Our Fire-starter comes from 2 Kings 6. Our Fire-starter
thought is: the power that lies within the axehead
Our Fire-starter verse is verse 5.
Have you ever tried to use an axe? Have you ever tried it with just the
wood and not the blade? It’s not going to do any good.
In our text The sons of the prophets told Elisha that the place was too
strait for us, which means, too small for us. So they ask if they could
go to Jordan and cut down wood and make themselves houses, of course,
Elisha says yes. Something I want you to notice is as they were cutting
down wood there was one that his axehead fell in the water.
Something I want you to consider this morning, without the axehead there
was no progress being made. Without the axehead the work had to cease.
He could try cutting a tree down without the axehead but it would not work.
Spiritual side to this we are the handle and the Holy Spirit is the
axehead.
When we try to do things without him work will always stop. Work will
never get completed. Yes we may make a little difference in the wood. We
might make a little mark but we will not make a big difference without
the axehead. How many times have you and I tried to make a difference
without the axehead? How many times have we failed? The reason we do not
make a difference in the community is because we are trying to show
everyone who we are and not who Christ is. Friend without Christ we are
nothing. We are just wood, if you will, and can’t do anything. We may
encourage someone but we are not going to make a big difference without
the axehead. Preachers, can I remind us this morning that without the
axehead our message is powerless. Our message is just words coming out
of our mouth. Same thing for the Sunday school teacher for the
soulwinner!!! We are useless without the axehead this morning. He
doesn’t need us but we sure need him.
This morning I want to encourage you to allow the axehead be placed back
on you so you can have power. Far too long preachers are in the pulpit
without the axehead are  trying to make their agenda or propaganda, God
help us!!! It’s not about you because you do not have power in yourself.
It’s all about Christ. This morning don’t forget where your power lies,
it lies within the axehead!!!! Hope you have a wonderful day serving
Jesus!!!

2 Kings 6:1-33 KJV
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place
where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. [2] Let 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. [3] And one
said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he
answered, I will go. [4] So he went with them. And when they came to
Jordan, they cut down wood. [5] But as one was felling a beam, the axe
head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it
was borrowed. [6] And 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. [7] Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out
his hand, and took it. [8] Then the king of Syria warred against Israel,
and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place
shall be my camp. [9] And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel,
saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians
are come down. [10] And the king of Israel sent to the place which the
man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once
nor twice. [11] Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore
troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them,
Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? [12] And one
of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet
that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou
speakest in thy bedchamber. [13] And he said, Go and spy where he is,
that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he
is in Dothan. [14] Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a
great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. [15]
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth,
behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And
his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? [16] And he
answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be
with them. [17] And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his
eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man;
and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of
fire round about Elisha. [18] And when they came down to him, Elisha
prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with
blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of
Elisha. [19] And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is
this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.
But he led them to Samaria. [20] And it came to pass, when they were
come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men,
that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and,
behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. [21] And the king of Israel
said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them ?
shall I smite them ? [22] And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them :
wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword
and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and
drink, and go to their master. [23] And he prepared great provision for
them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they
went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land
of Israel. [24] And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of
Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. [25] And
there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it,
until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the
fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. [26] And
as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman
unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. [27] And he said, If the Lord
do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out
of the winepress? [28] And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And
she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him
to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. [29] So we boiled my son, and
did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we
may eat him: and she hath hid her son. [30] And it came to pass, when
the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he
passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had
sackcloth within upon his flesh. [31] Then he said, God do so and more
also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him
this day. [32] But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him;
and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to
him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent
to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door,
and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet
behind him? [33] And while he yet talked with them, behold, the
messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the
Lord ; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?