I will not leave my place as Elijah did by hiding in a cave

From: August 7 – 13, 2007 Study: # 504

TOPIC: “I will not leave my place as Elijah did by hiding in a cave” 1 Kings 19:13 When we become righteous there is an essence of God in us, we have a great God and the Holy Spirit that lives in us is who works in our lives. No one can purify any other person’s heart. The only way we can help others is by teaching them the word of God. We cannot say that we are going to transform the life of others because that is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who can do, who can reveal, who makes us cry, makes us pray, who works inside of us. When we are going to work with whatever God puts in our hands we must always have the Word of God. But the enemy wants to drive us into a cave as Elijah did when he ran to hide and to stop us from speaking the Word and warning others of the dangers. Hezekiah 33:3 - 9 Sometimes we run away from the problems, all of us have done this at some time. The enemy is always ready to threaten us, to scare us. He does it to frighten us, to make us run and hide as Elijah did. It is natural for us to hide when we are frightened and worried. But if we do this we will perish. It seems easier to run and hide from our problems. We must have determination to do what is right. We must remain in prayer and fasting as part of our lives; we must be firm in what we choose while struggling for our loved ones. The enemy wants to frighten us so that we keep our mouth shut. The best thing to do is to battle in life. God even removes those who do the work of spiritual teachers. Elijah was removed and replaced by Elisha. There was a time for Elijah. Elisha was more determined, more daring, and lasted longer in the prophetic ministry. Elijah was Israel’s teacher. No one is the same in this world. As long as Elijah remained faithful God used him to perform great wonders. But when we hide and lock our faith in a cave we stop seeing the miracles and marvelous things of God. Ahab, the wicked King of Israel, knew who Elijah was. He didn’t dare to confront him; this is why he used his wife Jezebel who was a perverse woman to help him against Elijah. The devil’s purpose was to silence Elijah. If the devil succeeds in keeping our mouth shut the people will perish. It seems that some are not interested in learning. Elijah was not the one who did great things among the people of Israel, it was God. When we are in God we must watch how we speak. When there are severe threats to the righteous, the people may panic. Elijah was only an instrument of God. The people know and can see. Every threat has a purpose to make us run. Elijah had to resolve his destiny, his life. He needed to decide if he was going to continue to do what he was doing. The issue is not the threat but what God wants for our present and future. Threats come to silence us and make us flee. We are not the ones who deliver the captive, or retort but teach what we have learned wherever we go. This space belongs to us and no one else. The demons arrive subtlety upon us to make us flee. These threats which come subtlety can make us leave the battlefield when we are most needed. Be careful! The enemy has always wanted to make us run when we are most needed and he takes advantage and then later things will not be easy. If we hide in a cave and leave the battlefield free evil will come, then, who will be there to watch and take charge? When

there is danger we can become fearful and run and seek for an easy way out. In the most dangerous situations is where we will learn to love God more. In the most terrible situations God is there with us and for us. There is where we can see God’s power. God does not choose men who are full of their own strength, because it is God who becomes great in us. So, in all our problems, situations, we must not let terror overcome us or try to find an easy solution to the problem. God is greater than any danger. It is God who will work in us and who will finally decide about our path. Elijah was an instrument of God and so are we. God is God. He is who does good things. God is the one who is being threatened. Jezebel succeeded in making Elijah run away and for God to anoint someone else in his place. The devil managed to leave him out as a prophet for that situation and for that moment. Danger caused Elijah terror. We must never doubt of God’s protection. When we are strong it is because the strength comes from God to struggle and do well to others. Elijah became very depressed because he wasn’t able to remain faithful. We all have the same human nature, we can be ambushed in the same way Elijah was, but we must learn from Elijah through the Word. God gives men power, then we must remain brave because God is with us. In this long path that awaited Elijah he was going to find himself with God. God moves in the midst of everything that surrounds us. All territories belong to God. All the deserts belong to God. Oh, how useful we can be for God! Elijah’s service was affected by the way he acted when he was facing the danger. He was the man who prayed and opened Heaven. As long as we are frightened we become useless when we need it most. God is the one who will always work in us; there is no need for us to hide in a cave. By running away Elijah was no longer useful for God’s purposes. A prophet, one who loves and is righteous, cannot live hiding because God does not hide. The righteous, the prophet, the teacher and minister must be among the people. Elijah’s job was to reprimand what was wrong and encourage those who were good. Jezebel was another creation of God; Elijah had no reason to fear her. We must understand that it is necessary for us to be among our people. Those who really love being righteous and useful in God’s work, understand that God is among His people to reprimand what is wrong and to encourage those who are good. Elijah felt God in the fire, in the earthquake and in the gentle whistle, but even then he had to go to anoint Elisha in his place. God is the one who chooses us; we must not decrease in our faith. What do we fear? If we fear something it is because we have stopped believing. Those who lack faith will lack strength and will no longer be useful. When terror overcomes us we are no longer useful we’re not able to see God’s power manifested in this world. To do things corresponds to God. It is for us to correct and reprimand. We must seek to be useful to God however He wants. We were made to be among our people. We must not be filled with resentment but do whatever God calls us for. We must be wherever we are needed to be useful in all that God wants. Amen.