Commanded of God 1 Kings 17

Commanded of God 1 Kings 17 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO 

Introduction:

• Read 1-16 The Barrel and the Cruse that keep on giving!
• Verse 9 – “I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee”
• Did she act as if she had had a conversation with God prior to Elijah showing up?
• Back in Verses 1-7, It’s pretty clear the ravens were told by God to feed Elijah, because they did exactly that!
• So if God said that she was commanded, I believe that she was, but that doesn’t mean it was a verbal command.
• Have any of you ever been commanded by God verbally?
• So there must be other ways!

She was Commanded of God:

1. By Circumstances
   1. Widowed, Famine, Broken, and at her wits end (beat up by her circumstances)
   2. Enough food for one last meal (God had her in a pinch point)
   3. Committed to care for her son (Not alone but had responsibilities)
   4. No apparent relationship with God, verse 12 (Thy not My God)
   5. Really had few choices left.
   6. Her circumstances commanded her actions

Application:                      

• There is never a moment in our lives where we are NOT under a commandment of God
• The Lord has you exactly where you need to be to obey His command
• Do you need to learn to trust God FIRST?
• Do you need to improve you fellowship with Him?
• Do you need to be Humbled?
• Do you need to Give?
• Do you need to serve?
• Your circumstances may be commanding some action desired of God!

 

1. By the Word of God
   1. She answered the Man of God’s command (Verses 10-16)
   2. She brought him the drink and the bread
   3. She even against all logic, prepared Elijah’s meal first, when she was convinced she had not enough
   4. The word of God commanded her actions

Application:                      

• There is never a moment in our lives where we are NOT under a commandment of God, Saved or not. He is the Lord of all.
• John 3:16
  ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
• John 3:7
  ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
• Romans 6:12-13
  ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
  ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
• John 15:12
  ¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
• Colossians 3:13
  ¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do
• The word of God may be commanding some action desired of God!

 

• By Fulfilled Promises

                              First promise was to Elijah (Verse 9)

• He had no problem believing, he had been fed by ravens before
• Hasn’t God already fulfilled promises far greater in your life than what you may be clinging to today?

 

Second promise was to the widow woman (verse 14)

• Did she have a better option; this one gave her hope!
• I don’t believe that she had any faith at this point, read 17-24
• She finally believed after her son was resurrected!
• God resurrected His son so that we would believe!

Conclusion:

• Review all points
• Charge folks to look at their circumstances and seek out what God is commanding them
• Charge folks to Learn and obey God’s word, plenty of commands
• Charge folks to be encouraged by the fulfillment of God’s promises in their past!