♪When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with ALL who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s NO other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.♪
The prophet Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and defeated four hundred fifty prophets of Baal and four hundred prophets of Asherah. “Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” (1 Kings 19:2)
When Elijah heard this he was on the run IN FEAR of losing his life at the hands of ONE wicked queen. Eight hundred and fifty false prophets could not accomplish what one angry woman was able to do — FRIGHTEN GOD’S MESSENGER to the point of RUNNING AWAY from where God had placed him. When does strong immovable faith — turn into fear? The answer is easy: when the devil tempts us to no longer TRUST AND OBEY and gets us take our eyes OFF OF JESUS, the Source of our strength and place them on our PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
Elijah ran away on a 40 day journey and hid in a cave and God asked Elijah, after a great display of power, “Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, ELIJAH?” (1 Kings 19:13) You just defeated eight hundred and fifty men and ran away from a woman!!! Turn around and GO BACK “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18) Elijah went back and found Elisha whom he trained to take his place.
We need to be about training up others to do the work of the Lord. Jesus taught us to “Go and make disciples…teaching them to observe (tēreō: take care of) all things that I have commanded…I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matt. 28:19-20)
-Bill Stockham