Faith's Power Amidst Testing Times

How God used Elijah’s faith to demonstrate His mighty power to skeptics

Elijah’s Contest – I Kings 18

Illustration:Dr. B.J. Miller once said, "It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do, no matter how hard it is, than to face the responsibilities of not doing it."

Today In The Word, November, 1989, p.11

1. Aim: To lead the people to understand how God used Elijah’s faith to demonstrate His Almighty power to everyone who served other gods.

2. Explanation of the Aim: Idol worshippers usually outnumbered the people who worship the Lord with all their heart. Solomon once wrote in Proverbs, “Many a man proclaims his loyalty, but a faithful man who can find?” God greatly used Elijah because he was courageously willing to contest the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to determine whose God was more powerful. We should not grow discouraged when there are but a few wholehearted and faithful people of God in our school or community. One with God is always a majority.

3. The Bible Story: God is always able to deliver people of great faith from any problem. In our lesson we learn how God used Elijah’s faith, courage and obedience to display His Almighty power so the world could know of His sovereign control over everything.

When Elijah is falsely accused of being a troublemaker, he senses it is time to let God fight the battle for him. Instead of giving in to intimidation Elijah says, “Summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. Then Elijah spoke saying, “How long will you waver between two options? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” There are times when we must help people separate the non-essential from the essential decisions of life. People of great faith are not hesitant to preach the whole counsel of God to anyone who needs to hear the truth spoken in love.

4. APPRECIATE THE COSTS OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE. Know and understand the great risk that Elijah exposes himself to in the confrontation with the 450 prophets of Baal.

What do you think might have been going on in Elijah’s mind during this incident?

What do they feel like when they have to confront someone with the truth that may bring conviction of sin?

Why do most people hesitate to tell others the truth of God’s word?

What are some of the qualities that we need to become more used of God as Elijah’s was?

5. The BIBLE STORY teaches us how a man of God is often called to do things that may require courage, faith and bold speech regardless of the intensity of the opposition.

How can you can display greater courage for the Lord Jesus Christ? Try to discover what are some of the fears that you have about witnessing?

Understand the great risk that Elijah exposes himself to in the confrontation with the 450 prophets of Baal.

7. God is always able to deliver people of great faith from any problem. In our lesson we learn how God used Elijah’s faith, courage and obedience to display His Almighty power so the world could know of His sovereign control over everything. When Elijah is falsely accused of being a troublemaker, he senses it is time to let God fight the battle for him. Instead of giving in to intimidation Elijah says, “Summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. Then Elijah spoke saying, “How long will you waver between two options? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” There are times when we must help people separate the non-essential from the essential decisions of life.

8. DO NOT HESISTATE TO SEEK GOD’S COUNSEL. People of great faith are not hesitant to preach the whole counsel of God to anyone who needs to hear the truth spoken in love. Paul the apostle once wrote these words to a church in Ephesus that struggled with unity, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ.” (Eph. 4:14,15)

9. SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE. Unless we are willing to speak the truth in love people in our fellowships will fail to mature in all dimensions into Christ Jesus. Many people will continue to distort the truth for their own selfish purposes unless godly men and women speak the truth boldly from the scriptures. There will always be clever people around, like Obadiah and the prophets of Baal who will try to lead people astray. Unless people are progressing in their Christian life they will be spiritually regressing. God always empowers people like Elijah and Paul to act as a prophet of God to confront those who would who try to dilute, pollute and corrupt the people with distorted ideas.