HELP FROM UNLIKELY SOURCES
By Rev. Samuel Arimoro
Main Text: 1 Kings 17:4-6
"And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there." (1 Kings 17:4)
Supporting Texts: Isaiah 55:8-9, Psalm 147:9, Luke 12:24, Matthew 6:26, 1 Corinthians 1:27
INTRODUCTION:
In times of great need and uncertainty, God often chooses to provide help in the most unexpected and unusual ways. During a period of famine in Israel, God instructed the prophet Elijah to go to a brook, where He would provide water, and He sent ravens to feed Elijah. Ravens, known for their selfishness, are an unlikely source of provision. This miraculous provision reminds us that God's help can come from places we least expect. When we trust in His sovereignty, we learn that God can use even the most unlikely sources to meet our needs.
1. THE SETTING OF THE NEED
The context of Elijah’s situation reveals how God’s provision is often most evident when needs are greatest.
a) A Time of Famine
Israel was experiencing a severe drought and famine because of King Ahab's wickedness and the worship of Baal.
b) Elijah’s Position
Elijah was in a place of isolation, away from human settlements, relying completely on God's provision.
c) A Total Dependence on God
God’s command for Elijah to go to the brook meant that Elijah had to fully depend on God for his daily needs.
d) The Absence of Human Help
There were no other obvious sources of help, as the entire nation was suffering.
e) Biblical Example:
In the wilderness, the Israelites had no food, but God sent manna from heaven to feed them (Exodus 16:4-5).
2. GOD'S USE OF UNLIKELY SOURCES
God’s ability to provide through unexpected means shows that He is not limited by our expectations.
a) The Ravens' Role
Ravens are typically scavengers, not known for caring for others, yet God commanded them to provide food for Elijah.
b) God’s Sovereignty Over Creation
Even the creatures of the earth obey God’s command when He wills it.
c) God Uses the Unlikely
Just as God used ravens, He can use people, places, and situations that we wouldn’t expect to bring help into our lives.
d) Trusting God’s Plan, Even When It’s Unpredictable
The way God chooses to deliver His provision may not align with our logic, but His methods are always best.
e) Biblical Example:
Jesus used a coin found in the mouth of a fish to pay taxes (Matthew 17:27), showing how God can provide through the most unexpected means.
3. GOD’S TIMING IN THE PROVISION
God’s provision is always timely, even when it seems delayed or improbable.
a) God’s Provision is Always On Time
Elijah did not need food until God had instructed the ravens to deliver it. God’s timing is never too early or too late.
b) The Assurance of Divine Supply
Elijah trusted that God’s provision would come at the right moment, even when there was no sign of it beforehand.
c) Waiting on God’s Timing
There may be a waiting period where we cannot see how God will provide, but it is in this waiting that our faith is strengthened.
d) God’s Provision is Constant
The ravens fed Elijah morning and evening, demonstrating God’s consistency in His care.
e) Biblical Example:
The widow of Zarephath, also during the famine, received provision from God at the precise time she needed it (1 Kings 17:10-16).
4. LEARNING TO EXPECT HELP FROM UNLIKELY SOURCES
The story of Elijah encourages us to expand our expectations of how and where help can come from.
a) Breaking Limiting Beliefs
Sometimes we limit God by expecting help only from familiar or expected sources, but God’s provision is not confined to our understanding.
b) Expecting God to Move Outside of Our Comfort Zones
Just as Elijah had to step out of his comfort zone to trust God’s unusual provision, we must be open to God using unconventional methods.
c) The Role of Faith in the Unexpected
Faith is required to believe that God can use unexpected sources for provision, especially when we see no other way.
d) God's Help is Never Limited by Our Circumstances
Even when all seems hopeless, God can provide in ways that we would not have thought possible.
e) Biblical Example:
God used the small lunch of a boy (five loaves and two fish) to feed 5,000 people (John 6:9-13), showing that God can provide abundantly through seemingly insufficient means.
5. GOD’S PURPOSE IN THE PROVIDENCE
God’s provision through unlikely sources often serves a greater purpose than just meeting our immediate needs.
a) Building Trust in God
By providing through ravens, God taught Elijah to rely on Him fully and trust His ability to provide in all situations.
b) Teaching Humility
Elijah’s reliance on the ravens showed that he could not depend on his own strength or wisdom; he had to humble himself to receive provision.
c) Testifying to God's Glory
The miraculous feeding by ravens would testify to God’s power and provision, even in the most unlikely ways.
d) God’s Purpose Beyond Our Needs
When God provides, it often serves a greater purpose than simply meeting our needs; it is part of His plan to glorify Himself.
e) Biblical Example:
The provision of manna to the Israelites was not just about their immediate need for food; it was also about teaching them to rely on God daily (Exodus 16:4-5).
CONCLUSION:
The story of Elijah and the ravens reminds us that God is not limited by our understanding of how help should come. His provision often arrives from the most unexpected places, and it is in those moments that our faith is deepened. Whether through ravens, a fish, or a boy’s lunch, God can and will provide for us in ways we never imagined. The key is trusting in His sovereignty, knowing that His help will always come at the right time, and from the right place, even if it seems unlikely to us.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Lord, help me to trust You for provision, even when I don’t see a way.
2. I declare that I will not limit God’s provision to my understanding or expectations.
3. Father, open my eyes to see Your help in the unexpected places.
4. I receive the grace to wait on Your perfect timing for provision.
5. Lord, use every circumstance, however unlikely, to bring glory to Your name.
6. I pray for increased faith to believe in Your ability to provide from unexpected sources.
7. Father, help me to be humble in receiving help from unexpected sources.
8. I declare that I will not worry, for You will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory.
9. Lord, teach me to trust You fully, even when the provision seems impossible.
10. I thank You, Lord, for Your constant and faithful provision in my life.
PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS:
1. Help will come to you from places and people you least expect.
2. God is opening doors of provision where you have seen none before.
3. Divine help will arrive at the perfect moment, right when you need it.
4. Your faith in God’s provision will be strengthened as He provides in unexpected ways.
5. God is breaking limitations and showing you new ways of receiving His provision.
6. Every need you have will be met, even from the most unlikely sources.
7. You will see God’s miraculous provision in your life, and it will testify to His greatness.
8. Expect God to move in ways that will leave you in awe and amazement.
9. God is using your current situation to prepare you for greater provision in the future.
10. From this day forward, you will experience supernatural help from unexpected places.
May you always trust that God's help will come from unlikely places, and may you never miss the provision He sends. In Jesus' name, Amen!
