First Kings chapter 18. There are different kinds of battles that we face in life. There are battles between nations that are fought with armies, with weaponry, and there are battles that we fight with physical adversaries. We may not have weapons and be engaged in a physical battle but sometimes a battle of wills and words. There is another battle that we face, a spiritual battle.

Our enemy is real. He cannot be defeated by the arm of flesh. It will fail you. Weapons are of weapons of warfare are of no no use before him. However, greater is he that's in us than what?

Than he that is in the world. And we are assured in scripture that we who know the Lord are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Through Christ, we have overcome the world. We are on the victory side. Our foe is a defeated foe though he doesn't seem to know it yet.

That we have a place reserved in heaven for us. Our foe has a place in the lake of fire reserved for him. Praise the Lord for his grace and his mercy, his love toward us, that we have been redeemed. And have the opportunity to be on the winning side. The same side as Elijah here.

In the book of first Kings. Elijah, the fearless prophet, now at God's God's direction, lays down the challenge which will result in God being glorified before the children of Israel once again. Sometimes, all it takes is what? Is one. One faithful prophet here willing to stand up to the king, willing to stand before the enemy, trusting in the Lord.

And God uses him who is willing to stand in the gap in this day. To be that light, to shine brightly, to allow God's light to shine through him, to once a brand bring revival to his people. He challenges them to choose a what? A bull, a sacrifice. He chooses who?

The four fifty prophets of Baal. There's only one of him. There is 450 of them. He says, choose a sacrifice, petition your God to consume it with fire from heaven. Certainly, a living all powerful God does not require the fire of men to burn up the sacrifice laid upon the altar.

He can do it all by himself. The Bible says, our God is a consuming fire. We are told by John the Baptist that one would come after him who would baptize them with the spirit and with fire. He got a hold of Moses's attention on Mount Sinai with a what? With a fire.

A bush that was on fire but not burning up. Bible has a lot to say in scripture about God being a consuming fire. Speaks of his power. His power to purify. His power to destroy his enemy.

And just as God does not need our help either redeeming your soul. Jesus paid it all. Jesus did it all. There is no good work that can redeem you. All we can do is look to the lamb given for us at Calvary and accept his what?

His sacrifice in our behalf. It is a false god and another gospel which requires your help and your good works. To save your soul. That is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. He will burn away the dross.

He will cleanse and make you whole. If you will receive his gift and invitation. So, the prophets of Baal agreed to the challenge And they were up first. Just imagine the scene. Hundreds of prophets of Baal gathering upon the mountain.

To worship and to call upon their gods and one lone prophet of God all by himself. This is a picture from the top of Mount Carmel looking down into the Valley Of Jezreel. This is in Galilee. Way off in the distance on the other side of those hills is the Sea Of Galilee. Ahab called the children of Israel together in this great theater.

So, they could watch what was going to happen. Ahab, I think sadly believed that his four fifty prophets were going to win or at least Jezebel's four fifty prophets but he was greatly disappointed by the result as we will see in a moment. The perfect theater for watching the fire of God come down from heaven in this great competition to take place. Upon the mountain today is a statue of Elijah there at the top where we were and where I took the picture when I was there in Israel. As a memorial to the battle that took place there between God and Satan between the prophet of God and the prophets of Baal and of the great victory that was won for the Lord in Israel.

Hundreds of prophets gathering there, just one, just one Elijah. As they gathered, I would imagine they passed by Elijah standing there all alone. No doubt, taunting, and sneering at him like they would many years later. Our savior as he hung on a cross. John fifteen eighteen through 20.

If the world hates you, Jesus said, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own but because you're not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world. Therefore, the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

If they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. Jesus said to his disciples, don't be surprised if the world sneers and taunts and mocks you for the one you stand for, the one you represent, for his message that you give because before they hated you, they hated who? They hated me and they showed that there on Mount Carmel, I'm sure and Elijah took the brunt. Matthew five eleven, Jesus says, blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding what?

