In His Footsteps — Erlo Stegen

Let's bow and ask God to be with us and work in our midst. We ask you, Lord, to be in our midst now. Speak to us through your word. And those still on the way here, we pray that you would protect them so that they'd arrive safely.

Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus

Amen. The theme for these services is in his footsteps, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, walking in the footsteps of our God. As the Bible says, in the footsteps of God. Jesus himself is the word. And so, if you follow the word, if you follow God, you will find yourself keeping his word.

Elijah’s Obedience to God’s Word

Our text, we find in 1 Kings, chapter 17, from verse 1. Now, pay close attention because during this youth conference, we get a time of questions and answers. You can win prizes. You can win prizes. If you show that you've really paid attention.

Some receive Bibles as prizes. Some English, some Zulu Bibles and other literature. So, listen very carefully. Don't allow Satan to distract you. I see there are not so many older people. Perhaps they thought, well, it's the youth conference.

But you adults listen carefully too, because this has to do with you as well. Bible says, do not neglect fellowship, gathering of yourselves together. Because a person who starts staying away from services, you can recognize that he's backsliding.

And if the Lord wills, I'll be speaking quite often about the prophet Elijah. I love the servant of the Lord, this prophet. I love the servant of the Lord, this prophet. And Elijah the Tishbite of the inhabitants of Gilead said to Ahab, as the Lord God of Israel lives before whom I stand, they shall not be due nor reign these years except at my word.

Then the word of the Lord came to him saying, get away from here and turn eastward. And hide by the brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I've commanded the ravens to feed you there.

So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the brook Cherith. Which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

The things of God are astonishing. They are marvellous, they are awesome. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil.

For the one who doesn't know anything of God, they are foolish and they have been blinded by the devil. For Moses was made of the same metal. You would find so many similarities in the lives of these two great men of God.

Elijah’s Heavenly Readiness and Single-Mindedness

And as you make a study of Elijah for yourself, you will realize why he didn't have to die. He was so rich. He was so rich that the Lord simply snatched him up into heaven. And I pray often and say, Lord, make me like that ripe fruit ready for heaven.

Even his body. Even his body, he sought to, even his body was ripe for heaven. If you think of food that is cooked, prepared and ready for the meal, so too, his body, soul and spirit was ready for heaven.

So we don't mind where he was born. Or who his parents were. His life was exemplary. He was as straight as a die. It was like a spear that headed in one direction. Even his name means the Lord is God.

And indeed he stood for that. He was single minded. He wasn't a straddler with one leg here and one leg there. He wasn't an in between type of man. He was absolutely single minded. We are cursed with this happening among Christians, old and young, that they are double minded.

They believe, but they also have an agreement with Satan. They mix things up. Like Achan of the Old Testament. He was commanded with the rest to utterly annihilate Jericho. To destroy and burn everything.

But he saw a nice jacket, he took it along. Saw some gold, he took that too. And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home. And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home. And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home.

And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home. And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home. And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home. And he buried it under the ground in his tent at home.

Sanctify yourselves, the Lord said through Joshua. But it didn't touch them. Both the father, the wife and the children. But it didn't touch them. But it didn't touch them. But it didn't touch them. But it didn't touch them.

And the judgment was that Achan was to be stoned to death with his wife who shared the blame of not revealing this and the children and the donkeys they were all stoned to death but still but still we have Achan's who cover up who keep quiet about sin who are afraid or are afraid of risking their lives they think I might be poisoned I might be attacked in this way.

Concealing Sin and the Judgment of God

Doesn't the Bible say that as believers they shall drink poison or bitten by snakes or scorpions and they shall survive for faith overcomes wickedness and evil. Is there any wife here keeping quiet about the sin of their husbands.

Well the stones will destroy you with your husbands. Is there any child here who is keeping quiet about the sins of their brothers or sisters or parents. Well you'll die alongside with them. The Bible is full of examples of those who stayed in their wickedness and judgment fell upon them.

Another example would be Ananias and Sapphira. Elijah was not of that type. He was absolutely determined totally devoted and single-minded unto the Lord. It is a curse in the church that there are those who are Christians and are double-minded.

