“Courage in the Storm: Standing Strong in Times of Crisis” Week 1

“Courage in the Storm: Standing Strong in Times of Crisis” Week 1: “Called to Confront”           The Rise of Ahab and Jezebel’s Influence (1 Kings 16:29–17:24) Core Passage: James 5:16-18 - “16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. 17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.”   Why It All Matters – The First Two Commandments: “3 You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above, on the earth below, or in the waters beneath. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God..” Exodus 20:3-5 BSB 1 Kings 17:1-7, Elijah announces a severe drought as a judgment from God, then follows God’s command to hide by the Kerith Ravine, where he is miraculously sustained by ravens bringing him food and by drinking from the brook, which eventually dries up due to the drought. 1 Kings 17:1                       Standing up to the forces/opposition of evil 1 Kings 17:5                       Obedience is necessary, even (especially) when it is against difficulties 1 Kings 17:6                       God works in supernatural ways!   17:8-16, God instructs Elijah to go to Zarephath, where a widow will provide for him. Despite her poverty and having only a small amount of flour and oil, she trusts Elijah’s promise from God, and her supplies miraculously never run out, sustaining both her household and Elijah throughout the drought. 1 Kings 17:9-10                                 When God says go, GO! God is faithful to work out the details 1 Kings 17:12                    When the odds seem dire, God is working on the impossible. 1 Kings 17:14                    God is working ALL THINGS together, even when we can’t see it, WE MUST BELIEVE!   1 Kings 17:17-24, the widow's son becomes seriously ill and dies, prompting her to question Elijah. Elijah cries out to God, who miraculously restores the boy’s life, leading the widow to recognize Elijah as a true man of God and affirm the truth of God’s word. 1 Kings 17:18                    We are quick to BLAME God, but hesitant to THANK God 1 Kings 17:20                    Step out on FAITH! 1 Kings 17:22                    God is always listening for faithful prayers! 1 Kings 17:24                    We must step away from being a SEE to believe people, to a BELIEVE so we can SEE people.   Teachable Points 1.             God’s Call Comes with Purpose - Elijah was called to deliver God’s word to Ahab, challenging the sin of idolatry (1 Kings 17:1). 2.             Obedience to God May Lead to Isolation - Following God led Elijah to isolation by the Brook Kerith, where God sustained him (1 Kings 17:2-4). 3.             Dependence on God in All Circumstances - Elijah trusted God daily for provision, reminding us to rely on God’s faithfulness (1 Kings 17:5-6). 4.             God Uses Trials to Shape Us - Elijah’s time in solitude prepared him for the greater challenges ahead, strengthening his faith and dependence.   Important Fact: The Widow’s Son: Elijah’s raising of the widow’s son (17:17-24) is the first recorded resurrection in the Bible. It establishes Elijah’s prophetic authority and God’s power over life and death. “Christians don't simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus' name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son.” ― Eugene H. Peterson, Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading