God Answer's by Fire

Sermon in a Sentence…The only answer to a world in crisis is the fire of the Holy Spirit empowering Christians and convincing people to follow Christ!

Purpose…We want to see people filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to witness.

1 Kings 18:18-40

The New King James Version Chapter 18

18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals. 19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory

20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. 24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”

Intro...Israel was in a crisis. Israel had been found unfaithful to God. Their skies were shut so that there was no rain for 3 years. The land was in famine! There was an obvious spiritual crisis. They were abandoning God for idols. Our land today is in a similar crisis idolatry and wickedness is so prevalent. We are clearly witnessing the great falling away of the last days in the church!

Elijah prayed and God answered by fire. The same is true of today, the answer to our society and its trouble today will come in the form of fire from our God! There are 4 things to walk away with...

Spiritual Crisis Comes When Man Abandons God...

This is the root of Israel’s trouble and its the same root of our troubles. Israel had grown distracted and unfaithful. They were abandoning God to serve Baal and Ashera. Their worship involved idolatry and sexual immorality.

While the names and images may have changed, we’re very much dealing with the same demonic influence today. Idolatry and sexual immorality are still rampant today! Only the fire of His Holy Spirit can bring the answer for our troubles.

You Can Only Serve One...

Israel was torn between the one true God Yahweh, and Baal. There’s always tension between truth and false, light and darkness, superstition and truth. There will always be temptation to falter, it cannot be tolerated. Our faltering and failure to be faithful will cause those around us to stumble. Our sin rarely just effects us.

James 1:12–15 NKJV

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

God has promised His Holy Spirit to those who like Elijah will stand faithful.

God Answer’s By Fire...

Throughout the Bible you’ll find the presence of God being represented by fire.

He was fire before Moses…Exodus 3:2

Exodus 3:2 NKJV

And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed.

A pillar of fire before Israel…Exodus 13:21

Exodus 13:21 NKJV

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.

Fire that consumed the sacrifice…Leviticus 9:23-24

Leviticus 9:23–24 NKJV

And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of meeting, and came out and blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

He’s the Holy Ghost and Fire at baptism…Luke 3:15-17

Luke 3:15–17 NKJV

Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

He’s the tongues of fire at Pentecost…Acts 2:3

Acts 2:3 NKJV

Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

Here with Elijah He’s the answer to prayer and He shows up in fire…1 Kings 18:38

1 Kings 18:38 NKJV

Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

Here’s what we know, when the fire of God falls men are changed! Peoples hearts are changed in the presence of God. Holy Spirit brings revelation, purity, freedom from sin and slavery! He empowers us to fulfill God’s mission.

We need His holy fire today! We need freedom from bondage's, from sin and vices, from idolatry, and the pleasures of this world. There’s only one that can truly help us today, Christ Jesus our Lord! When He comes with His Holy Ghost and fire you will never be the same again. He is everything we need.

We Must Prepare For The Fire...

Elijah had to prepare the alter…1 Kings 18:30

1 Kings 18:30 NKJV

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

Today we are that alter that God comes and consumes with His fire. You are the Temple where His presence lives. We prepare our hearts for His fire by repenting of our sins and surrendering our lives to God.

Acts 2:38 NKJV

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Elijah prayed to the Lord…1 Kings 18:36

1 Kings 18:36 NKJV

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

Prayer is vital to our preparation for His presence in our lives. If we’re going to host His presence then we must make the preparations for Him. It starts with prayer!

James 5:16–18 NKJV

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

When Elijah had prayed, the fire of God fell and consumed the sacrifice. When Elijah prayed God shut the heavens, and when Elijah prayed God opened the heavens and gave rain!

In the same way that He answered Elijah, He’ll answer you. He will send the fire.

Alter...

Come, place yourself on the alter and surrender to God.

Commit yourself to His mission and His will and get ready to experience the fire of His Holy Spirit!