1 Kings 18 | Fighting Idols: Remove what's blocking the Rain.

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First Kings chapter. 18 and I think today.

Is. Is one of these stories.

That many of us grew. Up with, especially if.

You went to church. Or you grew up in church?

First First Kings Chapter 18 I want to just.

1 Kings 18 · chapter mention

Jump right into it because. We got a lot to.

Cover, but let me. Set the scene.

We're looking at, you know. 2 Two people Tale of the take We

do this every week. On one.

Side we have Prophet Elijah. On the other side, we have King

Ahab. What's funny is when I.

First read the story. I thought it was like Elijah

versus the prophets of. Bald.

But then I was like, you know what?

It's actually Elijah. I mean, it's actually.

Ahab. That is the one who's causing a

little bit of the problems here. And God uses Elijah to kind of

set him straight. So we're going to actually start

reading in verse 16. But I I got to like.

Speed us up because a lot of people, they read this.

Story and they miss a lot of really important details.

In our scripture. So I'm going to give.

Us a lot of back story so that way.

We understand what's. Happening and we don't put our

own little spin. To it we, we let.

The text talk right so. Beginning in chapter 18, there

has been a famine in the land for the.

Last three years, Elijah has. Prayed and God has withheld.

Rain from. His people because they were

worshipping idols and and because of.

Elijah there has. Been no rain in the land God

has. Withheld.

It and three years later. God tells the prophet Elijah.

OK, I want you to go to King Ahab and go.

Talk to him now. So Elijah obeys the Lord, he

goes. And King Ahab has an

administrator named Opadiah now. Opadiah fears the Lord.

That's what the Bible says. Like he, he fears the Lord.

He. Is a man of God.

So Elijah goes to Opadiah. And says hey I need to.

Go talk to your. Kid I need to go talk to.

Ahab Opadiah is like. I don't think I want to die.

Today. Because here's the thing.

Ahab and his wife Jezebel they've.

Been killing the. Prophets of God, so Obadiah has

secretly. Been hiding prophets in these.

Caves. He split both.

Of them up 50 and 50, he's been sustaining them and feeding them

with bread and water. And he's like Elijah's like, you

want to go. Talk to Ahab.

Right now, if he finds out, that's my head.

Ain't no way. But Elijah's like.

Listen, I swear on my Mama, I'm going to go talk to the king.

That's Ricky's version. He's out.

I'm going to go talk to the king because this.

Is what God's asked me to so Elijah.

Goes and this. Is where we leave.

Off right now. So verse 16, So Obadiah.

Went. To meet ahab and told.

Him and Ahab went to meet. Elijah.

All right, so Elijah is just. Following protocol, you go to

the King's administrator. Administrator lets the king

know. So but but look what?

16's saying he's like so when Obadiah went to Ahab and told

him Ahab went to meet. Elijah Ahab is like, oh.

Hold on a second, Elijah. 'S in town.

Where's he at? I need to go talk to I.

I need to see this guy. So if you look at the history of

Ahab, if you go back, it goes back.

To First Kings chapter 12. The Bible says that Ahab

1 Kings 12 · chapter mention

followed the steps of King. Jeroboam.

All right now, King Jeroboam, let me just give you a little

back story with him. King Jeroboam created idols.

He was an idol. Worshipper he created 2 golden.

Calves and he presented them to Israel and what King Jeroboam

said in Kings chapter. 12 was like Israel these.

Golden calves. These are the gods that freed

you from. Egypt.

It wasn't the Lord, the God that you serve.

It was these two golden. Calves that did that, that's.

Jeroboam So what the. Bible says, is that king?

Ahab. Easily followed the steps of.

Jeroboam like this was no thing for him.

So that means that Ahab loved. Idols.

He was an idolater. Like, like this is what he did.

He like he was. Worse, and what we know about

Ahab that made him even worse, was who he married.

Don't judge. No, you could judge.

He married Jezebel. I don't know about you guys, but

there's not too many. Kids named Jezebel like Judas.

Jezebel was an evil woman. Who loved Idol?

Worshippers. Jezebel was married.

To Ahab, Jezebel was the daughter of F Ball.

King of the Sidonians, I don't know.

They might have not taught you this.

In Sunday school, but there's something called a diphthong.

And a diphthong. In, in, in.

Scripture is when you. See a double vowel.

In a name, and you're supposed to pronounce.

Each vowel. Now I know we're in the South

and many of us have seen like the gods of Baal.

Like they say in East. Texas, but actually.

The name is Baal. So Jezebel's father.

'S name is Ebal. Which is tied to the.

Idol worship. Now the Sidonians.

They were people of idols. That's what they did.

They worshipped idols and they were.

And she was the. Daughter of a Phoenician.

So what that means is that they didn't just.

Worship idols Idol worship was. Ingrained in the culture, this

is no no thing for them and because.

Idol. Worship was ingrained in the.

Culture the Daughters of. The Phoenicians.

We're actually priestess of Baal.

And Ashura, which are two gods that the Canaanites worshipped.

All right, So you got to check with me, OK?

Like Ricky, what's the point? There's a point to this, all

right? It's important to understand

this because when Elijah meets. The prophets of Baal.

It's all going to make sense. Right, so this is what's.

Happening and. Really what they would do.

Region wise, is that you? Would go and you would.

This is kind of social. Political as well.

Because if you wanted to kind of take over.

A city or. A town you would marry.

The daughter of that place. And that's kind of what Ahab was

doing. And this is nothing new.

Europeans did this all the time. We see it all through history.

So he married her knowing. Exactly who she.

Was knowing what she represented.

It was so bad. That king Ahab actually set up

an altar of Jezebel in Samaria, and then he included it in the

culture, and that's why Jezebel and Ahab wanted to.

Kill the prophets of Yahweh because they're like they're.

Getting in the. Way of our gods, so Jezebel

goes. On a rampage?

And she starts. Killing the prophets.

Therefore, Obadiah finds out and he's hiding them now.

It's a terrible situation. Oh and also like you're like

man, Ricky, what's up with these two idols?

Why people worshipping them? So can't Canaanite religion

ritualize sex? So pretty much you had ball and

then you. Had Azure of all.

Was the male form. Of the God.

Azure was the. Female form of the God.

And it was pretty much the system that was one big

sexualized. Religion and as we know.

Sex is very powerful, So what was?

Happening was that the Israelites, They were

worshipping God. They were.

Worshipping Yahweh their God, but.

Then they were also worshipping what Jezebel and Ahab has

established in their town. Therefore, drought in the land.

And I just want to say that when there's drought in our lives,

maybe, just maybe, there might be idols represented in your

life. There might be something that is

in line with the. God that we.

Serve and has. Crept its way up and what God

says. In the 10 commandments

immediately is that you will not have any gods before me, you

will not create any gods, you will not serve any gods.

I'm a jealous. God, so if you.

Want to go ahead and I have an. Idol I will withhold.

The reign in your life. This is a really difficult

passage and we see this here. Oh, and one other thing about

Ball that we want to talk about him.

The the prophets of Ball, what they believe is that.

Ball spoke. They believe.

That this idol spoke. And the.

Way that he spoke. Was through Thunder.

Oh, and what Thunder accompanies is lightning, and what lightning

creates. Is fire, so I just.

Remember that detail? Look at verse 17 and when he.

Saw Elijah, he said. To him is that.

You, you troubler of Israel. Isn't it funny like.

Every fight that we've talked about, there's always.

Been some trash talking. I just think that's so.

Cool, right? Like there's always been like

what's? Up then.

Well, what Ahab? Does he goes to Elijah?

And and he does not. Like Elijah, because he

believes. That the reason there's drought.

Is because of Elijah if they would just arrest Elijah if they

would just. Capture him and kill him.

That might release the rain. On the land.

So what he's doing is not working and then.

You have Obadiah's fears. Which are legitimate, but Elijah

does not throw Obadiah. Under the bus and say Obadiah,

no, no, he just said I'm the one that wants to see you.

So he. Addresses Elijah.

He does not. Address Obadiah here.

So this is really important, you troubler of.

Israel, listen. The reason?

Say Ahab truly believe he's. Like, man, it's probably not

Paul's fault that it's not raining.

It's your fault that's not raining.

But if Ahab would have read the scriptures, we see this.

Promise that God gives in Deuteronomy chapter 28.

Deuteronomy 28 · chapter mention

You could read verse 23 through 24.

I'll just go ahead and summarize it.

Where God? Says like when you turn to.

Idols, it says. I will.

Turn the reign of your country into dust and powder.

God warns his people and Deuteronomy.

If you go to idols. I'm going to withhold the.

I'm going to. Tell you so this was prophetic.

