. We love you. If we spend eternity to say thank you for saving our souls from eternal damnation in hell is not going to be enough.

If we spend the rest of our lives to say thank you will not be enough. Therefore, Lord.

We stand in gratitude and thanksgiving to you for what you've done in our lives and father. The times we don't know exactly how to go about this father. It is a matter of availability and as we stand available.

We ask in the name of the Lord Jesus not to delay the time of speaking to our hearts and showing us exactly how you want us to serve you, but father, we know that you want us to put everything on the altar more harmful want. I put my whole self from the altar and Lord God I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus, that is, those of us come in agreement to come to Bethel that you will honor that give us a harvest for which we played in which we anticipate a father we pray that another mighty name the strong name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org@LTW.Ward