Elijah:“The Power And Presence Of God” Series

Intro: Danny Simpson a 24 year old Canadian, went to jail for robbing a bank, in Ottawa.

His gun went to a museum. He was arrested for robbing a bank of $6,000 and

then sent to jail for six years. He had used a .45 caliber Colt semi-automatic, which turned out to be an antique made by the Ross Rifle Company, Quebec City, in 1918. The pistol is worth up to $100,000. If Danny Simpson had just known what he carried in his hand, he wouldn’t have robbed the bank.

In other words, Danny already had what he needed.

There are so many Churches in the world today are searching for power and presence of God, not knowing they already have what they need in their heart.

God’s power and presence always shows up…the question is do we show up with the right perspective expecting God to do something great?

Illustration: It is physically impossible for me to drink all the water from my faucet to the point that I would drink the Pruitt-Sand Flat water system dry. The water system can provide more water than I can possible drink. For us that are born again God has given us an infinite supply of His power through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have more God than we could possible use…the reason we don’t experience this fact is because we have turned down the supply to our life. We don’t purposefully turn it down, we just get too busy with worldly stuff, and have too much of the world poring into our lives that we inadvertently turn down the power supply of the Holy Spirit. Also when we have unconfused sin in our lives this serves to hinder the Holy Spirit’s productivity in our lives. We need to confess all our sins and focus on God and experience the filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

GOD WANTS TO SHOW HIS PRESENCE AND POWER THROUGH YOUR LIFE.

We learn from Elijah what we need to do for God’s power and presence to be evident in our lives. Do you want God’s help in your life, family, heath, job, church, and relationships? For many of us the question isn’t, do we want God’s help? The question is, are we willing to do what’s necessary to receive God’s help.

V.17 YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A PERSON BY HOW THEY TREAT GOD’S PEOPLE.

This meeting between Elijah and Ahab is an interesting one. Ahab is the king of Israel. He has chosen to lead the people of God away from the worship of God into the worship of a false God Baal. Elijah, on the other hand, knows nothing of compromise! He is totally sold out to the will of God for himself and for his nation. It is safe to say that these two men are not best of friends! In fact, some may wonder why Ahab would even allow Elijah to live at this point. After all, Elijah is the one who pronounced the drought that has nearly destroyed Israel and that has taken the lives of thousands of people. Why not just kill him and be finished with it? I believe that Ahab has come to believe that the drought will not end unless Elijah prays for it to. Therefore, he must indulge this man that he despises so deeply.

MANY PEOPLE ARE OFFENDED BY THE TRUTH.

They fail to understand that when God’s man tells them the truth, he does so because he loves them and God loves them. You see, the truth has the power to set you free, John 8:32. Therefore, people would do well to receive the message of God and deal with it personally. The man who tells you the truth is not your enemy. Why is it that God’s people forget that there is a price on sin? When we make wrong choices in our lives and wander away from God, why are we surprised when He chastens us? After all, isn’t that what He promised to do? (Heb. 12:5-11; Rev. 3:19; Pro. 3:11-12) There always has been, and there always will be a price to pay for sin, Gal. 6:9. You never get away with it!

V.18 ABANDONDED GOD

Just look at the first commandment. “You shall have not other Gods before me.”

God never abandons us, we abandon Him. We live in a day of half-hearted service, when people serve the gods of self, materialism, recreation and pleasure more than the serve the God of Heaven. And, I am not just talking about the world. The same mentality that drive the world today has invaded the church! God wants us to know today that He is still the Lord! He hasn’t forgotten the investment He made in us, and like He called Israel back to Himself on Mount Carmel, He wants to call His people back to Him today.