How many of us have ever eaten something, something we really love. We love the taste, it's cooked in a special way, maybe something mother made.

Then we taste the same thing somewhere else, but it doesn't taste the same, something is missing.

We know that when we taste that something and it tastes different, we immediately recognize something is missing. We can still eat it but it's not as good as we expected. Our taste buds were ready for a party but instead they only experienced a visit.

Now let’s swing that over to the spiritual.

If we have never tasted the real thing and if we have never tasted the best, we can be satisfied with a substitute, with an imitation.

But once we have tasted the real thing, we can never be satisfied with an imitation. We know immediately that something is missing.

But the truth is, if we stay with the imitation long enough, we can get adjusted and get used to it.

Sad to say, that's exactly what's happened to many of God's people today, they've had the imitation, the substitute, and they have gotten used to it.

But thank God when you're exposed to the authentic again you recognize what you've been missing.

I can't speak for everyone today, so I'll just speak for myself, and I can tell you I have become painfully aware that something has been missing.

So, what’s missing? I'm going to start by saying... if you think nothing is missing then your spiritual taste buds are dead and need to be resurrected.

Follow along with me as we read 2 Kings 6:1-7

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

2Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

3And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

4So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

6And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

7Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

Let’s pray: Father I pray that we would examine our own relationship with You to see if our God given actions are sharp and righteous or if we have lost Your purpose and are simply doing our own thing. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

We find there are two main characters, an unnamed prophet student, and the prophet Elisha.

The text begins by telling us about a problem that the young seminary students had.

The building where they were meeting in, for Elisha to teach them God’s ways, was too narrow, so the students asked permission of Elisha to go to the area of the Jordan River where there were many trees so they could build a larger place.

We see a man who got a revelation of how serious it was to be limited and to lose his way to grow!

We find here what must become our anthem and heart’s cry for our life and our life as a church. We can be comfortable with the status quo or look for ways to grow.

APATHY is a force which tries to seep into our lives and our churches and make us comfortable, complacent and satisfied. 

The cry that parted the lips of this young man must become our constant, daily, weekly cry. It should be our cry individually and corporate cry.

The sons of the prophets made a statement that was literal for them but must become a spiritual statement for us. 

They approach Elisha and state, “The place where we are living is too strait (narrow) (limited) for us.”

This statement has implications for us personally: the place where some of us have been living spiritually is too limited. Most American Christians spend:

a. about 2 minutes in prayer each day. 

 b. Too little time in the house of God. 

c. Too little time inmeal occasionally will bring them breakthrough  the Word of God.  

d. and think that fasting one in an area of their lives.

It is time to realize that the place where we have been living, where we have been abiding and spending our time is too limited. Tell somebody, “I need some room”.

We know we are living in a small place when: We're not expecting God to set up divine appointments during our day;  we're not prepared to pray for people who have need;  we don't expect to be tested in our Christianity; when we're concentrating on our own needs and not the needs of others,  we're occupied about building our own kingdom not about building God's kingdom.

The Word tells us that we are commissioned to:  

a. grow and mature,  

b. move from glory to glory, precept to precept,  

c. move from milk to meat,

 d. to press onward and upward.

We were never called to be comfortable, stagnant, stationary or become a monument. We are told to expand and lengthen the lines. 

We cannot grow if we stay the same and do the same things we have always done. 

We can never take it to the next level if we continue to stay in the same small place. We must come to the place where we realize where we are living is too small. There is more out there, room to grow. 

We may think we have everything that we need; the right friends, the right job, and the right material goods but unless we live in a place where we can grow, we are destined to die.

I am calling for us stand up and proclaim: “Excuse me but I need some room. I refuse to die. I refuse to accept mediocrity. I refuse to stay like I have always been. 

I refuse to fight the same sin and temptation for the rest of my life. I refuse to be comfortable and just eat and go home. I refuse to stay in a small place. I need some room.”

The plan was for each student to cut beams of wood for the building expansion.

This was the first college seminary expansion that the Bible speaks of to my knowledge.

The prophet Elisha said, “That sounds like a great idea, go!”

So Elisha and his young students headed to the Jordan River to build a new college campus, and when they arrived, they immediately began to work on cutting down trees.

Each student was doing his part, and when one of the young students was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head flew off. 

The young Prophet immediately recognizes that something is missing. His work is ineffective.

Again, I can’t speak for everyone, so I’ll just speak for myself when I say this: I don’t want to waste any more time.

My time here on earth is running out and I want to know how to be as effective as possible.

If there’s more power, I want it.

If there’s a better way, I want to find it.

If there’s something missing, I want to add it.

If I’m doing it wrong, I want to get it right.

