RETURN HOME
March 28, 2021
Strangers Things // Part 3
Dueling Prophets
(1 Kings 18:20 – 46)
- We are all faced with a choice of who to follow.
- (1 Kings 18:21) Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word.
- (James 1:7 – 8 KJV) A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
- (Matthew 6:24) No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
- You may be outnumbered but stand up for God anyways.
- (1 Kings 18:22) Then Elijah said to the people, “I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.”
- Seeking after other things and false gods will drain you of life and strength. Seeking after the One, True God will grant you life and strength.
- (1 Kings 18:26, 28 – 29) So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced around the altar they had made. They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. All afternoon they kept on raving until the offering of the evening sacrifice, but there was no sound; no one answered, no one paid attention.
- (1 Kings 18:36 – 38, 45) At the time of the offering the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah approached the altar and said, “LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, today let it be known that you are God in Israel and I am your servant, and that at your word I have done all these things. Answer me, LORD! Answer me so that this back.” Then the LORD’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour.
- Return to the place of repentance.
- (1 Kings 18:30) Then Elijah . . . repaired the LORD’s altar that had been torn down.
- (2 Chronicles 7:13 – 14) If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people, and my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
