Elijah Prayed to Die

ELIJA PRAYED TO DIE Text: I Kings 19:1-5 Intro: Right after a grea and marvelous victory on Mount Cannel, Jezebel threatened Elijah's life. She was going to make him as he made her prophets. Elijah traveled a day's journey running from this wicked queen. In th1se verses we find him under a juniper tree and desiring the Lord to e his life. As we face the troubles in our lives, we will find there e times we would like to die as weJI. The idea is to get out of the roblem. The Lord didn't allow Elijah to die. I. THE VESSEL OF HE LORD A. Elijah was save~. 1. Elijah was a ~uman vessel of the Lord that the Lord used in a mighty way. 2. He was a sa~_edman who knew the Lord and was doing the work of the Lord. I 3. He prayed a;[.dfire came down and consumed the ~t~~:~g~~ t~!~epared. The fire consumed the wood, 4. Even saved people can want the Lord to call them home because of t~e problems. B. Elijah was separated, 1. Elijah was aI pattern for God's men to follow. He had great powe~with man and God. 2. God worke many miracles through this great prophet. May we ne er forget that the Devil is constantly working in our lives. 3. He will atta~k you when you are in the ~alley. He will attack you when you are on the mountain top. 4. Elijah was ~ special man of God, but he was a man. God's people need to be praying for God's men. e. Elijah was a sJrvant. 1.. Elijah was J servant of the most high God. He made himself available to God. 252. He was used of God in ministering to mankind. He proclaimed t e truth of God's Word to mankind. 3. Study the 1ivFs of the apostles and learn that they were just human vlessels. This is not a justification, but an explanation rfour actions at times. II. THE VICTORY OF THE LORD A. The divine r 1. The great conresr between Elijah and the prophets of Jezebel was to show who was God in Israel. I Kings 18:36,37 r 2. Elijah wante~ the people to know that God was God in Israel. The ifolS were nothing. Read Psalm 135:15-18. 3. Elijah want~d them to know that he was the servant of the Lord. B. The demonstra ion 1. Elijah praye~ to the Lord and He answered with fire from heave9' The other prophets cried out to Baal, but he didn't an wer them. 2. This fire co sumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, an the water. 18:39 3. The answer a his prayer showed Israel who was the true and livi g God in the land ofIsrael. C. The death 1. The prophet of Jezebel numbering 850 were slain. 2. God is a jea ous God. The false prophets were killed because the were leading the Jews away from God. 3. True worshi and teaching always moves us to serve the living d true God according to His holy Word. John 4:24 III. THE VILLAIN OF THE LORD A. The Devil [ 1. The Devil is the great enemy of God and people. Study I Peter 5:8. tudy also James 4:7. 2. The Devil iJ at work when people will not obey the Lord and liJe according to His Word. 263. Paul informed the Corinthians in II Corinthians 11:13- I • • 15 of the DeV['1and hIS tactics. B. The deceit 1. In II Corinthi s Paul shows us how the Devil can transform himself and his ministers into angels of light. 2. II Corinthians 4:3,4 teaches us that the Devil blinds people to the truth of the gospel. 3. The Devil w9~ks on the flesh and deceives people. The Lord works oh people with the truth. John 14:6 C. The deafness I 1. The flesh is not subject to God's law and can't be. Romans 8:7/ 2. Paul describes the great conflict between the spiritual man and the finful man. Romans 7:14-25 3. There is a par of us that is sinful and a part of us that is sinless. We ~ield to one or the other. Romans 6:12-14 IV. THE VANITY BEFORE THE LORD A. The fear I1. The Devil u~es a great tool against the people of God. That tool istar. 2. Moses told shua who was about to take over as the leader of Isr .el to be strong and very courageous. Joshua 1:9 I 3. He was not ~obe afraid or dismayed because the Lord was with .~. I . Joshua 1:9 B. The flesh 1. Jesus told .s disciples that the spirit was willing, but the flesh is reak. Matthew 26:41 2. The Devil '1'ill always work on the flesh because he knows the flesh is weak. 3. We are to Idan upon the Lord who is our strength. II corinthiani12 :9 C. The feebleness 1. We will le a very valuable lesson when we realize that the flesh is weak and we can't do anything in the 27flesh. 2. Study Philip ians 4: 13. Christ is able to strengthen us. He can make/us strong. 3. We need to r61yupon Him for our strength. Many have not and they ho longer serve Him. V. THE VALUE OF THE LORD A. The hope I 1. Even when 1e want to give up and quit and want to die, the Lord will not allow us to. 2. Elijah needef to rest and eat food for the body. Many of us violate nafuraIlaws that weaken our will to go on. 3. We don't get proper rest and we don't eat right. This can have an rdverse affect on us. B. The help 1. Instead of wrting to die, we should cry out to God for help. Hebrers 4: 16 2. We need to realize that the Lord is always with us to help us. Hetirews 13:5,6 3. When eve~hing seems hopeless and there is no help, there is hOP) and help in the Lord. Hebrews 6: 19,20 C. The holy 1. God is able 0 supply all of our needs from His riches in glory. PhiliJpians 4: 19 I 2. We need to learn how to live according to God's Word. 3. Study the tJth found in Mark 8:34-38. This is talking about the kel~to living. It is not talking about soul salvation. 4. Many are trying to gain material things to the point they leave God 9'ut of their lives and do not put Him first. Matthew 6:33 5. They have J lot, but they are not living like the Lord wants them to live.

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