Stand With God I Kings 17:1

1And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word."


God instructed Elijah to go to Ahab, who was king of Israel. He was married to a wicked woman named Jezebel who influenced her husband to give the gods of Baal equal status with God. He had temples built in various parts of the country for the worship of Baal. At Jezebel's urging, Ahab opposed the worship of the Lord, destroyed His altars, and killed His prophets.

God sent Elijah to tell Ahab that there would be no rain in the land until God told Elijah to say so. And so we see the power of the spoken word demonstrated to Elijah. Elijah said, there shall not be any dew or any rain in the years to come until I say it will rain." Things can get pretty dry when we go without rain for a month or two. However, there is still some dew. Elijah said there would be neither, not for months but for years. This was indeed a powerful word.

The statement I want us to focus on today is, "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand." The power in the spoken word comes when it is the Word of God. Elijah spoke the words that God gave him to speak. He did not decide on his own to go to Ahab. He spoke as God gave Him authority to speak.

God spoke to Elijah because Elijah walked with God. Elijah had a personal relationship with God. Listen to what he said, "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand." Elijah stood before the Lord. He walked with God. He was obedient to God's Word. As Elijah stood beside the Lord, God stood beside him and He spoke to Elijah and He spoke through Elijah.

God will do the same with you and me today if we will just do as Elijah did and "stand beside the Lord" in all that we do. It is not that difficult to do; all we have to do is determine in our heads and in our hearts to do it! Standing beside God is the easiest thing in the world to do. All we have to do is just do it! When we do, we will be amazed at what God will do in us and with us and through us!