Standing on God's Promises

1 Kings 18:41–19:2 NASB95

Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ ” In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel. Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”

INTRO: How would you handle a major move of God?

Really- think about this. If God were to do something spectacular in our midst, what would you do? Or, better yet, what if we recognized that God was in the midst of doing something, but there was more to come? What would we do?

As we look back to Elijah, we find ourselves in the midst of a mighty move of God. In the verses preceding our passage today, we saw God reveal Himself as sovereign and all-mighty even as He discredited the false gods that were being worshiped in Israel.

Indeed, that day on Mt. Carmel was spectacular in that the sin of idolatry was confronted and dealt with. And even though there was a lot of influence behind the false prophets, God demonstrated with absolute clarity the ineptitude of Baal and the certainty of His power.

I believe that the Israelites were amazed and perhaps even shocked a bit. But ultimately,

1 Kings 18:39 NASB95

When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.”

We only hope that the private devotion of these Israelites was as absolute as their confession noted here. God had begun a great revival but the showdown of fire was not the whole of what God was going to do.

It was necessary- sin needed to be dealt with. Idols were exposed; The contest had been won. God’s worthiness to be worshiped was proven. But as awesome as that was, there was still a severe drought in the land of Israel. The famine was still great.

Now, remember a couple weeks ago when Elijah went to meet with Ahab, he had heard from God that He would send rain upon the land. (18:1) There was a promise that was still to be fulfilled. God was still working out something miraculous and magnificent!

And so it is here that we will delve into our selected text and seek to learn and grow this morning. Ultimately, what I want us to see is that though Elijah’s public ministry was impressive, his private devotion was far more important. The message is entitled “Standing on God’s Promises”. We are going to look at 3 attitudes or postures that Elijah models that we should look to emulate in our own Christian walk.

If you picked up a bulletin, I encourage you to make use of the sermon guide as we invite God to apply His word to our hearts. Let us begin: The first attitude Elijah models is:

An Expectation of God’s Faithfulness (41-42a)

READ v. 41-42a

Let me remind you: Though fire fell from heaven and consumed the offering and altar, the skies were still very much clear. There was no distant thunder or pitter-patter of rain drops. But Elijah does 2 things here:

He encouraged Ahab to celebrate what God had done.

Elijah’s tone was different. It was one not of confrontation, but rather one of assurance. It’s going to be alright.

We might also note that this picture of eating and drinking following an offering is one of communion and worship of God. Here, Elijah assured Ahab that he can relax and watch the rest of the show.

After all, Ahab, who might be the most passive king in Israel’s history, had watched everything unfold and stood by idly as the prophets of Baal were slain. He did not attempt to stop the execution of the prophets nor do we see him raise a single challenge or word against Elijah during this ordeal. NOW, celebrate for God has promised rain!

Secondly, he presumed that God’s promise to send rain was as good as done.

IOW- He believed that God would follow through on His promises. After all, God promised Elijah food delivered by crows, and God was faithful. He promised Elijah food and shelter with a poor widow, and He delivered. God’s grace shone in the provisions of flour and oil and as Elijah prayed for God to heal the widow’s son!

Elijah said, “there is a sound of the roar of a heavy shower!” He heard from God. And no doubt he recalled God’s promise to Solomon in

2 Chronicles 7:13–14 NASB95

“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

There was no reason not to EXPECT Him to do what He has said He will do.

Folks, God has made promises that are for you and me as well. He has promised a new life! He has promised His return and judgment. Sometimes I wonder if we don’t expect that He’s actually going to follow through. As Christians, we need to posture an expectancy for God to do what He has said that He will do!

Perhaps, like Elijah, we need to announce to the Ahabs in our life, It’s time to worship the one true God! I can hear the sound of His return!

1 Thessalonians 4:16 NASB95

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

God is faithful!

Discuss: Do you really expect God to fulfill His promises?

You and I should live in the expectation of God’s faithfulness. Next, we see Elijah model

An Anticipation of God’s Faithfulness (42b-44)

Look with me to v. 42b-44 (READ)

Notice that Elijah was not twiddling his thumbs in his expectation for God to fulfill His promise. Instead, he prays humbly, and waits eagerly.

7 times, he told his aide to go and look before God delivered the little cloud of His promise.

Much like the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8), Elijah prayed without losing hope. Folks, he maintained his posture of prayer while he awaited God to answer… he didn’t get up and move on, he waited on God.

This picture is convicting - how often do we end our prayers in haste? How often to we sign off and move on? Will God not answer according to His will?

