Step Into The Shadow

📅 March 2, 2025

Introduction

🔹 Key Announcements  - CELEBRATE COMMUNITY NIGHT - New Series Launch: "Anything is Possible!!!"  - We truly believe we will see the miraculous this year as we seek & serve Jesus together!  - It won’t always be easy, but we believe God is going to move in ways we’ve never seen before in 22 years!- As we begin the New Year, I want to share an O.T. Story w/ you that happened 860 years before Jesus!

Biblical Foundation: 1 Kings 18

Context

- A severe 3-year drought - False prophets & widespread idolatry - Elijah calls a duel on Mount Carmel (one of Israel’s highest places of worship!) - Our God vs. Their gods – The false prophets cried out all day, cut themselves, but nothing happened!

God’s Power on Display

- Elijah builds an altar & drenches it in water (which was already scarce!) - He prays for fire from heaven... and God answers!

📖 1 Kings 18:37-38

1 Kings 18:37–38 NLT

O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

Everyone worships the True & Living God!

Elijah commands the 450 prophets of Baal to be put to death in the valley down below!

But then watch what happens next…

The Next Test of Faith: The Rain

1 Kings 18:41–42 NLT

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.

He has seen God send down Fire, but he still is believing for it to Rain!

Remember - They’ve been in a 3-year drought!

1 Kings 18:43 NLT

Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.

Get the Picture of what is happening here… (4 ½ miles away)

He’s just demonstrated Great Faith, but now He needs God to show up Again!!!

He’s praying / He’s focused / He’s believing… but each time, nothing is happening!!!

I believe that’s where many of us are coming into this New Year!

We’ve been believing & praying & “Looking,” & it doesn’t seem like anything is happening!

Don’t stop Praying / Believing / Looking Around b/c…

1 Kings 18:44–46 NLT

Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’ ” And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel. Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.

(about 30 miles away)

- Church - Look Around - There’s a cloud the Size of a Man’s Fist appearing on the Horizon!!!

When we neglect the small cloud, we can easily miss the rain.

- The Rain of God’s Spirit is coming on our Church & our Cities & our Region like we have never seen before!!!

- Look Around… Anything is Possible!!!

Takeaway:

- Sometimes we pray, believe, and look... but it seems like nothing is happening! - But THIS is the year of breakthrough!

4 Exhortations for 2025

1️⃣ Look Around & Believe Big!

We serve a God who turns droughts into drenches!

I believe there are areas of your life that have been in a “Drought!” & this year God wants you to believe for Rain to fall in that area!!!

Where have you experienced drought? (Finances, relationships, emotions, or faith?)

2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

This is what Elijah was doing! He was looking to the Unseen, more than the seen!

Here’s what it takes… Obedience to His Word & His Ways!

Jeremiah 6:16 NLT

This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’

Crossroads…

God is ready to send the rain! 🌧

2️⃣ Look Around & Look Long!

Like the cloud when it appeared, it may look small right not, but church, the cloud is moving in our direction.

Thinking too short—sighted We often focus too small and miss the greater thing God is doing!

It’s time to look up, look around, and see what God is up to! 👀

Isaiah 43:19 NLT

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Let’s don’t just Expect More of the Same! Let’s Believe God for New Things in our Lives!!!

It may take a little while to Materialize, but let’s don’t give up on the play!!!

NFL ILL - Announcer said, “I love that play, but here’s the thing, it takes about 3 seconds for the receiver to get there, so it’s really hard to pull off b/c the QB doesn’t usually have enough time!”

3️⃣ Look Around & Impact Many!

The point of blessing isn’t just for us—it’s for others!

God wants to bless our lives so we can be a blessing to others and make a difference in other lives.

But that means we’ve got to start seeing our lives differently than we presently are.

Genesis 12:1–3 NLT

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

This is about the Nation of Israel by the way!!!

I believe the Truth of this promise applies to us as well!

God wants to bless us, NOT for US, but to be a blessing to Others!

When we are others focused, we are self-aware, not self-absorbed.

The Point of Rain was to bring Harvest throughout the Land so that the entire nation could Prosper & Flourish!!!

God wants to bless His Church so we can be a blessing & Impact so many lives together!!!

4️⃣ Look Around & Trust Greatly!

We can’t produce rain—only God can!

Elijah knew that… & so must we!!!

His rain is bigger than the Economy or an Election year or anything else that is going on in the natural around us!

Where do you need to Trust God & Take a Step of FAITH this year?

RECAP

1. Believe Big / 2. Look Long / 3. Impact Many / 4. Trust Greatly!

PRAYER

- Salvation 🕊 - Outreach 🌍 - Personal Breakthrough 🙏