Sun.’s Devo - God’s Power on the Earth Displayed

Read: 1 Kings 19:1-21; Acts 12:1-23; Psalm 136:1-26: Proverbs 17:14-15 Ahab returned to Jezreel and told Jezebel all that had happened on Mt. Carmel and how Elijah had killed all of her false prophets. Instead of being impressed, she was very mad at Elijah and sent word to him that she was going to do to him what he did to her prophets. He fled in fear. (Amazing that Elijah would be so afraid after what he had seen God do.) *** Elijah’s plan was to go to Mt. Sinai and meet with God and die. Angels were sent to give him the strength to get there. They woke him up twice and gave him supernatural food to nourish him for his 40 day journey to Sinai, the mountain of God. *** God asked him why he had come and Elijah told him Israel had broken their covenant with him, torn down his altars and killed everyone one of his prophets. He was the only one left and they were trying to kill him also. God sent him out to stand before him on the mountain. When he did, a mighty wind storm hit the mountain, then an earthquake hit the earth. Next, a fire was started. After the fire, Elijah heard God’s whisper. He came out of the cave he was hiding in to meet with God. God asked him again what he was doing there. *** Elijah gave God his complaint again and the Lord gave him one last big assignment to do before he could leave the earth. He was to go to Damascus and anoint Hazael to be the king of Aram. Then he was to anoint Jehu, Nimshi’s grandson to be king of Israel and lastly, he was to anoint Elisha to replace him as God’s prophet. These three men would execute God’s judgment on the earth. Then he added that he had 7,000 other prophets who had not bowed their head to Baal. *** If you follow Elijah’s life you will find that he only anointed Elisha to replace him. It was Elisha who anointed the other two men. ***Elijah was to go back the way he came and when he came to Elisha’s, he was plowing in his father’s field. There were 12 team of oxen in the field. Elijah threw his cloak across Elisha’s soldiers and walked away. Elisha ran after him and begged him to let him kiss his family good-bye. Elijah told him he could but he needed to count the cost of leaving all to follow him. Elisha slaughtered all the oxen and burned his plow to build a fire and roast the oxen. He had a great celebration and invited all the townspeople to the feast then he went with Elijah and became his assistant. *** King Herod Agrippa, the nephew of Herod Antipas and grandson of Herod the Great began to persecute the Christians. He had James killed and saw how much this pleased the Jews so he imprisoned Peter also. *** That night, an angel came to Peter in jail and led him out of the prison then opened the gates of the city and led him out of the city. Peter had thought it was a dream but then realized it was real. He went to the home of John Mark’s where the disciples were hiding out. *** That mourning in the jail there was much excitement when they couldn’t find Peter. The guards were executed and Herod left for Caesarea to handle other problems. He had gotten mad at the people of Tyre and Sidon and stopped sending them grain and oil. They sent delegates to make peace with him so he would send them what they needed to survive. Tyre and Sidon didn’t have a means to produce grain or oil. *** Herod put on his royal robes and sat on his throne to meet with the delegates of Tyre and Sidon. The people gave him a great ovation, shouting that he had the voice of a god and not a man. Herod received their praises and was instantly struck with sickness. *** In both of these stories God showed up and conquered his enemies. God is still the same God and he will conquer our enemies also. *** Lord, may we stand firm against all the plans of Satan and not allow him to do his plan. It is your plan that will stand and we are on your side. We declare victory on the earth! Your faithful love endures forever.