By REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON
(Transcribed by Myra D. Colgate)
Cherokee Pentecostal Holiness Church
Read 1 Kings 18:15-46
When King Ahab saw the Prophet Elijah for the first time after the drought in Israel had already plagued the area for three years, he accused the Prophet of being the one who was troubling all of Israel. Elijah was also the one who had just raised a child from the dead and had helped widows and others in the land during that time of famine, Elijah boldly answered him, “You are the one bringing trouble to this land.”
Elijah told him that it was because of his allowing the wickedness in him and in his family to also create his own system of government that had caused this. He reminded him he had not championed the Lord, God of Israel. In fact, he told him, “You have cast the Lord out of the high places, torn down His altars, and had ripped up the places where the people could hear the Word of the Living God.
The amazing part of this was that King Ahab obeyed what Elijah had said for him to do and called forth the people of Israel and his wife Jezebel’s 400 priests of Asherah, and the 450 priests of Baal to meet with Elijah in front of all of Israel for a meeting at Mount Carmel. This was after Elijah had told him, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have. I have come to declare the Word of the Living God.” He had told the people that Elijah had called forth everyone to meet them there at Mount Carmel.
“Father, I pray, open up our eyes and our ears to hear the glorious Word that you have for us today. Glory to the God of Heaven Who is willing and able today. I pray that Your Words would sink deeply into the hearts of men and women. I pray, Father, that You would just shake the Church. I pray that You would open the doors for the Church, the ones that cannot be shut. I pray, Father, that You would cause the wickedness that we see not only in this country, but all over the world to come to nothing as Your Church rises up to take its’ rightful place, O God.
“Lord, we thank You. We thank You, Lord, that all false accusations and lies about the Church are about to fall. We thank You, Lord, that Your Fire is about to fall. And we Glorify You in the Name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.”
I have come today to be a thorn in the flesh of the wicked and the evil. There are still more wicked things coming. We should be telling them what Jesus is doing in working and opening doors that nobody else can open, that He’s moving in little Cherokee to open those doors. Father, open up our ears to hear. Glory to the God of Heaven who is able and willing. Amen.
Elijah comes to the prophets that have gathered at Mt. Carmel. He addresses them and the people of Israel. He told them, “You know the Law, but you follow the prevailing winds that blow culturally. God’s Word is relevant. How long will you halt between two opinions? The two opinions have formed a disconnection. Elijah proposed a contest. Let’s see what happens. “I’ll call upon my God.” “You may go first and call upon yours.” We’ll see which one will ignite the Fire that falls on the House of God.
The priests cried out to their gods and cut themselves all morning and nothing happened. They had no power to truly satisfy anyone’s soul.
God is still saying, “Come near to Me.”
Elijah, first of all, repaired the altar of God. For many generations there had always been a place with the twelve stones of Jacob, of Israel for an altar.
Then Elijah put the wood in order and dug a trench for the water around it. He cut the bullock in pieces. And then he filled four barrels with water and proceeded to douse everything with water, refilling the barrels three times until the trench overflowed with water. It should only have smoked as it had been so drenched.
We also should know that as our tears flow at the altar, the water should overflow.
God obligates Himself—with a new wine skin, it must be filled with new wine! Praise Him and get in the middle of it. God is obligated all of a sudden to send the Fire! Fire when it falls, makes the wrong things right, as it changes everything.
“Lord, hear me, that they may know You always hear us when we pray. Cherokee needs the Church to be built up. Let them know that Thou hast consumed the stones of the altar, the dust and licked up all the water off of the altar there, and even the sacrifice, a living sacrifice which is a reasonable sacrifice.
We tend to want to get off the altar, but the Fire comes and burns it off of us. To have what God wants to do, we must have Him burn off our rough edges. Time is running out. Come ever so quickly, Lord Jesus. If I have to be watching, God change our lives! The rain is going to come.
Abba says there’s a rain coming with the Hand of God that Elijah’s servant saw, “I’m turning all of this around.” Elijah even outran Ahab’s chariot as they raced down to Jezreel before the rain was to come.
Chapter 19:2 tells us that Jezebel was slain, and all her priests were wiped out in a single day. The enemy knows his day is over. The Church is about to rise again! The poor leadership is the fault of the Church, even to the selling of souls for money.
Build a kneeling bench, an altar, at home, so the Fire can fall there. We can still close the doors. We still know weeds are an herb. So Christian people are not hurting. Our DNA needs Jesus. He’s non-habit-forming. He has dominion over the Earth. Oprah is wrong, Church, there are not many ways to God. If we seek Him we shall find Him. Ask and receive.
Serving the devil is to ask for a life messed up, full of misery, and is nonsense, for a life is ruined, tortured, by voices that won’t ever be quiet. Some people won’t leave their homes, as there are too many lines to cross.
Jesus dispatched all devils even Legion when He was challenged. He makes all the difference. Praise the Lord!
He wants to pour out His Fire! He will pour out His Fire and reign on the Earth! What a real Move of God! See what you can receive. Seek Him, Find Him! Align right with Him! Be a part of what God’s getting ready to do. Let Him have it. Get rid of some stuff or at least set things in order.
