“A God Who is Faithful When the Pressure is On” Part 1 “What is Our Passion?” “A God Who is Faithful When the Pressure is On” Part 1

ELIJAH’S MISSION Historical Background 1 Kings 16:30-31 (NIV) Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.

ELIJAH’S MISSION Jeroboam’s and Ahab’s Sins 1 Kings 16:33 (NIV) Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than did all the kings of Israel before him.

ELIJAH’S MISSION Idolatry Colossians 3:5 (NIV) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Ephesians 5:5 (NIV) For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

ELIJAH’S MESSAGE 1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah…said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”

ELIJAH’S MOTIVATION Before entering Ahab’s presence he had “prayed earnestly that it would not rain,” and as James recorded years later, “it did not rain on the land for three and a half years” (James 5:17) God honoured Elijah’s faith!

A NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE ON IDOLATRY

A 21st CENTURY PERSPECTIVE ON ‘IDOLATRY’ Do We Serve Humanistic Gods? Do We Serve Materialistic Gods? Do We Serve Sensual Gods? Do We Worship Relational Gods?

A PERSONAL life response… I / We will serve and worship the Lord…