Glad for Joyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Now, who might Jesus have been talking about? Well, among others, he was also talking about Elijah. As he was mocked and taunted and sneered at, as they gathered there thinking that he was no match for them and indeed Elijah on his own was no match for them anymore than David was or Goliath but you see this wasn't about Elijah, was it? And this wasn't about David.

This was about who? About the Lord God almighty and indeed he is almighty. Just remember when they're making fun of you, when they're sneering at you, when they're closing their door in your face, when they throw your track on the ground, when they make fun of your beliefs, when they call you a fool, just remember, God is with you and God hears And they're not really taunting you. They're taunting who? They're taunting him.

And he says, vengeance is mine. I will repay. Saith the Lord. We see Elijah here just watching the spectacle as he is there on his statue that we looked at. At this point, patiently waiting his turn as the prophets of Baal prepare their altar and sacrifice, he is in no hurry.

He doesn't have that much to do. He just sits back to to watch what takes place. No doubt the crowd hearing about the competition continues to gather down in the valley below. Thinking to themselves how lopsided the challenge is. Hundreds to what?

To one. You know, God seems to be losing here even before the competition has begun. A mistake often made by God's enemies. They think because their numbers are greater. That God is on the run that they have already won the victory but they're wrong and we need not be afraid of being in the minority, do we?

Because again, greater is he that's in us than he that's in the world. The wicked in this world often seem to have the upper hand but numbers and size and and weaponry can be deceiving. The battle really belongs to who? The Lord and when we are standing for what is right, we are on the what? We are on the winning side.

This Joshua found out As he entered the land of Canaan and city after city fell before God. The walls of Jericho fell down. God made the sun stand still. God rained down hailstones from heaven. In behalf of the armies of Israel to defeat the great armies of Canaan.

They were no match for Israel's God. In first Chronicles twenty fifteen through 17, this is kind of small up here. Maybe you can can read it. Thus, saith the Lord God unto you, be not afraid nor be dismayed by the reason of this great what? Multitude.

For the battle is not yours but whose? Gods. Tomorrow, you shall not need to fight for this battle in this battle. Set yourselves, stand you still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, oh Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed.

Tomorrow, go out against them for the Lord will be with you and that makes all the difference. The Lord will be with you. This is a battle taking place in Judah. The king is King Jehoshaphat. He chose chooses rather than to rely upon allies of the world.

He chooses instead to go to prayer before his God and this is God's response. And indeed God came through. They watched while the enemies killed one another on the battlefield. Second Chronicles thirty two seven and eight. On another occasion, this time with King Hezekiah, says, be strong, courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him.

For there be more with us than with who? With him. Now, in numbers of army, that wasn't true. Assyria's army was vastly larger than the army of Israel. But you see, God has an army too, does he not?

Amen. God has an army too. And God's army far outnumbered the enemy gathered together at the walls of Jerusalem that day. He goes on to say, with him is an arm of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles and the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah, king of Judah and they went to bed that night when they got up the next morning, they looked out the walls and the entire Assyrian army never woke up. They all died in their sleep.

They did not have to raise a sword or an arrow for God fought their battle for them. All they had to do was believe and rest upon his word. The same as we. Back to first Samuel seventeen forty seven, as David stands before Goliath, he declares and all this assembly shall know that the Lord save it not with sword and spear for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you not just Goliath but the armies of the Philistines into our hands and that's exactly what God did that day. This theme carries through scripture, battle after battle in the Old Testament, we are reminded that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our God, the living and almighty God is greater than any foe that we face in this life.

We just need to rest and trust in him. And when we do, God does amazing things. The prophets of Baal back to our story here begin to chant and dance around. Maybe there were drums beating which drew more people to the exhibition. While Elijah is still just standing or sitting there watching the spectacle, the crowd beginning to wonder about the unimpressive and quiet figure who doesn't seem to be bothered or upset by the crowd of his adversaries.

