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Group Discussion
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Elijah - Facing our Fears
June 9,2024
Week 4: God Demands Devotion
Jeff Griffin
1 Kings 18:16-46
We’ve all had a tendency to wander away spiritually at times. Part of that is because God offers free will and allows us to do as we please. Yet, He also employs various strategies to entice us to come home. How does He draw back those who wander away? Let’s glean some insights from the prophet Elijah.
Kicking It Off:
Would you consider yourself more of a dog-person or a cat-person? And why?
Discussion:
1. Set the scene. What was happening with Elijah in a battle vs. the 450 prophets of the pagan god Baal in the beginning of 1 Kings 18? How did the drought affect the Israelites’ hearts?
“Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, ‘How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!’ But the people were completely silent.” (1 Kings 18:21)
2. Jeff shared how sometimes God uses hardship to draw us to Him. Think of a time when God used a challenging time in your life. How did those circumstances make you question God? How did that period of time help to grow your faith?
3. Another tool God uses is preaching, either from His Word or other spiritual leaders in our lives. What’s one bit of wisdom that has stuck with you from past messages you’ve heard?
4. When you learned about the tool of admiration, what comes to mind? Is it another believer who’s inspired you, or a time when you inspired someone else on their spiritual journey? Share some encouragement with your group members about how God works through ordinary people.
5. King Solomon declared that “everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). But even today, we still worship false idols like wealth, career success, sex, or appearance, in search of personal fulfillment. But we’re often let down in the end. How can we guard against any form of idolatry in life? How can our group help one another stay focused on God’s glory, not the world’s?
6. What are some examples of answered prayers, divine intervention, or miraculous signs from Heaven that you’ve seen? How does what happened with Elijah encourage you today?
“And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, ‘The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!’” (1 Kings 18:37)
Wrapping Up:
God can use ordinary and extraordinary measures to draw us back to Him, to equip us to accomplish His purpose. Which of these five tools has God used the most in your life? Pray and ask God to continue to draw you close to Him and to use you to help people find and follow God.