Samuel Rodriguez - More Water on the Wood Please
Stop making excuses for not coming to church. And I don't mean this church we've been blessed we haven't missed a beat but I'm talkin' about to all the people streaming around the world. Go back to your home church. Don't live in fear live in faith. You can put a mask take care of yourself you can drink green tea whatever it takes but just go to church. This message brought to you by enough is enough. So, he wet the wood and then he, I'mmo make it legal y'all can see I'm not making this up.
1 Kings 18:33: "He piled wood on the alter," verse 33, "Cut the wood into pieces and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, 'fill four large jars with water and pour the water over the offering and the wood'". After they had done this he said, "Do the same thing again". Second time, second time, second time, second time. More water on the wood please, soak it up baby here it is, drench it, drench it, drench it, drench that thing. Put more water on the wood and then I love this. 1 Kings 18:34 now then he says, the Bible, this is the Bible then Elijah looked hmmm, is it wet enough yet? Is it wet enough? Hmm, let me get a lighter. Some of y'all have a lighter don't fake it, don't act like you don't have. Some of y'all come on you from Rio Linda stop it you know what I'm talking about, stop it. So, he takes, he looks at the wood and it's already wet and he looks at it and says, "Nah, it's not wet enough".
How can it be? And he says, "Now do it for a third time put more water on the wood please". Go ahead. More water on the wood. "And the water ran around the alter and even filled a trench". 1 Kings 18:35. That's a subject matter today. I want you to look at your neighbor and tell 'em, "More water on the wood please". Tell other neighbor, "More water on the wood please". The wood was not just wet it was drenched. Let's, pastor Jeff, let's lift this up it was, we're talking about soaking up wet. Logan, help me out Sean get, this is wet wood you try to light this thing up good luck with that, right? So why would he wet it? This is crazy it is drenched. Show them it's drenched. I love this. The wood was not just wet it was drenched. Saturated, the water fully permeated the wood.
Why in the world would the prophet spend so much time putting water on the wood? Here it is point number one, more water on the wood means the moment it becomes impossible it officially belongs to God. I'mmo say that one more time more water on the wood means the moment it becomes impossible it officially belongs to God. We gotta reach the point of when it reaches the point in your life. Your circumstance, your relationship, your health whatever it maybe. The moment it reaches the impossible where it's so drenched that nothing will, no human will be able to do it, you won't be able to do it, your contacts won't be able to do it, the people that love you won't be able to, have you ever been at point that the only one that could've taken you out was God? Have you ever been at a point where your life was so drenched? What if I tell you that sometimes the wood needs to get wet before the fire falls?
Ah, sometimes God will permit your circumstance to become critical in order for his grace to be nothing less than glorious. Sometimes God will permit your surroundings to grow dark before he turns on the spotlight of his mercy. Sometimes, let me give you biblical examples of more water on the wood. Sometimes he will permit Pharaoh and his forces to follow you right before he makes a way and drowns all the enemies of your past. Exodus 15:4. Sometimes he will permit all your haters to gather around you before he declares, "'no worry the battle is mine,' saith the Lord", 2 Chronicles 20:15. Sometimes he will permit the furnace to grow hotter seven times before he shows up like a boss in the fire making certain you come out full of favor, Daniel 3:19.
More water on the wood speaks to the prophet's objective of demonstrating that your circumstance cannot stop God from showing you his glory. More water on the wood this is, help me out one more time lift them up show them it soaking wet. Some of y'all have families that look like this right now. Some of you have family members that look like this right now. Some of you in this auditorium and streaming you look like this right now. It looks like nothing will ignite your destiny, nothing will ignite your purpose, nothing will ignite your health but there is a God in heaven who... I feel the Lord. I need you to get ready. You may look like that right now but when God says I'm gonna send my fire there's not a demon in hell or a devil on earth that can stop your wood from igniting. In other words, your reality will never be greater than God's redemption. Your problem will never exceed God's promise. Your brokenness will never be more powerful than God's breakthrough.
