.png)
1 Kings 18 tells the story of when the prophets of Baal challenged Elijah as to “who is God?”— Baal or the God of Elijah. They both set up offerings and then called on their gods to send fire upon the altar.
The God of Elijah instructed him to make his altar an impossible place to be consumed by fire (by pouring water on it, putting water trenches around it, etc). He was going to show His miraculous power and that HE alone is God. As I read through this story again, I thought of all the impossibilities that are even now upon many of you. Are we in a time that God will prove Himself once again to every false god and false prophet? He will show his faithfulness that disproves every lie and every demonic voice that shouts, “Where is your God?”
The prophets of Baal didn’t construct the impossible altar but even so, as they shouted to their god nothing happened. They then began to cut themselves until blood gushed out, they pounded their chests and yet their “god” did nothing. But Elijah drenched his offering with water and then simply prayed this prayer,
“O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
Then after his prayer, fire fell and consumed his offering.
And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The LORD —he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!” 1 Kings 18:36-37, 39
Thing around you may feel like a drenched altar— many things look impossible but may the faith and assurance that Elijah walked in come upon you to believe that our God will prove Himself faithful. He is with you— in the impossibles that surround your personally and in the world around us. As you stand in faith before your drenched altar— will fire fall yet again? Pray this simple prayer of faith that echoes Elijah’s words,
“O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
Be found on the side of faith rather than on the side of despair and hopelessness. You do not live by sight but by faith. Faith does not disappoint because our hope is ultimately in our King— Jesus Christ.
It is time to see miracles like what happened with the parting of the Red Sea, the Jordan River, the walls that fell around Jericho and with David when Goliath fell. Face what seems impossible before you with faith— faith and trust in his will and ways. It’s time for fire to fall and consume your impossibilities!
1 Kings 18 goes on to tell of when Elijah prays for rain. Though there was no sign of rain he sends his servant seven times to look for rain clouds after he prayed. Finally his servant returns the seventh time and reports that he saw a small cloud, only the size of a man’s hand. Elijah tells his servant to go report to Ahab to go swiftly because an “abundance of rain” will come quickly…and it did!
Don’t give up even if you’ve gone out to find your miracle and it hasn’t yet appeared. Your seventh time is coming. You will see your small cloud, the size of a man’s hand and know that it is a sign to prepare for a downpour— abundance of rain to suddenly fall.
Mercy is falling!
All that is impossible for man is possible with God. The spirit of Elijah is prophesying that the fire will consume the offering and the abundance of rain will pour down upon the dry land. I pray that your miracle will fall like an abundant rain on whatever you are facing. That is who our God is!
Kathie Pelton
--------------------------------------
