Have you been praying that God would provide you with something and for some reason you have not received it? Do you question your faith because of it and find yourself complaining or doubting God's faithfulness? This is a subject that most Christians face at times in their walk with the Lord. I would like to present you with something that might just set you back or cause you to sit up and take notice. The prophet Elijah has some unique examples of God providing for him during a couple of rather scary encounters. Let's examine just a section of his life and the encounters he had.
We are going to pick up his story in 1 Kings 17:1, a time when being a Jewish person and a prophet of God could get you not only in trouble but could cost you your life. By examining a little history of the kings of Israel and Judah leading up to this point in time in Elijah's life we can get a better understanding of what kind of pressure this prophet of God was working under. Jeroboam many years before became king of Israel. God had commanded him to follow the ways of the Lord. Jeroboam later rebelled against the Lord by building altars out of gold and caused Israel to sin. Then following his reign many other kings were established and the majority of them continued to rebel against God and refused to follow His ways. Now we come to Ahab who did far worse than Jeroboam; In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him. He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him. He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria. Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 16:29-33
This is what the prophet Elijah was facing when he approached the King to give him the word of the Lord. Now lets examine how God took care of Elijah and provided for him. Elijah just told Ahab that there was not going to be any rain or dew for three years in the land. This was going to be a very hard time for the whole land but God has instructed his prophet let the king know. Elijah wasn't exactly popular with the king. After giving God's word to King Ahab, God told Elijah to journey on; Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” 1Kings 17:2
Elijah followed the instructions of the Lord and went to the brook and was fed by the ravens. But after a time the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land for some time now. So, the Lord instructed Elijah to continue on again: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” 1 Kings 17:9-11
We must keep in mind that when the Lord tells us to do something we must follow His instructions. You will notice here that not only was water scarce in the land, but now there was of the lack food because of the lack of water. Look at what the widow told Elijah after he ask her to bring him a piece of bread. “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 1 Kings 17:2. This was not a good situation at all. Here is a widow getting ready to die along with her son because there was no more food to be had and her comes a man asking her for a piece of bread for himself. But, because Elijah knew that God had instructed him to come to this widow Elijah also knew that God would provide not only for him but for this widow and her son as well. Check this out, when God gives instructions it is always in our best interest to follow His instructions: Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ” She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:13-16.
I want us to learn something very profound concerning this story, and that is that when God tells you to do something, follow His instructions. Now, you have to realize that Elijah didn't carry much as far as provisions, so taking these trips on foot would have been hard, not much water if any at all, no food to keep his strength up. This is where you and I have a tendency stop, pray, and begin asking God to provide first. Look at the verses where God told Elijah what to do. God said go to the brook and drink, "there" the ravens will feed you, 1 kings 17:2. Then after a period of time God sent Elijah on to accomplish another task in 1 Kings 17:9-11. Each time God provided for Elijah, but did you notice where the provision was? The provision's were where God told Elijah to go, not where he was. God will always provide when He sends you out on a mission, but before you get those provisions you may have to do something first and that would be to take the first step towards where you are being sent.
You see, God does not necessarily provide everything you need first. To many times Christians who want to do Gods will, seek first His provision instead of seeking God first. Matthew 6:33 says; But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. When we seek the provision first we are not putting our trust and faith in God who told us to go. God never sends you on a mission of any kind without having the provisions already in place. There have been many instructions from the Lord given to us throughout our short life, but to many of those instructions are not followed because we cannot see how we can accomplish the task. We think if God doesn't first provide everything then it must not be of God, so we sit back and wait for further instructions. God just doesn't operate that way. He gives us our instructions and expects us to get up and go. Look at Elijah, God told him to Go to the brook and drink, and that the ravens would feed him "there," not where he was. When Elijah arrived at the brook he was able to drink and be fed. Again when God told him to go to a certain place and see a widow woman who would feed him, Elijah didn't question God about the provisions, he just went. Elijah didn't know the widow woman only had enough food for her and her son, but because he followed God's instructions, God provided not only for His prophet, but for the widow woman and her family as well. Not just for the day did they eat and drink but until the drought was over. God provided for Elijah again, not where he was but where he was to go. To many Christians seek what God has to offer rather than seek God Himself, Matthew 6:33.
You may be going through a real drought right now in your life, God just seems so distant, your prayers are not being answered. Maybe you are searching for answers or you are seeking healing from God, times are just tough and you don't know what to do. I encourage you first to seek God, not His provision. God expects us to be obedient to His instructions, and if you have not been, then you really need to reconsider your standing with Him. First, obey what God has told you to do, for we walk by faith not by sight. Rethink your rebellious attitude by giving yourself to God completely, you can't hold things back. God is always faithful and will provide, but you must receive His provision where God told you to go.
It doesn't make much sense to expect your provisions for steps 2-10 if you haven't taken step 1. God will provide for step 1 before he provides for step 2-10. After you put your foot in the water, then God will part the water for you to cross.
Faith always requires us to step out into the unknown, not knowing where we are going, who we are going to meet, how we are going afford to do what we are ask to do, and so on. Hebrews 11:1 tells us plainly; Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. If you have been praying for God to provide for you and the answer or provision is not coming through, maybe you are in the wrong place, maybe you are expecting your provision where you are right now instead of going to "there" where God has told you to go.
It doesn't make much sense to expect your provisions for steps 2-10 if you haven't taken step 1. God will provide for step 1 before he provides for step 2-10. After you put your foot in the water, then God will part the water for you to cross.
Faith always requires us to step out into the unknown, not knowing where we are going, who we are going to meet, how we are going afford to do what we are ask to do, and so on. Hebrews 11:1 tells us plainly; Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. If you have been praying for God to provide for you and the answer or provision is not coming through, maybe you are in the wrong place, maybe you are expecting your provision where you are right now instead of going to "there" where God has told you to go.
