Winning Well
Elijah • Sermon • Submitted
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· 14 viewsAfter great victory, what follows? Today we look at Elijah after he defeated the prophets of Baal. Elijah saw God do great things on Mount Carmel and now he is faced with what happens after the victory. My hope is that we can learn from Elijah.
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Winning
Winning
I like winning. In my high school wrestling career, I remember some sweet victories. I remember my senior year having to wrestle the same kid like 6 different times. One time my dad and his mom got in to it in the stands as we duked it out on the mat. I was able to be this guy every time I faced him and the first time we faced off we were both undefeated.
My senior year I only lost one match all year. I like winning. I remember the 3rd place match at state and in the final seconds I won. It was so sweet. At the end of the match, the ref takes the winners arm and raises it into the air. I like that. I like to win.
Becoming a pastor, I still like winning. I like it when God wins and we see evidence of it. The last couple of months God has been winning.
It started with intentional prayer time at the end of service. God is using this time to bring unity and victories in the lives of His people. Spring Breakaway was a move of Jesus in the lives of our students. 8 students I believe made a statement that they wanted to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Our baseball/softball programs have thrived this year. Friday nights have been amazing. We have seen over 150 people each week on our property enjoying a game. Not only this but the teams that are playing in Branson have caught the attention of others and people are saying I did not know that Rockaway even had a school to which we respond they don’t. This is our church program.
A big moment for us was when Pam who has a development disability got a hit.... (Tell the story)
Kids in rural areas don’t have access to things like this.
Thats winning...
Thursday everything came together to install over 200’ of water line, irrigation line, and fire line. The Village lodge now has running water! This was made possible in two days.
That’s winning...
We received new buses from Branson School system and this will allow us to give a bus away to Taneyville church because they need another bus.
That’s winning...
We repaired the roof of this building and redid the floors.
That’s winning...
Zaden and Kylie gave their lives to the Lord this spring.
That’s winning...
I like winning. I like talking about winning.
1 Kings 18:36-
1 After a long time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year: “Go and present yourself to Ahab. I will send rain on the surface of the land.”
2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.
3 Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the Lord
4 and took 100 prophets and hid them, 50 men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord’s prophets.
5 Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring of water and to every wadi. Perhaps we’ll find grass so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to destroy any cattle.”
6 They divided the land between them in order to cover it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
7 While Obadiah was walking along the road, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell with his face to the ground and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8 “It is I,” he replied. “Go tell your lord, ‘Elijah is here!’ ”
9 But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear they had not found you.
11 “Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!” ’
12 But when I leave you, the Spirit of the Lord may carry you off to some place I don’t know. Then when I go report to Ahab and he doesn’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the Lord from my youth.
13 Wasn’t it reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord’s prophets? I hid 100 of the prophets of the Lord, 50 men to a cave, and I provided them with food and water.
14 Now you say, ‘Go tell your lord, “Elijah is here!” ’ He will kill me!”
15 Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, today I will present myself to Ahab.”
16 Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him. Then Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?”
18 He replied, “I have not destroyed Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have abandoned the Lord’s commands and followed the Baals.
19 Now summon all Israel to meet me at Mount Carmel, along with the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
20 So Ahab summoned all the Israelites and gathered the prophets at Mount Carmel.
21 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.
23 Let two bulls be given to us. They are to choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire.
24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers with fire, He is God.” All the people answered, “That sounds good.”
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.”
26 So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!”
28 They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them.
29 All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near me.” So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord’s altar that had been torn down:
31 Elijah took 12 stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel will be your name” —
32 and he built an altar with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.
33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, “Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood.”
34 Then he said, “A second time!” and they did it a second time. And then he said, “A third time!” and they did it a third time.
35 So the water ran all around the altar; he even filled the trench with water.
36 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things.
37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back.”
38 Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”
40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon and slaughtered them there.
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”
42 So Ahab went to eat and drink, but Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bowed down on the ground and put his face between his knees.
43 Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea.” So he went up, looked, and said, “There’s nothing.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
44 On the seventh time, he reported, “There’s a cloud as small as a man’s hand coming from the sea.” Then Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.’ ”
45 In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour. So Ahab got in his chariot and went to Jezreel.
46 The power of the Lord was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1 Kings 18
36 At the time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “Yahweh, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that at Your word I have done all these things.
37 Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their hearts back.”
38 Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 When all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!”
40 Then Elijah ordered them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let even one of them escape.” So they seized them, and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon and slaughtered them there.
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a rainstorm.”
Elijah defeats the prophet of Baal
That’s winning...
1 Kings 19:1-
1 Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”
What follows winning for Elijah?
Jezebel wants to kill Elijah
3 Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,
1 Kings 19:3-
Elijah becomes afraid and leaves is loyal servant
After winning, the battle may come don’t abandon the loyal servant. This may be your kids, may be your spouse, may be for your friend, may be a co worker, a teammate or anyone that walks through winning with you.
4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.”
1 Kings 19:4-
I have had enough Lord...
5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.”
6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
1 Kings 19:5
The most spiritual thing to do sometimes is take a NAP and EAT!
You need rest and you need nutrition
7 Then the angel of the Lord returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.”
8 So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 He entered a cave there and spent the night. Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
1 Kings 19:7-
Again he eats and drinks and fuels his body. He entered the cave and slept there.
We again see Elijah resting.
I know what some might be thinking. You don’t understand that my life has been so busy and I am so depressed that it is cool for you to say I need to rest but I can’t rest.
Rest teaches us that God is in control and we are not...
God starts to council Elijah and ask him some questions.
What are you doing here?
1 Kings 19:10
10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”
Elijah passes blame.
In depression, we like to pass blame. Passing blame causes us to give up control. We don’t have control over everyone else.
We also tend to think we are the only one doing what is right and facing punishment.
1 Kings 19:11-
11 Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.” At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.
12 After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.
We want God to show up in a big way!
1 Kings 19:13-
13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.”
15 Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.
16 You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place.
1 Kings 19:15-