Here's a verse that everyone here must memorize. Everyone streaming Luke 1:37: "There is nothing that God cannot do". Oh, that right there I don't know if you got that I said there's nothing that God cannot do. In your family there's nothing that God cannot do. In your surroundings, in your health, in your finances, in your future, in your faith, in your mind there's nothing that God cannot do. You have a troubled person in your life put a smile on your face. There is nothing that God cannot do. In other verse it says, "Nothing is impossible for God". If you serve the God of the impossible shout like you serve the God of the impossible and praise like you serve him. Somebody just repeat after me. Repeat after me, "There is nothing that God cannot do. The Word of God will never fail. Nothing is impossible for God". You just quoted Luke 1:37 nothing the Word of God, more water, more water on the wood means get ready to see the God of the impossible show up. More water on the wood means the moment it becomes impossible. It officially belongs to... It officially belongs to God.
Number two, quickly, more water on the wood means we serve the God that cannot be stopped. He did not just wet the wood one tone, two times, he wet the wood three times. In other words, I want the wood to be so wet that when the fire consumes it we will all come to the same conclusion no matter how wet it may be nothing can stop God. The wet wood cannot stop God's fire from falling. Your circumstance, your reality, your condition does not deter God it attracts God. More water on the wood means God makes up his mind when he says I'mmo do it nothing that hell can do, nothing that we can do, can stop him. Isaiah 14:2: "The Lord of heavens armies has spoken who can change his plans"? The CEV version says, "I, the Lord all powerful have made these plans and no one can stop me now".
What can stop God? Who can stop God? God has a plan for you, for your family, for your relationship, for your destiny. Who can stop God? I really want you to ask your neighbor very inquisitive minds, ask your neighbor, who can stop God? Ask the other neighbor the one that doesn't want you to ask him any questions. Ask that neighbor, who can stop God? Job 42:2 says, "I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you". 1 Thessalonians 5:24: "Faithful and absolutely trustworthy is he who is calling you to himself. For your salvation," the Amplified version, "And he will do it, he will fulfill his call by making you holy. Guarding you, watching over you, and protecting you as his own". Who can stop God?
Here's my question right now. As we come out of this cuckoo for cocoa puffs season, who can stop God? Somebody say, "Nothing can stop God". Nothing can stop God's glory from shining. Nothing can stop God's blood from cleansing, nothing can stop God's truth from setting the captives free. Nothing can stop God's spirit from moving. Nothing can stop God from loving you, from covering you, from using you, from blessing you, from anointing you, from filling you, from smiling upon you and from favoring you. And by the way some of us need to get over ourselves, your past cannot stop God. Let me say that one more time. Your past cannot stop God. Your past, your weaknesses cannot stop God. Your bank account cannot stop God, your failures cannot stop God, your haters cannot stop God.
And I wanna speak corporately, politicians can't stop God. Government cannot stop God. The military cannot stop God. Big tech cannot stop God. Covid cannot stop God. The God that we serve is unstoppable. If you serve that God, praise, somebody shout like he's unstoppable. Somebody praise like he's unstoppable. Somebody act like he's unstoppable. Somebody live like he's unstoppable. Serve like he's unstoppable. Love like he's unstoppable. Give like he's unstoppable. Is there a church in Sacramento, that believes that God cannot be stopped? We serve an unstoppable God. Raise your hands both hands and say, "We serve an unstoppable God".
Do you get this? Who can stop God? The world's wood is wet and what will take place the fire, I don't care how wet it is God's fire will consume it. I don't care how broken it is God's grace will repair it. I don't care how lost it is God's mercy will find it. I don't care how dirty it is God's love will cover it. More water on the wood means God cannot be stopped. It was drenched, it was drenched. And he has the audacity to say, "You see this wet drenched wood, watch that wood get on fire". Has anybody been here? Has anybody looked like this? Where everyone around you doubted you and said there's no way. And all of a sudden God showed up and said, 'ahhh'! And God said, "You're wet here's my fire! Here's my favor! Here's my power! Here's my glory! You never should've been ignited but here you are on fire for the glory of Jesus"!