No doubt, Elijah recalled the words of Moses when standing between the armies of Pharaoh and the Red Sea before the children of Israel. Said this in Exodus 14. Fear you not. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord which he will show to you today. For the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more forever and they never saw them again after that day.

God not only delivered Israel out of their hands, he destroyed Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea while he was doing it and they never had to see that army again. Praise the Lord and you who know Christ as savior can put your head on your pillow at night And rest assured. That the judgment of God has what? Has passed over us. That death has no what?

Sting for the child of God. That we have a home reserved in heaven for us. Psalm fifty six three, it says, therefore, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. There are due time, there are times when the trials of life seem overwhelming. And a tinge of fear enters our mind and our heart.

Courage is not the absence of fear but the ability to stare fear in the face and do what is right despite it. To overcome it. And stare it in the face Elijah did. He did it with courage. He did it knowing that God was on his side.

And that God would come through. Now, the prophets of Baal, four fifty strong are in full voice. They're chanting, they're stomping around. They've been doing it now for hours and nothing's happening. The crowd begins to wonder a bit.

I think as the prophets are getting louder and louder. They're dancing more demonstrable but no fire as their sacrifice just sits there. Elijah still standing there watching. Is Elijah surprised? No.

Matter of fact, in verse 27 of chapter 18 says this, it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them and said, cry aloud. There's get louder. Get louder. For for he is a god, maybe he is talking and you gotta, you know, get his attention or or he is pursuing or he is on a journey or per adventure, he sleepeth and you need to wake him up. So, go ahead.

Cry louder. Maybe you'll get his attention. Finally, the prophets of Baal begin to beat and cut themselves trying to convince their God the seriousness of their plea, knowing the dire situation they find themselves in but still what? Nothing is happening. Sad to say, many today around this world are denying themselves all kinds of things.

They're beating themselves. They're abusing themselves and others. An attempt to curry favor with whatever so called God they worship and it is all for what? It is all for not. It is all for not because their God cannot what?

Their God cannot hear. Those who have chosen the gods of this world do sacrifice themselves to their gods. Trading in their time, their energy, their families, their happiness upon the altars of fame and fortune and yet in the end, they will find they have what? They have nothing. To offer.

When the day of judgement comes and God requires their souls. Luke twelve nineteen through 21. The rich man just just harvested this great harvest. Didn't didn't have enough room to put us. We built more barns so he could fill his barns.

And then it says this, and I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine easy, drink, and be merry. So, spends his life putting away for his retirement. For the day when he can sit back and eat, drink, and be merry and what happens that night? Thou fool, but God said unto him, thou fool this night, thy soul shall be required of thee, then who shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

So is he that layeth up treasure for himself is not and is not rich toward whom? Toward God. We look out into the world and God tells David and tells us today, do not envy the wicked. Do not envy them. They may have barns full.

They may have bank accounts running over. They may have luxuries. They may seem to have it easy. They may even seem to be happy but there's something missing in their life and in their heart and they know it and one day, it's going to what? It's going to catch up with them.

And when they stand before God, they will have nothing to show. That when we meet our maker, we will have something we will have Jesus Christ. That's what we will have. The righteousness of our savior. The redemption that is in Christ.

We all have the ticket that leads to heaven and they will have nothing. Don't envy the wicked. We have it good. We just don't realize how good often we have it. Now, as the sun had passed its apex in the sky and the evening was on its way, Elijah calmly got up, asked for some help from the standards by, and said, let's rebuild this altar on the mountain.

You see, there had been an altar there many many years and generations ago. That altar had been used to sacrifice to the Lord and now been broken down. He takes 12 stones representing the 12 tribes of Israel. He rebuilds the altar there. He places the wood on the altar.

He places the sacrifice, the offering upon the altar, and then he digs a what? He digs a trench, a ditch around the altar, and then he takes 12 barrels of water, has them take 12 barrels of water and pour it on the sacrifice. Now, the sacrifice is soaked. It's drenched and so is the wood and the rock and and there's a moat around the altar now of all this water. The prophets of Baal, no doubt and wonderment, tired and frustrated, and now full of fear.

