Shut Up to God

I remember years ago, before God called me into ministry, back when I was still a wealthy businessman. At the time, I was financially supporting a man in ministry who was a preacher, and his ministry was at a turning point, and I felt he could see God's face and direction better if he got away for a few days to get along with God. I found a new two-story cabin by a lake out in the country, and I got it reserved for him, and I offered to finance the whole trip if this minister could break away from the busyness of his schedule to go get along with God, to seek God for the future direction of his ministry.

He said he'd think about it, and let me know. A few days later, he told me he was just too busy to break away, and he didn't want to leave his family anyhow, and he decided to pass on my offer. The stumbles that ministry fell into after that were monumental and very costly.

I've often wondered how some of his pitfalls could have been avoided if he, like the prophet Ezekiel, had only taken the time to get by his own river, Kabar, and shut himself up to God in prayer. Maybe heaven would have opened as he saw a vision of God for the future of his ministry. I've had to learn that very fact the hard way myself, that when I go out in the busyness of life and fail to shut myself up with my God, then I often miss God.

In Ezekiel chapter one, and in verses one through three, we read, Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, as I was among the captives by the river Kabar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. In the fifth day the month which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, the word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Kabar, and the hand of the Lord was there upon him. I will stop there, friends.

Notice three aspects from our striking text. Ezekiel was out in a solitary place where he could commune with God. Secondly, the word of God, the word of the Lord, came expressly unto him.

God spoke clearly to him with crystal clear clarity, and the hand of the Lord was upon him. His ministry had God seal upon it with authority from on high. I can always tell when a man has been alone with God, for God is with him.

Our trouble today, friends, is we preachers don't make time to go get alone with God, to hear his voice, to get his touch upon us in power. If we would only make time, to take time, to shut ourselves up to God in prayer and get in his presence long enough, it would make all the difference in our ministry. Preachers who I've known, who've had power with God, and influence with man, spent much time alone with God.

God made Ezekiel his watchman, but first he had to become speechless in his holy presence. We read in chapter three, beginning in verse 22, and the hand of the Lord was there upon me, and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. Then I rose and went forth into the plain, and, behold, the glory the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Kabar, and I fell on my face.

Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself up within thy house. Now listen, friends, to what transpires next here in this striking passage. But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them, and I will make thy tongue cleave to the mouth, and thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to them to be a reprover, for they are a rebellious house.

But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God. I will stop there, friends. I believe the God of Ezekiel is still the same God now as he was then.

I believe he still has almighty power, and I believe he's looking for a man who will make time and sacrifice to get alone with him, to shut himself up with God long enough to where God will shut his mouth long enough to hear God's voice, and then open his mouth to go out with holy boldness and with authority from on high to proclaim fearlessly before men. Thus saith the Lord God.