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Sometimes My Fear Clouds My Obedience (Extreme Faithfulness #4)

August 23, 2026

Sometimes My Fear Clouds My Obedience (Extreme Faithfulness #4) | Dr. Larry Baucom, Dr. Troy Doucet | August 23, 2026

 

Continuing the “Extreme Faithfulness” teaching series on the life of the prophet Elijah [03:09], this dialogue focuses on the encounter in 1 Kings 18 between Elijah and Obadiah [05:49]. During a severe three-year drought in Israel, King Ahab sends Obadiah to search for surviving patches of grass for their livestock. Along the way, Obadiah encounters Elijah, who instructs him to announce Elijah’s return to King Ahab—a command that challenges Obadiah’s faith and fears.

The Three Key Points

1. “Wouldn’t it be great if the places I went were blessed simply because I was there?” [07:55]

  • Being Salt and Light: Dr. Baucom notes that Elijah carried the presence of God wherever he traveled. He challenges listeners to ask: “What does the world look like after I pass by?” [08:20]. Living faith from the inside out means bringing tangible blessing, hope, and kindness into everyday environments.

  • Giving vs. Receiving: Dr. Doucet adds that while extreme faithfulness involves pouring into others, it also requires the humility to be poured into [10:19]. Sharing a personal story of church members repairing his home AC and vehicles free of charge, he notes that accepting generosity allows God’s grace to work both ways [11:31].

2. “There are days on my journey when God interrupts my schedule with His presence.” [16:02]

  • Grass vs. Rain: Obadiah was searching merely for a patch of green grass to sustain animals for a single day, but he ran directly into Elijah—the prophet carrying the word that would bring life-giving rain [16:23].

  • Changing the Perspective: Dr. Baucom shares a personal testimony of stress over church building financing and family matters, which melted away after experiencing God’s reassuring presence in the middle of the night [17:24]. Dr. Doucet explains that people often ask God to change external circumstances, but God frequently uses interruptions to change us within those circumstances [20:39].

3. “Sometimes my fear will cloud my obedience.” [21:59]

  • Faith in the Face of Fear: Even though Obadiah had previously risked his life to hide 100 prophets in caves from Jezebel, he panicked when asked to deliver Elijah’s message to Ahab out of fear for his own life [22:41].

  • Availability Over Ability: Dr. Doucet emphasizes that extreme faithfulness does not require spectacular assignments like Elijah’s; it simply requires being available to do ordinary acts of obedience—such as offering forgiveness, making a hard phone call, or serving someone [24:57].

  • Not Letting Fear Drive: Fear and faith can coexist. Faithfulness does not mean never feeling fear, but refusing to let fear take the wheel of your decisions [27:30]. Dr. Baucom concludes that while our initial emotional reaction might be hesitation, taking time to pray and reflect allows faithfulness to overcome fear [28:00].