Fall silent. Along with the crowd. Upon Elijah, as he kneels down or as he looks up to heaven and he says this simple, little prayer. You know, the Bible tells us, Jesus tells us in Matthew six, don't be like the hidden do. You don't have to yell and scream and holler.

You don't have to, you don't have to use big words and you don't have to say em over and over and over and over again. God isn't impressed with your chance. God just wants to hear your heart. He just says, ask and it shall be given. Seek and you shall find, knock, and it shall be open to you.

So, the prophet who knows God simply kneels down and he talks to him just like he would talk to another person because God is a person by the way. And it came to pass at that time the offering evening of the evening sacrifice were in verse 36, Elijah, the prophet came near and said, Lord God, of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant and I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, oh Lord. Hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God and that thou hast turned their heart back again. He gives all the glory.

He points it all to who? All to God. He said, God, show yourself. Show yourself. And God answers his prayer.

Verse 38, the fire of the Lord fell, consumed the burnt sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust, and licked up the water. That was in the trench. As Elijah finishes his simple prayer, immediately, the fire descends from heaven. It smacks the altar with a terrible sound and nothing but a burnt spot. Is left on the ground.

To their astonishment, the sacrifice, the stone, even the water in the trench is all what? Is all gone. It's all gone just like that. A simple prayer. We're told in the book of James that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes availeth what?

Much. That's only for pastors, right? No. That's also for you. That's also for for you.

If you know the Lord as your savior, if you're his child, you can be assured he hears and he will answer the prayer of faith and he will show himself mighty when you give him the opportunity to be glorified. So many times we have not because we want. We ask not and we ask not and we receive. We ask, we receive not because we ask a miss that we can consume it upon our own lust. We ask for our glory and not for whose.

And not for his. But this is all here about God's glory and God who is a consuming fire just like that. Wish I could snap better. Just like that. Consumes all of it.

Just like as Jesus Christ died on that cross, he paid for the sins of the world. In the day I received him as Lord, my Lord and savior, he wiped them off the what? Off the books of heaven. Jesus paid it all. All to him I owe.

His blood cleanses from what? From all sin. Just as the fire consumed all of it here. Nothing and no one can stand before him. Whether in the consummation of the sacrifice or upon the day of Pentecost is 3,000 souls bow in repentance and embrace Jesus who just days earlier had renounced him.

For the day when he returns from heaven and devours the enemies by the words of his mouth or the day when he casts Satan and the Antichrist and the false prophet and all that follow them into a place called the Lake Of Fire. We're going to learn more about that tonight. God is a consuming fire. You best be on the right side. You best be on his side.

You can be consumed with his love and his mercy and his grace Or you can be consumed with his wrath. The choice is ours. The prophets of Baal chose the one. They chose the wrong side. The crowd stands frozen in astonishment and shock, but not Elijah, he was he was expecting the fire to come.

After all, he did serve the what? The almighty God and then the crowd began to shout. Verse 39, when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and they said, the Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God. And regardless of how short, God did bring revival that day.

No doubt there were souls that were saved that were never changed. And God was glorified among his people again because of one man who stood in the gap who trusted God, who took a stand, who made a simple prayer and God roared down from heaven and showed himself. The prophets of Baal began to panic no doubt. They know they're in great trouble. As the crowd now cheering and shouting the name of God join Elijah, grabbing the prophets of Baal and dragging them kicking and screaming down in the valley where they are slaughtered by the brook.

One day, God says, the enemies of God's children will meet justice. He will take care of it. We just need to be what? Faithful and trust in him. We will see.

One day, as will they. And the battle is over. The Lord is won. And now comes the what? And now comes the reward.

Now comes the reward. The Bible says, laying not up for yourselves treasures on earth. Where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures. In heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be.

