Our church started at the usual time this morning. We had a short Bible study on the gifts of the Spirit and headed out to Anchor of Hope Church of God. I had been invited to preach there so our church went over to their church so we could worship together. We had a great service! The Spirit of God was touching hearts from the very outset of the service. I preached about Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18.
There was a sore famine in the land. The rain had been stopped by the word of God through Elijah. After 3 years it was now time for Elijah to speak directly to King Ahab and tell him the rain was coming. Ahab was an evil king and was not very happy with Elijah. But Elijah told him the truth of the matter. Ahab had allowed the wicked queen Jezebel to cause the people to worship idols and completely stray from God. We need those who will hold to the truth and speak God's word no matter what the circumstances. We can only be blessed by clinging to the truth. It is the truth that sets us free. Jesus is the truth that we need!
The rain was going to come but Elijah had some business to tend to first. He called for all of the People of Israel, the prophets of Baal, and the prophets of the groves. Why? He was going to remind them all about the true God. We need constant reminders of who God really is. He is the God that is in control of our life if we yield that control to Him. In good times and bad God is still God. If we dedicate our life to Him we have a sure future.
"Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word."
There is a pull on our hearts from two directions. If God be God, follow Him. There is also that voice tries to pull us away from God. It seems that there is a great multitude that listen to the wrong voice. How about you? Will we follow when all others left? When all left following Jesus he asked the disciples if they were going to leave also. Peter said “Where would we go?” When the world is trying to pull us aside will we keep our eye on the prize? The prophets of Baal answered not a word to Elijah because they had no excuse in front of the true God. What excuse can we offer God? Are we going to say it’s too hard to serve You God? Are we going to tell God we wanted to do our own thing?
Elijah issued his challenge and engaged the enemy. He didn’t hesitate to stand for God and oppose wickedness. Oh for men of God who will stay true to this call! Preachers everywhere need the integrity to declare God's word with authority. It seems that we have had many public failures in the ministry the last few years. It is a stain on all ministers but I believe that there are those who are hungry to serve God and are true to their faith.
Elijah's challenge to the false prophets was to make an offering and let the true God will answer by fire. So Baal’s prophets jumped up and down, cried, and cut themselves trying to get an answer from a god that they had invented and couldn't hear them. There was no answer because there is no answer from the false gods of this world. After they were done, Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord. The world is doing everything it can to destroy our altar. We need to repair our altar so it is a place where God can move in our lives. We need a place to cry out to God with complete commitment. After he repaired the altar, he brought his sacrifice and prayed. Once he prayed God answered with fire. Get your altar repaired, present yourself as a living sacrifice, and see if God won’t answer by fire!
Now it was time for the rain.
"And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain". Elijah went up to pray. During prayer, he sent his servant to look toward the sea. The servant didn't see anything so Elijah sent him again, seven times! How often do we ask God to move in our situation and then stop because we didn't see an answer the first time? After the seventh time he got a small sign. Don’t overlook small signs. Maybe you’ve prayed over and over again and have not yet seen the cloud. Pray again, look again. Don’t miss what God wants to do in your life.
Dedicate your senses to recognizing the move of God. Elijah’s servant “saw” a little cloud. The wise men “saw” His star. We’ve "seen" His glory in the sanctuary. “See” what God wants us to see. The disciples "heard" the call of Jesus “follow me”. We have "heard" the gospel in preaching. Bartimaeus “heard” that Jesus was coming by and he would not be denied. Don't be denied the blessing that God has for you!
Let’s hear what God is speaking to us. There’s a still small voice in the confusion of this world. "Hear" what the word is speaking. "Hear" the message from pastors and teachers. Don’t miss a chance to reach out and touch Him. The woman with the issue of blood “touched” the hem of His garment. The multitudes of sick reached out to "touch" Him.
The rain came just as God told Elijah that it would. Hold on to the word of God in your life. The rain signifies abundance that’s on the way. Are you ready for God’s abundance?
1 comment:
Thank you Pastor Steve. The Lord has been speaking to me concerning listening to the spirit. Laying everything aside...what is the spirit saying?. We get so ingrossed in ministry and everyday life that our ears are not in tune to the spirit.
How many times does the Bible say to "hear" what the spirit is saying?We must hear what he says to us in order to be led of the spirit. We get so easily caught up in everything else it seems we aren't listening for the spirit. How can we hear the trumpet if we can't tune in to the spirit?
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