In our text, we find a school of prophets being instructed by the Prophet Elisha. We find that these young prophets or disciples feel that they have outgrown their present facilities.

It is perfectly normal that in the process of growth and maturity that as we grow into somethings we also grow out of others. I don’t wear the same size shoes I did when I was 5 years old.

Some are stuck in an environment that is too small because they refuse to change, they refuse to let go of what they are familiar with and comfortable with even though it’s causing them grief and pain.

Some need to reevaluate their friendship circle because God is trying to take them somewhere, but shortsighted, low living and lukewarm people are holding them back.

Every man took a beam; each man must carry his share of the load. It means that each person must be personally involved and committed to the work, and each person must make a personal investment. (Every person must have their own personal testimony).

Elisha said, Go ye, one said, be content I pray thee and go with thy servants.

One had enough spiritual sense and discernment and perception to realize their success was depend-ant upon moving in the divine will and purpose and power of God.

In other words, one said, we can’t do this without God.

Too many people have chosen to do it their own way and they’ve left God out. If we do not give God an invitation He will not come. If He does not come then you and I are left with a flesh operation.

They cut down wood: (They went to work). While they are busy working one of the young prophets loses his axe head. 

He immediately recognizes he has lost his power; his actions were not producing any results.

But he acknowledges something else as well; He acknowledges that the axe head was borrowed, the power was borrowed; he did not own it. It was the property of another.

He recognizes that his ability and his power to work effectively came from someone else.

How many know that the same thing is true for you and me? The power is not ours; the power comes from another.

I know we think we’re a wonder, but we didn’t take 39 stripes on our back, die a cruel death on a cross, descend into the belly of hell and rip the keys of death and hell out of Satan’s hands and then rise from the dead after three days and ascend into heaven. 

Jesus, the one that was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died a selfless death, and conquered sin and hell.

He is the one that baptizes with the Holy Ghost and Fire.

John said, I baptize you with water, but there is one coming after me and He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

The Power source is the Holy Ghost; it’s the anointing of the Holy Ghost that destroys the yoke.

It’s the anointing that heals sick bodies.

It’s the anointing that restores broken families.

It’s the anointing that drives out devils.

It’s the anointing that sets the captives free.

It’s the anointing that causes the deaf to hear, the lame to walk, and the blind to see.

I have to say bravo for this young man who immediately realizes he’s lost the power.

He immediately recognizes the axe head is gone, his power is gone, and he realizes “I can’t do a thing without it”

How much better off would we be in the church today if we had as much intelligence and integrity as this young man had?

He knew he had lost the power.

He knew he couldn’t do a thing without it.

He quit swinging and went to the prophet.

We’ve got too many people in the church today that have lost the power somewhere along the way, but they won’t admit it, they continue to swing the axe handle.

It sounds like they are cutting down trees, they are going through the same motions as those that are truly doing the work God has for them, but they are not accomplishing anything but bruising tree trunks. 

Some of us would be in the water searching “to and fro” staying very busy, “Immersing ourselves” completely out of God’s will but rationalizing why we’ve become “Water thrashers” for Jesus.

Going through the motions, keeping up appearances, putting on a good show, looking the part, shouting when it’s time to shout, clapping when it’s time to clap, laughing when it’s time to laugh, “But no Power”

The Bible says of Samson: After he revealed the secret of his covenant vow and his hair was cut and his strength went from him; that Delilah stood and called to him as at other times, and said, “Samson the Philistines be upon thee.”

Samson awoke and said: I will go out as at other times. In other words, Samson was saying: I know how to do this, I know how it works, I can do it.

The Bible says: He shook himself as at other times, but he knew not that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from him.

He went through the same motions as he had at other times, but the anointing was gone.

It’s a tragedy to lose the anointing, the power of God in our life. But the greater tragedy is to lose that sweet anointing; that glorious touch of heaven and not know it, or worse, to know it but not admit it.

This young man said by his actions:

I lost it.

I know I lost it.

I can’t do a thing without it.

I want it back; I wonder, do we?

I’m not here to condemn anyone but has someone here lost that sweet touch of God; do we still feel the anointing, has the fire gone out; could we just be going through the motions? Just asking.

I came to the conclusion:  

I can’t do a thing without it.

I can’t sing without the anointing.

I can’t teach without the anointing.

I can’t preach without the anointing.

I can’t pray without the anointing.

I can’t worship without the anointing.

In fact, I agree with the songwriter who said: I can’t walk without Him, I can’t talk without Him.

As a matter of fact, I can’t even breathe without Him. In Him we live, we move, and we have our being.

We must reach the place this young man reached where he refused to carry on without it.

