If I’m ever in a life-or-death circumstance where everything is on the line, I want to be on God’s team. (I want to be on God’s team no matter the situation, but go with me here.)
Elijah thought so too; in fact, when needing to prove to the people that he was indeed a prophet of the one true God, he proposed a contest.
Whomever’s God could light the fire of an altar would prove that they worshipped the real God.
So using two altars with sacrifices laid upon them, Elijah told the priests to pick one of the altars and ask their god, Baal, to light the fire. He would then ask his God—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—to do the same.
Elijah clarified that they could not light the fire themselves; they had to pray to Baal to get him to light it.
For approximately 6-9 hours, 450 priests of Baal did everything they could think of to get Baal to answer them.
They danced. They pranced. They chanted. They cut themselves and offered blood.
When it was Elijah’s turn, he tells them to pour water onto the sacrifice and the wood. Not once, not twice, but three times!
As the scriptures explain, “And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water” (verse 35).
You see, Elijah knew whose team he was on and had complete confidence God would deliver, so to make the miracle more profound, Elijah’s like, “Yeah, let’s drench this thing.”
Then, without chanting or dancing or offering blood, Elijah calls out:
“Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again” (verses 36-37).
Without a moment to waste, God sends fire down, consuming the sacrifice, the wood, the stones (YEAH, EVEN THE STONES!), the dust, and all the water.
Everyone’s like, “Well shoot! Okay, Elijah really is telling the truth! His God is the real God!”
I believe that although the events from the Bible happened long ago, God still performs miracles in our lives today.
Russell M. Nelson said, “As you come unto the Lord in faith, He will guide, preserve, and protect you. He will heal your broken heart and comfort you in your distress. He will give you access to his power. And he will make the impossible in your life become possible” –The Heart of the Matter: What 100 Years of Living Have Taught Me
I know God, our Heavenly Parents, love us. I know Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother love you. Even better than that, They will show you that love by answering your prayers.
Performing miracles in your life, one by one.
Doing the impossible, in front of your very eyes.
They’ll prove it again and again.
By providing peace that passes all understanding (John 14:27).
By revealing the mysteries of the universe (1 Nephi 10:19)
By softening your heart (Ezekiel 36:26).
By consoling your soul (Helaman 3:35).
By strengthening you (Ether 12:27).
By filling you with unspeakable joy (Helaman 5:44).
By comforting you (John 14:18).
By parting the seas (Exodus 14:21).
By moving the mountains (Helaman 10:9; Matthew 17:20).
And, if needed, by
turning water into fire.
This link is a paragraph from the scripture helps about Elijah and the competition he had with the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18:22-46).