When Fire Falls

God doesn’t need perfect conditions to display His power.

The Battle for Allegiance

1 Kings 18:21

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” 

Israel had drifted into idolatry under Ahab and Jezebel. 

• Baal worship promised prosperity, weather, and control — but it left them empty. 
• Elijah steps into the chaos not to argue theology, but to call people back to a decision.

One of my favorite all-time sports stories has to be the Miracle on Ice! 

Herb Brooks and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team 

Lake Placid, Winter Olympics.

• The U.S. team—young college players—was about to face the seemingly unbeatable Soviet Union, a team that had crushed professional squads around the world. 
• The Americans had already lost to them 10–3 in an exhibition just weeks before.
• Before that game, Coach Herb Brooks gave one of the most iconic locker-room speeches in sports history. He reminded his team:

“You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. You were meant to be here, tonight.”

He wasn’t telling them how to win. He was reminding them who they were and what they represented.

They went on to stun the world with a 4–3 victory—one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

Think of a coach standing before his team after a losing streak — reminding them who they are, what jersey they wear, and who they play for. Elijah is that coach on Mount Carmel.

We live in a “Baal culture” — success, pleasure, control. 

The question isn’t if we worship, but what. 

• The fire on the mountain isn’t just about proving who God is; it’s about calling people to REALLY THINK ABOUT  who they will follow.

I. The Confrontation

I Kings 18:20-24

So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. ²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. ²² Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. ²³ Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. ²⁴ And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” 

Standing Alone in a Compromised World (vv. 16–24)

• Israel had drifted into compromise for years under King Ahab and Jezebel. 
• The culture was loud, seductive, and spiritually confused. 
• But Elijah doesn’t come to debate—he comes to draw a line in the sand.

A: Line in the sand moments come, but they take time. 

• It’s important to notice that it’s been over three and a half years years since Elijah last had a conversation with Ahab. 
• Three years before this event, it would not have been possible 
• Eljiah and the other faithful followers of the Lord had patiently waited for the working of God and time to have its effect.

When Elijah says, “How long will you go limping between two opinions?” the Hebrew literally means “hobbling” or “wavering,” 

It’s like someone trying to dance with two partners at once. 

The people wanted to keep one foot in Yahweh’s world and the other in Baal’s. 

Elijah’s question exposes their divided hearts: Pick a side.

B: Faithful obedience doesn’t wait for favorable odds—it moves because God has spoken.

• Elijah wasn’t courageous because he was confident in himself. 
• He was courageous because he was convinced of who God is and what God had called him specifically to do. 
• He stood tall because his footing was already settled.

Navy SEALs don’t wait for the weather to clear, for the wind to die down, or for the enemy to lose interest. 

• Nor do they go out on their own in their own time or with their own plan!
• They move because the mission requires it. 
• His confidence doesn’t come from the conditions—it comes from his training and his commander’s word.

Elijah was that kind of man. He didn’t need the crowd on his side, because he knew God was. 

• He walked onto Mount Carmel like an operator walking into enemy territory—outnumbered, outshouted, but absolutely certain of his orders.

Romans 8:31 – “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

2 Timothy 1:7 – “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

These verses echo Elijah’s challenge: stop wavering, stop hiding, stop fearing. Make the call.

When the world is shouting Baal’s praises—power, wealth, pleasure, self-image—it takes courage to stand up and say, “I’m with Yahweh.”

• Most people want to wait for better conditions—more time, more security, more support—but faith may be calling you to move now because God has already spoken in His word
• If you know you’re struggling with a sin or if God is calling you to take action as a leader in your home or place of work because of a biblical commandment that he has already delivered,  today is the day to make the decision to move. 

Elijah’s strength wasn’t in the spotlight; it was in his solitude. When everyone else was bowing to Baal, he was bowing before the Lord.

God still honors men who stand for truth when it’s unpopular—at work, in their homes, in their communities.

Ask yourself this week:

• Where am I hesitating between two opinions—God’s way or the world’s way?
• What would it look like for me to take a public stand for God in my environment?
• Am I waiting for perfect conditions before I obey what I already know God has told me to do through His word!

The confrontation on Mount Carmel begins with courage, but courage alone isn’t enough. The next test comes when the false gods go silent—and Elijah has to trust that God will still answer when the crowd’s noise fades.

II. The Comparison 

When False Gods Go Silent 

I Kings 18:20-24

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” ²⁶ And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. ²⁷ And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” ²⁸ And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. ²⁹ And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.

 Elijah steps back and lets the prophets of Baal have their turn. 

• Four hundred and fifty men versus one. 
• They build their altar, they shout, they dance, they cut themselves—but nothing happens.

Then Elijah starts to mock them — not out of arrogance, but exposure. He wants the people of Israel to see what happens when you cry out to gods who cannot hear.

The text says they “raved” (vayitnabbeu — literally “prophesied wildly”) until evening. It’s the picture of a people giving their all to something that cannot give back. The altar of Baal is a loud, exhausting, and empty place.

False gods demand your energy and offer no return. They promise fulfillment but deliver exhaustion.

• Think of people pouring all their time, money, and passion into a hobby or business that never satisfies — always needing “one more” to feel successful. That’s the modern altar of Baal.
• Or think of a guy who worships approval. He spends his days checking likes, managing his image, saying yes to everyone just to be liked — and then one day, he realizes no one really knows him.

A few years ago, a man in Silicon Valley built his entire identity around a startup he thought would “change the world.” When it collapsed, he said in an interview, “I lost my company, but what really broke me was realizing I had built my soul around it.”

Psalm 115:4–8 – “Their idols are silver and gold… they have mouths but cannot speak.”

Jeremiah 2:13 – “They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and dug broken cisterns.”

When we chase counterfeit gods — approval, success, comfort — we end up spiritually exhausted.

• Elijah’s challenge reminds us that it’s okay to let those false gods fail you. 
• Sometimes silence is God’s mercy, exposing what doesn’t work.
• What has been demanding my energy but not delivering peace?
• Where am I performing for a god that doesn’t answer?
• What would it look like to clear my life of that noise and make space for God’s voice again?

III. The Construction: 

Preparing the Altar for God’s Power 

I Kings 18:30–35

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. ³¹ Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” ³² and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs^[a] of seed. ³³ And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” ³⁴ And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. ³⁵ And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.

He draws the people in close

• This is a quiet, deliberate act of obedience to remind Israel of their covenant identity.
• He takes twelve stones—one for each tribe, a symbol of unity under covenant—and restores what had been neglected and broken. 
• He digs a trench, arranges the wood, and drenches everything with water. 
• He’s not in a hurry. He’s not putting on a show. He’s preparing sacred ground.

If you want God’s fire, start by rebuilding God’s altar.

• That means restoring a priorities to a biblical perspective
• That means re-ordering our lives based on God’s Commandments

God often moves after we rebuild what’s been neglected.

A craftsman restoring an old pickup doesn’t slap on new paint and call it done. He pulls it apart—bolt by bolt—replacing what’s worn, sanding down the rust, working until the foundation is solid again. The beauty comes later; the rebuilding comes first.

Elijah’s rebuilding shows care and memory — he’s not inventing something new; he’s restoring what was always meant to be.

Psalm 51:17 – “A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

Before fire falls, altars must be rebuilt — repentance, prayer, relationships restored.

What “altar” in your life needs rebuilding — your marriage, your integrity, your consistency with God?

• An alter in your life is something that you are called to sacrifice yourself for!

Maybe it’s the altar of your marriage that needs repair.

• It’s easy for that altar to become neglected — too many long days, too few real conversations. 
• You stop sacrificing time, attention, and tenderness, and before you know it, the fire has gone cold.
• Rebuilding starts with repentance and presence. 
• You can’t outsource connection. 
• It’s showing up again — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

Ephesians 5:25 — “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

Maybe your altar is your integrity — your private life, your word, your reputation before God.

