"Waiting on the Lord"
I Kings 18:1

I.    There is a  period  of waiting on the Lord.
 

            A.    The  duration  of the  period . (18:1)
                        Elijah waited on the Lord for 3½ years. The Lord told him to go to the brook and wait.
                            He told him to go to the widow and wait. Elijah waited and God took care of him for
                            3½ years.

                        Elijah never knew what was coming next. God told him to go and wait and
                            that He would take care of him.

                        We need to be patient and wait on the Lord. If we know we are where we are
                            supposed to be, then we must wait on the Lord.

            B.    The  devastation  of the  prophets . (18:4a)
                        Elijah prophesized of the drought and Jezebel destroyed the prophets of God.

                        Elijah was sent to wait on the Lord in the midst of all the prophets being destroyed.

            C.    The  deliverance  of the  period . (18:4b)
                        Sometimes we do not know all that God is doing. Our response is to be one of
                            obedience and being faithful to Him.                         

II.    There is a  problem  while waiting on the Lord. (II Samuel 11)
                    
        A.    King David was  distracted  while waiting. (II Samuel 11:2)
                    King David was not with his troops while they were at war and he was not spending
                        time with God. Therefore, he got distracted. Since he got distracted, he fell into sin.

                    If we are distracted by anything while we should be spending time with God, it is sin.
 
        B.    King David was  diverted  while waiting. (II Samuel 11:3-4)
                    King David's attention was diverted from God to the things of the flesh.

                    We must guard against things of the flesh and keep our eyes on God.

       
        C.    King David was  deadly  while waiting. (II Samuel 11:14-17)
                    Guarantee that death will follow if distracted and diverted from God.

                    Spiritual death will come.                                                 

                          
                                
III.    There is the  prize  of waiting on the Lord.
 

        A.     There is a prize for  Paul . (Galatians 1:1-18)
                    Paul was saved and set under God and studied. Paul learned from God for 3 years. 

                    The prize for us is ever growing closer to the Lord as was with Paul.

        B.    There is a prize for  Peter . (Acts 10:9-16)
                    While Peter was waiting, he prayed to the Lord. During this time of prayer, the Lord
                        gave Peter a vision.

                    Peter, like King David, was on a rooftop, but there were very different results!

                    Like Peter, we need to get still and listen to God.

        C.    There is a prize for the  Prophets . (I Kings 18:20-40)
                    It took more than 30 minutes of praying to call fire down from heaven. Elijah had spent
                        3½ years with God in prayer. Elijah went when God told him to go and trusted Him
                        for those 3½ years without knowing what was coming next. HE TRUSTED! Elijah did
                        great things for the Lord.

        Why doesn't God move in our lives?

        Are we spending time waiting and seeking God?

        We need to be challenged to spend more time with God and have a productive time of waiting
            on God.

-----Wait on the Lord.

-----Hear from the Lord.

-----Do God's Will.