Also, and we who know Christ as savior, and we who serve the living God, to lay up treasure in heaven and as he said to his disciples back in Matthew five, for so persecuted they, the prophets, which were before you. There is a great reward awaiting us where? In heaven. Who are on the winning side. And now that God has been acknowledged and now that a revival has come, God not only refreshes their hearts spiritually but he brings the what?

He brings the rain. He brings the rain. Elijah prays, a little little cloud shows up in the sky. And Elijah goes to Ahab and says, you better hurry and get back to Jezreel. He had to go across that valley to get there, you see?

And he said, you better get on, you better hop to it. Else, this valley is going to flood and you're not going to get back in time. So, Ahab hopped to it. He got on his chariot and Elijah ran in front of him all the way from Mount Carmel to Jezreel on Mount Gilboa. Several miles across the valley that day.

And the rains came. When we repent and trust in the Lord, we can be sure the rains will what? The rains will come. God takes care of his own. He rewards his own and he's promised.

In Acts three nineteen, he says, repent you therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and what refreshing there is to be had in the presence of who? In the presence of the Lord, our God. Elijah had been through a difficult time and so had Israel. But now God, upon their repentance and his faithfulness, we're seeing the rewards and so will we. In this life, and in eternity to come.

Israel desperately needed revival and so does our nation. Do you agree? Elijah trusted God and gave God the chance to show himself mighty. We need to pray and expect our God to do great things also, should we not? I think there's a temptation in fundamental churches to say all the tribulations coming, the rapture's coming, it's going to get worse, and so I, there's no need to even what?

Try. I don't see that in scripture, do you? No? Yes, those days are coming but we don't know when those days are coming and we do not know that God won't send revival. He did in Israel, in Judah, several times before the judgment finally came.

So, don't give up quite yet. We need to show a calm faith and trust in our God when we are outnumbered. You're really not outnumbered, you know that. We are on the winning side. No matter what happens in this election, no matter what happens in your life, no whatever happens when this country, we are still on the what?

We are still on the winning side. And greater is it he that's with us than with them. We need to stand up to the wickedness of our day unafraid. We do. We need to open our mouth a little more than we do.

We need not be afraid or ashamed of our God, the power of his gospel to proclaim it, to worship him, and to speak his name aloud. Jeremiah thirty three three says, call unto me and I will show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. And when did Jeremiah write that and when did God speak that to him? He spoke it in a time in Judah when the judgment was just over the next horizon. They were almost there.

They were on the precipice. But God says, don't give up, Jeremiah. Call unto me, I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things. God, yes, was bringing judgement upon Israel but God was not done. Yet.

And he's not done here either. He needs us. He needs you to be a what? To be Elijah. Trust in him.

Be faithful. He will show himself mighty in your life and he will show himself mighty before the lives of others. And if you have yet to receive Christ as your savior, you're on the what? You're on the wrong side. Jesus Christ died for you.

He pleads with you. Come on to me. All you that labor and heavy laden, I will give you rest. He cries from that cross. Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

And he says, for whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be what? Saved. Will you make that decision today? To be on the side of the Lord who gave himself for you. In just a moment, we'll sing an invitation hymn and if you're here today and you've never trusted Christ as savior, I plead with you, I beg with you, would you come as we sing?

I would love to show you from God's word how you can be safe today and know it. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for this day that you have given, for this awesome story that you recorded for us How that you demonstrated to all that day that there is only one true and living God. And that you hear the prayers of those who put their faith in you. That you hear the prayers of your children.

That you are greater than the forces that be in opposition to you and to those who follow you. Yes, Lord, they will taunt and they will sneer. And Lord, in some cases, they will kill but Paul said, for me to live is good but to die is even what? Better. For me to live as Christ, to die is gain.

Lord, we cannot be defeated in Christ Jesus And neither will you. Lord, we pray if there be one here that's never trusted Christ as savior. That you today would open their heart. Help them Lord to step out and come down this aisle. That we might take the opportunity and time to show them.

How they may come to be on the winning side today. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.