1 Kings 18
“Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, Go and present yourself to King Ahab.”
Ok, so there is a severe famine, Ahab is a really bad dude and his wife Jezebel is worse.
Ahab summons Obadiah a faithful servant who saved 100 of God’s prophets from certain destruction. A courageous brother.
Ahab sends Obadiah to find water even though Elijah had just sent word to Ahab “I (God), will soon send rain.” Ahab working in his own flesh.
Obadiah runs into Elijah who directs him to, “Now go, and tell your master that Elijah is here.”
The story goes on where Obadiah has a crisis of belief because he did not want to stir up the King and Jezebel because wherever Elijah went, strange and supernatural things occurred that upset the status quo ante. But God through Elijah called him to that. Has God called you to do something that frankly you just are not up for?
Obadiah has his faith tested, but obeys. Elijah also comes through because when he told Obadiah to do a crazy hard thing, Elijah was also willing to go “all in” and he told Obadiah if you go to the King, “I will present myself to Ahab this very day.”
Leadership requires hard choices and always leading from the front…on our knees, face down but then with grace and courage in boldness.
This part of the story precedes the crazy miracles of Elijah going up against overwhelming odds of 450 false prophets. They have a dance off, (literally with the false prophets ending up cutting themselves). When Elijah allows the nonsense to end, God just shows off! Not only does God’s fire consume the offering, wood, but also the “stones, and the dust. It even licked up the water in the trench,(where three times Elijah had servants pour water on the wood and offering). Fire does not consume rocks and water.
Bottom line:
1. If there is a drought in your land, listen as God is preparing a “latter rain.”
2. When you have a tough thing God is asking of you, have courage and faith to walk it out. He has an Elijah next to you who has your back!
3. Let God do waaaaay beyond what you think could happen. In fact, God could ask you to pour water and potentially “ruin” any chance of a miracle. If that is what God is asking…just do want you sense He is saying…the actual miracle will follow!
Job 5:9