Experiencing Victory

Lonnie Brooks

Moving to Revival • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

0 ratings

· 6 views

Notes

Transcript

Sermon Tone Analysis

Emotion

Language

Social

View more →

Introduction

We are two weeks from Revival… I want you to know this truth.. We as a church have set aside some time to stop, to sit back and look for a movement of God in our church and in our lives.

But for this to happen, we must be ready in our hearts for revival.

Let me ask you a question here...

Do you desire a deeper walk with God?

Do you desire to experience a mighty move of God in your life, in this church and yes, one that spreads out into our community?

Well, I knew your answer would be yes....

It has to begin here ( in our hearts ) for us to experience God.

We talk about the desire to see and hear from God… But what are we doing about it?

That is the question we have to answer, and yes be willing to answer...

Are we laboring in prayer?

Are you seeking his face more than anything else in your life?

Personally, I want to see God high and lifted up here in his place, I desire to see our lives changed and of course that our church would grow and impact more for the Kingdom of God.

How can this happen....

1st… The desire… Do you want to see Him… Then tell Him, ask Him, seek Him

2nd… The Testimony of the Word...

Well I think we can learn some examples from the Scriptures.... So this morning lets go to , It has been a long time since I have shared from this passage, but I believe God can speak to us from this passage.

1 Kings 18:17–21 ESV

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

Now if you remember from last week we began looking at the meeting between Elijah and King Ahab of Israel.

The Bible tells us that this king did evil in the sight of the Lord, him and his darling wife Jezebel. So much so that they did more evil in the sight of the Lord than their fathers before them.

They have chased after false gods and lead their own people astray…

And God had enough of it, so he sent a message through the prophet Elijah for the king of Israel.

Then God desic

And slowly the land began to dry up, the rivers and streams quite flowing, the water became scarce.

As for Elijah, the Lord hid him for a season by a brook and allowed the ravens to feed him, and when the water dried up there, lead him to the land of Sidon to be cared for by a widow in Zaraphath.

But soon it would be time to confront Ahab and Jezebel, God is leading Elijah for a confrontation of the ages. It is time for the people to turn their hearts back home.

Now consider this, is there anything that keeps us from following the Lord freely, more fully ? I am not talking about idols like baal and asherah… but I am talking about those things that stand in our way and keep our relationship with the Lord from growing.

I want to challenge you today…

Ask yourself what you truly seek long for…

Prepare your heart to hear from God.

will serve as our home passage here… Why? Sometimes God is calling us to a show down if you will… choose him or choose something else...

2 Kings 18:17–19 ESV

17 And the king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rab-saris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And they went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Washer’s Field. 18 And when they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder. 19 And the Rabshakeh said to them, “Say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours?

1 Kings 18:17–19 ESV

So let me share about 3 thoughts with you today, as we walk through this passage...

1. Place Fault on the Right Door Step......

You know there comes a come where we have take responsibility for our actions and yes my friends, those things where we have failed to act.

Both can leave us guilty, both can leave us desperate, both can leave us with pain.

Going back to our text we see there came time time when God leads Elijah back to our source of the problem. Ahab and his Wife.

It is their sin, their destruction that has led the children of Israel astray yet another time.

Honestly the people are at fault as well, you might say how?

Consider this.....

Well the king made their sin permissible. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. Ahab is said to have done more evil than his fathers before him, he and his wife Jezebel chased after wicked things, false gods and set an example for the people.

What you are doing is ok....

So the people followed after the ways of the king… His example led them. BUT.... they knew the truth, they willing turned away from the Lord.

Friends, understand today that many, many people know the truth of what is right and wrong, but they turn away from the Lord and his ways.

They are unconcerned, its not hurting any one else.... They just want to be happy… but honestly there is no true happiness in the ways of the world.

And they stoop to even blaming God for their heartaches…

Looking back to our text, we see God has sent Elijah back to met Ahab face to face… look at what is said

1 Kings 18:17 ESV

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?”

1 Kings 18:17-

He was blaming Elijah, he was blaming God for the drought… he is unconcerned and uncaring about his own sin....

Friends we are in a sad place when we are no longer concerned about sin.

The Bible tells us that sin is bad, it separates us, It harms us, sin leads to death...

Lay your faults at the right door step.

it Is our sin that reeks havoc in our lives, it is the devil’s deception in our lives... it is not God.

Jesus said .......

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Lay fault at the right door step my friends...

