I Kings 17:1-7 Life is a series of Examination. Just like physical Exams, if you are not prepared, you can’t prevail.
The only difference is that the exams of life do not have specific time-tables!
Here is Elijah, for the first time. If you hear the name “Elijah”, what comes to your mind? Fire on mount camel, climbing to heaven without dying!
But we see that the man of God was instructed to go, hide and sit at brook Cherith. What’s God saying?
Before Elijah can stand on mount Carmel, he needed to sit by the brook.
In life if you don’t sit down (to learn / meditate to be instructed) you can’t stand up.
God will TEST before he can TRUST. I Peter 1:6-7
Before the faith of Carmel, you need to discipline and maturity of Cherith.
Place of the Exam
God want to transform Elijah the Tishbite to Elijah the man of God.
171 / 1724. Elijah must therefore go to school.
The place in Cherith which means to cut off / to cut down.
Ordinarily, God should keep Elijah before Ahab, but he decided to cut him off from public view in order to cut him down to size!
V 3
Hide thyself
Your hidden life is where your strength is built. God can’t take us to the highest height until our hidden life is satisfactory.
- Your discussion in your sitting room
- TALK
- Your attitude to your neighbours
- Your discussion with your wife / husband
- Your attitude toward your staff members when no church person is there!
- Your prayer / study / thinking
God will purify your walk with him, before he can give in boldness to talk to the enemy on Carmel.
YOU CAN’T TALK THE TALK IF YOU CAN’T WALK THE WALK
Cherith is a place of quietness, as if you don’t exist. But know God is
preparing you, when you manifest everyone will bow.
At Cherith you can’t complain, or you’ll stay long there.
It’s ordained of god there, its for your good!
Elijah may begin to think, why am I hiding, is this all God want to use me for. Is God powerless, why should he tell me to go and hide.
Sometimes God hides his soldiers to prevent premature exposure.
Remember Israel coming out of Egypt.
1. In the night
2. Not the land of Philistine
3. Made them cross the Red Sea, you know why
a. That enemies will die in Red sea
b. That they might see the miracle of God in stages
c. That they might not be able to go back before they will need another miracle!
Thank God for Elijah: he didn’t question God. He got to Cherith where he was taught how to trust on God for daily needs.
Wake up, prepare water to drink, leave to put the food sitting down and looking up.
Brother, you’ve got to know how to look up!
The food comes through the RAVENS – unclean birds / a scavenger.
Every morning / every evening.
- Are you in need, are you hungry for something and there is no one to help, no one to assist, those who could assist have declared you wanted. Brother look up, your own miracle is coming.
The meat will not drop or be given to another.
- No one can snatch your miracle.
Every person was giving hungry but Elijah eating assorted meat through a supernatural helper.
GOD WILL SEND YOU A SUPERNATURAL HELPER
Nothing could stop that ravens because he was on special assignment to sustain you.
Where did he got the meat,… probably from Ahab / Jezebel table or kitchen.
Recommended Reading
Winning The Community For Christ
Top Ten Lessons from the Life of Job
The Master Key of Abundance
God wanted to teach Elijah how to look up in the valley, so on mount Carmel, he will not be disappointed.
- Wherever you are God knows your need and he will meet your need. Elijah went to Cherith through divine instruction, he must be sustained but divine provision.
But when you choose to walk your own way, you pay the fare.
Verse 7
After a while – Elijah was settling down, waking up / sleeping and eating and gradually the brook dried.
And he went out, as usual “ where is my raven” looking up looking to the left, to the right man He has been delayed. Let me wait till the evening.
The evening came but the raven did not appear.
Why? Why? Why? The brook dried. Why?
When your brook dry it’s a sign that something is about to happen.
Your brook could be:
- Your source of income
- Your business
- The love of your husband / wife
- The love of your father and wife
- The help of your uncle / brother in Kano / Kaduna – your relationship
- Door of help – door of favour
The brook dried
- Not because God stopped Elijah
- Not because Elijah had sinned
- Not because Elijah is not praying again
- Not because Elijah was out of the will of God
- Not because God is limited – God can prevent that brook from drying but because God has a better plan.
What happen last year is not enough to make you cry, God has a better plan.
Because your brook dried does not mean you should dry too! Elijah still heard from God
After the Brook
Elijah was not crying, he waited. He did not look for alternative. He waited and the word of God came because God has not forgotten him.
God will make a way for you. He didn’t abandon Elijah, he will not abandon you.