Introduction

Good morning, dear family of God. It is indeed a joy to stand before you today, in the house of our Lord, to share His divine Word. We gather here, not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters united in the love of Christ. We are here to learn, to grow, to be molded in the image of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

The esteemed Christian author, J.I. Packer once said, "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord." This is the heart of our gathering here today. We are here to know God, to understand His ways, to hear His voice, and to grow in His divine wisdom.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds to the book of 1 Kings, chapter 19, verses 1 through 20. The Word of God reads: [Insert Scripture Here]

In this passage, we see a man of God, a prophet, in fear, in despair, yet still in the hands of a loving God. We see God's provision, His patience, and His persistent call.

Let us bow our heads in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the breath of life, and for the privilege to gather in Your name. We thank You for Your Word, a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. As we open our hearts to Your Word today, we ask for Your Holy Spirit to guide us, to give us understanding, and to make us more like You. We thank You for Your love, Your grace, and Your mercy. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

Bearing the Armor of Christ

When we think about the life of Elijah, we see a man who was not immune to fear and despair. He was a prophet, a man of God, yet he too faced trials and tribulations. He too had moments of weakness, moments of doubt. But in the midst of his fear and despair, he found strength in the Lord. He found refuge in the Lord. He found hope in the Lord.

In the face of Jezebel's threats, Elijah ran for his life. He was afraid. He was alone. He was weary. But even in his fear, even in his despair, God was with him. God provided for him. God strengthened him. God spoke to him. In our own trials and tribulations, in our own moments of fear and despair, we too can find strength in the Lord. We too can find refuge in the Lord. We too can find hope in the Lord.

In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Apostle Paul talks about the armor of God. He says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." The armor of God is our protection, our defense, our strength in the face of trials and tribulations. It is our refuge in the face of fear and despair.

Bolstering Spiritual Growth through the Word

As we look at the life of Elijah, we see a man who was deeply connected to the Word of God ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO