Good morning! Let’s take a few minutes to talk about Elijah, from the Bible, because we can learn a lot from him today. Within the passages of I Kings, Elijah is portrayed as a very obedient man. “Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.'” (I Kings 17:8-9)

If God instructed you to go find a widow, you’d probably think it was plain crazy, right? So often, He asks us to do things – things that just don’t look right from the outside – but He always has a greater purpose.

In this case, Elijah’s obedience paid off! “So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, ‘Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.’ As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, ‘Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.'” (I Kings 10-11)

Now the story gets really interesting, because the widow didn’t have any bread and she didn’t even have enough flour and oil to make more.

“For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.’ So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah.” (I Kings 17:14-16)

You see, God’s plans are never just about you. At the time Elijah came to her, with what sounded like a simple request, the widow and her son were on the verge of starving to death! But because Elijah followed God’s instructions, and because the woman was obedient, as well, the flour and oil never ran out! God multiplied her resources!

Now, are YOU lacking faith in your relationships, finances, career or business? If so, you might not be following the directions your Father has set before you… directions straight from the Bible!

So here’s a quick outline of what the Bible directs you to do… in every area of your life:

• Finances: Pay off your debt and stop spending like a fool!
• Work: Work with excellence and diligence. Are you lazy or distracted at work?
• Health: Are you eating the right foods and taking care of yourself?
• Marriage: Love your spouse as you love Jesus
• Kids: Encourage, correct, encourage
• Vision: Create one! A man with no vision, will perish.
• Yourself: Shut down your excuses, humble that ego, repent and follow directions!

If you aren’t following these directions, you are being disobedient. (That’s not coming from me, that’s coming from GOD!) And not only are you missing out on the grace and provision Elijah was granted… BUT, you’re now unable to bless the people around you, either. My friend, people out there will NOT become who they are meant to be, if you do not become who you are supposed to be!

So, are you being disobedient? Don’t worry, everyone gets off track sometimes… and everyone can get back ON track! I went broke, my business was embezzled from, had a nervous breakdown, a near-fatal heart condition, along with so much more in my past, just because I failed to follow the basic directions He outlines for us again and again – and again – in the Bible.

Bottom line, the Bible ISN’T just about rules and regulations…God’s “rules” were put in place to protect, bless and prosper us all! But whenever we rebel and disobey, we miss ALL of His grace!

Have you been rebellious? I’d love to know your thoughts or if you made any discoveries today, so just let me know in the comments below!

And, please join me for our weekly Spiritual Equipping episode of The Dani Johnson Show today for more insights and inspiration. You can find the show on your TV and radio and please remember you can always stream today’s show right here on our website.

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In great faith,

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