God has been saying this all along.

And in verse. 18 He goes, Man, I have not made trouble.

For Israel, Elijah says. So Elijah pops back.

So Ahab is like, oh, troubler of Israel.

He pops back at him immediately. He's like no, no, no.

But you and your father's family have.

I'm not the troubler of. Israel, it's y'all.

Are the troublers of Israel. You have abandoned the Lord's

commandments and you have followed.

The Baals? What's Elijah?

Telling him right here I. Want us to look at?

This this is so. Vital, there's two.

Things you have abandoned the. Lord's commands and you.

Have followed your idols. That's exactly what Elijah is.

Saying. He's like listen the issue here,

the problem here the the reason why you're like nothing is is

working. Here is because you have.

Abandoned the Lord's commands and you have followed.

Your idolatry, you have followed your.

Idols, now I know some. Of us are, you know, like man

Ricky, Why would anybody? Why?

Would anybody worship these like?

Golden calves. You know, when we went to India

this year, we. Were able to go to like the

second largest. Hindu temple in the.

World no phones allowed like they.

Search you, they pat you. Down.

And as we're walking around like we're.

Seeing these massive golden. Statues of idols.

Like I mean like. It's like I get.

The like, man, we're learning culture.

India's about 80% Hindu, but I mean, there's.

Literally like 30 to 50 feet tall.

Like statues of gold like. It's like man, this.

Is probably what Daniel felt like.

And we're trying to be. Polite.

And they're they're trying to evangelize us.

And we're trying to talk back to them and it's so awkward.

It's weird. But what's hard is that as

we're. Walking through the temples.

Like there's actually. People praying to these idols

like they're throwing. Money.

They're doing their like. Ritual stuff.

They're dressed a certain way. And as I look.

At that I was like, why idols? I think I'm this is not going to

be on the screen but I think like.

Why are why is idolatry so I'm like, why do people like look at

idols like I? Think I want to worship that.

Well, in this time, think about an idol.

You could see it. It's there, it's visible.

What the Bible says that we worship.

What we can't see. But what they do, what idols is

where? You worship what you can see.

Idols are portable. You can take your idol.

Anywhere you go, if you grew up in the 90s, there was a toy

called My Buddy. Anybody know what I'm talking

about and the commercial got? Stuck it get.

Stuck in your? Head right, it's like my.

Buddy, wherever he goes, we go. I guess that's like it's.

Stuck in your mind and it's the same thing for.

Idols like I could take. My idol with me, it's.

Portable I could travel. With my idol, I could.

See it I could talk to it. And then also, idols are

tangible. That means that they're

manageable. I could.

Serve them and listen. All of us have this this God

shaped. Hole in our hearts where we want

to do something, we want to serve something.

So if I could serve my idol, if I could clean my idol, if I

could give money to my idol, if I could give food to my idol,

Man, it makes me feel really good up inside of here.

And many of us think like man Ricky.

Who in the world would worship a golden calf?

Why are idols? Why don't we worship idols?

Guys in the Old Testament we had I they.

Had idols that they worship. In the New Testament guess.

What We all have idols that we worship.

Anything can become an idol in our lives.

I'm going to put a definition of what?

What is an idol anyway? So biblical definition of idols.

Pretty much anything. Anything in the world that

successfully competes with our love.

And affections to God. Anything in the world now

listen, it doesn't successfully competes not.

Wins. Competes for our love and

affections for Jesus. Anything in the world that

competes. Listen guys, anything.

Anything. Can be an idol, it could be

sports, it could be money. It could be status.

Can we get a little bit honest with us it?

Could be our kids, It could be our wives.

It could be a loved one. Listen, it could.

Even be ministry. It could be the pulpit, It could

be the stage. Anything that competes for our

affections and love for God is an idol, and what the Bible

commands is that there shall be no idols except me.

How do we know it's an idol? Well, because you.

Pretty much become what you worship.

What do you talk about? Where's your money going to?

What dictates your life? What do you say?

What? Do you do all those things?

What do you? Prioritize.

That is up here where God is supposed to be.

That. Becomes an idol in your life,

man. I'm just going to.

Spit out a few verses of this Exodus 20.

Four and. Five says you shall.

Not make. For yourself, a carved image.

Or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above and that is

in the earth. Below.

And that is in the water under the earth.

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I am the Lord

your God, and I am a jealous. God.

I love this one. Deuteronomy 2828 Man.

God spits here. He's like.

Man, the Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness and

confusion of. Mind if you worship idols?

Idol. Worship.

Think about men, madness, blindness.

And confusion of your mind. Idols are present.

God is telling us this. Man, I love this passage.

Right. Psalms 115 four through 8 man

write this down. You should highlight this in

your. Bible.

It's a great, great passage here since their idols are silver.

And gold, the work of human hands.

They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not.

See, they have ears. But do not hear noses, but do

not smell. They have hands, but do not feel

feet. But do not walk.

And they do not make a sound in their throat.

Those who make them become like them.

So do all. Who trust them, you become what

you worship and what God says. Listen, you want an idol, you're

going to get an idol and you're going to become that idol.

So whatever you worship, whatever is all like, whatever

you. Bring up here is going to be

what you become like, and God is going to.

Give yourself over to that and say.

Man OK, go ahead. We see this in Romans chapter 1

Romans 1 · chapter mention

where we're in our sin and God turns you.

Over to your sin because. What's going to happen is you're

going to hit rock bottom. It's not going to sustain you.

It's not going to. Save you it.

Has a mouth, but it can't talk. To you it.

Has ears, but it ain't listening to you listen.

It's not about little gods, no, there's only one God, and

everything else are. Idols, that's when people.

Come up to me and be like, no, that's the wrong.

No, there's only one God. Everything else.

Is is just is fake. They're all idols.

Yahweh is the only God. And that's what.

The Bible tells us. And what Elijah's going to do

here is Elijah, before the rain comes, he's going to make.

Sure that the. People know.

The people of Israel know. That it was Yahweh that.

Brought the rain and not BA. So look what?

He does look at verse 20. This is so cool.

He says so. Ahab.

Sent word throughout all Israel. And assembled the prophets.

Or Mount Carmel. Or Carmel.

I'm hungry, right? I want some candy.

Right some Carmel. So Ahab's like, OK.

It's going to go down South. Mount Carmel becomes like the

Octagon. Let's bring them together.

You on one side, I'm on the other side.

And what? Ahab.

Probably thought was if people saw Elijah.

They're going. To be so mad.

That there's been a famine in the land for three years,

they're going to blame Elijah for that?

But the prophets of all also show up and look what Elijah

says. I love verse 21.

This is so like. This is so strong, Elijah went.

Before the Lord and said, how long will you waver between two

opinions if. The Lord is God.

Follow him if. Ball is God follow.

Him, guys, this is simple. Listen, you got to decide who

you're going to follow because Israel was doing both.

Israel wanted to follow God, so. Israel was the bride, but they

also had a side chick. Which was the Canaanite

religion. They wanted both of them.

They wanted commitments to both of them.

They didn't want to decide. How do we know that?

Because look what? It says at the bottom.

But the people said what? Nothing.

Elijah made this massive statement and the word.

Waiver there a better. Translation is limping.

So you're limping in between both of them.

When you limp, you're like, not. Sure, but you're doing it anyway

and they say nothing. And I just want to say this.

Listen when you. Say or do nothing.

You said something. You made a decision.

You try to stay quiet. Listen, I already know what you.

Said so I tell our. Guys, man, everybody wants to

like like shout and like type. Stuff up, but you don't show.

Up man. It's lazy activism.

You not saying something, you not doing something.

You've said something already, Israel said something here.

Israel did not repent. Israel did not cheer.

Israel did not go and pray to. Elijah, they just sat there.

Sitting on their hands because they understood what they were

doing. They knew exactly what they were

doing and listen, they. Rather live a life.

That's unexamined and of low conviction then for them to pick

a side. They're happy where they're at.

Remember. The Canaanite religion highly

sexualized. They're like, I kind of like

this, but Elijah's like you need to choose.

And I think that's the question of all of us have to ask

ourselves this morning. You have God the Lord.

And you have something else. You must decide which one is

going to take priority in your life.

You can't have both ruling. You can't call Jesus Lord and

have something else determine your all your priorities.

In life, you have to decide. You have to choose.

So they said nothing. So we have.

Ball that doesn't. Speak.

We have the people. Of Israel that don't speak,

there's a lot of not speaking going on.

It's kind of quiet right now because they sure we're talking

a lot. But now Eliza shows up and he

draws. A line in the sand and now what?

But look who shows up. Verse 20.

Verse 22. Then Elijah said to them, I am

only one of the Lord's. Prophets left but ball.

Has 450. Prophets.

Man, that's a lot of. People.

Yeah, because the other. Prophets were.

Being hidden in caves. Because they were trying to kill

them. So Eliza shows up.

And I'll be honest, I think these are the kind of.

Odds that God likes? This is.

More of a fair fight to God one versus 450.

Oh, but it gets better. It's not just 4. 150 Because the

Queen brings her peeps too. From Asherah so.

Actually it's more like 8. 100 to.

And 50 to 1 now God's like now we're talking, let's go ahead.

I like this is more like me because God is going to show his

power. He wants to make sure he gets

all the credit. Man, I.

Love this right here. Man and I, just a side note,

man, I love talking to people about our church.

You know when you go to pastor conferences.

Everybody's always like strategies.

And all this stuff and they're like, man, Ricky, how much you

running on a Sunday? And I was like, I don't know,

maybe 40-50 strong. And they're like, man, we're

running 300. I was like, yeah, but.

You don't have a Monica. You don't have a Mr. Robert.

You don't got to miss Ali. You don't miss Annie.

Like, like, man, our people, like, you don't understand.

Like, yeah, we're like. 4050 strong.

But listen. Bring 800 verses.

Listen. God doesn't need.

A lot of people he. Just needs faithful people.

God needs people. Who are going to obey him?

You don't need numbers. Like God could do so much more

with just people. Who are saying yes I'm.

Faithful listen, Jesus. Did more with 12 followers than

anybody could do with 1200 followers of.

Religion and listen as a. Church people ask me all the

time, like, man, I don't care about numbers.

I care about faith like people. Growing in Christ because man,

the more faithful you become, the stronger you are.

Like the more you're. We disciple one another the more

we could do some great things and God's going to.

Use us more and listen. Talent could shift the room.

But anointing could break cycles.

And I rather have a small number of.

People that are anointed than a large church that could sing

great. And guys, we need to understand

that. These are the.

Odds that God works with. And God is the one that's going

to bless it. God's the one that's going to

blow on the ministry. God is the one that's going to

make things move and grow things in it's time.

But we're going to be. Faithful during that time, like

Elijah's faithful. So all these people.

Show up in verse 20. Three get 2 bulls for us.

Let balls prophets. Choose one of them.

And then cut them into pieces and put it.

On the wood but not set it to not set fire to it.

I will prepare the other boy. And put it on wood, but not.

Set fire to it. Then you call on the name of

your God, and I will call the name of my God and the God who

answers by fire. He's the real God.

Then all the. People said, yeah, that's.

Good, let's do it. You see, whenever you go to

battle, whenever you fight, there's always terms.

Of war. That both sides must agree to.

Then let's go ahead and we could throw down.

That's exactly what. Happened.

And listen, King Ahab fell right into Elijah's trap.

That's what Elijah wanted. And he's like, he's going to do

my terms now. And remember when they say what?

You say is good this. Is not a confession of faith

here. They're not agreeing with

Elijah. They're pretty much saying bring

it. They're not saying yeah.

Elijah, that's great. Let's.

See it? No, they're.

Like all right. Let's fight, let's go, let's see

who's. Going to win now, remember?

When I describe ball. What they believed in.

Right. So for them, they're like, oh,

this is easy. There's a bunch of.

Us, we have our God. Only one of him Cakewalk.

So verse 26. So they took the bull.

Giving it them and. Prepared it and look what they

start. Doing they then they called on

the name of. Ball and and from.

Morning to noon, Ball answered us.

I would say Ball, answer us, they shouted, but there was no

answer. No one responded, and they

danced around the altar that they've made.

At noon. Elijah began to taunt them.

Because sometimes sarcasm is the only thing you could do.

Shout louder, he said. Surely he is a God perhaps?

He is in deep thought or busy, or traveling.

Maybe he's asleep. Maybe he's doing Mimi's.

Maybe he needs to go get woken up.

A man, Elijah. Is taunting their response He's

being. Sarcastic, but I, I.

Want us to understand something? Elijah is not taunting their

response. He's taunting their claim that

this is the only God. Because our God, when we pray to

him, he listens. Our God.

Speaks to us through His word. Our God shows us things.

I love Psalms 121 verse. Four, he says.

He who? Watches over Israel.

Neither sleeps or. Slumbers.

God is not hungry. He doesn't need a meal.

He doesn't need a bathroom. Break.

