In the aftermath of any tragedy, we face this reality: Evil is real and rampant. There is no place on this planet that is evilfree. As one author wrote, “I will never understand those who can read the headlines every day and then assert that people are basically good ... Evil is woven into the fabric of humanity.” Throughout our study of Elijah, we’ve seen him facing or fleeing evil, but always returning to fight it, because that’s what it means to live the God life. And it’s not to be confused with the good life. While the good life might avoid evil, ignore it, or let others deal with it, those living the God life don’t have that option.

It is the worst drought in biblical history: 3½ years, 42 months, 1,278 days, 30,660 hours without a single drop of rain. Imagine that for a moment. The stench of death from countless animal carcasses, every day dreading the immense thirst. It’s safe to say if you were in the umbrella business you went out of business. Even to this day with all of our technological advancement, all of our increase in knowledge, and all of our financial resources and education, we know (whether we admit it or not) that only God can get us out of drought. Through one of the most famous prophets in the Old Testament, you see how you, too, can live the God life—a life that is pure, powerful, and prayerful. You can see God work in your family, at work, and in your future because the secret to a powerful life is a prayerful life.

Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, whispering desperate questions like, “God, where are you?” “Do you even care about me?” “Are my prayers hitting the ceiling and bouncing back?” If so, you’re following in the footsteps of spiritual giants. In 1 Kings 17, the great prophet Elijah barely survived a powerful showdown with false prophets, idolaters, and a wicked king and queen. Alone and desperate at the bank of a small brook, receiving food from scavenging ravens, Elijah looks doubt in the eye. Maybe you’ve followed God and lived according to His Word, but the economy crashes, you lose your job, or the marriage ends. What do you hold on to when doubt feels stronger than belief? Watch how Elijah walks through the valley of despair to the other side of doubt, remembering one timeless truth: If you trust and obey, God clears the way. As you trust God, you discover His promise, provision, providence, and power.

If you say that someone is “living the good life,” you mean they’re living in comfort and luxury with few problems or worries. The good life is what our culture celebrates—financial success, personal comfort, and freedom from hardship. But there’s something far greater, far more fulfilling, and far more enduring than the good life—it’s “The God Life.” God wants you to experience the good life by living the God life. It is a life lived in the intimate presence of God, made possible through the supernatural power of God, all for the magnificent praise of God. The God life ignites when you’re accomplishing the divine purpose God created you for, reflecting His glory in everything you do, and offering His goodness to a broken world that desperately needs it. How do you enter the God life? Learn from a man by the name of Elijah.

One of the most amazing sights in America is the giant Sequoia tree. It towers up to 325 feet tall, weighs over 6,000 tons, and can live more than 3,000 years. The famous General Sherman tree is 275 feet tall and 100 feet wide at its trunk, with roots stretching 80 feet in diameter. But that massive, nearly indestructible tree started from a seed no bigger than a tomato seed. That’s the power of a single seed. And when that tree matures, it produces 400,000 seeds every year, capable of creating entire forests. Jesus understood this power, which is why He told a parable about the most powerful seed of all, God’s Word. Every believer is called to be a seed sower, and Psalm 126 gives us both the promise and the pattern of what that looks like. “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them” (Psalm 126:5–6, NIV). Once you understand what it means to “sow with tears,” you’ll learn why some seeds produce forests while others never break ground.

In 2009, British TV host James May built a full-sized, livable house with LEGO® bricks. The house was complete with a toilet, a shower, and a LEGO® cat. May didn’t use wood, concrete, or steel. He used millions of small plastic bricks that most people consider children’s toys. As a follower of Jesus, you’re just like that LEGO® brick. One LEGO® brick is worthless, but when you put them together, you can build something people actually live in. Every LEGO® brick is designed to connect with other bricks. Without connection, the brick will never be what it could be. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re a building block. Think about the early church. It survived without any political power, military might, or buildings because God used the building block of small groups. When you connect with other believers in a small group, three essential things are built for you, by you, and with you. And what gets built is the difference between surviving and thriving in your faith.

A pastor once called in sick on Sunday morning so he could play golf. Standing on a long par 4, he hit the ball like never before. It soared through the air and dropped right into the cup for a hole-in-one. Peter looked down from heaven and said, “Lord, are you going to let him get away with this?” The Lord smiled and said, “Who’s he going to tell?” That’s funny until you look at what’s actually happening in our churches today. The reality is that if you were born after 1984, there’s less than a 10% chance you’re in church each week. Now think about this. If you have no desire to be with believers one day a week, why would you think you’d enjoy being with believers in eternity? The author of Hebrews writes to believers who had started “… giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing …” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV). Part of growing up in the Lord is showing up for the Lord. Here are the three reasons why that matters more than you might think.

I like stories. Just about the time I feel like I’ve read or seen every story, I come across another one. And this is one of the most fascinating stories I’ve ever come across—a true story about a man named C.D. “Bigboy” Blaylock, a giant of a man, 6 feet 6 inches tall, and a boxer at Louisiana State University in the early 1930s. Facing a stocky opponent from Mississippi State, he let loose with a devastating roundhouse right. But his opponent stepped in, and Bigboy’s arm whipped around in a full circle, connecting with his own chin at full force. He staggered around the ring and fell flat. The only boxer in history to knock himself out with his own punch. That’s exactly what many Christians do in their battle against sin. We keep knocking ourselves out. But the truth is Jesus didn’t die just to deliver you from the penalty of sin; He died so you might defeat the power of sin. Three times in Romans 6, Paul declares these liberating words: “set free from sin.” On the cross, Jesus died for your sin, but at the cross, you can die to your sin. Everything about your freedom hinges on understanding four truths, and missing even one keeps you in the ring, getting knocked out over and over.