Monday May 30, 2022

Scripture 1 Kings 17 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, 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.” 

– What we have here in these opening passages concerning the prophet Elijah is a revelation of what authentic faith in God really looks like.  Authentic faith in God works in cooperation with God!

– Why is this particular characteristic so important?  Faith in God does not run ahead of God, it does not lag behind God, it does not endeavor to go around a problem or excuse away the concern.  Faith in God can only happen in relationship with God.

– We hear from God, we speak to God, we wait upon the Lord, we move forward because we sense the conviction of the Spirit to do so!   This is faith in God! 

– The pronouncement of judgment that came from the mouth of Elijah was birthed out of his relationship with God.  It was not his own assessment, but the prompting of the Spirit at work in him!  It would not be Elijah who would stop up the heavens, it would be the Hand of God! 

– But hear this, the judgment would not come except by the word of Elijah and so too the deliverance would not come except by his word!  

– What this means is simply this, God has ordained that you and I are to be His messengers of His judgment and of His salvation.   We are partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4) so that we declare His message to the world. 

– That message will at times confront wickedness and consequently it will not win you friends.  At other times and equally important that message from God will declare deliverance, healing, and salvation!   

– Here’s the rub, we are not in a place to declare God’s Word if we are not hearing from God, speaking to God, waiting upon the Lord, and moving forward because we sense the conviction of the Spirit to do so!  “Consequently faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ”, Rom. 10:17.  How can we declare His message if we have not heard His Word?  However, if we hear His Word we had better declare His Word! 

– By faith we will hear God’s Word and by faith we are to declare God’s Word convinced that His Word will never fail!  God’s Word will not return to Him void!