A0315_The Drought Breaker
Date: 10th June 2007 (Sunday AM) Ref: A0315
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: The Drought Breaker
Text: & Isaiah 44:3
Illust: As we keep being told & we can clearly see we are in a drought. But did you know that there are more than 326 million trillion gallons of water on Earth.
Issue is that Less than three percent of all water on Earth is freshwater (usable for drinking) and of that amount, more than two-thirds is locked up in ice caps and glaciers. – Plenty of water, but not all of it is useable for life. What is good for life only a small amount available.
I. Drought
A. Symptoms of Drought
i. No doubt about it we are in a drought, all across the country our dams are at shockingly low levels
So far in 2007, the ACT has received less rainfall than for the same period last year – the worst year on record – and our dam levels are currently at the lowest levels ever recorded and fast declining. – 30.92%
Melbourne's Water Storages have a total capacity of 1,773,000 Megalitres. They currently hold 506,179 Megalitres. This means that they are 28.6%* full.
Sydney’s Water storage is down at 36.9%
ii. One of the results of being in a drought is that Water Restrictions are introduced. These are designed to reduce our consumption of the valuable resource of water so that what we do have lasts.
Causes hardship, loss of plants, gardens, we have to be careful when using water. ~ Not much to go around.
Jeremiah 14:4 Because the ground is parched, For there was no rain in the land …(NKJV)
iii. The ground is dry, & barren. – parched, No fruitfulness
B. Drought of Spirit
i. We all know the symptoms in the world, but there is another form of drought. A drought of the Spirit, a parched soul, a barren place where there is no fruitfulness, the heavens are as brass.
Deuteronomy 28:23 The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. (NIV)
ii. A drought of soul & spirit. – Some of the reasons for this may be that you’re ignoring God or running from Him.
Maybe it’s your bad attitudes, unforgiveness, lusts, jealousy, bitterness, selfishness, fear, rebellion.
Maybe you live day to day relying on self - lack of faith;
One word that covers all of these - Sin
iii. Throughout scripture, drought is a direct result of sin.
Deuteronomy 28:24 The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. (NKJV)
II. Water, Water Everywhere
A. Unhealthy Water
i. Very real Danger when we are in a drought that we will try anything to satisfy our thirst:
Recently received a flyer in the mail. A group holding a public meeting over the ACT Governments plans to pump recycled/treated sewerage water into the dams. – They are not happy. About this.
ii. If we are dry we can be tempted to drink things that are not going to be helpful. – We start to look for the things of the world to satisfy our thirst;
Shopping, material acquisitions, worldly pursuits & entertainments. We want to watch a video or read a novel more than get into the presence of God.
They are muddy cisterns.
iii. They are also ultimately harmful, they:
Feed an appetite of the flesh, develops a greater hunger for the things of the world & the flesh, reduces your hunger & thirst for the things of God – Deeper drought
Isaiah 55:2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? (NKJV)
“You are in control of your spiritual appetite, not God. You will hunger for what you feed on.” John Bevere
Not Healthy: - Yes they may seem to give you some enjoyment, seem like they satisfy, but ultimately they are not good for you, get into debt, pollute your mind, your spirit. ~ Leave you spiritually sick.
B. Potable Water
i. A tem we hear a lot these days with water restrictions is the term Potable Water. ~ Water of sufficient quality to serve as drinking water is termed potable water.
ii. We must have potable water to live. ~ You can survive for several weeks without food, but for only a few days without water. ~ Living Water.
John 4:13-14 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (NKJV)
iii. If you are to live spiritually then you must have a constant regular intake of living water. Needs to be a priority. You need to thirst for the Living Water.
Psalm 42:1-2 1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? (NKJV)
III. Springs of Living Water
A. Drought Breaker
i. If there is a drought, it must be broken. – That is what we are praying for in this nation. That the drought would be broken. – It must be the same in your life that you desire the drought broken.
1st Step - Repentance
2 Chronicles 6:26-27 26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 27 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance. (NKJV)
ii. The Promise of our text this AM ~ & Text - God will pour water on you if you are thirsty.
iii. I like this, God not going to just give you a thimble of water. ~ NO! ~ If you will thirst, God will pour out – abundance, more than enough! – He is the drought breaker
Isaiah 58:11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. (NKJV)
Psalm 107:9 For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (NKJV)
B. The Word & The Spirit
i. When you hunger & thirst for something you will go out of your way to get what you desire. This AM you need to cultivate a thirst for the presence of God.
Doesn’t come automatically. Must be developed. We can read of men & women that spent 4 hrs per day in prayer. Couldn’t do it. ~ I suspect they didn’t start with 4 hrs. – Spent 30 minutes, thirst for more, 1hr, for more 2hrs – Their thirst outweighed all other priorities of sleep and carnal pleasures.
I am not saying that if you are not praying for 4 hours you are not spiritual, not at all. I don’t. But there needs to be something in you something developing & growing that is thirsting for more of God than you currently experience.
ii. Also a hunger for more of His word. – Reading the Bible can seem dry & a struggle, but it is food for your soul. – Necessary to your spiritual life & growth.
1 Peter 2:2 as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, (NKJV)
How much do you desire to spend time reading the Word of God? – Needs to be developed. Sit down develop a reading plan; make a commitment to read a chapter or more during the day. The key is to set aside time.
iii. As John Bevere wrote; “The more of God you get. The more of God you crave” – This morning we need to repent of our self reliance, our sin & make a commitment to seek God in prayer & in His word. – He will break the drought & pour out living water on your soul.