How to Get the Most out of Church
2 Kings 2:19-22
• Here’s how to get the most out of church. Here’s what the enemy doesn’t want you to know. Whenever there is a need for spiritual recovery, God always uses a vessel through which to pour Himself (2 Chronicles 16:9).
• God desires a people He can use to restore what was lost, corrupted, and bitter. It will not be something old but fresh and new. The men of Jericho had come to Elisha with a serious problem. There was a problem with the water, and because of this, the ground would not bring forth. It was barren.
• (2 Kings 2:21) God never works without a vessel. The cure today is the same now as then. He said, “Bring me a new cruse!” On the Day of Pentecost, God never poured His Spirit out on Jerusalem. He poured it out on people. Revival comes through vessels in which He can live (Romans 12:1).
1. Relationship:
a. For that to happen, you must have a relationship with Him. You cannot have that relationship without prayer. You cannot maintain a life in the Holy Spirit without prayer (Luke 18:1). You cannot be holy without prayer. To walk in holiness IS to walk in the Spirit. He is God, the Holy Spirit! He Alone is our source of holiness. We can only have as much holiness as we have of the Holy Spirit, and we can only have as much of the Holy Spirit as we allow of His holiness.
2. Reception:
a. We must be capable of receiving. How do you get the most out of church? Be capable of receiving. If you come to church and don’t get anything out of it, it may be because you’re full of something else! If you’ve not poured yourself out in service to the Lord during the week, then when Sunday comes around, you’re still full.
b. Church is designed to fill empty vessels so they can be poured out again. The Holy Spirit operates poured out! If you want to get the most out of church, come empty! The Bible says we’ve nothing that we did not receive. God can only pour out of you what you allow Him to put in. If you are an empty vessel, you need filling. You need to be able to receive it!
3. Pour:
a. Not only must Life be able to flow into the vessel, but it must be able to flow out. Do you pour? Here’s a spiritual truth: the inflow is governed by the outflow! God’s work in time and His purpose in eternity require a prepared human vessel. If we’ll present to God a vessel that is holy and acceptable unto God, one that prayerfully maintains that relationship, is receptive, and willingly pours out, God will give us the river (John 7:37-38).
b. Everything God has for you is in the Holy Spirit. Elisha did not keep the salt in the vessel. He poured it out. The Holy Spirit cannot go about His business of healing and restoration, and salvation until He is poured out. The Church is to be where the vessels of God are refilled so they can be poured out again and again! That’s how to get the most out of church.