The rain is coming

Prayer

Give Honor

Text: 1 Kings 18:1-2

1 Kings 18:1–2 (KJV 1900)

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

The attitude of obedience

Beloved.

As a man, a husband, a preacher, and so much more, i can be honest this morning and testify that sometimes it’s hard, following God.

Following God will sometimes leave you in a great space.

Money flowing

Marriage good

Church members happy

Sermons a great.

Following God, will lead you, to a great place.

And while following God has its rewards, and benefits.

sometimes following God. Will leave you in a drought.

Sometimes following God

Makes you unliked

Makes you look crazy

Makes you lose friends

And makes you lose money

May make you lose influence in the world

And though obeying God may lead you in a bad space,

Main Idea: obedience to God produces Power and Provision from God.

When you are obedient to the commandments of God, then God’s power and provision will carry you through whatever season you find yourself in.

I HAVE SOME FRIENDS IN THE BOOK WHO CAN TESTIFY THAT OBEDIENCE TO GOD

PRODUCES POWER FROM GOD.

Job will tell you that obedience to God, will allow you to survive IN what you’re suffering WITH.

Daniel will tell you Obedience to God will allow you to sleep in, what should have slaughtered you.

Shadrack, meshack, and abendigo will tell you, Obedience to God will allow you to stride in, what should have set you on fire.

Paul will tell you that Obedience to God, will allow you to drift in, what should have drowned you

Silace will tell you that obedience to God, will all you to sing in, the midst of shackles

Mary and Martha will tell you that Obedience to God will allow you to DIG UP what you GAVE UP ON.

All I’m trying to tell you is that YOUR Obedience produces Gods Providence.

And if you want to see the Hand of God, follow the COMMAND OF GOD.

AND IT IS HERE IN THIS TEXT, WE FIND A PROPHET, who is able to Flourish. In the midst of a famine.

We’re continuing our series about the life of Elijah, The mouth piece of God.

Elijah, who’s name means “Yehweh is God” is one who served in the reign of King Ahab.

Elijah is one, who impressed the idea of Yahwism, to combat the tradition of Baalism.

Baalism was the worship of the False God Baal, who was considered to be the God of fertility and rain.

Yahwism is the worship of Yahweh who is the God of Israel.

and it was Elijah’s Job, to present Yahweh in such a way, that people would leave Baalism and praise Yahweh.

It is then where the Word of the Lord comes to Elijah and tells Elijah, to tell the King, that “There is no rain or dew that comes upon the Earth except by his word.”

Now I have a probelm.

Elijah is tasked with the Assignment of Declaring a Drought in the land that he is in.

It’s easy to declare Good things.

It’s easy to speak a house into existence.

It’s easy to speak a word about a car

It’s easy to speak a word about money,

but what Happens, when God’s word affect your life?

Elijah was

Faithful in the Famine

v. 1 says that “The word came to Elijah in the third year of the famine.”

Exegesis: So Elijah has been in the famine for three years,

THREE YEARS IN A FAMINE

THIRTY SIX MONTHS, IN A FAMINE

ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX WEEKS-IN A FAMINE

ONE THOUSAND AND NINETY SIX DAYS- IN A FAMINE

TWENTY SIX THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED AND FOUR HOURS- IN A FAMINE

2020, 2021, AND 2022-IN A FAMINE

THREE YEARS, since rain has come.

Three years, since dew has tread over the face of the planet

Three years, AND no production

Three years, AND no work

Three years of pain and agony

Three years of heat

Three years OF PROBLEM, AFTER PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM

ELIJAH HAS BEEN IN A DROUGHT FOR THREE YEARS, BUT ELIJAH HAS BEEN FAITHFUL FOR THREE YEARS.

Three years of serving the Lord.

Three years of moving when God says move.

Three years of a consistent YES.

Three years of trusting

Three years of Believing

Three years of striving.

Three years.

In the midst of the famine, elijah was faithful.

Can I talk to the clergy?

Application:

Faithfulness is not tested in fruitfulness.

Faithfulness is tested in famine.

It’s easy to be faithful in when the church is packed.

It’s easy to be faithful when checks are clearing.

