FUEL
FOR YOUR MISSION
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. In
April of 1970 the crew of Apollo 13 lifted off from earth for the third manned
landing on the moon. The mission was going smoothly. Since this was the third mission to the
moon it was practically ignored by the news media. All of that changed 56 hours into
the flight when Commander Jim Lovell radioed, “Houston, we have a problem.” There
had been an explosion on the spacecraft depleting its supply of oxygen. Since
oxygen was used to produce electricity and drinking water the mission quickly
changed from landing on the moon to returning the crew to earth safely. Would they
have enough fuel and supplies to last on the journey home?
B. Whatever your mission is in life you will encounter difficulty. Your life will not always
proceed as you have thought it would. You are going to encounter unexpected
difficulties. You are going to face challenges. You will experience disappointment,
discouragement and depression along the way. This is why it is crucial for you to
have the fuel necessary to see your mission through to completion.
C. There are very few people mentioned in the Bible who did not experience
discouragement at some point in their life.
1. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egypt. He was an eye witness to the mighty
works of God. After leading almost two million people across the Sinai peninsula
look at what Moses said in Numbers 11:14-15 – “I alone am not able to carry all this
people, because it is too burdensome for me. 15 So if You are going to deal thus
with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let
me see my wretchedness.”
2. Another familiar Bible character expressed a similar thought. In Jonah 4:3, where
the great prophet to Nineveh said, “Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from
me, for death is better to me than life.”
3, Both of these men were involved in Godly missions. Both of them were pursuing
their purpose with passion. Both of them had grown weary and were running low on
emotional and spiritual fuel.
D. The case-study I want us to consider is the prophet Elijah.
1. Here was a man who had pursued his mission with courage and determination.
2. He stood against the wickedness of wicked Jezebel, the queen of Israel and her
wicked husband Ahab.
3. In 1 Kings 18 he engaged 450 prophets of the Canaanite deity, Baal, in a contest
on Mount Carmel. After the prophets of Baal had cried out in van for heavenly
fire to consume their sacrifice Elijah built an altar, placed a sacrifice and doused
it with water. He then cried out to Jehovah who sent fire from heaven consuming
the sacrifice, the altar and the water in the surrounding trenches.
4. Elijah’s joy was short lived. In 1 Kings 19:2 Jezebel, upon hearing of Elijah’s
victory, said, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life
as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
a. Elijah’s mission was interrupted.
b. He suddenly faced opposition and persecution.
c. Suddenly, it seemed as it he had run out of fuel and his mission was over.
d. Verse 3 says that he was afraid for his life and ran to Beersheba in Judah. It was
like running from one end of the country to the other. He left his servant and went
a day’s journey into the wilderness where he sat down under a Juniper tree.
Listen to what he said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better
than my fathers” (verse 4).
5. This was the low point in Elijah’s life. His mission was in jeopardy. His fuel was
almost gone. Notice four important steps God took to refuel Elijah’s mission.
I. REST
A. Elijah was exhausted physically, spiritually and emotionally.
1. He had lived during drought and been sustained by God. He had lived with a
widow and her son (who he raised from the dead – 1 Kings 17:20-22).
2. When Jesus healed the woman who touched him (Mark 5:27-30), He felt power
go out from himself. Elijah’s work was physically tiring.
3. The conflict with Ahab, Jezebel and the prophets of Baal was emotionally
exhausting for Elijah.
B. Moses experienced the same type of fatigue.
1. He said, “I am no longer able to bear all of them” (Numbers 11:14).
2. Earlier when he had been spending all day judging the people Moses’ father-in-
law told him, “The thing you are not doing is not good” (Exodus 18:17). Moses
was about to burn himself out. He needed rest.
3. When Jonah was discouraged and depressed he had just finished preaching to
the large city of Nineveh. He was exhausted, sitting on a hill under the broiling
sun. He was worn out!
C. When you are running low on fuel for your mission one of the best things you can
do is get some rest.
1. When you are physically tired it is easy to become discouraged and depressed.
A lack of rest compromises your bodies immune system.
2. Notice what happened with Elijah. According to verses 5-6, “He lay down and
slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he
said to him, “Arise, eat.” 6 Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a
bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay
down again.”
3. Most of us seldom take time off. For many years I did not take a “day off” other
than Saturday to be with my family. In recent years I have taken Monday off. It
makes a huge difference in my physical, spiritual and emotional freshness. In his
book, Ordering Your Private World, Gordon McDonald insists that proper times of
rest are essential for good emotional and mental health.
II. REFRESHMENT
A. Elijah needed to refuel.
1. Not only did he need rest, he needed nourishment.
2. Notice how God took care of him (verse 5) by providing him with hot bread and a
jar of fresh water.
B. It is so easy to lose sight of your mission in life when you are physically,
emotionally or spiritually depleted. .
1. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us, “For your enemy, the Devil, walks around like a roaring
lion seeking whom he may devour.” Who do wild animals prey on? They prey on
those who are weak or isolated from others.
2. In Deuteronomy 25:17-18, Moses reminded the Israelites of how Amalek had
attacked them, “Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you
came out from Egypt, 18 how he met you along the way and attacked among you
all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary.”
3. When did Satan tempt Jesus? It was after Jesus had spent 40 days in the
wilderness without food. He was hungry, tired, isolated and vulnerable.
C. This is why we need to be refreshed.
1. Never stop learning.
2. Associate with people who will encourage you and lift you up.
3. Above all, draw spiritual nourishment from the Word of God.
III. REFLECTION
A. Elijah was spiritually exhausted. He needed time to reflect. God understood this
and provided a setting where Elijah could think.
1. It involved a place. Verse 8 says, “Then he came there to a cave and lodged
there.”
a. Do you have a place where you can get away from noise and distraction and
reflect on your life?
b. Jesus often went away to solitary places where he could pray. (Mark 1:35).
Luke 5:16 says He would often go out into the wilderness to pray.
2. It involved a process.
a. Examination. God asked, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (verses 9 and
13).
b. Elijah’s response on both occasions was to complain, “I have been very
zealous for the Lord but now I am the only one left.” This was Elijah’s personal
pity party. “Woe is me. No one cares.” Most “pity-parties” are greatly
exaggerated.
3. It involved a proclamation. Elijah went to the opening of the cave. There was a
devastating wind but God was not in the wind. There was a dramatic earthquake
but God was not in the earthquake. There was a fire but God wasn’t in the fire.
Suddenly there was a small, still voice. God does not yell to be heard.
IV. RENEWAL
A. What did God say? Beginning in verse15, “The Lord said to him, “Go, return on
your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall
anoint Hazael king over Aram; 16 and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king
over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as
prophet in your place. 17 It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword
of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of
Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. 18 Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that
have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
B. God provided:
1. Renewal- He renewed Elijah’s mission by giving Him instructions.
2. Reassurance. He told Elijah he would not be alone. There were 7000 who would
not bow their knee to Baal.
CONCLUSION:
A. Whatever your mission is in life you must keep an eye on your fuel tank. You will not
accomplish your mission if you are running on empty. Remember God’s strategy of
rest, refreshment, reflection and renewal.
B. There is no greater rest and renewal than that which Jesus promised in Matthew
11:28-30, “Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened…” If you need to
come to Him we invite you to do so today.