They mix things. Parents who close their eyes and to ignore the sin of their children. You'll never have chariots of fire horses of fire coming to fetch you instead dark creatures from the pit taking you to.

So if you've been covering up for sin and you've been standing in for your friend and you've had an agreement that this is going to be a cover-up. Nothing will be said. Maybe it's a year old already.

Repent. Confess it. Deal with it today. Don't leave the service without uncovering the sin. Elijah stayed upright. Whether it was bad weather or sunshine. Whether the people liked him or not. Whether he was popular or not it didn't matter.

Elijah’s Stand Against Ahab and Jezebel

He stuck his road in the footsteps of his God. Elijah lived in a very wicked evil dark generation. There were wicked politicians who were in political control. King Ahab and his wife Jezebel who was from a pagan background it was dark.

For Israel issued a decree that the Israelites were to worship Baal the idols of the nations and were not to worship Almighty God. And then God commissioned Elijah to go and speak directly to King Ahab to say that he is forsaken the way of the Lord and that they've committed atrocities for they had killed the prophets of God.

But the Lord used Obadiah the prophet to protect some of his people. Some of the prophets a hundred of them fifty were hidden one cave and fifty in another cave. He protected them from the powers that be from Jezebel who wanted to kill them.

People were being killed like flies. Wickedness reigns supreme. Baal instead of the Lord was in control. Let's read from Deuteronomy 11 from verse 16. Take heed to yourselves lest your heart be deceived.

And you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them lest the Lord's anger be aroused against you. And he shut up the heavens so that there be no rain and the land yield no produce. And you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you.

Covenant Faithfulness and Teaching the Next Generation

So the Lord said to his people to Israel take heed to yourselves be careful lest your heart is deceived. And you turn aside to other gods and you end up worshipping idols and God is angered and he shuts up the heavens so that it does not rain and you live in famine.

God had made a covenant with his people Israel but they didn't keep their side. Is there anybody here who's been covenanted to God. You've have an agreement with God and yet you have not kept your promise asking you to stand up where you are.

You who made a promise to God but have not kept it. But even if you don't stand up God knows you. He sees exactly where you are who you are and how over the passage of time you've been unfaithful to that promise.

Also in Deuteronomy we find that God commands the parents to teach their children and children's children exactly what he had taught them so that they would keep his commandments and live for him. But they didn't do it.

Resisting the Footsteps of the World

It became dark upon the earth. Jesus said you are the light. Let your light shine so that they would see the truth of revealing the truth to those who do not know the Lord. You are like the world so they watch TV.

You also do the way they come. You come the way they dress themselves. You copy their fashion. I don't know whether you didn't have parents to teach you. Well don't let that curse continue with you. You come to the Lord even if they have got to suffer the consequences of their lives.

Watching TV you begin to do what they have on TV. You begin to copy their fashion. And I boasted before that here in Africa we don't do things and we don't follow the way they do it in the Western world with their promiscuity.

But I'm embarrassed to say that it's like flies that have been attracted to sweet tea and have fallen in. I ask where are those who are consistent Christians who don't stumble around who don't walk in the footsteps of the world.

And you become imitators of whatever the world has to offer. You hear worldly music over the radio and the next thing that's the tune that you are in instead of destroying that getting rid of that you take your cell phones and use it to be promiscuous with you look at pornography on the cell phone and you follow the world in its footsteps.

Elijah’s Prayer and the Call to Righteousness

It is similar to the time of Elijah where those who stand on their feet firmly on the side of the Lord. James 517 it says Elijah was a person similar to us like us just like us just like you but he stood firmly for the Lord.

But you see your children not doing the same and you just close your eyes. Elijah seeing the iniquity this vile sin of killing the prophets of God he prayed. And as it says in James 517 a man like us exactly like us but he prayed in accordance with God what God had said that I'll close the heavens if you continue in your sin.

And he prayed specifically to dry up the heavens and they were. James speaks about healing he says and confess your sins one to another for the prayer of a righteous man avails much. And then he says and Elijah was like us but his righteous prayers locked up the heavens so that it.

