How God Develops Character

Navigating the Ups and Downs of Life, part 1

Pastor Bob Johnson, July 26th, 2020

I. From “Sand” To “Center Stage”

Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, the God I serve … 1 Kings 17:1a (NLT)

Who is Elijah?

Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! James 5:17 (NLT)

Who is King Ahab?

Ahab son of Omri began to rule over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of King Asa’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twenty- two years. 30 But Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him. 31 And as though it were not enough to follow the example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal. 32 First Ahab built a temple and an altar for Baal in Samaria. 33 Then he set up an Asherah pole. He did more to provoke the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him. 1 Kings 16:29-33 (NLT)

II. Elijah’s P _______ C ________ is D ____

… “There will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!” 1 Kings 17:1b (NLT)

Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods. 17 If you do … He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Deuteronomy 11:16-17 (NLT)

III. Elijah’s P _______ C _______ is D _____

Then the Lord said to Elijah, 3 “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” 5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. 1 Kings 17:2-6 (NLT)

A Key PATTERN in developing Godly character:

K__________ typically comes before C_________

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

A Key MOMENT in developing Godly character:

When He allows a D__________ to D_________

But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land. 1 Kings 17:7 (NLT)

A Key SHIFT in developing Godly character:

Moving from being P_________ to H___________

Then the Lord said to Elijah, 9 “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” 1 Kings 17:8-9 (NLT)