He doesn't need a nap. He's not needy of anybody.

There's nothing he needs. Because he is God, always

existed, all powerful. Beginning and end, Alpha and

Omega. He is the Trinitarian God.

And what Elijah? 'S pretty much doing.

He's not just mocking them, he's pretty much telling them,

listen, you want an idol? You got yourself.

An idol. This is what you wanted, right?

Look at y'all. And then?

They get hyped up. And then it says so in verse 28.

So they shouted louder. And they started cutting

themselves with swords and. Spears.

As was their custom until. Blood flowed.

Midday passed and they continued their frantic prophesying until

the time for the. Evening sacrifice.

But there were look at the three fold here there.

Was no response. No one answered and no one paid

attention. How crazy is that?

All of that drama, and I love where it says they, they

continued. They shouted louder the a better

translations. They raved on.

They kept going. They kept.

Louder. That means that it wasn't

working for them, so they got more incoherent.

They got. More emotional?

Like what else? Can I do, I don't feel God here.

There's, there's got to be something wrong and Elijah's

like that's not proper worship because.

God is real. He's here all the time.

He's omnipresent. His spirits with us.

Listen, God is always with us. And if we're not careful?

We have to be real careful with this because we look at what the

false prophets. Did for worship and we got to be

careful we don't match that listen, we went to the villages

of India and I have. Felt the spirit move there bro

this. This last year.

We were in India. It was a.

Brother on the guitar barely could sing and the Holy Spirit

wrecked the room. It wasn't about the environment.

It was not. It was about the substance.

It was about him and the prophets of ours going nuts.

They're like, oh, I don't feel nothing.

I got to keep. No, and Elijah's like.

Keep cutting yourself, keep yelling, keep dancing.

Keep doing what you do. He's not answering.

And then look what he. Does.

And then Midday Pass and there's no answer.

There's nothing. And what Elijah?

'S showing them is that listen to God.

That you serve as fake. He's non existent.

You do all you want to, you're not going to get it.

And then verse 30. Then Elijah said to all the

people. Come here, look at the

difference one. Says confidence and the other

says insecurity. One says I know who I'm talking

to and the other one says I need to show who I'm talking to.

One says truth and the other one says maybe.

One says certainty. One says.

Situational. Elijah.

Knew the God that he served, that's why.

He's like y'all done yet? All right, everybody.

Come here, let me show you something.

Bring it in, bring it in. Check this out.

That's confidence knowing that you know who.

Your God is. Elijah knew who his God.

Was. He knew.

That God spoke. To him he saw the.

Lord, do some things then. Elijah said to all his people,

come here. They came to him and they

repaired. Then he repaired.

The altar of the Lord. Which had been torn down.

Elijah took. 12 Stones, one for. Each of the tribes.

Descended from Jacob to whom? The word of the Lord.

Had come saying your name shall be Israel.

Remember him? Didn't we talk about him last

week? Yeah, Jacob, right.

That's what I want to do, just for the next couple of moments

as we can finish the story. How do we fight idols?

We all have them. We all struggle.

With them, they just look. Different they show up different

in our lives. Many of us point but.

Like look what they're like bro, you struggle with it too.

We all have idols, guys, we all have.

Fights. So what I want to look at is

Elijah is going to walk. Us through what it looks like to

fight idols. In our lives, and I think these

are great truths and I hope they're reminders for us moving

forward. So #1.

How do we fight idols? The first thing you got.

To do is reestablish worship. And you repair the altar.

Here's the problem. When idols creep in, the altar

gets wrecked. When you make an idol of

something, the first thing you eliminate is the.

Altar Why is the? Altar so important.

Because the altar of the. Lord is where you bring your

sacrifice and you cannot follow Jesus and live however you want

to in this life. That just makes no sense.

So when you have a worship, an idol, it's what drives.

You. It's what drives your decisions.

It's what drives your allegiance.

It's what drives your pride. Your passions, your.

Commitment and the first thing. Elijah does as he.

Brings people in, he's. Like check this out the.

First thing he. Does is he rebuilds the.

Altar. He's like, no, hold on a second,

this altar is. Destroyed.

Wait a second. I'm going to rebuild the.

Altar. Because you cannot re establish

worship until the altar is rebuilt.

Many of us want to cover a broken altar with loud worship,

and that's not how this works. God is all about your heart.

He's after your. Heart and if your heart.

'S not right. Listen, you could.

