Danny Simpson, a 24-year-old Canadian, was sentenced to 6 years in jail for robbing a bank in Ottawa, Canada of $6,000. The gun he used in the robbery, however, ended up in a Canadian museum.
The .45 caliber Colt semi-automatic turned out to be an antique made in 1918 by the Ross Rifle Company of Quebec City. His pistol was worth up to $100,000. If Danny Simpson had known what he had in his hands, he would not have ended up in jail.(1)
During the days of Elijah if the nation of Israel had only known what they had in their hands, they wouldn’t have ended up in spiritual slavery, held captive by Ahab and Jezebel in their own land. It was the same song, second verse - they had come of out Egypt but Egypt had not come out of them.
We know that God is powerful and that mankind is weak, but did you know God wants to fill your powerless life with His power and strength? Many Christians spend their lives searching for God’s power and presence, not realizing it is already in their hands. Do you know that you have been clothed with His power?
“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)
People are attracted to power. They want to serve the God with the greatest power. Young people are often heavily involved in Satanism, Oji Boards, and Dungeon and Dragons, while their parents are caught up in Spiritism, New Age and other occult practices. But it’s hollow; it is nothing but smoke and mirrors. There is only one God with power. His name is El Shaddai and He tells us that we can share His very nature.
Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! (Psalm 68:34-35)
Have you ever had an impossible situation hound you? Like being in the path of a run-away car, you saw no means of escape. No matter where you sought refuge the carnivorous car pursued you, threatening to devour your faith. Times like that can leave us spiritually and emotionally bankrupt with nothing in our safety deposit box, checking account, or wallet. Times like that will either draw us closer to the Savior or drive us farther away.
This message from God’s Word is intended to help you access to God’s resources when you’re caught in the “jaws” of impossibilities.
How Long Will You Waver?
God never has been and never will be pleased when His people waver between serving Him or the world. During such times, God is more than willing to reveal Himself in a way that erases all doubt of His power. And when God reveals Himself, our most natural response should be a full commitment of faith.
In a museum in Scotland, resides the sword of the famous Scotsman Wallace, who was a hero and patriot. A visitor once said, “I do not see how it could win such victories.” “Ah sir, you do not see the arm that wielded it,” came the reply.(2) In our text, we are introduced to a spectacular display of the way God wields His power.
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” (I Kings 18:21)
Elijah’s days of training have come to a halt. He has spent three years growing, learning, and trusting God at a brook and in a widow’s home. Now he is about to step on center stage as God’s mouthpiece and finish what was started with Ahab on the subject of a drought. From our story, it is crystal clear that God really cares that our hearts are wholly devoted to Him. As you seek to learn His ways and walk fully devoted to Him, take these lessons with you.
Lessons For Power Living
1. The fruit of a divided heart is always idolatry, and it will eventually catch up with us. It will steal the power God wishes to deposit and release in our lives.
Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the
Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” (I Kings 18:21)
The nation is standing at the base of Mt. Carmel for the spiritual showdown. There is nothing more exciting than a showdown. Consider:
Ø The U.S. Hockey team against the Russians in the 1980 Olympics
Ø The showdown of Pepsi vs. Coke, “Can you taste the difference?”
Ø The OK Corral
Ø The North vs. the South in the Civil War
Ø The “Thrilla of Manila” (Ali and Foreman)
Ø And the number one showdown in sports history, according to Damien’s Associated Press, the 2000 World Series: New York Yankees vs. the New York Mets
The greatest showdown though is played out daily in our lives. When it happens there is no media present and it never gets recorded in the history books. It is the battle between right and wrong, between good and evil, between moral and immoral living.
For most that live in this constant showdown, the lines are often fuzzy. All believers face this struggle to be fully devoted to God, and yet still have their own want it our way …“I did it my way.”
Ø We want God’s blessing, but we want man’s approval
Ø We want His protection in our hour of need, but we struggle to let go and trust
Ø We want His delivering power, yet we cradle and nurse an addiction as a mother cradles and nurses a newborn baby
Ø We want to say that God is the most important person in our life, yet we are easily swayed and draw away from that allegiance
For Elijah, this showdown would be winner take all. It was for the undisputed heavyweight title of the heavens. The playing field would be Mt. Carmel, overlooking the Mediterranean in the northern part of Israel. There were only two rules of engagement: 1. Each side gets a sacrifice, and 2. Each side gets to work their spiritual magic at the altar until their god answers by fire.