1 John 5:14–15 NASB95

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

Friends, Elijah understood that God would not just half-way answer this prayer for rain. Instead, he knew that God would overwhelmingly and abundantly answer because God had already told him so!

Ephesians 3:20–21 NASB95

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

And while we see the physical cloud that is a pledge of rain, we must also understand that there is a picture of God’s provision for you and I as well.

What we have in the Gospel is the promise of a new life. Anyone who is in Christ is a NEW CREATION!! When we humble ourselves in repentance before Him and seek His forgiveness, we can anticipate that in that moment He will extend his forgiveness because He has promised to do so! (1 John 1:9 Rom. 10:13)

He has given His Holy Spirit to His followers as a pledge of the overwhelming and abundant glory that we will experience in eternity.

This promise is extended to “Whosover will call upon the name of the Lord...” Rom. 10:13

And as Elijah sent word to Ahab to get moving lest he get trapped by the rain, there is an urgency in our proclamation and an excitement for the fulfillment that awaits the one who comes to Christ this way.

Hey listen, do you anticipate that God will forgive and transform lives? I bet if we did, we would be more excited about sharing Jesus! Let us anticipate that God will use you and me to announce the Good News of His promises!

Discuss: Do you believe God will save anyone who repents and turns to Him according to His Word? Is that reflected in your witness?

You and I, fellow believers, should follow the example of Elijah and be full of expectation and anticipation of God’s faithfulness! Finally, we see Elijah model

A Confidence of God’s Faithfulness (45-46; 1-2)

Look at v. 45-46 (READ)

After over 3 years of drought and famine, a glorious wind blew, the black clouds hid the sun, and there was indeed a heavy, abundant rain in Israel.

This was an unmistakable illustration of God’s sovereignty and power. Could there be any doubt in all of Israel that

Psalm 95:3–5 NASB95

For the Lord is a great God And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land.

Who in their right mind could deny that Yahweh alone is worthy of worship and praise?

Elijah was thrilled. And God supernaturally enabled him to outrun Ahab and his chariots to Jezreel where no doubt Jezebel would hear the wonders of what Yahweh had done!

Can you picture Elijah? And listen, his heart wasn’t that Jezebel be ‘proven wrong’ or humiliated. He desired that she and Ahab would put aside all their idols and lead Israel to walk intimately with Yahweh, observing His ways and obeying His commands. Surely he saw himself dining with the royal couple and teaching them that which the nation had long forgotten about God.

So, here he sits- waiting for Jezebel to be convicted and transformed. He was seeing the hand of God move in mighty ways, and the icing on the cake was seemingly moments away.

ILL: This reminds me of the excitement and energy of a returning mission team. They are on fire for God and they share how God worked in them and through them, expecting that the folks back home would rejoice and be as excited as they are.

But that’s not what happened. Jezebel was not convicted, but rather was enraged! She lashed out and promised to kill Elijah. Jezebel never acknowledged the power and wonder of Yahweh nor did she even consider the compelling evidence that Ahab saw and testified to.

Guys, she saw the rain. Ahab gave her an eye-witness account, the nation repented and gave up their idolatry. The false prophets are dead. The case could not have been made more clear. Yet, Jezebel was not interested.

Here is where you and I need to take a note: A person’s rejection of God does not minimize His faithfulness. This was hard for Elijah, and it’s hard for you and I was well.

Friends, perhaps you have someone in your life that is right now a sinner, separated from God. You might think, ‘if God would do what He did on Carmel, they’d believe… if He would give them a clear sign or if I could give a clear argument, they’d believe...’ But we are not saved by seeing a miracle or witnessing a mighty move of God.

God’s offer of redemption is not forced upon anyone. Elijah was hopeful, but God did not give any such promise of the king’s transformation nor the transformation of any other. After all, that would mean that we would be forced to love Him… that’s not love.

Rather He promised a drought, an opportunity for people to see their sin. He promised a revelation- that we could know Him. And He promised a provision - that we could be reconciled to Him.

Folks, God is faithful. GREAT is thy faithfulness!!

He has promised and provided all that is necessary for salvation.

The call is simply to come. The message you and I proclaim with confidence is simply “COME” - Respond to that which is abundantly clear. Jesus said

John 6:37 NASB95

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.

If you are listening this morning - whether here or online, and you have never trusted Jesus as you Lord and Savior, come!

Revelation 22:17 NASB95

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

The altar is open.

Psalm 95:6 NASB95

Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.

[PRAY]

Discuss: What are some of God’s promises for us? How confident are you regarding God’s promises?