Bible Study - Elijah (3) - Serve with Prayer - 1 Kings 17:17-24 - August 8, 2021

 

Bible Study – Elijah (3) – Serve with Prayer – August 8, 2021

This is lesson (3) in our series entitled, “Elijah: Living Outside the Comfort Zone.”

Our focus scripture is 1 Kings 17:17-24.

Serve those around you through consistent prayer.

Let’s read 1 Kings 17:15-16: (Review)

¹⁵ So she (the poor widow) proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶ The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through^[b] Elijah.

In last week’s Bible Study, the poor widow lady followed Elijah’s instructions and GOD revealed to her, her son and the Prophet Elijah that HE can supply our physical and Spiritual needs.

Notice that GOD often builds our faith in HIM by using baby steps that lead to larger steps. GOD revealed to Elijah that HE could care for his physical needs at the wadi. Then, HE showed him that HE could care for him, the poor widow and her son through a miracle of multiplication of their resources e.g., flour and oil. These events were building the faith of both Elijah, the widow and her son.

What did JESUS teach HIS disciples as recorded in Matthew 17:14-20?

¹⁴ When they reached the crowd, a man approached and knelt down before him. ¹⁵ “Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son, because he has seizures^[f] and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶ I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” ¹⁸ Then Jesus rebuked the demon,^[g] and it^[h] came out of him, and from that moment^[i] the boy was healed.

¹⁹ Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

²⁰ “Because of your little faith,” he^[j] told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of ^[k] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”^[l]

JESUS’ disciples could not cast out the demon in the young boy but JESUS did. HIS disciples wondered why they could not cast the demon out. JESUS told them:

²⁰ “Because of your little faith,” he^[a] told them. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of ^[b] a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”^[c]

It does not take much faith in GOD to do the things GOD instructs us to do. The question is in whom do we place out faith? Is it in our ability to or GOD’S? The beauty is that when we plant the small seed of faith in good soil and water it with the living water, it grows and produces fruit. As a person’s faith in GOD grows, HE leads him or her to even larger challenges where he or she has to exercise faith in GOD. The key is in whom do we place our faith, JESUS or ourselves? Let’s explore!

GOD had shown Elijah that HE took care of him at the wadi and the flour and oil never ran out. What was next in GOD’S school of building faith? Why was GOD building the faith of Elijah and where would it lead to? What can we learn form the life of Elijah? How does it apply to us as Christians?

Let’s read 1 Kings 17:17-18:

The Widow’s Son Raised

¹⁷ After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness got worse until he stopped breathing. ¹⁸ She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do you have against me? Have you come to call attention to my iniquity so that my son is put to death?”

After the widow, her son and Elijah witnessed the miracle of GOD providing physical food for them, GOD had another faith building mountain for them to climb.

The son of the widow became ill and stopped breathing. The widow went straight to Elijah and said, ““Man of God, what do you have against me? Have you come to call attention to my iniquity so that my son is put to death?”

The widow went straight to Elijah and referred to him as, “Man of GOD.” She had a warped notion of how the One True GOD operates. She viewed the GOD of Israel as a vengeful god. GOD knew her heart and HE needed to teach her through this tragic issue and to build Elijah’s faith in GOD. Her son stopped breathing.

Elijah sprang into action.

Let’s read 1 Kings 17:19-21:

¹⁹ But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So, he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upstairs room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰ Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” ²¹ Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!”

Elijah grabbed her son and took him to the area where he had been communicating with GOD. Elijah laid the son on Elijah’s bed. Then Elijah cried out to GOD, “Lord my God, have you also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” ²¹ Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “Lord my God, please let this boy’s life come into him again!”

Elijah did not know about CPR but GOD did and as Elijah prayed, GOD led him to place the weight of his body on top of the son, three times. Elijah was praying as he was led to place his body weight onto the body of the widow’s son.

I know some may say that I am humanizing GOD. I don’t think so. When we seek GOD to help us in a situation, HE does. GOD restored life to the widow’s son regardless of how it was done.

When we study GOD’S Word, it is clear that HE does not defy logic nor scientific logic. HE designed earth and what governs earth. Gravity always works as HE designed it and we benefit from the law of gravity. Aerodynamics work to lift our aircraft off the ground. These are gifts from GOD for us to function upon earth.

Oh my. What happened? Let’s read on -------

Let’s read 1 Kings 17:22-24:

²² So the Lord listened to Elijah, and the boy’s life came into him again, and he lived. ²³ Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upstairs room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.” ²⁴ Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.”

The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah and the boy’s life was restored and he lived. You might ask, do you think it was CPR? GOD led Elijah to do what he did and GOD restored life to the boy. The boy’s life was restored by the power of GOD and the action of Elijah. Medical personnel and those led to take action are doing so as led by GOD.

This confirmed to the widow and the boy that Elijah was truly a man of GOD. This act by Elijah confirmed the widow’s faith in the One True GOD of Israel.

When we minister in the name of JESUS, we glorify JESUS to others.

How is GOD building your faith in HIM? Do you have negative barriers that you need to overcome in your life that prevents you from trusting GOD? If so, confess them and ask GOD to build your faith in HIM such that you will approach HIM with absolute faith and confidence.

We read in Matthew 19:26:

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Do you believe “with GOD all things are possible?”

Blessings!!!