The crowd was filled with hard-core Baal worshippers, but many still felt a stirring in their spirit from the days when their faith was in the God of Heaven. Many came out of curiosity to see what this powerful prophet could do to stand against the house of Ahab. But something deeper was stirring in the hearts of others, something more than mere curiosity. A spiritual vacuum had left the people barren of the Word of the Lord. Like the drought that filled the land, a spiritual drought had flattened Jehovah’s altars and left God’s people impoverished like the parched fields of the land.
Then Elijah puts forth the challenge, “How long will you waver between two opinions?” Israel remains silent in the face of Elijah’s call and concern. He knew the only solution was to shatter the silence of their indifference. And that is exactly what God had in mind. The indifference was as dry as the drought that had baked the land for three years.
Elijah had stepped out of the obscurity of a dry brook and the Mediterranean City of Zarephath and traveled to the most fertile part of Israel for the showdown of the century. Now he was on center stage of Israel’s public life. He would be seen. He would speak. He would show who the true God really was.
When the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord - he is God! The Lord - he is God.” (1 Kings 18:39)
Personal dangers didn’t matter. The mob may have been ready to lynch him - he didn’t care. Elijah was God’s man, in God’s place, at God’s time. Do you have the same attitude as Elijah? Do you want to be God’s man or women in His place and in His time? Since Israel would not listen to the words of the prophet, then only a demonstration of power would wake them up from the slumber of spiritual lethargy.
2. Seeking God’s will must be our highest priority, and experiencing the results can be amazing.
Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord - he is God! The Lord - he is God!” (1 Kings 18:38-39)
First Up Is Baal
We come to the most familiar part of the story, the time when the god of Baal must put up or shut up. Now we find out who has the real article. It is clear that Elijah is enjoying the whole effort put on by the prophets of Baal. They are somehow convinced that numbers are enough to pull this thing off. God doesn’t do it that way. In fact if there are too many, if it looks like man thinks he is the one pulling this thing off, God will pare down the numbers to make it more impossible for man.
The first up was Baal and his litany of prophets who pulled out all the stops to get their candidate to set the sacrifice ablaze. They danced every altar dance they knew, and this went on until their feet were sore. The next move was to shout themselves hoarse; it wasn’t long before you couldn’t make sense of what they were saying. Then they took to more serious measures - bloodletting. Perhaps they thought if their God saw blood things would get moving. They should have saved themselves the trouble and the pain. It didn’t work.
Read verses 25-29 and look at the words of vs. 29, “…but there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.” Big yawn. Big sigh of relief that it was over. Is that all there is? We were hauled all the way from Dan to Beersheba to see that? What a let down. What a big time disappointment.
After a while Elijah couldn’t take it any longer. He knew they were just beating a dead horse, so he stepped up to get in a few digs. Why was Elijah able to enjoy himself so much? He knew he wasn’t the one pulling off the miracle. You see, so many of us think that this thing depends on us. Take a lesson from Elijah. He wasn’t on Mt. Carmel to show off what he could do, he was on Mt. Carmel to show off what God could do!
So Elijah just had to get in a few jabs. At noon he began to taunt them. “Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” (1 Kings 18:27).
Hey guys, where did your god go, he must have flown off to Bermuda. I know what is going on, he is taking a nap; I think I hear him snoring. Perhaps he is off relieving himself.
With each additional jab, the prophets worked themselves into even more of a frenzy. As Elijah bellowed out sarcasm, the only rain that Baal could produce was the reign of silence. It was now mid-day and the prophets howled, scraped and screamed. As the flies began to settle on the afternoon of sacrifice, it wasn’t long before the stench of the animal sacrifice filled the air. There is something impressive about a sacrifice when it is first presented at the altar, but when it has been baking in the Middle-Eastern sun for several hours it suggests nothing worthy of the god to whom it has been offered.
Before we shift the camera to Elijah, I want to let you in on a little secret. Why was the showdown unfolding at Mt. Carmel? Author Phillip Keller gives us glimpse at the reason
“Mt. Carmel with its magnificent setting overlooking the blue Mediterranean was the most favored and fruitful spot in [all of Israel]. Here, close to the sea, its climate tempered and caressed by the mist of the sea breezes, it enjoyed beautiful mild weather. Even during the dreadful drought Camel had not suffered as severely as other less fortunate parts of the parched country.
