The prophet Elijah was given extraordinary power from the Lord, so much so that he was able to raise a young boy from the dead. When reading the story of Elijah bringing the widow’s son back to life, our little grandson, Nicholas (4 years old at the time) said “Elijah prayed him well.”

Indeed he did!

After the raising of her son from the dead, the widow remarked that now she knows that Elijah is a man of God.  Wasn't the miracle of the flour and oil enough for her?  What miracles is God doing in our lives today?  If we paid attention, we might just see His miracles every day.

What astounding events happened on Mount Carmel! And how sad are these words of the people in response to Elijah’s question, “How long will you waver between two opinions?” “But the people said nothing.”

Elijah was asking them to take a stand.  Many of them knew the Lord was God but enjoyed the sinful pleasures and other benefits that came from following Ahab's idols.  The people then didn’t take a stand. How is it with us? Do we take a stand for the Lord in the midst of idol worship, in the midst of the ways of the world?  Idols are anything that cause us to depend on something other than God.

Notice that when Elijah asked God to send down fire from heaven on the altar, God went above and beyond what Elijah asked for.  Not only did He send down fire from heaven, He burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and even the soil...oh, and the fire also licked up the water in the trench.  Never underestimate the power of God!

Eph 3:20
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

This miracle on the mountaintop caused the people to believe. As a reminder, sometimes God answers our prayers quickly as in the fire on the altar and sometimes He answers slowly as in the coming of the rain (the servant saw the small cloud in the distance after checking seven times).

Elijah took a stand when the prophets of Baal were defeated. A lesson for us today would be that

Whatever God commands us to do,

He’ll provide what we need to carry it through.

After Elijah saw God’s vast power in the fire on Mount Carmel, he was afraid of Jezebel and ran away. Did he feel alone because he thought he was the only prophet of God left? Ever feel that way? Ever feel as if you are all alone taking a stand for the Lord? If so, learn this next lesson from Elijah.

Elijah waited in the cave for God to speak to him. He must have expected some grand and glorious manifestation (like what God had done on the mountain) but instead, God came to him in a gentle whisper. Sometimes we need to stop in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, shake the dust of our daily activities and get quiet before the Lord. 

Among the things God told Elijah was that there were 7,000 people in reserve who had not succumbed to idol worship.

So if you think you’re all alone, take a lesson from Elijah – there are others out there who are also willing to take a stand.