42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
43 and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
With Hurricane Gustav making landfall, Tropical Storm Hannah on the way, and who knows what else spinning out in the Atlantic, now is an excellent time for every Christian to review their storm preparations. Not just your preparations for the physical wind and rain, but your preparations for the storms of life that will come.
In Elijah chapter 18, God sends the prophet to evil king Ahab. Elijah is the warn Ahab that rain is coming; after 3 years of drought, heavy rain is on the way. Strangely, when Elijah meets up with Ahab, they don’t talk about the weather. Instead Elijah issues a spiritual challenge:
1 Kings 18: 19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” …
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it.
24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”…
Jehovah, of course, wins the challenge (1 Kings 18; 36-38), and all of the people see that our God is the only god (verse 39).
Then, Elijah tells Ahab that rain is coming.
Why the delay? Had Elijah gotten distracted from his original purpose? No.
The point Elijah was making is
WHEN YOUR ARE FACED WITH AN IMPENDING STORM IN LIFE, YOUR FIRST RESPONSE SHOULD BE TO MAKE SPIRITUAL PREPARATIONS.
Ahab, the ungodly king with all of the worldly resources a man could have learns that the storm is approaching and reacts; but Elijah, God’s faithful servant, keeps spiritually focused and…
45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
The Word does not teach us to neglect physical preparations, in fact diligence, hard work, and prudent financial and physical preparation are repeatedly commanded. (We bought a generator last week.) However, the Word does make it quite clear that we must never neglect to be Spiritually Prepared for the storms to come.
Here’s a checklist of ten preparations to make before a major storm:
1. Review your insurance policy.
Isaiah 32: 17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
2 Corinthians 1: 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, 22 who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
2. Take inventory of your property.
Galatians 6: 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
3. Plan your evacuation route.
1 Corinthians 15: 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
4. Teach your children what to do in emergency.
Deuteronomy 5: 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
5. Plan what to do with pets & property you cannot bring with you if you must evacuate.
1 Timothy 6: 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
Proverbs 13: 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,
But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.
6. Maintain a supply of fresh water.
John 4: 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
7. Maintain a supply of non-perishable food.
John 6:35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
8. Have a means (cell phone, radio) of contacting outside authorities receiving important information.
Ephesians 2: 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
9. Have candles and matches, a flashlight and batteries.
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
10. Have an out-of-state friend/ relative as a contact.
John 15: 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
Hebrews 4: 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Check your list, and ask yourself: Am I prepared for the coming storm?
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