“On Carmel the soil, too, was unusually rich and productive. For uncounted centuries it had been tilled and tended with special care. Here all sorts of crops grew to perfection in the salubrious climate. If Baal’s claim to be the god of fruitfulness and fertility could be demonstrated anywhere it was on the crest of this magnificent mount.”(3)
Then Elijah said the people, “Come close…” (1 Kings 18:30)
Baal’s prophets failed. Now it is Elijah’s turn. With confidence he tells the people to come close. Elijah is saying to the people, “Let me show you how this Christian life works. Watch and pay attention and you’ll learn something about walking with God.” His face flashes with confidence and he speaks with authority.
What happens next is so impressive because it sits in clear contrast to the false prophet’s attempt. It is miraculous, immediate, and spectacular! A blinding flash! A thunderous sound! Noise gets our attention and God got theirs that day. Like the sound of 500 cannons going off simultaneously, it sent bone-chilling reverberations through the entire body of each prophet. It momentarily stunned them. They were in shock and their eyes watered in disbelief. The water in the trench fizzled like spit on a hot stove. Nothing was left of the offering but a pile of ashes and the smell of the Fourth of July. The altar was totally consumed. As the smoke cleared, two responses were evident: Worship on the faces of Jehovah’s new subjects, and dread and fear in the eyes of the soon to be exterminated, exorcised, and eradicated prophets.
Now the pendulum of allegiance has swung to the God of Elijah. He calls them immediately to act upon their newfound faith. With the same seriousness a surgeon treats a malignant tumor with immediate radical surgery or radiation, Elijah declared the need to treat the deadly spiritual sickness in the land. The on-lookers were so turned to Elijah’s cause they demolished the losing team down to the last prophet. Israel had won a great national victory.
God continues to win victories such as this for His people today, if they will learn to give Him their fully devoted hearts and let Him call the shots. Today, some of you have bought into a world that seeks refuge in the make-believe of television, religious fads and the cheap substitutes of chemical abuse. What you need is the old-fashioned conviction of the Holy Spirit that keeps you awake at night and makes you miserable until you get right with God!
3. God’s work often starts small, but it will grow into mighty displays of His power.
The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” (1 Kings 18:44)
Don’t look at the size of the beginning manifestations of God’s work in your life. What do the first works of God look like?
How Is God’s Power Manifested Today?
Ø Migraine headaches are dismissed by His healing power
Ø A wayward spouse staggers home and asks for forgiveness
Ø Living in the power of Spirit and water baptisms brings deliverance from addictions
Ø An incarcerated young man finds Christ and, upon his release, is welcomed into the local church
Ø After 6 years of waiting, the hearing for a Conditional Use Permit lasts only 12 minutes
When Can I Have God’s Power?
1. You Can Have God’s Power When You Are Weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope (wait) in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30-31)
Friend, you can count on God’s power when you are tired; and we are all tired. Just walk through the mall and look at the faces of humanity. Many people are over-extended on their credit and stressed to the max. Others try to satisfy kids that are spoiled and undisciplined by giving them “stuff.” Many are saying, “I’m exhausted. I have nothing else to give.”
I love the Christian life. It is a message of hope. And this verse is filled with hope. It tells us that El Shaddai, wants to give us unlimited power. He makes it possible for us to never grow weary. Look at what verse 28 says - He never gets weary. He never goes to bed. He has unlimited energy. Would you like to tap into that type of power? Here’s how. Memorize this verse, claim it often and expect God to release this promise to you. Write this verse down someplace where you won’t forget. Shave it on your cat. Cut it into your son’s hair. Monogram it on your sweater. You can count on His power!
Did you know that the book of Isaiah is a summary of the Word of God? It has 66 chapters, one for each book of the Bible. Chapter 40 ends with an appeal from God to trust in the Lord. The last four verses address the issue that all of us face - exhaustion, weariness and lack of strength.
Ø Verse 28 - He will not grow tired or weary.
Ø Verse 29 - He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Ø Verse 30 - Even youths grow tired and weary.
Ø Verse 31 - They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint.
In this last verse we see a beautiful picture of God’s power poured out on His children from the Exodus to life in the Promised Land.
Ø Soar on wings like eagles - this is the Exodus from Egypt.
Ø They will run and not grow weary – the wanderings in the wilderness.
Ø They will walk and not grow faint - life in the Promised Land.
The El Shaddai God offers all-sufficient power through each stage of Israel’s life. And that same power is available to you. In each stage of life, His power is with you. How comforting. Even youth grow weary and need His power. Access it today.
2. You Can Have God’s Power When You Are Afflicted.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
If you have walked with the Savior for any length of time, you have drawn strength and power from Paul’s words to the Corinthians about his affliction. The text tells us God allowed a messenger from Satan to torment Paul (2 Corinthians 12:7). How can I reconcile in my mind and heart that God would allow such a thing?
The word for torment is actually, “to beat up.” Is God becoming a bully? You can diagram the sentence or parse the verb but the meaning is still the same, that of a boxer being pummeled senseless in the ring. Does anybody want that? Paul experienced it so we could understand this truth - God’s power is made perfect in our weakness or affliction. Paul didn’t learn this lesson right away. It was on the third go around of asking for God’s deliverance that a word of rhema finally sank into Paul’s heart, “My power is made perfect in weakness!” God allowed the affliction so Paul could introduce us to a new understanding of God’s grace. Need I say more?
Are you afflicted today? He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. He healed my wife as a baby. She was born without a soft spot on her head, meaning the bones in her skull had already fused together leaving no room for the brain to grow and develop. The doctors told her parents she would most likely be blind and retarded. For most of the early months of her life, she cried in pain from the pressure inside her tiny head.
Her grandparents were pastors in a small church at that time. They set up an around-the-clock prayer vigil for their granddaughter. People prayed fervently! Her mom was so tired from lack of sleep she laid Danice on the altar and went home. They continued praying all night.
As her mom was rubbing her head the NEXT day, she felt a tiny movement - it felt like a pulse. She took Danice to the doctors. They were amazed. There was a soft spot. No explanation. The medical records showed her head before and after. It was a true miracle.
3. You Can Have God’s Power When You Are Afraid.
The story begins in Matthew 8:23 with Jesus pushing out from the shore and into the deep waters of the Sea of Galilee. He rested securely as the gentle waves beat against the boat, providing a therapeutic setting for the Savior of the world to rest. As He slept, the disciples navigated their boat through the familiar waters where many of them made their living. He couldn’t have been in better hands. Discussing the day’s events, the disciples launched into deep water.
It doesn’t take long for a storm to catch an unsuspecting traveler off guard on the Sea of Galilee, which measures only 13 miles from north to south and 8 miles from east to west. Two unique geographical and atmospheric conditions make this place ripe for storms and rough water. First, the Sea of Galilee sits at about 680 feet below sea level, which gives it a warm climate even in January. (We studied at the Sea of Galilee in January and enjoyed weather in the 60’s and low 70’s.) This warm climate creates dangers because the Arable Cliffs and the Golan Heights sit on the east and west side of the Sea. When cold winds come down from Mt. Hermon, the highest point in Israel, and over these high plateaus, the gullies and valleys create a funnel effect. The result is that compressed wind flows rapidly through these valleys and can quickly create a savage storm on the Sea of Galilee.
Second, the Sea of Galilee sits on the Syro/African rift, which experiences many various sized earthquakes throughout the year. This rift runs from the north of Israel south into the heart of Africa, contributing to much of the seismic activity in Israel. Matthew 8:23a says, “There came down a storm on the lake.” Matthew describes it as a “seismos,” where we get our English word seismology.
Well, it’s not long before one of those fierce storms surprises the disciples as it sweeps down from the plateaus and descends on the lake so that, “They began to be swamped and to be in danger.” (23b) As we watch the disciples bailing for their lives, let’s not loose sight of the purpose of the text:
(1) There is safety even in the midst of storms
(2) Wherever Jesus resides, the storms of life have to become calm
For those who have been to New York City, you know that several bridges have been constructed to span the East River for people to enter “The Big Apple.” As one of the East Bridges was being built, engineers were baffled by an old sunken barge embedded in the river bottom. Powerful engines, steel cables, derricks, and rafts were powerless to remove the barge from the river. A young man fresh out of technical school was given permission to give it his best shot. At low tide he had a large barge towed out to the spot and the ends fastened to the sunken derelict. As the tide came in from the Atlantic the barge rose, bringing with it the submerged wreck. The young engineer had linked the limitless power of the ocean tides to his task.(4)
God wants to give you His power. Will you let him?
Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God (Psalm 68:34-35).
End Notes
1. David Yarbrough. SermonCentral.com. Elijah: The Power and Presence of God. Pg. 1
2. G.B. F. Hallock. 2500 Modern Illustrations. Harper’s and Brothers Publishers. New York. 1935. Pg. 269.
3.Phillip Keller. Elijah Prophet of Power. Word Books, Waco, Texas, 1980. Pg. 69-70
4. 2. G.B. F. Hallock. 2500 Modern Illustrations. Harper’s and Brothers Publishers. New York. 1935. Pg. 270.
Edited by Diane Gardner
