1 Kings 19:1-4 ( NKJV )
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 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.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
We have been looking at 1 John 4:17-18. This verse declares, “As He (Jesus) is so are we in this world.” The implications of this statement are far reaching. He is victorious, healed, and delivered from all His enemies. If we are “as He is” in this world, we can be the same. We have discovered, however that there are conditions that must be fulfilled for this to be our present reality. One is we must be free from fear.
In looking at fear there is a component the devil uses to open the door to fear in our lives. Let’s look at a very famous and even courageous Old Testament character. He name was Elijah.
Three years before the time spoken of in the above verse, Elijah had marched into the presence of King Ahab of Israel and announced that there would be no rain until he said so. This was quite an announcement and I wonder if there might have been a few snickers in the Kings court at the time. Three years later, however there had been no rain in the land. No one was laughing now.
In chapter 18 Elijah appears on the scene once again. In verse 1 it says that the Word of the Lord came to him telling him to go to the king. The first thing we must note is that Elijah had the authority of God on his side. He obeys and presents himself to King Ahab. Ahab had initiated a multinational manhunt for Elijah with the express purpose of killing him. Elijah is not intimidated by Ahab’s threats and confronts the king. He tells Ahab that he and his family were the problem with Israel. This is not a fearful man.
He tells the king to call all Israel to him. The king obeys. This displays that he now has control over the authority of the king. He initiates a contest between himself and the 850 false prophets who have been leading the people to other gods. He says, “If Baal is god we will serve him but if Jehovah is God we will serve him.” The people agree to the contest.
Elijah mocks the false prophets. They call out all day and Baal does nothing. He then rebuilds the alter of God, sets up the sacrifice and at the time of the evening sacrifice according to the law, prays. Before he prays he commands the sacrifice be soaked 3 times until everything was drenched and the trench around the alter was filled with water. After his short prayer God answers by fire and the people cry out, “The Lord He is God. The Lord He is God!” He now has the authority of all the people of Israel. He commands them to seize the false prophets and kills them all.
Elijah has shown great courage. He was not intimidated by the King or the whole nation. He has fearlessly carried out the Word of God and cleansed Israel of 850 false prophets. In the process he clearly shows the people who God really is. Finally he prays and rain once again falls on the land. After all this we read the above verse. Queen Jezebel threatens his life and he runs away. He had all the authority he needed to command she join the prophets he had just killed. What was the power that inspired fear in this mighty man of God? Intimidation.
Tomorrow we will look at this force more closely and begin to discuss how we can overcome it. If we can recognize and overcome intimidation it will close a door to the devil in our lives.
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