I Kings 17:8-16
Living In the Center of God’s Will

Introduction
1. I have said, “This is God’s will for your life.” Grow where you are planted.
2. If God does have a plan, a purpose for our lives, then being in the center of God’s will is
essential.
3. How can we live in the center of God’s will?
4. In I Kings 17:8-16 Elijah and the widow are operating in the center of the will of God.

How can we live in the center of God’s will?
I. THE DETECTION OF THE WILL OF GOD 17:8-11
The brook dried up in direct answer to prayer and because of the sinfulness of God’s people.
Good people suffer also when a land is being judged because of sin.
A. Detected By God’s Truth
1.The word of the Lord (v. 8) go from Cherith to Zarephath which was 75 to 100 miles. Zaraphath means ‘refining’ crucible, where metal is refined. (I Peter 1:6, 7) The illustration of a metallurgist is given. Trials are the heat. Heat brings the impurities to the top. The impurities are removed until a reflection of the metallurgist is seen in the refined metal.
2.I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee 9b If you want to live in the center of God’s will, and you want to check and see if you are living in the center of God’s will you must go to the Word of God. The word of God is absolute truth. Many mistake the will of God for some emotion or feeling which may dominate them. Those who are the most persistent in doing the will of God make the Word of God prominent in their lives.
B. Detected In God’s Time
1.God spoke when the brook was about to dry up and the widow when all hope was gone.
2.God may be slow, but He is always on time. Elijah did not die of thirst nor did the widow and son die of starvation.
3.To detect God’s word making church a habit is vital. How many times have I heard, “What you said was just what I needed.” Having a regular time for daily devotions is healthy. Often God speaks in those quiet moments. Satan wants you to miss just the message you need! Messages will fit the need of a congregation.
C. Detected From God’s Technique 10, 11
The will of God was revealed step by step…one step at a time.
1.The Progress Elijah: The Brook dried up…Cherith…from Cherith to Zaraphath, from Zaraphath to the exact widow that God had in mind.
2.The Proclamation 10, 11 Fetch me…a little water. Bring me…morsel of bread. Make me…cakes (13) Obedience are the wheels that move the cart.
3.The Plan
*God’s servants must learn to take one step at a time. God does not give us all His directions at once, lest we should get confused. He tells us just as much as we can remember and do. Then we must look to Him for more. So we learn by easy stages the sublime habit of obedience and trust. F.B. Meyer
*“The will of God is like headlights on an automobile. They give enough light so we can see far enough ahead to drive safely, but they do not show the whole road ahead of us.”
*We don’t need to know God’s will for tomorrow until tomorrow comes. Concentrate on today. Be good stewards of the present!

How can we live in the center of God’s will?
II. THE DETERMINATION IN THE WILL OF GOD 17:12, 13
Unless God’s will has top priority it will go undone. It is God’s orders and God’s will for
our lives that matters! Nothing was more important to Elijah and the widow. They put
God’s will ahead of everything!!
A.God’s Will Over Our Circumstances
Elijah and the widow’s circumstances were not conducive to do what God told them to do.
1.To get to Zaraphath, Elijah must travel nearly 100 miles to the heart of Baal worship!
2.The widow had pressing circumstances. She was about to make her last meal and then she and her son would die. She was the one who needed help! She was risking her life to keep Elijah safe.
3.If God’s assignment is a bit taxing or inconvenient, we say, “Forget it!”
B. God’s Will Over Our Concerns
1.A self-centered person will not do God’s will.
2.SELF cannot reign if God’s will is to be done!
3.Elijah and the widow put their concerns in the background. Not what I wish to be or where I wish to go for who am I that I should choose my way? The Lord will choose so let Him bid me go or stay.
4.The woman was asked for all that she had and she gave it!
5.What God was saying to Elijah in v. 16 Give to God first. We usually give God the leftovers.
C.God’s Will Over Our Calculations
“It doesn’t make sense.”You can’t measure God’s will by human standards.
1.Rationale often opposes God’s will. My brother in law (Henry Bryant) graduated from Princeton summa cum laude in engineering. He spent His life in France as a missionary. “It doesn’t make sense.”
2.God’s will may not make sense to our intellect…tithing doesn’t make sense...loving your enemy doesn’t make sense…attending church doesn’t make sense.
3.Human reasoning would argue for Elijah and the widow. If the widow first gives to Elijah, her oil and meal would run out. We are not asked to understand God’s commands…only obey them! Human reasoning will argue against the will of God.

How can we live in the center of God’s will?
III. THE DIVIDENDS FROM THE WILL OF GOD 17:14-16
(Romans 8:28) has a stipulation: We know that all things work together for good to those
who love God and are called according to His purpose. The compensations will be many.
Doing the will of God will always win!!
Three dividends are listed:
A. The Details From God
1.God will take care of all the details. For Elijah to go to any other place would not do! The widow will sustain thee (v. 9) Behold, the widow was there (v. 10) There is no such thing as ‘luck’ or coincidence with God.
2.With the widow and Elijah the providence of God took care of the details. God took care of the details. The widow simply obeyed!
3.Be where you are supposed to be…do what you are supposed to do, and you will discover God working out every detail!
B. The Dynamics of God
1.Give to God first and she would see the dynamic of God! (v. 14)
2.The barrel of meal shall not be used up (v. 15) The cruse of oil will not be used up (v. 16)
3.Every day for the next two years she saw the power of God at work.
C. The Destiny of God
1.Elijah would have never seen the power of God had he not gone. The widow would have never seen the power of God had she not given.
2.Elijah had great need when he left Cherith…food, water and a place to stay. The widow had great needs. She and her son were about to starve to death. Both were taken care of when they wholly followed the Lord!
3.When you have a problem to solve: Do the will of God regardless! When you do you will see things clear up in a way you would not believe. God will work on your behalf. One day you will realize that all of those problems have been solved which you thought were impossible.
4.How did it happen? You simply obeyed your heavenly orders. You did what God called you to do. GOD DID THE REST!!