DCLM Daily Manna 20 August, 2017 by Pastor Kumuyi - The Conquest of the Righteous

Topic: The Conquest of the Righteous — Sunday August 20, 2017.

Text: 1 Kings 18:30-40

Key Verse: "Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench" (1 Kings 18:38).

A missionary once went to a very primitive community where voodoo and charms held sway. When he started telling them about the Lord Jesus Christ and His power, they laughed him to scorn, believing that their gods and charms were more powerful. To prove their point, they asked the missionary to give them an apple or another fruit that he had eaten in part, boasting that if he did, he would die in a few days. He obliged them.

The missionary did not show up until the next Sunday when he came into the village beaming with confident smiles. The villagers could not believe their eyes. Many of them, that day, surrendered to Christ. In today’s text is a similar contest between Elijah, the prophet of God, and prophets of Baal, on Mount Carmel. Israel’s worship of Baal brought untold hardship and famine. Now, God wanted to visit and restore them and also give them rain.

There was an agreement that each side should take a bullock, dress it and put it on wood without setting it on fire. Then they were to call on their god, and the God that answered by fire would be God indeed. The 450 prophets of Baal called on their god for nearly an entire day without any positive result. When it was Elijah’s turn, he repaired the altar and made a short prayer to God. Then the fire fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, the dust and water! Then all the people fell on their faces and worshipped the Lord acknowledging Him as the true God. Subsequently, Elijah ordered the arrest and execution of the 450 prophets of Baal.

The battle between light and darkness which began at the Garden of Eden, came to a climax at Calvary, where Jesus Christ the Son of God, conquered Satan and all forces of darkness through His death and resurrection. The door of salvation is still open to as many that want to get saved.

Thought for the day: True freedom comes only through Jesus Christ.

Bible Reading in one Year: Jeremiah 46-48

DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.