And so these days you are going to hear some testimonies. Some of those will be from those who've suffered from AIDS. One who shares how they experienced hell. Satan welcoming of him or her there. And remember that's what Satan wants to do with you is to utterly destroy you.

But that person is now well the Lord has helped them given them strength back they're able to walk around. I don't know whether the Lord will make you well. Oh Elijah. He was honest and upright. He wasn't two-tongued.

He was a person who was absolutely firm in what he said and became stronger even when even when God needed to hide him and sent him into the wilderness to hide in a cave because he had prayed. It was a time of drought for three and a half there was no rain.

King Ahab sought his life because he blamed the drought on Elijah. So he sent his people to search him out because he wanted to kill him to punish him and but God said you go there for I'll protect you and I'll feed you with ravens and that they will bring you food.

Publicly Standing for the Lord

Elijah refused to be intimidated. He didn't say well the law of the land forbids me to do this or that and I need to heed to that. And just in case perhaps he was in no doubt about what he needed to do.

He publicly stood for the Lord. Yes they were the 7 ,000 who did not bend the knee to bow. In secret they were. But remember there were all these open prophets of Baal 450 of them and another 400 of other idols that Queen Jezebel had said the people of Israel all of them had to bow the knee to these gods.

Elijah was unaware of the other 7 ,000 who worship the Lord God and had not bowed the knee to the Baals. But they did it in secret like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and them. And but Elijah stood out and was public about it to Joseph of Arimathea and them they only stood out when Jesus had been crucified but before that they were secretive about their faith.

I don't know whether you belong to that number. Yes you serve the Lord but you are not open and clear about it. You don't let your light shine. You hide it under a bushel but Jesus said let your light shine before all men.

If you're at school let them see clearly that this person is a Christian. So as you're seated here young people I wonder of what type you are. If you find that you are a believer like the 7 ,000 secret believers remember they were not taken up in chariots of fire like Elijah and the king had a vehement hatred of Elijah passed the buck blamed Elijah for everything bad the famine the drought and towards the end when he went public and revealed himself God said now Elijah this is the time go and reveal yourself to the king to Ahab and he met with Obadiah close to the palace and he said Obadiah go to the king tell him that I'm coming to speak to him today Obadiah.

Obadiah said look Elijah this is a bad time to do something like this and I have he was a believer Obadiah but he was scared to fulfill this because he said look and many of us prophets have been dying.

I've hidden others if I to reveal myself publicly present myself there to King Ahab I will surely die a man of God I am afraid lest I go and do this and tell King Ahab and then we come back and we find that the spirit of the Lord has snatched you away.

Elijah said you don't worry do exactly as I tell you and tell the king that I'm going to present myself to him today. So off he went and he said your majesty Oh King Elijah would like to see you. Then Elijah went straight to him and Ahab said to him where have you come from you troubler of Israel.

He said oh king but it is not me it is you who have troubled Israel it is your sin you see apostate people are like that when they apostatize they blame their sin on others they say all this trouble all that's happened is because of others they cannot confess their own sin and they blame other people and they say circumstances are in this condition because of your sin instead of saying because of my sin.

Repentance and Walking in the Lord’s Footsteps

So I say to you check yourself test and prove yourself is there any sin which you are hiding. Maybe you're hiding somebody else's sin and you're just covering up for somebody else instead of revealing it and bringing it to the light you die with them.

It's your time to repent. To plead with the Lord that he would make you upright and honest that you would stand out for him that the sun moon and stars so that you become so grounded in the word it becomes so clear that you're standing out for the Lord that even the sun moon and stars recognize that you are walking in the footsteps of the Lord.

Prayer for Repentance

Let's bow our heads. Lord walk through our midst look directly in the eyes of those who are off the track who are off the road like Peter when your eyes met his when you heard the rooster crowing that he he repented in tears let your heavenly rooster speak to us and that we would hear the sound and repent like Peter not like Judas Iscariot.

Oh Holy Spirit touch every heart the one who's not got right with you that they would get right with you today. Amen.