Last month I wrote about the prophet Elijah calling down fire from heaven, which happened to be one of the greatest and most dramatic displays of Godīs power and might in the old testament. Please notice I said Godīs power and might, not Elijahīs. It was also Godīs power and might that enabled him to then outrun the kings chariot all the way to Jezreel. This 20 mile marathon would be a miracle in itself, but what is most astonishing is that Elijah was 80 years old at the time.
Obviously the hand of God was upon this man, yet here we have Elijah, who upon hearing the threat of one mere mortal female, is fleeing for his life. One woman almost stopped the call of God upon his life. Picture this, ravens are feeding him; the flour and oil doesnīt run out; the fire of God falls at his word; he is baked angel food that enables him to travel 200 miles which took 40 days and 40 nights. You would think that after all these tremendous miracles that this mighty prophet of God wouldnīt run from Godzilla; yet, here he is hiding in a cave crying, "Woe is me!"
It doesnīt take much to cause us to run for cover. Our catastrophes are usually custom designed and orchestrated to keep us dormant and ineffective. Satan has had 6,000 years of practice to achieve this goal, knowing exactly how to keep us from reaching our destiny and keep us from walking in our victory. He knows what is going to make us run for the cave and what is going to strike terror into our heart. Often he uses intimidation. Intimidation is very corrosive and damaging. It caused me to sit around doing nothing, going nowhere for years.
It could be fear and anxiety. It could be depression. Know that Jesus has given us the authority to bind those harassing spirits so we can walk in peace and freedom. Be assured that we have been given spiritual weapons to pull down those strongholds. It is not dependent upon who is chasing us, it is dependent on who we are in Him.
Sometimes our caves are self imposed. Maybe our imperfections are holding us back. Well, God knows our imperfections better than we do, yet He still trusts us with His glory.
Maybe we have failed in some way. Know that God has work for us to do even after we fail. God didnīt take the keys back from Peter when he messed up. Instead He changed Peter from glory to glory.
Maybe lies have been told against us. Live so no-one will believe them and go and read Psalm 27 verses 11 to 14.
Maybe itīs not Jezebel, but the person beside us in our pew that is causing us grief. Psalm 55 talks about the friend whose words are smoother than butter, but war is in their heart and their words are like daggers.
At those times it is not the past miracles that enable us to stand. When Jezebel seeks our blood, it doesnīt matter how many we have seen or what great feat God has performed at our word. The sustaining power of God is entirely His Word and what that Word says about our circumstances. As long as we are embracing God, the anointing does not lift. The mantle of anointing rested upon Elijah even when he pulled out of the race. Nothing had changed between the miracle on Mount Carmel to the cave except Elijahīs perception.
The mantle is on our shoulders and the glory of God rests upon us because we belong to Him, even when in the wilderness, even in the cave. We do not need to strive, for out of our belly shall flow rivers of living water because we believe and serve Him who is the Fountain of living Water. We shall never thirst again and it shall be within us a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
One caution, we need to keep the spring of water within our soul pure. Our life has to exalt Jesus. Our words have to uplift Jesus. Our actions have to express Godīs holiness and righteousness because we are the expression of His voice to this world. So come out of that cave and run with the message!
Copyright Donna Martonfi www.psalm40ministries.com
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