How to be Faithful in Times of Trouble

Introduction

Tonight we continue our series on Elijah and Elisha. We began this series:

How God Sustains His People (1Ki. 17:1-6)

We saw the manner in which God mightily supplied the needs of Elijah in the midst of a drought in the land.

How God Uses His People (1Ki. 17:8-24)

We examined how God used the widow woman to supply Elijah’s need, as well as how Elijah supplied her need. Reminding us of Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

How the Fire Falls (1Ki. 18)

During a Feeble time w/ Depraved leadership & Divided people

God provided a Faithful man, who challenged his people; chastised false worship; Corrected the Basis of Worship; who had Confidence in God & Called upon the same

A Falling Fire

Came Powerfully; Sufficiently; Convincingly & Effectively.

How to Get Back in the Saddle

I. The Immorality of the Enemy (v1-4)

Unmistakable; Unconverted; Unsettling

II. The Indulgence of the LORD (v5-8)

Elijah Retreated; God allowed him Rest (v5-6b); God provided Refreshment for the Moment (v5b-6a); God gave Resources for the Journey (v7)

III. The Insight of the LORD (v9-12)

A Prophet Disheartened; God’s Power was Demonstrated; God’s Presence was Discovered

IV. The Instruction of the LORD (v13-18)

Get Back Where you Belong (v15a); Bless the Next Generation (v15b-16)

Be Encouraged

I Have a Plan (v17)

You are Not Alone (v18)

How to Have Peace Under Fire

I. The Reason for the Fire

For Following the Spirit’s Lead (v3); For Declaring the Word of the LORD (v4); For Having a Familiar a Description (v7-8)

II. The Right Way to Handle It

Be Situated Properly (v9b); Stand Fast in your Heritage (v10a); Stay Firm in Your Position (v9-12); Be Perceptive to the Spirit (v13-15)

III. The Rest of the Story

God Protected (v15); God’s Word was Proclaimed (v16); God’s Will was Performed (v17)

Today we continue with the story of these two men who were servants of the LORD. The transition is about to take place. From the elder generation to the younger.

We’re looking at this from Elisha’s perspective today, but hopefully we can glean much from Elijah’s actions here as well.

Today we’re going to examine the message ‘How to be Faithful in Times of Trouble’

I. A Troubled Time

As you read this passage, you can tell that Elisha’s heart is breaking.

As he followed Elijah and encountered the sons of prophets, and they remind him that Elijah’s leaving the earth, you hear it in his voice…

This is a troubling time for Elisha first because of the Burden of Loss

The Burden of Loss

Elisha would soon lose Elijah. He would no longer have opportunity to sit at his feet and learn from him. He’d no longer have one to share his burdens with. He would soon lose Elijah.

Church, whenever we lose someone that we love there’s a heaviness to it. Even when we know of a future reuniting.

(Ill.) When we lost my father-in-law, there was a heaviness. Sure we have full confidence of where his faith was, but it didn’t take away the hurt.

(Ill.) I think of Charlie Kirk - a man I’ve never met, but felt a bond with nonetheless. Our value systems were aligned, I had great admiration for his intelligence and his courage to speak the truth without fear.

Elijah was Elisha’s mentor - he was a God-sent leader and guide unto Elisha. And to know that he’s soon going to be taken from him was heartbreaking.

So this sets the tone. This is the circumstances to which we must analyze Elisha’s actions by. BECAUSE IT’S EASY TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE NO TROUBLES, BUT WHEN TROUBLES ABOUND, IT’S TAKES MUCH MORE COURAGE AND DETERMINATION TO DO WHAT’S RIGHT.

The Burden of Loss - But in the midst of that loss, I want us to see the Opportunities it presented

The Opportunities it Presented

Whenever we go through things in life - especially the trials of life - we must realize that inside of them, there are great opportunities to the had.

If the Cross teaches us nothing else, let it be that. In the darkest point of mankind - brought the greatest gift to him as well. The Salvation of all who will believe!

(Ill.) As we mourn the death of Charlie Kirk, we mustn’t fail to see the opportunities that it is presenting the Cause of Christ. After Mrs. Kirk’s speech, TPUSA had around 9k college & 1,100 High school charters, but have since received 18,000 charter requests.