And the final point, final point, point number three. More water on the wood means get ready for all that know you to declare that was all God. One more time, more water on the wood, more water on wood means the moment it becomes impossible it officially belongs to... More water on the wood means that our God is unstoppable. More water on the wood means that everyone that knows you both friend and foe, everyone's gonna have to declare that's all God. That was all God. How many are ready to wrap up? How many believe that before this year is over even the people that couldn't stand you are gonna have to reluctantly go? They're gonna have to shake their head and go I'm gonna have to admit it God's favor is all over them. God's glory is all over them. God's power is all over them.
Drench the wood, the prophet said, "Wet that thing, keep on wetting it". In other words, I want the wood to be so wet that you cannot attribute the fire to the drought. I want the wood to be so wet that you can't attribute the fire to the surroundings. I want the wood to be so wet that when the fire consumes it everyone will have no other choice but to say that was all God. We're gonna be careful now but in a very nuanced, humble way, I do need you to look at somebody in this auditorium just one person and go you see this, all God. Go ahead tell them right now. No, no tell them like you mean it. Matter a fact let's go, go to somebody else and tell them you see this, all God. I shouldn't even be here right now, but here I am. I shouldn't even be alive right now, but here I am. I shouldn't even be in this church right now, but here I am. Somebody look and say all God. All God. Does anyone here know that the reason you got here is by the grace of God? How God made a way when there was no other way.
Anybody here because it was all... Somebody say, "It was all"! The prophet was intentional, "Drench it"! So, it makes it impossible for men to get the glory. Oh man. Even people that don't know you that just meet you would have to open up their mouth and go, "You, all God". So, let me tell you a story just happened this past week y'all. Yeah, so, last Sunday we wrapped up service this year, we had church, amazing, God showed up, beautiful. And after the service I went to my eldest daughter's house to celebrate Mila's birthday party. And we had time, my three kids were with us and its family time, good times. We left it was 6:31 P.M. in the evening and I get a notification on my iPhone from my security company guarding my home. And now I get them a lot 'cause like I have people working in my home and you know landscapers and all that so you get that a lot.
So I know which door like if, you know, my guy went to turn on the sprinklers and I get that, so I know it's like false alarm turn it off. But for the first time the notification came from a room that's not an accessible room normally. So, something hit me immediately and said, "Somebody's trying to break into your house". So, it's 6:31 P.M. In the evening. So we're driving on the 80 and I can't say it was God but something filled me, that's for whatever reason by coincidence prompted my right foot to press the gas even more. Can't say it was God I'm just saying somehow the foot... And I do wanna apologize publicly for violating speed limit laws I just wanna tell you that. "I confess it," 1 John 1:9 please forgive me. Got home quick, yeah.
So, we got there and went to the back a the house where the alarm came and there was no one there. So, we went there and I checked a back door, the back door had a crack this big about yea big kid you not. So, and to the bottom of my glass door entry too my master family room and it was there. So, I'm lookin' and going like and the rest a the glass it's not shattered but it's cracked inside. And I'm going like, maybe it wasn't a break in 'cause it's just a little crack at the bottom. So, I'm thinkin' man. The cops came and you know police officers two wonderful men came over very, very affable very nice. "Mr. Rodriguez how can we help you? What happened"?
Well just you know I don't know guys maybe we wasted your time. This and they looked and they went like this look, I'm looking for a 22 caliber 'cause it was that small you know somebody maybe somebody with BB gun it looked like BB 'cause it was just. So, I looked like you know the residue you know and all nothing zero. You know if we woulda talked about maybe my lawn, you know my landscaper, my gardening guy was mowing the lawn and a rock. "Gzz...Boom". Maybe but that he was there on Thursday. I never woulda I got a three-day effect in an alternate universe like well you know in. What is this a multiverse issue? Like you know, you know space time continuums.
So, I'm going like okay that's not it that's not logical. An animal? Maybe an a psychotic animal had some issues Bam hit the thing really hard, you never know. I've been to parties you know what I'm talkin' about and I've seen people do strange things. So, none a that so finally the cops just look at us and go like, is there anything missing? We went room by room nothing. So, the house wasn't broken into but there's a glass outside that was and now we have to repair that glass, we don't know where. The cops said, "Man I can't write it up as a break in I'm just gonna have to". Whatever nothing no report you guys are good.
