BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Gen 2, Matt 2, Ezra 2, Acts 2
1 Kings 18:33 – then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt
sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the
water that was in the trench.
BIBLE STUDIES: 1 Kings 18:25-40
In 1 Kings 18:25-40 is a story we all know. Elijah and the prophets of
Baal met at Mount Carmel to decide who the true God was. The prophet of
Baal called on Baal but there was no response.Elijah called on God and
He sent down fire. The fire consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the
stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
Let us now carefully look at what the fire consumed. The first thing
the fire consumed was the burnt offering. In the olden days, when God
accepts an offering, He will send fire to consume the offering and also
say thank you. During the dedication of the temple, Solomon offered
uncountable number of sheep and oxen (2 Chronicles 5:6) and brought it
before the Lord. The Lord accepted this offering by sending fire, 2
Chronicles 7:1. After the fire He also said thank you by ensuring that
Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom, 2
Chronicles 9:22. The only offering God accepts is an offering from a
cheerful heart. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says God loves a cheerful giver. God
will never accept any offering giving grudgingly. The second thing the
fire consumed was the wood. Science will tell you that when fire touches
a good wood energy is released. When the fire of the Lord falls, your
potential is released. Peter had potential but no fire. In Luke 5:1-7,
he fished all night and caught nothing. But immediately the carrier of
the Holy Ghost came into his boat, his potential was released. He was
then able to cast his net once and caught so much fish that two boats
began to sink. I pray that the fire of God will fall and your potential
is released in Jesus name, amen. The next thing the fire consumed was
the stone. The stone represents unfruitfulness or unrepentant heart.
Once the fire falls, unfruitfulness or bareness is consumed and you will
begin to bring forth fruit. Also the unrepentant heart i.e. heart of
stone is consumed. The next thing that was consumed was the dust. We are
created from dust and dust represents the flesh. Once the fire fall,
living a life of holiness will be easy because fleshly desires will be
consumed. Also diseases in the flesh are consumed. The fifth thing that
happened was that the fire licked the water. The water represents your
tears. The fire will dry up all you tears. The only one who can tell you
weep not is the One who is capable of taking care of what is causing
you to weep.The fire from God is capable of dealing with what is causing
you to weep. Before Elijah called down fire, he prepared the altar i.e.
he put things in other. The fire will not fall until we put our walk
with God in order. We need to begin to obey Him. The fire will not fall
when are living in disobedience. We also need to prepare our bodies
through fasting and prayers. If fire touches a bad wood nothing is
released but if it touches a good wood, energy is generated.
ACTION POINT: Before you call down fire, put things right with God and
prepare your body so that when the fire falls, your potential is
released.
