SUPERNATURAL PROTECTION AND PROVISION
Be to me a great protecting Rock, where I am always welcome, safe from all attacks. For you have issued the order to save me.
—PSALM 71:3, TLB
IN 1 KINGS 19, God asked Elijah the same question twice: Why are you here? Both times Elijah blamed other people’s actions. Not once did he acknowledge that the fear of man or self-pity was at the root of his lament, leading him to believe he was the only prophet of God left and people were trying to kill him. Elijah knew he wasn’t the only prophet remaining because he helped hide and feed other prophets in caves to protect them from being murdered by Jezebel and Ahab (1 Kings 18:4, 13).
Yet Elijah justified his actions, as though running away was necessary to preserve his life. The fear of man had ensnared Elijah, causing him to have more confidence in the empty threat of Jezebel than in God, whom He knew well to be a consuming fire.
Elijah was so overcome by thoughts of self-preservation that he forgot how God had moved at Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). He forgot how God supernaturally preserved him by sending an angel to him even while he was in the process of running away (1 Kings 19:4–8)! Supernatural provision and protection were written in every line of Elijah’s story. Yet Elijah persisted in justifying his actions even after he saw the mountains shake, the earth quake, and fire fall yet again outside the cave where he was hiding.
Have you run away from your assignment because you feared the threats of men more than the thought of disobeying God? Are you allowing a Jezebel spirit to intimidate you, silence your voice, and frighten you into a self-imposed exile? Have you allowed fear and a victim mentality from sustained attacks to distort your perspective until you don’t see yourself or your situation as God sees it? Have you chosen a cave instead of your call? Have you stepped out of the prayer closet where God met and confirmed you and slipped into a cave because of spiritual attacks sent to shut you down?
Have you departed from the place God sent you? Are you focused on protecting your life, your reputation, and your treasure instead of reaching those who are staggering to the slaughter? (See Proverbs 24:11.) Are you now finding comfort in your cave instead of confronting the oppression you’ve been called to crush through the power of Jesus’ name?
If that is you, I want you to hear God saying, “What are you doing here?” Are you hiding in a cave, thinking about what you’ve been through instead of rehearsing the many times God has proven that He will bring you through and out of every trial and test?
What are you doing here? It’s better to obey God than man (Acts 5:29). Arise, and go from this place.
And incidentally, there are 7,000 men in Israel who have never bowed to Baal nor kissed him!
—1 KINGS 19:18, TLB
PRAYER
Lord, I declare that no weapon formed against me shall ever prosper. And because I know You and am acquainted with Your ways, I shall be strong and do great exploits by the power of Your name. I present myself as a living sacrifice to You. Let Your fire fall on the altar of my heart and burn in me forever.