Say and do and feel however you want to, but the Lord knows your

heart the 1st. Thing we got to do How do we

battle our idols? Re establish worship?

How do we re establish worship? By fixing our altars, listen,

when the altar is fixed, then we're able to bring things to

the Lord, we're able to present our idols, things that are we

struggling to the Lord and God will take care of it, not you.

And then look what happens. Verse 32 With the stones he

built an altar. In the name of the Lord and he

dug A trench around it, large enough to.

Hold 2 seas of seed. That's about four.

Gallons so think. About like somebody carrying a 5

gallon bucket. He arranged.

Wood he he cut the. Bull into.

Pieces like just like they did. And then he, he.

Said to them, man, you know what, Like let's, let's make it

a fair fight. Fill four large jars with.

Water and pour it on top of the offering and on the wood, and

then do it again. And you know what?

Just make sure, let's do it a third time.

Do it a third time. You order them and it says in

verse 30. Five that the.

Water ran down around the. Altar it even filled.

The trench up. So he soaked this.

Thing like there ain't no way this is.

Working unless God does it, and then at the time.

Of the sacrifice, says the prophet Elijah stepped.

Forward and prayed Lord the. God.

Of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today.

That you are God in. Israel and that I am your.

Servant and have done all. Things to your command.

So how do we? Fight our altars #2 Elijah prays

to God. Elijah prays and he.

Calls out to God. Because you know what happens

when usually we struggle and idols are present?

The last thing we tend to do? Is pray.

When I talk to people, man, and they're like kind of my my first

question is how's your. Prayer life.

And most of the time I'll hear things like, well, it's not not

really doing anything. You know why?

Because when idols are present, prayer is vacant.

Idols take all of your attention.

Idols start speaking, wait a second.

But they can't. Talk, then we see that.

In Psalms idols. Can't hear you, they have.

Ears, but they can't hear. They have talk.

So then who's doing that? Because behind every idol,

there's a. Spirit.

And he's not from God. Right.

So there's a spiritual. Battle happening here.

So what Elijah does is. Immediately after he rebuilds.

The altar he prays, but who is he?

He makes sure he lets. Them know that the God he's

praying to is the one true. God, how?

Does he let him know? That because of what he.

Calls them the God. Of Abraham, Isaac and Israel,

and then? Look at there's three things.

There's three things that Elijah.

Says in his prayer he says today, let, let.

It be known today. That you are God.

Let it be known today that you are the one true God #2 I'm your

servant and number. Three, that you're.

The one that commanded this and not me.

It was your idea and not mine. Elijah doesn't pray asking for

validation. He doesn't pray asking for

vindication. He doesn't pray asking God, hey,

listen God, there's an opportunity here.

No his. Prayers straight up, he's like.

Listen, God, you're God. I'm your servant.

This is all your plan. It's nothing to do with me.

Then verse 37 and. Then look what he says, this

prayer. Answer me Lord, answer me so

these people will know that. You Lord our.

God and that you are turning their hearts back.

Again, this is man. You know this.

Is so good his request. Was like, I want you to know, I

want people to know who you are and you're the only one that's

going to be. Able to do this, what Elijah did

was Elijah. Removed himself.

And he let God do. The work what?

We want to do sometimes. We quench the spirit when we

throw ourselves in there. Remember we talked about that,

how we want that same shine. That God gets.

And God's like, no, no, no, it's, it's me.

So he prays. And when he says God, you are

turning their hearts back again. And when he.

Prayed that the fire fell. Look at his prayer.

It had nothing to do with him, had nothing to do with what I

can do, everything. Was about God.

It was all about what? He can do, he gave.

God all the praise he gave, God all.

The he gave God everything and he look how and he did it so

confidently and he's like. Lord, this is the prayer right

here. And then in 30. 8 The fire fell,

it says the fire of the Lord. Fell and burned up.

The sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the soil.

And looked up all the water pipe, burned up all the ants,

everything. There was nothing.

That that fire left. Untouched, burned everything up.

Which leads me to my last point. How do we fight?

Battle our idols? God sends the fire and listen.

When God sends the fire, it consumes everything and anything

that's in place with God will be destroyed.

And listen, as a pastor, I'm warning us as a.

Church. When you have idols in your life

and God is trying to compete. With them, he will destroy them

and I'm pleading. With you don't get to that

point. I've experienced this in my

life. He got rid of it.

