“THE BATTLE FOR THE HEART” PART 2 I Kings 18:30-40

REVIEW NO RAIN FOR 3 ½ YEARS!! THE QUESTION: “HOW LONG WILL YOU LIVE UNDECIDED? THE CHALLENGE: “IF THE LORD IS GOD – FOLLOW HIM….” THE CONTEST: WHO IS GOD? THE OUTCOME: THE FAILURE OF THE PROPHETS OF BAAL!

I Kings 18:30-35 “Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come near to me.’ So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down. And Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, ‘Israel shall be your name.’ So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, ‘Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.’ And he said, ‘Do it a second time’ and they did it a second time. And he said, ‘Do it a third time,’ and they did it a third time. And the water flowed around the altar, and he also filled the trench with water.”

I Kings 18:36-40 “Then it came about at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Jacob), today let it be known that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that Thou, O LORD, art God, and that Thou has turned their heart back again.’ Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, ‘The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.’ Then Elijah said to them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.’ So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”

Elijah is going to answer the question, ‘Who is God Elijah is going to answer the question, ‘Who is God?’ his way: A METICULOUS ILLUSTRATION! God is going to answer the question, ‘Who is God?’ His way: A MIRACULOUS DEMONSTRATION! WHO DID WHAT

ELIJAH’S METICULOUS ILLUSTRATION THE ISSUE: WHO IS GOD? THE ALTAR AND IT’S 12 STONES “And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down. And Elijah took 12 stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the LORD had said, ‘Israel shall be your name.’” (1 Kgs. 18:31) ANSWER: HE IS THE COVENANT GOD OF ISRAEL!

ELIJAH’S METICULOUS ILLUSTRATION! ISSUE: WHO IS GOD? THE BLOOD SACRIFICE! “Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces….” (I Kgs. 18:33) “For the life of the flesh is in it’s blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls….” (Lev. 17:11) ANSWER: HE IS THE COVENANT GOD!

ELIJAH’S METICULOUS ILLUSTRATION! THE ISSUE: WHO IS GOD? THE ALTAR DRENCHED WITH WATER! “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and the wood… (3 times)…and the water flowed around the altar and filled the trench.” (I Kings 18: 33-35) “With all your offerings you shall offer salt.” (Lev. 2:17) ANSWER: HE IS THE COVENANT GOD!

ELIJAH’S METICULOUS ILLUSTRATON! THE ISSUE: WHO IS GOD? THE EVENING SACRIFICE! “Then it came about at the time of the evening sacrifice….” (vs.36) “And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight…an offering by fire to the LORD.” (Exodus 29:41) ANSWER: HE IS THE COVENANT GOD!

ELIJAH’S METICULOUS ILLUSTRATION! ISSUE: WHO IS GOD? THE NAME OF GOD! “Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel (Jacob)….’” (1 Kgs. 18:36) “God called to him (Moses) and said… ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’” (Exodus 3:4-6) ANSWER: HE IS THE COVENANT GOD!

ELIJAH’S PRAYER THE PERSON: THE COVENANT GOD THE PURPOSE: a. So they will KNOW who is God b. So their hearts will turn back to God THE POSTURE: HUMILITY (I am your servant…) THE PREMISE: I have followed your Word

GOD’S MIRACULOUS DEMONSTARTION! THE ANSWER BY FIRE! “Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.” (I Kings 18:38) “…the God who answers by fire, He is God.” (I Kings 18:24)

THE PEOPLE’S RESPONSE THEY NOW KNOW THE TRUTH! “LORD, answer me, so this people MAY KNOW that Thou, O LORD art God.” (vs. 37) “And when all the people saw it they fell on their faces and said, ‘The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!’” (I Kgs. 18:39)

“IF THE LORD IS GOD, FOLLOW HIM…. ” (vs “IF THE LORD IS GOD, FOLLOW HIM….” (vs. 21) “Then Elijah said to them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.’ So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.” (I Kgs. 18:40) “…but the prophet who shall speak...in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.” (Deut. 18:21)

ELIJAH PRAYS AGAIN (this time not for fire – but for rain!) “But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth, and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look toward the sea.’ So he went up and looked and said, ‘There is nothing.’ And he said, ‘Go back’ seven times. And it came about at the seventh time, that he said, ‘Behold a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.…’ So it came about in a little while, that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower.” (I Kings 18:42-45) HOW IS THIS PRAYER DIFFERENT FROM HIS FIRST PRAYER?

WHAT DOES THIS STORY MEAN FOR MY LIFE TODAY? 3 FROGS ON A LOG! Once upon a time, there were three frogs on a log. Two frogs decided to jump off the log. How many frogs were left? DECIDE AND FOLLOW! WHAT IS YOUR NEXT STEP IN FOLLOWING?

WHAT DOES THIS STORY MEAN FOR MY LIFE TODAY? THE BILLY GRAHAM STANDARD O AND O! Question: Are you O and O FOR GOD? In your decisions? In your following?