What are the opportunities we see here?

Reviving of the Brethren

We see Elijah & Elisha going to Bethel & Jericho and he visited with the ‘sons of the prophets’. These would be considered by some to be the ‘preacher boys’ of the day. They were not physical offspring of prophets, but Spiritual offspring of them.

(What did Elisha say when Elijah was taken up? 2 Kings 2:12 “And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father…”)

So we see two things here:

We see Elijah having the opportunity to help train & inspire the next generation.

Secondly, we see Elisha having opportunity to witness Elijah saying busy & faithful himself until the bitter end.

Church we need to understand that when we are going through trials, we have people watching us. Whether we’re going to stay faithful through the trials or wither away.

(Ill.) Many in the world when we they look at the senseless murder of Charlie Kirk, and the faith that he and his wife espoused continually, I’m sure they were looking to see her reaction. Will she turn and blame God, or trust in His Divine Plan? Then she went to the microphone and uttered a one-word prayer ‘Jesus’.

Elijah AND Elisha stayed faithful and were a help Reviving the Brethren & encouraging them during this time.

Remembering of the Past

As Elijah walked and talked, let’s examine where it was they went:

Gilgal: This was the place where the Israelites encamped when the LORD brought them across Jordan as they took the land of Promise: Joshua 4:19–24 “And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal. And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.”

I wonder if they saw the stones and recalled what God had commanded them there.

There were able to speak about the Glory of God and all that He had done for them there in providing the land of promise as He said.

Beth-el: Abraham built an altar at Bethel: Genesis 12:8 “And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called upon the name of the Lord.” Bethel is where Jacob dreamed of the Heavenly ladder which was Christ: Gen. 28:10-19.

Beth-el was a place of Godly worship.

Jericho: I feel confident that many of you know what transpired at Jericho. The walls were great as the COI came in to possess the land that the LORD God gave to them, they worked God’s plan and saw the walls fall.

Jericho is a place of Great Victory - supplied by the LORD

Jordan: Then they get to Jordan - and at Jordan, God does for Elijah as he did for Joshua - he parted the waters and they walked upon dry ground.

The God that WAS is the same God that STILL IS!

It’s important to remember the past - important to know your heritage. This is one of the reasons we spoke on that this morning.

So as Elijah & Elisha walked during this dark time, They got to remember the past - but then they needed to Resolve to Continue the Work

The Resolve to Continue the Work

Gilgal: Gilgal WAS a place of New Beginnings where the memorial was set & a new generation was circumcised, but now Gilgal was an epicenter of idol worship.

Hosea 9:15 “All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: For the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I will love them no more: All their princes are revolters.”

Amos 4:4 “Come to Beth-el, and transgress; At Gilgal multiply transgression; And bring your sacrifices every morning, And your tithes after three years:”

There was work to do at Gilgal.

Beth-el: Bethel was a place where the Godly worshipped - but Beth-el had changed… Beth-el had become a city with a false idol lifted up. 1 Kings 12:26–32 “And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.”

There was work to do in Bethel

Jericho: Jericho was a site of great victory, and God cursed the man what would rebuild what He tore down… but someone decided to build it up again. 1 Kings 16:34 “In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.”

There was work to do in Jericho

Jordan: This symbolizes something church - no work is too difficult, no mission to hard if God has sent you, He will make a way for you!

THE SAME GOD IS AT WORK, IF WE SIMPLY LET HIM WORK THROUGH US AS HE HAS MEN IN DAYS OF OLD!

A Troubled Time

II. A Testimony of Faithfulness

Even in this troubled time, we see a Testimony of Faithfulness

What specifically did he face and stay faithful to?

Through the Pressures of the Known

Elisha knew that Elijah was leaving. Knowing that caused a burden upon him.

Remember the words we spoke this morning: Ecclesiastes 1:18 “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.”

We know things, they can burden us.

We know that if we speak out, we will experience push back. We know that if we stand for Christ in a sin-sick world, that we will face opposition.

So there’s pressures with the Known.

Elisha had the pressures of the known - but he stayed faithful.

Through the Pressures of the Unknown

Then there’s these pressures. That of the things we don’t know.