• Every time we cut a corner, shade the truth, or justify a compromise, another stone cracks.
• But here’s the truth: God can’t bless what we fake.
• Rebuilding integrity means returning to honesty even when it costs you.

• Elijah didn’t water down the altar to make it easier to burn; he soaked it to prove God’s power. 
• Real followers of Christ do the same — they choose the hard, honest road, even when it looks impossible.

Proverbs 10:9 — “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.”

Maybe your altar is your relationship with God.

• You still believe, but you’ve gotten busy. 
• The fire that once burned bright has become a few glowing embers.
• It’s time to rebuild that altar — to give God the first 15 minutes of your morning again.
• To put your phone down and open your Bible.
• To talk to Him like you used to when it was raw, honest, and simple.

Psalm 51:12 — “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

An altar isn’t just a place of worship — it’s a place of sacrifice.

It’s what you’re willing to die to for something greater to live.

• For Abraham, it was Isaac — trusting that obedience mattered more than understanding.
• For Elijah, it was reputation — standing alone for God when no one else would.
• For you, it might be pride, control, or comfort.

A story is told that after years of neglect, a community in Nebraska came together to restore a century-old bridge that connected two farming towns. 

• Men who had never met before worked side by side, welding, lifting, and repairing until the bridge was strong again. 
• One of them said, “We didn’t just rebuild a bridge; we rebuilt community.”

That’s exactly what Elijah was doing—restoring the connection between God and His people.

IV. The Confirmation

When God Answers by Fire 

After hours of chaos and noise from Baal’s prophets, Elijah steps up to pray.

No shouting. No spectacle. Just conviction.

I Kings 18:36–39

 “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. ³⁷ Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” ³⁸ Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹ And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” 

No formulas, no theatrics, no manipulation — just faith and fire.

And immediately, the impossible happens.

• “Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.”
• The fire doesn’t just touch the sacrifice; it consumes everything — wood, stone, dust, and water. It’s as if God leaves no room for doubt: This is real. I am God.

When the people see it, they fall face down and cry, 

“The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”

The contest is over. The silence of Baal is replaced by the roar of Yahweh’s fire.

When God’s people humble themselves and call on His name, His power shows up in unmistakable ways.

• God doesn’t need special effects to prove Himself — just surrendered hearts and obedient faith.
• Elijah didn’t pray to make God act; he prayed because he knew God would.
• True faith doesn’t manipulate; it trusts. 
• It doesn’t demand outcomes; it expects God’s presence.

A welder strikes an arc — in a single flash, the heat and light fuse what once seemed separate. Metal is reshaped, impurities burned away, strength restored.

That’s what God’s fire does in the heart of a believer. 

• It fuses conviction with courage, 
• burns away fear and doubt, 
• and welds faith to obedience.

When the fire falls, it changes everything — not because we worked harder, but because God showed up.

After the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California, firefighters discovered a single church still standing amid miles of ashes.  The minister said, “This building shouldn’t be here. But maybe God wanted a place left to remind us He’s not done with this town yet.”

When God sends His fire, it doesn’t always destroy — sometimes it refines, leaving a witness that hope still stands.

Hebrews 12:29 

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

His fire still burns — purifying, refining, consuming anything that competes for His glory.

The Conclusion 

After the fire falls, Elijah commands the prophets of Baal to be seized. This wasn’t vengeance — it was cleansing. God’s people could not return to covenant life while idols remained.

God’s fire exposes what must be removed before true renewal can come.

A firefighter not only extinguishes flames but also clears debris to prevent reignition. 

• God’s cleansing often involves hard choices — letting go of habits, influences, or compromises that would reignite the old fire.

The fire on Mount Carmel wasn’t just a moment of spectacle; it was a moment of decision.

• God still answers, still purifies, still calls men to choose sides.
• The same God who sent fire then sends His Spirit now — not to destroy, but to refine.

So: 

Don’t wait for perfect conditions to call on God.

Rebuild the altar, clear the distractions, and ask Him to send His fire again 

• In your life, 
• your home, 
• and your generation.