So, he left so I put on my gym clothes and got ready to work out that evening, Sunday evening and so I went to the gym. I'm in the gym my wife gives me a call, she says, "Oh honey". I go, "What's up"? She goes, "Guess what? It was an attempted break-in". I go what do you mean? They said, "No, no they came back". Who came back? "You know the cops". I go, what? "They came back they're taking a report". What report? We just said we don't even know. Yeah, how do they know it was a break-in. It was two guys, they know it was a break-in. How do we know? Because our neighbor on the other side of our development the same people did the same thing, same modus operandi. Except they succeeded. Broke into their house spent 1 hour ransacked it and took their stuff. I went like what? Yup they were there for an hour and that also like convicted me but by the way they did break sumthin' in my house but what they broke could be repaired but they did not come in. The damage was superficial but not permanent.
Some of you spiritually speaking, emotionally speaking, have been through the same thing. The enemy tried to break in and grab a hold of your purpose and your destiny and your future and your faith. The devil thought he was gonna break in, he broke something that can be repaired. Matter a fact I prophecy it's already been repaired. He may have broken something on the outside, but the inside still belongs to God. I'm here to tell you the inside cannot be touched. The inside will not be stolen. Anybody know what I'm talking about in this place? Oh, another lesson that I learned from this you're gonna connect the dots here about the more water to wood in a second.
The other lesson I learned is why did they get to my neighbor's house and not me? And God bless our neighbor. But why did they get to? Our neighbor did not have an alarm and a sensor at the back of the house. See I have sensors in every window and every door. If you breathe too hard the alarms gonna sound. So, my neighbor only had an alarm the front door. Watch this. Not making this up. The thieves broke into my neighbor's house 'cause they had no sensors and no alarms in the back. They broke in through the back, they were there for close to an hour they stole a bunch a stuff. And you know why they know they were, because, a-dah, they walked out the front door. I don't think these guys graduated from Stanford I'm just sayin'. I'm assuming they did not. But here's what God convicted me.
Notice how their back was vulnerable and their front was not. Sometimes our public expression is protected, but the private areas in our life are vulnerable. I'm preaching now. You gotta protect the private areas that nobody sees. You gotta protect the weak areas of your life. You gotta put spiritual sensors and alarms in the area of your vulnerability, in the areas of your weaknesses. Because if your back is covered and your front is covered, and your side is covered nothing will be able to steal your joy! So, let me wrap up here. Did they? You know why the thieves left my house? You know why they left? Because the moment they went like this with the little window breaking thing, there's was a sound that came outta my house that was so overwhelming that it literally, according to the police officers, prompted those guys to flee. Oh, you're not getting that.
I'm here to tell you praise is the alarm that tells hell you will not have access to my joy. Praise is the sound that let's the enemy know that your house is protected. Are there any protected houses in the church here today? Somebody praise like your house is protected. Worship like your house is protected. Lift up your hands I'm done. Your praise is the alarm that stops the enemy from breaking in. Your praise is the sound that serves as the deterrent stopping the enemy form coming in. Praise says God is in the house. Your praise says the house is protected. Your praise says the Spirit of God is in this house. Your praise is the affirmation that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.
It is the confirmation that you are not alone. It is the audible manifestation of divine presence in your habitation. Make a sound. Let the devil know he cannot have access. Make a sound. I dare you to make a sound and say you will not steal my joy. You will not steal my peace. You will not steal my faith. You will not steal my health. You will not steal my family. You will not steal my dream. If you got this raise your hand. I told you more water on the wood means that the only explanation is God.
So here I am, I'm in the gym. The police officers come back home they talk to pastor Eva they get their report and then this happened. They look at my wife and one a them goes, "Mam, please forgive me for asking, what church do you go to"? Pastor Eva says, she didn't even say we pastor. She said, "We got to a church called new season in Sacramento". He goes, "The reason why I'm asking is simple. You guys are covered". No, no I told you your covered, your covered! Are there any covered people in the house here today? Somebody shout, "Only God! All God, that was all God"! Say it with me right now.