How can we trust God to overcome impossible situations in our lives? Setting the Scene Elijah stands alone on Mount Carmel during a crippling three-year drought. Hundreds of Baal’s prophets fill the hillside. The nation wavers between two opinions. Elijah rebuilds the ruined altar of the LORD, lays the sacrifice in place, and—most startling—orders water to be poured over everything three separate times. The Impossible Setup 1 Kings 18:35: “And the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.” • Stones, wood, and sacrifice are drenched. • A trench meant to catch overflow becomes a miniature moat. • Humanly speaking, wet wood cannot burn. Elijah deliberately removes every natural possibility so that only supernatural intervention can succeed. God’s Fire Falls 1 Kings 18:38 records what follows: “Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.” God responds instantly and completely, proving He is not restrained by physical limitations. Anchored by Scripture God’s track record with impossibilities is consistent: • Jeremiah 32:27—“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?” • Luke 1:37—“For nothing will be impossible with God.” • Matthew 19:26—“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” • Ephesians 3:20—He “is able to do infinitely more than all we ask or imagine.” • Isaiah 43:2—He promises presence through fire and flood alike. Each verse affirms the same truth displayed on Carmel: God is unlimited. Encouraging Snapshots • Red Sea: waters stack like walls (Exodus 14). • Jericho: fortified walls collapse at a shout (Joshua 6). • Valley of Elah: a shepherd boy fells a giant (1 Samuel 17). • Fiery furnace: three Hebrews emerge unsinged (Daniel 3). • Empty tomb: death itself is conquered (Matthew 28). Every account is historical, literal, and a reminder that our circumstances are never beyond His reach. Why We Can Trust Him Today • His power is unchanged—Malachi 3:6, “I, the LORD, do not change.” • His covenant love is steadfast—Psalm 136 repeats, “His loving devotion endures forever.” • His Word never fails—Isaiah 55:11, His Word “will not return to Me void.” Therefore, the same God who ignited a soaked altar stands ready to act for His people now. Steps to Cultivate Trust When Life Looks Impossible • Remember past deliverances—keep a written record of answered prayers. • Immerse in Scripture—daily read accounts of God’s power to reshape your perspective. • Pray specifically—like Elijah’s concise, faith-filled prayer (1 Kings 18:36-37). • Obey promptly—Elijah followed every command, even when it looked irrational. • Surround yourself with believers—witnesses who will testify when God answers. • Speak faith aloud—declare verses such as Psalm 56:9, “This I know: God is for me.” Living the Lesson When circumstances are soaked in impossibility and trenches of uncertainty are full, 1 Kings 18:35 reminds us to step back and let God’s fire reveal His sufficiency. Trust grows as we place everything on the altar—no plan B, no safety net—and watch Him do what only He can do. |
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