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God is Greater Live It

Hearing from God Heart: God knows better Hands: Obey what he's already shown Feet: Put yourself in the path of his voice

God speaks by the Holy Spirit through: Scriptures Prayer Circumstances Church

What about when the Circumstances seem unbearable?

God doesn't always deliver…

God doesn't always deliver… But sometimes he does!

When Circumstances Dictate the Truth of your Faith - React rather than Respond - Act in Fear rather than Faith - Perception is skewed - Alone - Emotions rule

Never let the Reality of your circumstances Dictate the Truth of your Faith

No rain…

No rain… Elijah returns

No rain… Elijah returns Elijah went before the people and said, How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him - I Kings 18:21

Chick-Fil-A Moment

No rain… Elijah returns 850 to 1 Fire!

Taunting and Fire… Death and Rain…

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword Choice: Evidence or Ignorance

So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them

Choices: Faith or Fear

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life What's dictating his actions?

When circumstances Dictate the Truth of your Faith - React rather than Respond - Act in Fear rather than Faith - Perception is skewed - Alone - Emotions rule

When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a days journey into the desert.

He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die

You've been there…

The Reality of his circumstances Have overshadowed the Truth of his Faith

Fire, False Prophets, Rain… 12 Stones as a Memorial If you forget what God has done in the past, you lose faith for the present

I have had enough, Lord, he said. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors. Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep

I have had enough, Lord, he said. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors. Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep One Thing Right: Went to God

All at once an angel touched him and said, Get up and eat He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. I know and God care I sustain life- not Jezebel

He ate and drank and then lay down again

The Reality of the Circumstance: The Queen wants him dead The Truth of his Faith: God is greater

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you. So he got up and ate and drank

Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you God knows your needs before you do

Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you God knows your needs before you do He knows What this day will bring And- he'll supply, IF you let him

"Give us this day our daily bread…" - Jesus "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow…" - Jesus

You can't live a Tomorrow faith with a Today God

Never let the Reality of your Circumstance Dictate the Truth of your Faith

Never let the Reality of your Circumstance: It may happen… Dictate the Truth of your Faith: God is here Today And he'll be here when Tomorrow comes

Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night

And the word of the Lord came to him: What are you doing here, Elijah? God had a call On Elijah's life (This isn't it…)

He replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.

Where's his focus?

"I'm so good The circumstances are so bad It's not fair…!" - Perception is skewed - He feels all alone God is so Good…and greater than the Circumstances

The Reality of his circumstances Overwhelmed the Truth of his Faith Causing him to react Rather than act and respond in Faith

When you find yourself Not where you're supposed to be It's because you've lost sight Of your God

The Reality of his circumstances Overwhelmed the Truth of his Faith Skewed his judgment…

The Lord said, Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.

And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

"I'm close. I never left your side…"

"I'm close. I never left your side…" The reality of his circumstances: She wants him dead The Truth of his Faith I'm with you. And I'm Greater. Always

The reality of your circumstances: Things are very tough right now The Truth of your Faith I'm with you. And I'm Greater. Always

Then a voice said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah?

He replied, I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.

The Lord said to him, Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet

Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.

Change is coming… You gave up too soon and missed it

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up - Galatians 6:9

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel- all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him - 1 Kings 19:1-18

When Circumstances dictate our Vision We see from a distorted perspective You ain't alone, boy! I got 7,000 right now…

We can't know the truth of our Circumstances when we are in the Circumstances "We walk by faith, not by sight"

We can't know the truth of our Circumstances when we are in the Circumstances Faith acts on the truth of who God is Not the reality of what's happening "We walk by faith, not by sight"

Elijah missed out…

Never let the Reality of your circumstances Dictate the Truth of your Faith

Act on what you know to be True (Obey) Exercise Faith knowing God's got this (Believe)

I've never seen God Reward a Faith That hasn't been exercised

God doesn't always deliver… But sometimes he does! God either delivers Or walks through it with you You're never alone or forsaken

God blesses real faith= always God never blesses An unexercised Faith

Never let the Reality of your Circumstances Dictate the Truth of your Faith

Start: If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him - James 1:5

Start: Pray for God to deliver Take Steps of Faith as he leads

Know: God is growing you Or glorifying himself through you So that others can know…