Revival 1 Kings 18:20-40

-God works through His servants to bring revival to His people

Habakkuk 3:2

[2] O LORD, I have heard the report of you,

and your work, O LORD, do I fear.

In the midst of the years revive it;

in the midst of the years make it known;

in wrath remember mercy. (ESV)

Last night, I got to hang out with the Mt. Rushmore of youth ministers in Elmore County. We remembered back to some incredible days where we saw God move in power in the lives of students. I’m here, because I believe that we can see God do it again!

5 Marks of a Revival:

I. God’s Servant Speaks Up vv. 20-21

Elijah is in a tough spot

He has taken a stance against a wicked king, Ahab and his life is threatened

He has been accused as a troubler of all Israel

Rather than running to hide, Elijah speaks up

Elijah’s ministry begins with a promise: God will not send rain because of Ahab’s wicked leadership

He has been hidden until this time, but now he moves to the forefront of everyone’s attention

Nothing is going to change until something starts to change

Maybe God has been tugging on your heart for a while now about an issue

Now is the time to speak up

The challenge is specific: How long will you limp between opinions?

We have a choice to make here

Either we will commit to the Lord or we won’t!

Last year, I got a text that I never really expected from a friend. It was a thank you text, because 25 years earlier I invited him to a youth event at my church. Honestly, I’d completely forgotten about it, but he hadn’t. He accepted the invitation, started hanging out at our student ministry, and God began to work on his heart. Eventually, he was convicted of his sin and believed the Gospel and it changed everything. By the way, my text message came from Malaysia where my friend is a missionary, sharing the Gospel with Muslims in a closed country! You never know what might happen if you speak up!

II. False Idols Are Shut Up vv. 22-29

There is still a problem though, the people remain silent. They do not know who they will choose

In their minds, the idols are in competition with the Lord and they are not sure which one is more powerful

It is up to Elijah to challenge their power

He arranges a competition, a trial by fire

He will give each of the gods a chance to consume an offering by fire

As you could imagine this:

Took a lot of faith that God would answer

Carried a huge risk, because it challenged what everyone else believed to be true

Elijah is unafraid of their idols:

He is willing to issue the challenge

He is willing to call out their powerlessness

Are their gods asleep?

Are they using the bathroom?

Is it possible that they just can’t hear?

This challenge also exposes the foolishness of idolatry

The prophets of Baal dance, sing, harm themselves and do all that they can to gain Baal’s attention

However, no one is there to answer!

III. God Shows Up vv. 30-38

The time comes to end this charade and Elijah goes all in

He calls for the people to bring water and soak the sacrifice; it’s a bold and costly move for Elijah

There will be no mistaking what God does here; in fact, that is the whole point. Elijah wants the people to know that the Lord is God alone

Elijah offers a simple prayer and God answers with fire

The offering is consumed instantly

The flames lick up the water so that everything is completely consumed

God does something so astounding that there can be no doubt that it is from Him

I really want you to think about that. What would it look like if God showed up and moved in power?

“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.”—A. W. Tozer

IV. God’s People Stand Up vv. 39-40

Fourth, we see the response of the Israelites:

They fall on their faces and recognize that the Lord is God: They repent and turn from the idols

They jump to their feet and believe God and chase after the prophets of Baal

For years, they had lived in compromise, apathy, and defeat

Now, they finally stand up and they are ready to become what God intended for them to be

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.

The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I’m finished with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor by power.

My pace is set. My gait is fast. My goal is heaven. My road is narrow. My way rough. My companions few.  My guide is reliable and my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I’ve stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give ’til I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He’ll have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear.

V. God Heals Up vv. 41-46

Finally, there is one more challenge

Elijah tells Ahab to get ready for rain:

This is pretty bold in light of the 3 years of drought

But it’s not so bold in light of all that God has already done

Elijah prays and God sends a small cloud

It doesn’t seem like much at first but it grows and grows

Eventually, the skies darken and the rain pours down

The drought is ended and the land is healed

Truth be told, all of our lives are filled with a terrible amount of brokenness; its true in our homes, our schools, our teams, and our communities.

The only way that we are going to see God heal our land is if we speak up, the idols are shut up, God shows up, and God’s people stand up!

Is God calling you to speak up? From 1904-1906, the world witnessed one of the truly great revivals of all time, called the Great Welsh Revival. It all began with 2 people: A young pastor named Evan Roberts who prayed for 11 years for God to send revival and a 16 year-old girl named Florrie Evans. In a meeting after church, people were offering some testimonies of God’s work in their lives. She didn’t know what else to say, so she just said: “I love Jesus with all of my heart”. Around the room, hearts started to melt, the Spirit moved in power and revival broke out that rocked the world. But, it all began with one teenage girl who spoke up!