All the training, all the trials, and all the trusting have been to bring Elijah to the place where he could stand in the pure power of God and show a lost nation that Jehovah, not Baal, was Lord of all.
Elijah is just one man against 450, yet, he challenges these false prophets to a duel.
They will offer a bull and pray. The God who answers by sending fire from Heaven will be worshiped as God. It seemed a fair challenge to the people and to the prophets of Baal.
From early morning to noon these false priests prayed, screamed and called on Baal, but no fire came down.
Elijah mocked them. "Surely he is a god! You better cry louder! Maybe he’s too busy. Maybe he’s asleep and you need to wake him."
After six hours, Elijah stepped up to his altar and prayed a sixty-three word prayer, 1 Kings 18:36,37.
1 Kings 18:38-39 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, 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 the God; the Lord, he is the God.
God will honor that person who is sold out to His will. If you live by faith you need never fear the Lord letting you down. He will always come through for you.
We must never underestimate the power of a totally dedicated life. If you are sold out, the Lord will use you greatly.
Ideas for this unprofitable blog are taken from The Sermon Notebook—Biblical resources for preachers and teachers of the word of God. They allow these sermons to be used as the Lord leads but not for profit without their permission.