Now go back and lets look at the entire discussion… i Kings 18:17-19

1 Kings 18:17–19 ESV

King Ahab sought to blame Elijah for the drought, for the trouble they were experiencing as the land has been without rain or dew for some time…

But Elijah turns the table… “…you have, and your father’s house are the ones who have caused all that you experience today....

Why? because you have abandoned the commandments of God…and chased after false gods like baal.

Listen my friends, God is not vague about sin. He points our sins, our failures our trespasses as we live in relationship to Him.

Listen my friends, God is not vague about sin. He points our

When we are wrong, when we are dealing with sin… God makes sure we know… please do not harden your heart like Ahab and Jezebel....

Put sin in its place.... there you will find victory.

Now lets consider this second thought....

2. A Challenge Comes.....

Now I use the word challenge, Why? I think it is fitting.

Just as it was in the days of Joshua as the children of Israel walked in the land of Canaan. There were some who sought to abandon the ways of the Lord, to follow baal and some desired to follow the Lord.

Joshua said a decisions must be made, a challenge comes into play, do one or the other...

Joshua 24:15 ESV

15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Now as God has brought Elijah to this face to face meeting with Ahab, Elijah issues a challenge that honestly Ahab cannot turn down....

Look with me at the text beginning with verse 19

1 Kings 18:19 ESV

19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

i kings

Lets

Elijah calls for all Isreal to come… to gather with him at Mount Carmel , he calls Ahab to send the 450 prophets of baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah. Let everyone come for a final day ....

Now again lets look at verses 20-24

1 Kings 18:20–24 ESV

20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”

Now this is a challenge.... Elijah brings the plan to all the people. He alone is the only prophet of God, there are so many more for baal and Asherah.. So he says “lets put this whole thing to the test...”

The plan was simple… they were each to have a bull for an offering. They were to prepare it for a sacrifice , placing it on the wood. But they were not to set it on fire. They were to call out to the one they served, who ever answered with fire. That would be the one known as the one true God...

It is a challenge, something that no one could dispute.

And the people said “.... this was well spoken.......”

Now I have brought this one fact to your attention for the very reason that there comes at time in life when some decisions must be made…

Will you serve..................... or will you serve the Lord?

the challenge is to choose.......

What are you choosing today?

The wrong choices bring defeat and the right choices bring victory...

3. Victory Comes .....

When we make choices there are two possible outcomes…there is failure or there is success.

Positive outcomes or negative outcomes…

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, we find Indiana Jones who finds the Holy Grail, the cup of Christ and a di

So in our passage the people agree to the test Elijah has proposed to them; And we find that Elijah graciously allows prophets of baal to go first…

1 Kings 18:21 ESV

21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.

So in our passage the people agree to the test and we find that Elijah graciously allows prophets of baal to go first…

They arrange their offering and they begin calling out to their sun god, baal…

And the call and call out....

Well; listen to our passage....

1 Kings 18:27–29 ESV

27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

1 Kings 18:25–29 ESV

25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

They called from morning to noon, they called out to baal, they called out and called out…Yet there was no answer, they called, called out and yet at noon, after several hours Elijah called to them and mocked them…

He mocked them....

Cry louder, cry louder, maybe he is asleep.... maybe he is busy..... maybe he is indisposed right now.... and they responded louder and louder, they danced and cut themselves..... and they did all this well into the early evening.

Can you imagine the scene as they prophets of baal, they are crashing from exhaustion, they have called and called out … but nothing is happening.

baal the sun god has not answered them....

And finally, it is the time for Elijah.

And Elijah gives some instruction for the offering he is preparing for the event...

verses 30-35

1 Kings 18:30–35 ESV

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

I Kings

Now, it is the time of the evening offering in the temple, the offering of oblation… And Elijah begins to call out to the one true God....

1 Kings 18:36–40 ESV

36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

Elijah called out and God showed up.... and victory comes!

Verse 39 is key, they ( the people of Israel ) fell down and cried out the Lord, He is God. The Lord He is God....

Victory has come.....

Here is the truth, when we give up the false, and cling to the truth we see Jesus and we are blessed.

Are you holding onto the false

Or arr you holding on to what is true

1 Kings 18 ESV

1 After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” 2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, 4 and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.” 6 So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself. 7 And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” 8 And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ” 9 And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? 10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. And when they would say, ‘He is not here,’ he would take an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. 11 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’ 12 And as soon as I have gone from you, the Spirit of the Lord will carry you I know not where. And so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth. 13 Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, how I hid a hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water? 14 And now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here” ’; and he will kill me.” 15 And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” 16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” 18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” 20 So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23 Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” 26 And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. 36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 40 And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times. 44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’ ” 45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.