Literally he got rid of it. Listen when the Lord shows.

Up your idols. Do not stand a chance.

There ain't no talking through. It there ain't no Well, maybe.

54 like 6040. Split No no.

No, no, no, no. When God shows up and your idols

are present, they will become destroyed and when all the.

People saw this. They fell.

Prostate and cried the Lord. He is God, the Lord.

He is God. Then Elijah commanded them.

Seized the prophets of. All don't let them get away.

They seized them and Elijah had them brought down to Keyshawn

Valley and he slaughtered them there.

Now I don't think that's our call, but what we see this in

the. Story is we see how serious God

takes idol. Worship and idolatry and to

finish off the story how do we finish this Rick because I think

many of. Us get to a place.

Where we are limping. Back and forth where we're

limping in life it. Feels like there's a drought.

And we're trying all these things to.

Break out of it. We're doing all these things.

We're working, we're worship, we're doing all these things.

And honestly, what God requires. For you is to come to the altar,

pray and seek him, and submit your idols to him.

I love how the story. Ends because.

Elijah after all this? Goes down just to summarize.

Elijah goes to Ahab after all this goes.

Down and Elijah's like I hear some rain coming so Ahab I want

you to go, go home, eat something, you better get going

before this rain hits. Then Elijah tells his servant to

look out into the sea. And the servant says I see

nothing. And Elijah's like look again I

see nothing. Look again, I see nothing.

Verse 43 says he. Told him to look 7 times and on

the 7th. Time he saw a little.

Cloud the size of a. Hand coming from the sea.

Now remember, it hasn't rained in three years.

And it starts to develop because what ends up?

Happening is when you submit. Your idols to God, you're able

to see his. Promises more clearly now.

I don't see it go back and look. I don't see it go back.

And listen, I know he he just like rained.

Fire from the. Sky, why are you tripping about

a cloud? It's there.

And listen, sometimes the idols in our lives and in our hearts,

man, it's blocking us from the promises that God is putting on

us. And God is calling you to

something like I don't. See it?

I don't see it. I don't see it's like.

Because it's there, something's blocking that remove the idols.

And then I love how this ends verse. 46 will end here.

Then it says as the rain. Started to develop.

The power of the Lord. Came on Elijah and tucking his.

Cloak into his belt, he ran. Ahead of Ahab all the way to

Jezreel. You know what happens when you

eliminate idols in your life? It doesn't just unlock the rain,

you also stop limping and now you're able to run.

How do you go from limping around to running a marathon

overnight? You know, I looked up.

You know, I'm like, man, how's this?

Full running? How do you beat them?

How? Far is this.

It's 31 miles easily. Doable.

Just pumped up his chunk, I'll tell you how.

The Spirit of the Lord. Now, Elijah is not the hero of

this story. We can't be like man, I won't be

like Elijah. Nope.

Because in chapter 19, heroes don't go cry in caves.

Because Elijah saw the fire. Falling in.

Chapter 19 he's like. They're going to kill me.

Like it's like you just forgot. The real hero of the story is

Christ. He's the hero in our.

Story because. We fight with our idols.

And we get to a place where we're here.

We can't do it no more. And God's like, you want an

idol, you have an idol. How?

How? Did it go for you?

I spoke to it. Didn't say nothing.

I prayed to. It didn't heal me.

I did everything I thought I could do It didn't.

And God's like, well, I'm here to burn your idols up.

Come to the altar. Come back to me, you.

Need no show like just. Come, and he healed them.

And you go from. Here to here.

To here, you're just springing off now, running through life,

enjoying life. Listen last.

Night, man, When we were out here, I was telling people like

man, there was nothing better. Than serving with my brothers

and sisters out here loving on. People.

Man, selling stuff like we're. Trying to figure out some

electronic stuff. Man, it it there was a rainstorm

that fell. It's the most randomest

rainstorm ever. We're trying to figure.

Think, man. But listen, let me tell you

something. I got home.

I'm not going to lie, man. It was hard for me to sleep and

it wasn't. Because I drank too many sodas.

I just kept thinking about like how?

Awesome, last night was. And what made it awesome wasn't

the movie, wasn't the car. You know what made it awesome,

man? It was.

It was us serving. Together, brothers and sisters

together. Loving our community.

Together, loving each other together.

Because when it comes to. God, there is no idols.

He burns him up. He was our focus and when he's

our. Focus.

We're able to run. We'll pray for us.