It’s easy to be faithful when the lightbill isn’t due

It’s easy to be faithful when you got gas in the car

It’s easy to be faithful when things are fruitful, but can you stay faithful, when things are fruigle?

Elijah was Faithful. He followed God’s command, even when it effected him.

Faithful- playing the organ every sunday.

Faithful- preaching to empty chairs

Faithful- still preaching when your tithes are more than your income

Faithful- singing by yourself

Faithful-Serving by yourself

Faithful-the first one present and the last one leaving.

becuase your faithfulness is not predicated on things going on around you, your faithfulness is should be predicated on what’s inside of you.

Greater is he, that is in me, than he that is in the world.

When you’re faithful God will allow you to flourish when everything is frugile

Elijah was Faithful in the midst of a famine.

but elijah was also

Fruitful in the Famine

Exegesis: The bible says that the Lord says to Elijah, to GO

Where was Elijah coming from?

When the famine started, the Lord told Elijah to Go to the brook of Cherith, and it was there where ravens fed him and the Water hydrated him.

When the brook dried up, Elijah elijah is told to go to Zarepath.

Zarepath is a place of refinement.

Zarepath is a place of purification by FIRE.

So God sends elijah to a place of refinement. and in the Place of refinement, is where elijah was fruitful.

There was a widowed woman who was there who was about to eat her last meal, and she was planning to die

But after feeding Elijah, she never ran out of food, and she Kept living.

In the later verses, her son died,

she brings her son to Elijah, and it is there, where her son is revived by Elijah,

Elijah was fruitful in a famine.

Even in the midst of a problem, Elijah was still able to produce.

Application: and I’m here to tell you that your problems should not stop you from being Productive.

Be fruitful any way.

In the midst of a drought Be fruitful

When things aren’t going your way Be fruitful

Even when it’s not the season, be fruitful

Because you may be the reason some one is able to LIVE or DIE in the midst of a famine.

Not only was he

Faithful in the famine

Fruitful in the famine

but he was

FEARLESS in the Famine

exegesis: He said Go, Show thyself to the AHAB. and elijah went.

The last time elijah seen Ahab was at the beginning of the famine.

Elijah, the one who served Yahweh is told to Go show himself to Ahab one who served BaAL.

This would seem like a suicide mission.

So I had to ask Elijah why is it that you went?

You could’ve gotten yourself killed.

Elijah hit be back and said,

Mike

He Kept me, at Cherith

He kept me, in Zarepath,

He provided for me in the famine,

so why should I be scared now.

and some of you are scared to do what the Lord says,

Scared of how you will look

Scared of what they will say

Scared of who they will talk to

Scared of who is with you or not

and im here to tell you

FEAR NOT.

Be bold in your beliefs.

Be fearless in the famine,

because This is not his first time keeping you.

thats why im not scared of covid, becuase it wasnt my first time being sick

Thats why I wasnt scared when they gave dad surgery, because it wasnt his first time under a knife.

Because this is not his first time healing. He’s always been a healer,

He’s always been a way maker

He’s always opened doors

He’s always been a protector

He’s always been a a providor.

Isaiah 41:10 says

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalms 23: 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 27:1–2 KJV 1900

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, They stumbled and fell.

Be Fearless in the famine. +

He was faithful

He was fruiful

He was fearless

but lastly he was

Favored IN the famine

When there was a drought upon the land,

he was drinking from a brook-thats favor

When the brook dried up.

He went to zarepath.

when it was time for him to go back,-Thats favor

he goes back, tries to show himself to the Ahab. He runs into obadiah,

Tells obadiah he wants to see ahab,

Obadiah says to Elijah he can get killed,

but Ahab says to Elijah, We’ve been looking everywhere for you, and never found you.

Thats favor.

see when you’re faithful, fruitful, and fearless,

God’s favor will attatch itself to you so much, that everyone will see the hand of God on your life.

How are you able to make it? Favor

How are you living today? Favor

How are did you live with, what others died with.

Favor

but this is the shout, It’s about to rain, and no one repented yet.

God promised rain, and they haven’t changed yet,

Before we see rain, we see promise of rain.

Before he turned their hearts, he already put something in place that will make them change.

and that sounds just like the cross.

While we were YET SINNERS. Christ died for the ungodly