I would rather hear one single anointed man or woman of God sing, than a thousand voice choir without the anointing.

Because that one anointed man or woman singing under the anointing carries the touch of heaven and bodies are healed, and yokes are destroyed and captives are set free, and lives are changed for eternity.

I feel something happening in this atmosphere, I feel an anointing rising up in this house.

Show me the place: Where did we lose it?

When did we start just going through the motions?

When did church become dull and lifeless?

When did prayer become just a duty?

Show me the place; was it when somebody lied about me?

Was it when we worked so hard, and somebody overlooked us?

Somebody criticized us?

Or was it that we just got too busy with personal matters, (the job, the kids, all their activities?)

When we deserted our devotional time, got too busy to pray, too busy to read the Bible.

Or was it sitting at the computer, letting the Internet steal our life away?

It’s a question we have to answer for ourselves.

We can’t get it back till we admit where we lost it.

Where did we lose our hunger for God?

Where did we lose our passion?

Where did we lose our zeal, our love for the things of God?

Where did we cool off?

We used to be red hot, but now we’re lukewarm.

The Bible says, he showed him the place.

Every experience in life is connected with a place.

I can take you to the place where I was born.

I can take you to the place where I graduated.

I can take you to the place where I was saved, (the 

building may not be there, but I can take you to the spot).

I can take you to that place where I was baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire.

I can also take you to the place where the devil started whispering in my ear, and I began to quench the Spirit in my life.

Then I can take you to the place where I wrestled with the Spirit of God all night long making a choice between my will or His destiny for me.

I can take you to the place where I repented, and God said I love you and I forgive you. 

He showed him the place.

Our mind has a storehouse of all the significant things that have happened in our life, good or bad. And they are all connected with a place.

He showed him the place and the prophet cut down a stick and threw it in the water, at the place, the place where he had lost it.

That stick represents Jesus who was cut down in the midst of His years, but through His sacrifice, He opened the door for our redemption and for us to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, the Iron did swim.

That axe head that was laying down there on the bottom, got up and started swimming toward that young prophet.

That means that axe head started moving quickly toward that young man.

I just came to tell somebody this morning there’s some stuff that you thought was gone forever, that is getting ready to come back into your life.

There are some things that you have said to yourself, there is no way I can see that ever happening, and you’re getting ready to see it. 

In fact, it’s just about ready to break the surface; I can see some faith ripples in the water.

The Bible says, Elisha told the young man to “put forth thy hand and take it up to thee.” And he reached forth his hand and took it.

Folks, it’s within reach, we can have it if we want it, we can have it if we’re willing to reach for it. We have got to take it.

This is what the Holy Spirit has been showing me that is missing in the church and in many of our lives.

And to tell the truth I have been under conviction that we could ever think for a minute that we can move forward without it.

Passion, Zeal for God, True Spiritual hunger, burden, travail for the lost, Holy ghost conviction.

Consecration, Commitment, Sanctification, Holiness, Fasting and Prayer, Miracles, Signs, Wonders, Healing, Deliverance.

This is what I have been Hearing and sensing and knowing and recognizing in my Spirit that has been missing in my life and our lives.

This is how I'm closing this service today; I want it Back. Just like the young prophet wanted that axe head back and wanted his cutting power back.

I want it back; I want everything that I let slip away from me back. I want everything that I underestimated and thought I could do without, I want it back.

I want my passion back

I want my fire back

I want my freedom and my liberty and my joy back.

I want the power back.

I want the supernatural back.

I want the desire for fasting and prayer back in my life.

I want the glory of God back in my life and back in the church.

Something’s been missing and now I know what it is, and I refuse to carry on without it, I want it back!! How about you, do you want it back?

Come on it’s time to take your joy back, Take your peace back, Take your children back, Take your ministry back, Take your anointing back.

I don’t care how bad you’ve messed up; God said  He’s here to restore it to you if you’ll just admit that you need Him and that you can’t do a thing without Him.

Everything you need is in the Anointing, and it’s within reach if we’ll just stretch out and take it.

If you know in your heart, you have lost something, you don't have that fire you used to have. The anointing is not operating in your life like it used to. You don't have that Joy, that peace you used to have. 

Your prayers are dull and dry, and empty. Your worship has become a ceremony rather than a celebration.

Or maybe I'm talking to someone right now, who is saved, you've been washed in the blood of Jesus and you're ready for heaven, but you've never received this precious gift, this power from on high, this anointing.

The Bible says the promise is unto you and unto your children and all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

God wants to give us power over the devil and power to be a witness.

Ask Him to do that in your life this morning.

The alter is open or just lift you're hands right now and ask Him to fill you afresh with His Spirit.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen!