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LET GOD BE GOD I Kings 18:17-24
Introduction: Narrate the background of story. Elijah said, “We will see who is God” means “Let God be God.” What a startling statement this was, that man letting God be God.
Illustration:
(So, God arranged it until He is dependent upon man; now He is already God but He can’t be God. – Exercising Himself as God without a man).
Psalm 78:41 “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” God is saying “Let me do what I can do” as Elijah said “Let God be God.”
I – BY PRAYING TO GOD – v.36, 37 I Kings 18:36, 37 “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.”
James 4:2 “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” John Rice said “All your failures are prayer failures.”
Ephesians 3:20 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” You can’t ask more than God can do.”
Psalm 81:10 “I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.“ God likes big mouth Christians
II – BY TRUSTING GOD – v.33- 35, 24 I Kings 18:33-35 “And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. 34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.” I Kings 18:24 “And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.”
Psalm 37:3-5 “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Faith is the intake of the will and love is the outlet.
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” All things are possible to him that believeth.
Joshua 1:5 “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” God said to Johua that as God was with Moses, so He be with Joshua. III – BY WAITING GOD – v.37, 29-30 I Kings 18:37 “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.” I Kings 18:29-30 “And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. 30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.”
Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Abraham and Sarah wait on God’s promise to give them a Son. (Isaac)
IV – BY ALLOWING GOD – v.24, v.37-39 I Kings 18:24 “And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.” I Kings 18:37-39 “Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38 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.39 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.”
Example: Peter the fisherman, preaches and three thousand got saved Gideon was used by God victoriously in a battle, but he is the least in his father’s house David was overlooked by his own father when looking for a king of Israel Moses was not a good spokesman and reluctant to be a leader of Israel, but God is with Moses mightily as He leads.
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