HOW TO BREAK A DROUGHT
TEXT: 1 Kings 18: 17-46
Introduction: Elijah announced a drought in 1 Kings 17:1, “There shall not be neither dew nor rain these few years, except at my word.”
Israel’s sin is the cause for the drought.
- TAKE RESPONSIBILITY (18:17), “Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” Ahab refused to take responsibility for his role in causing Israel’s drought, spiritually and literally. The nation was hurting.
- RESTORE OBEDIENCE (18:18), “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed Baal.” Obedience brings the blessing of God, while disobedience dries it up. According to Deut. 28 the blessings are conditioned. “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God” 28:2. The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season – If you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them” Deut. 28:12-13.
- BE DECISIVE (18:21), “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him, but if Baal, follow him, but the people answered not a word.” You can’t serve two masters. “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” James 1:8. “One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words. It is expressed in the choices one makes.”
- RETURN TO THE ALTAR (18:30), “And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.”
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” Heb. 2:3. Neglect means, to be careless; make light of; not regard.
- MAKE THE SACRIFICE (18:33), “And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the altar.”
God’s people need to “cut the bull” and place it on the altar of sacrifice. (Pun intended)
- REMOVE THE IDOLS (18:37), “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” An idol is anything that cools our passion for Christ. Idols are destroyed when the Lord is returned to His rightful place in our hearts.
- ENJOY THE RAIN (18:41) “Go up, eat and drink: for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” Ahab went off to eat and drink.
CONCLUSION: Elijah went and sat on top of Mount Camal, put his head between his kness, sent his messenger to go and look toward the sea. He came back with the message that “there is nothing”. Go and look again, which the servant did seven times. On the seventh time, he brought back a message saying, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea” (18:44).
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6: 33