“TESTED BY GOD” I Kings 17:8-16

I Kings 17:8-16 “Then the word of the LORD came to him: ‘Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.’ So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’ As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’ ‘As surely as the LORD your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die.”

“Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said “Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.”

A QUICK REVIEW LOCATION: THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL LEADERSHIP: THE FIRST 7 KINGS OF ISRAEL KING AHAB: THE WORST OF ALL THE KINGS ELIJAH’S SUDDEN APPEARANCE AND DISAPEARANCE! THE RAVINE OF KERITH!

GOD’S PLAN FOR ELIJAH THE STORY OF ELIJAH IS THE STORY OF GOD USING ELIJAH TO TURN THE NATION OF ISRAEL BACK TO GOD THROUGH: TRUTH CONFRONTATION EVIDENCE

TESTS! THE USEFUL PURPOSE OF TESTS: *TO SEE WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE DON’T KNOW *TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AT IN OUR DEVELOPMENT/READINESS *TO GET US READY FOR WHAT’S NEXT

TEST # 1: THE TEST OF CHANGE! “The word of the LORD came to him saying, ‘Arise, go at once to Zarephath which belongs to Sidon, and stay there.’” (I Kings 17:8,9) CHANGE MEANS SOMETHING “DIFFERENT” CHANGE MEANS SOMETHING “NEW” CHANGE MEANS “MAKING ADJUSTMENTS”

The Test of Change (Cont.) “GO AT ONCE TO ZAREPHATH OF SIDON!” *Zarephath was a small village in modern day Lebanon (in Biblical times called Sidon or Phoenicia) *Sidon was the home territory of Jezebel (wife of Ahab) *Sidon was the center of Baal worship *Zarephath means “smelting place” (known for it’s furnaces)

THE TEST OF CHANGE FOR MY LIFE TODAY: AM I WILLING TO MAKE CHANGES IN MY LIFE WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO DO SO – OR AM I OPPOSED TO CHANGE? IF GOD ASKS ME TO MAKE A CHANGE, WILL I OBEY HIM?

TEST #2: THE TEST OF OBEDIENCE! “‘…I have commanded a widow there (in Zarephath) to provide for you.’ So he arose and went to Zarephath.” (I Kings 17:9,10) Note: The obedience of the widow The obedience of the prophet

The Test of Obedience For My Life Today: AM I WILLING TO OBEY GOD EVEN WHEN IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO ME? The Test of Obedience For My Life Today:

(judgment and personal opinion) TEST # 3: The Test Of (judgment and personal opinion) “So he arose and went to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’” (I Kings 17:10) If you were Elijah, what would be your first impression of the widow? If you were the woman, what would be your first impression of Elijah?

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK “‘As surely as the LORD your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it – and die.’” (I Kings 17:12)

The Test of First Impressions For MY Life Today: DO I GIVE PEOPLE AND SITUATIONS A CHANCE TO PROVE THEMSELVES OR DO I MAKE QUICK JUDGMENTS – AND BY DOING SO MISS OUT ON GOD’S BLESSING FOR MY LIFE?

TEST #4: THE TEST OF FAITH Elijah said to the woman- “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.” (I Kings 17:13) “For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain upon the land.’” TEST #4: THE TEST OF FAITH

WHAT IS FAITH? FAITH IS NOT A LEAP IN THE DARK IT IS INSTEAD – A STEP IN THE LIGHT! What light (evidence) did Elijah have? What light (evidence) did the widow have?

UPPER STORY THE SPIRITUAL WORLD FAITH UPPER STORY THE SPIRITUAL WORLD LOWER STORY THE PHYSICAL WORLD

THE TEST OF FAITH FOR MY LIFE TODAY: GOD GIVES TO EACH OF US THE EVIDENCE WE NEED AND THEN WE ARE TESTED AS TO OUR RESPONSE – AM I RESPONDING TO THE LIGHT (EVIDENCE) THAT I HAVE IN MY LIFE?

TEST #5: THE TEST OF EVERYDAY So there was food everyday for Elijah and the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD, spoken by Elijah.” (I Kings 17:15,16)

The Test of Every Day Consistency For My Life Today: DO I BELIEVE GOD FOR EVERY DAY – THUS DEMONSTRATING TO OTHERS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS TO ME AND MY FAITHFULNESS TO HIM?