[Update: You can now view the main session videos HERE!]
The FCA USA Convention is now in full swing and we are about to head into our second evening together after a full day of receiving from God. I encourage you to follow along on the blog, social media and on the Livestream if you are not able to be present…and join the conversation online if you ARE present.
We’ll be using the hashtags #fcaconvention and #theanointing throughout the week so that we can all be part of what God is doing in us as a fellowship and as ministers.
Here is a glimpse of what we heard last night from Ellie Lofaro brought to you by Autumn Sellen:
The anointing can be an intense topic. We come to a convention and say I want to be anointed. I want to be more anointed. There’s a lot of information out there and a lot of it is a waste of your time. There’s nothing wrong with having a plan. It’s good to have a plan but there is no substitute for the anointing. There’s no substitute for God.
The story in 2 Kings 6:5-7 about the lost ax shows how God is interested in our troubles and wants to turn them into victories and miracles. This story revolves around an ax that was missing a handle. So simple. Yet very powerful. If the ax stayed on the handle there would be no need for faith. God is interested in the trivial problems we face.
To recover the axe head would take nothing less than a miracle. I believe that’s why God placed this scripture in the Bible so that when things go bad, we can trust He can turn them into something great. God is not strained by budgets and problems. Let’s look at how the ax was recovered. The young man rushed to explain his dilemma. Today we rush to hide our failures. We don’t need to hide all our failure and mistakes. It’s okay to let others know we are human.
1. The young man rushed to Elisha and explained his dilemma.
Desperate times call for desperate prayers. We know we have lost the edge but are we too afraid to admit it. When you lose the ax head the people already know it. The ones who love you already know it and are praying for you. It’s important to go to Jesus.
We are not to be saddled by the problems of ministry.
2. It is now Elisha’s dilemma.
We shouldn’t come down on people when they fail. They don’t need to be made small. We should make people to feel love, mercy, and grace.
Elisha is calm when the young man came to him.
We need to ask ourselves:
When did I lose my zeal? When did I be able to preach and not connect?
Where did I lose it? It’s good for us to go back and evaluate.
What happened to your first love?
What happened to your sharpness?
What is sinking? Why did you lose?
Get help.
As leaders, we have become so self-sufficient. We need to be more accountable and transparent. We all feel inadequate. You’re the leader and people are coming to you for a cup of refreshment.
Let it never be about us.
3. When this young man identified the place of his loss; Elisha acted
We need to become humble. “Lord, it broke. It sank. It’s missing.” It doesn’t take a lot to sink us.
4. Elisha told the young man to take up the ax head.
Elisha said reclaim your usefulness again. We need to help restore people so that they are loved and valued. Reclaim your usefulness.
God wants to restore us when we lose our axes. He is not waiting around to punish you for losing your ax in life and ministry. He wants to bring restoration to all who have lost their edge in ministry so that God’s work can be done through His people.
Click HERE if you would like to hear all of the message from Ellie Lofaro.
