God Who Answers By Fire

Day 102

Reading: 1 Kings 16: - 1 Kings 18:46

God's Word is final and once God has said it, be sure it will come to pass. I know that right now you may be saying that I don't understand the troubles or challenges you are facing. Let me point you to God. The Word of God cannot fail. Understand that the Word of God has the final say; believe that the Word of God will have the final say; know that the Word of God will manifest without an iota failing to happen. The Bible is proof that God's Word has the finality in every situation. No matter what you are facing, let the Word of God become the final arbiter. God has never failed and He is not about to.

The new Kingdom of Israel didn't get a proper foundation of having a king who loved God to be an example to the people on the proper way to worship God. From Jeroboam the first king, we see idolatry being practised.  Repeatedly we see that a constant message was sent to the kings by God through the prophets. This message was a death sentence and repeatedly it was about them not walking in the ways and commandments of God. During the reign of King Asa who ruled for 41 years in Judah, Israel had Jeroboam, Abijam, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, and then we meet Ahab. Ahab was married to a lady called Jezebel, the daughter of the King of Sidonians. Ahab worshipped baal openly making an altar for baal.  Ahab we are made to understand was terrible. He did more evil than all the kings who reigned before him and the Bible say so. What a character reference from God Himself! 

It's when wickedness is riding at its highest that God raises a prophet who would shake the people and the Kingdom of Israel. During Ahab's tenure, it was dangerous to be a servant of God. In fact, most were in hiding. Many were killed and at that moment God sends a man who definitely sent shockwaves throughout the country. Elijah was sent on a mission to get the people back to God and to deal with the oppressive spirit pervading the culture, government, family, and businesses. God raise Elijah's for this day and age.

Elijah arrives and announces himself as the man who now was in charge. At his word, a drought and famine were announced. No rain for years was simply saying to Ahab that baal was not in charge and neither were the priests that Jezebel had dining at her table. I love the way Elijah introduced himself. He declared that he stood before God and thus had the authority and heaven's backing. Many today say that before you stand before men, kneel before God. I have a new one to add. Make sure you are standing before God or you will kneel before men when you discover that you don't have God's backing. You can only stand before God if you are walking righteously. You cant be seeking mercy when you are standing. Mercy seekers are usually bowed whilst people who are sure of themselves stand. Have you ever seen a lawyer pleading a case while lying down? Elijah was letting Ahab know that he stood before God's court and had been sent with a ruling which was about to be executed. 

Elijah on announcing to Ahab that there would be no rain unless he decreed it was then lead to being sustained by God. God had ravens bring food for him twice a day. Ravens don't behave like this, however, when you walk with God, what should take away from him was now feeding him. May God send supply to you and me from unlikely sources. However, as the drought and famine were biting, the brook where God had sent him dried up. God then sent him to a widow who would feed him.  There is an unlikely source with your sustenance. Wait on God for direction on who has the business contract, business deal or job. Don't look for the 'big fat cat' to supply. God uses the most unlikely sources. 

The widow didn't have much food remaining. She was facing death and promptly tells Elijah that all she had was for her son. She was gathering firewood to go cook the last meal. I can almost imagine her heart. I am sure she was burdened wondering whether her child would die or where would she get a meal. God already had a solution and it was not the solution most people expect. Elijah asks for the meal she has and interestingly enough she believes him and serves him. Did she know that this was the prophet, Elijah? They didn't have social media or breaking news that day. However, the whole land must have known of the prophet's utterances. They never lacked supply for the duration that Elijah stayed with them. Learn to treat God's servants well when they stay with you. You never know what supply you will receive. 

Whilst staying with the woman of Zarephath, her son suddenly dies. She then asks Elijah if the reason her son had died was that God had called her sin to remembrance. Elijah has the son laid on his bed and he gets to prayer. As I read this passage it dawned on me that God was honing Elijah's prayer life in this encounter. He prayed for 3 times before the boy was revived. The Bible records that God heard the voice of Elijah. There is a place of prayer that God hears your voice and reverses the order of things. It is the place where life is restored to the dead; the place where one is in command all to the glory of God. 

With the famine biting, Ahab sends Obadiah to look for pasture for his horses. Obadiah was a man who feared God. He had taken 100 prophets and hidden them from his master. God in the last days will raise men and women who will help protect those who love God from death. Elijah appears suddenly before Obadiah and asks Obadiah to arrange a meeting with Ahab. Obadiah knew that Elijah was a man of the Spirit of God and God would take him anywhere without a vehicle. Why can't believers today believe God can do the miraculous yet the Bible is full of evidence that nothing is impossible with God? We ascribe too much power to satan and forget that God is the ultimate source of power. We have given in to fear so much that we have limited the power of God. Actually, we have put boundaries on what God can do and then we wonder why we don't see the power of God. 

Elijah on meeting Ahab asks to meet the entire nation to decide on who is to be worshipped. Is it baal or Jehovah? They were to offer a bull on an altar and the god who answers by fire was God. When Elijah issued the dare in front of the people no one spoke a word. No voice was heard speaking for God except that of Elijah. Elijah taunted the priests of baal as they cried and did their thing while hoping to see a fire from the sky. Elijah at the hour of the evening sacrifice called the people of Israel together. He repaired the altar of the Lord first, then on placing the sacrificial bull he poured water on it three times. Water was scarce thus making the sacrifice more costly. He didn't then go for an all-night prayer meeting for God to show up. He made a request that God would show Himself as God. And God answered with fire from heaven consuming the sacrifice and the people bowed in worship to the Lord God. Immediately, the priests of baal were executed by Elijah.  This encounter took place on Mount Caramel. Caramel means the fertile place. I pray that as you read this every place you desire God to manifest, His fire will fall from heaven and consume the sacrifice laid on His altar. 

Elijah goes up the mountain, the fertile place, and prays 7 times for rain. Each time he prayed his servant reported that there was no cloud. However, on the 7th time of asking the servant saw a cloud as small as the hand of a man. Elijah knew that was his prayer answered, it was about to rain heavily. Learn to persist in prayer until you see your breakthrough of rain over your fertile ground. He immediately descends down the mountain and the Lord's hand came on him and caused him to outrun the chariots of Ahab. God can cause you to outrun those who are using natural means to get to the wealthy place. 

Memory Verse: 1 Kings 18:46

Decree: 

I decree that the hand of God is coming upon my life. May God answer every prayer of mine by fire from above. A fire that will consume my life as a living sacrifice. The sound of an abundance of rain is in my ears regarding every situation of my life.I can see the cloud the size of the hand of man arising with rain over my land.