Elisha didn’t know what the future held.

He didn’t know what it’d be like without Elijah there to lead & guide him.

He didn’t know if the Power of God would rest upon him like it did Elijah.

Elijah didn’t know - do you know what? He remained Faithful throughout.

(Ill.) One quote that I heard played this week in remembrance of Charlie Kirk was “Courage is doing what’s right, even when you don’t know how it will work out.”

I don’t know what tomorrow holds - neither do you… BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER! WE NEED TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE CALLING OF GOD REGARDLESS!

Through the Pressures of the Unknown

Through the Voices of Discouragement

The Sons of the Prophets were discouraging unto Elisha. I don’t think they necessarily meant to be, but they were.

Know this: If you endeavor to do great things for God - there will be plenty of people who will discourage you.

They may not mean to

They may have no malice intended

But they will tell you it can’t be done.

I have heard and have even said in times past that America will see no great revival. But church, that’s just not true. America CAN see a great revival! I’m not talking about some showy ‘feel good’ emotion experiences, I’m talking real revival! It can happen!

(Ill.) We look back at the Kingdom of Judah during Asa’s day - they’d been Spiritually bankrupt for 40-60 years! And God brought revival! AND IF YOU’VE BEEN HERE FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT SERVICES, YOU’D KNOW THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF ASA’S FAITH!

The God that FORMED America, CAN REVIVE AMERICA! Do you believe that? Do you believe that God is able? Do you think that the moral depravity of the USA is greater than that in Judah’s history? England’s history?

THERE’S NOTHING THAT MY GOD CANNOT DO!

A Troubled Time; A Testimony of Faithfulness

III. A Transformative Result

Faithfulness breeds blessings church.

Proverbs 28:20 “A faithful man shall abound with blessings: But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.”

Psalm 31:23 “O love the Lord, all ye his saints: For the Lord preserveth the faithful, And plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.”

Matthew 25:21 “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

Because He was Faithful…

His Prayer was Answered

Had Elisha stopped at Gilgal, he wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to ask.

Had he stopped at Beth-el

Had he stopped at Jericho

Had he stopped at Jordan

It wasn’t until the other side of Jordan when that prayer was answered.

(Ill.) I had a woman who prayed for me as I was a child. She prayed that I would come to know Jesus. She prayed that I would serve the LORD. She thought that if God would save me, then I could help lead my parents to the LORD. She’s been in Heaven many years now, but do you know what? Her prayers were answered!

Church, I know what it’s like to pray and pray and pray and it seems that it’s not getting through… We just need to stay faithful and trust God in His Power, Mercy & Providence and see the hand of God move - IT MIGHT BE THAT WE DON’T SEE IT TILL WE GET OVER JORDAN, but stay faithful and watch God move!

His Prayer was Answered

He Performed Miracles

We see after it all, Elisha heading back over Jordan and what happens? The first of the miracles God does through him begins.

What does God do?

The same thing He did for Joshua

The same thing He did for Elijah

What does this prove - my earlier point! God’s power hadn’t diminished. Society had grown cold and indifferent toward God, but God hadn’t changed, and the mission hadn’t changed!

Church, the same God that did that then, works miracles now! He most certainly can use you to perform miracles!

(Ill.) Going back to Charlie Kirk - God worked miracles for Charlie Kirk. Who was he when he began TPUSA? He was an 18yo kid & no college education with a vision to reach the hearts & minds of the youth of America. AND HE DID. Because of his bold faith & testimony for Christ, he reached many for Jesus! He is possibly reaching many more in death than even in life!

This moment literally could be a turning point for America - but only if we’re faithful! If we have had a fire lit, we must keep it burning!

He Performed Miracles

He Proved His Calling

When we look at the life of Elisha, we see that because of Elisha’s faithfulness, he did receive that double portion he’d asked for. He proved his calling & fulfilled his mission.

Church, there’s going to come a day when you leave this earth. Let me ask you this: Will you fulfill your calling? Will you hear those words: “…Well done, thou good and faithful servant…”?

Conclusion

God is looking for Faithful men and women for His cause. God has a plan for your life. He has a purpose for you to fulfill. Will you?