had been preaching a message, “look if you do not turn from doing what you know is wrong to do, the things are going to get worse for you. Come back to God, and God will change your situation.”
The prophets of Baal were preaching, “look if you simply bring your gifts and honor Baal, Baal will bring you rain, your crops will grow, and life will be wonderful for you again.” Now the people did not want to totally turn their back on God because they knew what God had done for them in the past, but they didn’t want to let go of the things that Baal had to offer.

If we looked at our lives today real closely, how many of us could find a Baal in our lives. You see to have a Baal means, that instead of being prepared to PUSH for Christ in 2003, we already have a back up plan that does not include God.
Have you ever made a backup plan in your life that you would fall back on, just in case God does not show up when you think He ought to show up. “Well I could always lie about this. Or I still have her old phone number. Or I could quit and go back to doing that. Or I know I could get back in touch with them.” That backup plan is nothing more than a Baal god in your life.

Did you know that Jesus has a problem with us carrying around a backup plan when things get really tough for us? Jesus put it this way in Luke 9:62, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." Back then before tractors, a person would hook up a plow to some oxen or donkeys. The person would have to plow the ground in a straight line for seeds to be planted.

If you took your eyes off the field to look back or around, your rows would be very crooked. Jesus is saying when we make that decision to follow Him in the kingdom of God, any sort of back up plan makes us unworthy to be called a servant for the kingdom. In order for us to truly PUSH for Christ in 2003, we have to let go of any and all Baals and keep our eyes focused on what God says to do.

Elijah challenged King Ahab to leave Baal and PUSH for the God of Israel. Ahab was not willing to let go of Baal. Elijah offered a challenge to Baal on Mt. Carmel. Mt. Carmel was regarded by the area people as the sacred dwelling place of Baal.
So Ahab was eager to have Mt. Carmel as the battle sight between the gods, because he felt it would give the prophets of Baal a distinct advantage. The prophets of Baal were called to Carmel along with the people of Israel. 450 of the prophets of Baal showed up. A lot of people surrounded the side of the mountain.

Elijah stood up and made a declaration. “Look, the time is up for all of you to keep going back and forward trying to straddle the fence. One day you try to serve God, but if you don’t like the way things are going, you try to change them by serving Baal.
Today it’s God’s way, tomorrow it’s your backup plan. Let’s quit this foolishness and go one way or the other. If God is God then serve God, but if Baal is god, then serve Baal.” We will each build an altar for a sacrifice. We will place a bull on it. Whichever god answers by fire, is the one you should serve.”

Now this sounded real good to the prophets of Baal. There were going to be 450 of them praying compared to just one, Elijah. Not only that, they had the