Going Boldly

GOING BOLDLY

II KINGS 18:17-18

1. Ahab blamed the man of God for the trouble

• Israel was in a great drought due to their rejection of God and Jezebels cutting off of his prophets.

• Ahab sought a relief to the drought; sending Obadiah to find grass and water to feed those animals who had not already died.

• He sought worldly salvation rather than turning to God.

• Christians are not to be blamed for the state of the world today, but rather the one’s who reject God’s will

2. Elijah’s Order

• Vs. 19 The people assumed that Elijah was going to call upon God to relieve them from the drought

• Before relief could come, repentance had to be made

• Luke 13

• Vs 21; Elijah reproved Israel for mixing the worship of God and Baal together

• Revelation 3:15-16 “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.”

• We must make a decision one way or the other.

3. The Trial Begins

• Vs 25-41

• Elijah placed Baal on trial in vs24

• 450 of the prophets of Baal were present plus 400 of their “support staff”

• Only one man of God was present for the trial

• I John 4:4 “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

• This is the promise that Elijah stood on

• II Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

4. The Battle Was Won Before It Started

• Vs 26-27 I Corinthians 3:19 “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.”

• God beat the Baal prophets at their own game

• They thought rain was being called upon, meanwhile the power of God was about to be displayed

5. The Reason For Elijah’s Victory

• Vs 31 He took the twelve stones in honor of the twelve tribes of Israel

• He declared God as the one true God

• Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other God’s before me.”

• Joshua 24:20 “If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.”

• The prayer was prayed for the glory of God and no one else

• Vs37

• Like so many of us, it took a supernatural act to turn our hearts back to God Vs39