Have You Worried About Something This Past Year?

Trivial Things We Worry About
1. Are The Colts Going To The Super Bowl?
2. Did I Just Find Gray Hair In My Beard?
3. Is Caitlin Clark Going To Get Better Soon?
4. Are Those Wrinkles?
5. How Many Of You Walk Around Always Feeling Like The Piano Is Going To Fall On Your Head?

This List Goes On And On…

Top Things People Worry About
1. Money
2. The Future
3. Job Security
4. Relationships
5. Health

Prophet Elijah
1. One Of The Outstanding Heroes Of The Bible
2. He Was A Prominent Jew
3. He Was Regarded As A Wilderness Dweller
4. The Bible Identifies His Clothing As A Garment Of Haircloth With A Girdle Of Leather
5. He Was A Bold Spokesman For The Lord
6. Bible Also Shows Us The Human Side Of Him As Well

King Ahab, wife Jezebel and the worship of Baal Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.
1 Kings 16:30 NIV

He setup an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria
1 Kings 16:32 NIV

The Bold Confrontation

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.”
1 Kings 17:1 NIV

God’s Provision

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”
1 Kings 17:2-4 NIV

The Ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
1 Kings 17:6 NIV

The Reckoning: Mount Carmel

So, Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” I have not made trouble for Israel, “Elijah replied. “But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel…
1 Kings 18:16-19A NIV

So, Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.
1 Kings 18:20-21 NIV

Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire-He is God.” 1 Kings 18:22-24A NIV

Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” So, they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they call on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
1 Kings 18:25-26 NIV

At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. Surely, he is god! Perhaps he is deeper in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So, they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
1 Kings 18:25-26 NIV

Elijah Had A Holy Confidence
No Doubt!

At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”
1 Kings 18:36-37 NIV

Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord-he is God! The Lord-he is God!”
1 Kings 18:36-37 NIV

What Happens Next: Jezebel Finds Out

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
1 Kings 19:1-2 NIV

How Does Elijah Respond?
1. Does He Flinch?
2. Does He Stand Firm?
3. Does He Start Trash Talking Her?
4. NOOOOO, HE RUNS!

Elijah On The Run

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.
1 Kings 19:3A NIV

God Ask Elijah A Question

There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty…
1 Kings 19:9-10A NIV

Many Times, Worry Fosters Fear.

Fear Will Make Us Make Decisions That God Never Intended For Us To Make.

You Might Be Worried About The…
Money Problems
Marriage Problems
Friend Problems
Parent Problems
Finding A Job Problem

Remind Yourself

He says, “Be Still and know that I am God”…
Psalm 46:10A NIV

Even Though Elijah Was Not Trusting God In This Moment, God Never Left Him

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
Psalm 139:1-12 NIV

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. Psalm 139:1-12 NIV

Does That Sound Like A God Who Will Let You Down?