“God Will Come Through For You”
Elijah, a prophet, and powerful man of God, was one who refused to bend under pressure. During a time of great hardship, having limited water for three years and great opposition, Elijah found himself face to face with someone who was not real fond of him, Ahab. Little did he know that his steps were being ordered for God’s power to be evidenced and demonstrated in a miraculous way. Elijah refused to be a people pleaser in the face of Ahab and all his followers. He never flinched when he looked into the eyes of Ahab and heard him speak a false accusation directed at Elijah. In fact, Elijah confronted Ahab boldly and unmoved (I Kings 18:17-18).
“The Lord said to Elijah, Go and present yourself to King Ahab, and tell him that I will soon send rain!” Boldy, Elijah went before Ahab. This took great courage because Elijah confronted him with, “Is that you, you destroyer of Israel?” Ahab’s reply was, “I have not destroyed Israel…” then the accusations came, (vs. 18). So a confrontation took place to see whose god would come through. When Ahab and his people prayed to their god, there was no sound, no one answered.” (vs.20). Elijah stood with tremendous, unshakable confidence in God. He made it known that he was not worried in the least. He knew beyond a doubt that his God was not going to fail him, nor let him down. Elijah made it next to impossible for his offering to be consumed with fire by pouring, soaking, and saturating their sacrifice with water. More than likely this irritated Ahab and his followers even more since there was a tremendous water shortage due to the drought. Elijah insisted that they pour water over their sacrifices, not once, not twice, but numerous times, again and again, publically displaying his tremendous, unshakable confidence in the power of his God.
I am sure their gaze was fixed on Elijah as he approached the altar and said, “Lord 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. Answer me, Lord! Answer me so that this people will know that You, Yahweh, are God and that You have turned their heart back.” (vs. 36-37) “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. When all the people saw it, they fell face down and said, “Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God!” (vs. 38-39).
Whatever your “drought” might be, perhaps it is a great indicator that God has possibly set you up to publically display the Lord your God in an undeniable and powerful way to your community. Elijah knew that he had said to Ahab, that God said, “I will send rain.” Still, there was no indication of rain, even though this powerful incident had just taken place. Ahab went to eat, but Elijah went to pray. “He went up to the summit of Carmel. He bowed down to the ground and put his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, “Go up and look toward the sea, (Vs. 42-43) yet his servant came back with a discourging word, “There’s nothing.” Elijah told him to go back seven times….when he came back he said, “I see a cloud, the size of a man’s hand.”… One more time Elijah sent word to Ahab who he thought was probably thinking and gloating, “big deal, still no rain.” Elijah sent word to Ahab almost in a mocking way, “Get your chariot ready and go down so the rain doesn’t stop you.” (vs. 44). Ahab’s negative thoughts didn’t last long as the short time passed and as Elijah said, “In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a great downpour.”
Though you may be facing negative words, or surrounded by critical and finger pointing people, and perhaps are enduring false accusations..Evaluate the possibilty that God may be setting you up for a demonstration of His Power in your community. Get alone with God until your confidence in Him is unshakeable. Confront your opposition with the wisdom of God and you can be certain that God will come through for you!!!! It may not look like much at first, but “I see the cloud the size of a man’s hand?” Your breakthrough is coming and it will demonstrate the power of God in such a way that your God will be undeniable to all those who see.
