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Again, Renewed Elijah

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Bible verse : 1 Kings 19:18 (NIV)

Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.

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Prophet Elijah won the war between the prophets of Baal and Asherah and the true god and the false god on Mount Carmel. He killed all 450 false prophets of Baal at the Kishon Valley. When Queen Jezebel heard the news, she sent someone to Elijah. "I will kill you by this time tomorrow. I will kill you as you killed the prophets.
If I do not kill you, the gods may punish me direly."

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When Elijah heard this, he was very afraid. So Elijah started to run away where Jezebel couldn't find him. He fled from northern Israel to a place called Beersheba in southern Judea without stopping.

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After walking all day in the wilderness, Elijah came to a place under a broom tree. Elijah was so afraid of himself that he prayed to God to take him away.
Elijah didn't have the confidence to do anything anymore.

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Exhausted, Elijah lay down under a broom tree and fell into a deep sleep. An angel of God came and touched Elijah while he was sleeping.
“Elijah, get up and eat.” Baked bread and a bottle of water were prepared on Elijah's head.

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Elijah got up, ate some of the bread, drank some water, and lay down again. But the angel came back and touched Elijah and said, “Elijah, get up and eat.
You have to go a long way, but if you don't eat, you can't get there.
Get up and eat.”

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Elijah got up again and ate the bread and water. And he followed God's guidance and arrived at Mount Sinai after walking forty days. This mountain was the place where Moses met God in the old days to rescue the Israelites from Egypt.

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Arriving at Mount Sinai, Elijah entered a small cave and spent the night.
Then, God spoke to Elijah. “Elijah, why are you here?”

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Elijah groaned to God and said, “God, I had a special zeal toward God.
The Israelites abandoned God and King Ahab killed all the prophets and now I am the only one left alive and the king wants to kill me too.
That's why I came all the way here.”

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God told Elijah to come out of the cave and stand in front of the mountain.
Elijah obeyed the word of God and stood in front of the mountain.
At that time, a very strong wind blew through the mountains and split the rocks.
But God did not appear in them.

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Then there was a great earthquake. But Jehovah was not even in the earthquake.
A fire broke out after the earthquake.
But Jehovah was not even in the midst of the flames.

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After the fire passed, a quiet and soft sound came. Elijah was amazed and covered his face with his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of cave.
God spoke to Elijah again. “Elijah, why are you standing here?”

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Elijah said the same thing as he said before. “God, I had a special zeal toward God. The Israelites abandoned God and King Ahab killed all the prophets and now only I am left alive and he wants to kill me too.
That's why I came all the way here.”

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God spoke to Elijah. “Elijah! you will go back to israel You still have much work left to do. And I left in Israel 7,000 men who had not bowed the knee to the idol of Baal. They have never bowed down to Baal.”

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Elijah was refreshed when he heard the word of God that there were many people like him who served only God in the land of Israel.
He realized that God is with those who fully serve God. Elijah, who prayed to God to kill him, met God and gained new strength. Elijah got up again and he did what God commanded to the end.

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Like Elijah, we often find it difficult and disappointing to live as God's children.
There are times when living according to the Word of God is considered lonely.
At that time, please remember Elijah. God knows everything we struggle and suffer. And we must remember that there are not only me but also many friends who walk in faith like me.
When we are struggling, if we go before God and pray about our difficulties, God will give us new strength and guide us to live like God's children.

(This is the sample conclusion provided by CTM. Please feel free to change the conclusion to best suit the listeners of your sermon.)