Having Courage In The Face Of Defeat

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Did you know that the Father cares about what you think? The Word of God is powerful in your mouth!

Today I would like to talk about one of my heroes Elijah.  He had courage in the face of defeat. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah speaks a word of judgment to the earth, and God honored his words: "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."

Now I want to start off by saying God didn't need Elijah to speak that word as He could have just shut the heavens up. The point of focus here, as a son of God, I want to show that the father cares about what you think.

Elijah was concerned about the times he was living in and the state of the affairs in the nation of Israel. King Ahab was more evil than all of the wicked kings of Israel.  He built an alter to Baal, he even married Jezebel who was the daughter of Eth-baal, who was the King of the Zidonians who served Baal and worshipped him.

Elijah was grieved about the times, especially when Ahab made a grove of idols. Ahab provoked the Lord to anger more than any other king. Elijah was tired of what was going on in the land (idol worship) and it moved him in anger and indignation against the Children of Israel and King Ahab. He was the one prophet who stood up and spoke a word in season against the wicked practices and God bearing witness of Elijah's actions and courage backed it up because of who Elijah was.

As sons of God we should get tired of seeing the enemy using and controlling God's people. Although it seems like a losing battle it's not - it just takes courage on our part to stand in the face of defeat. We have to know that our word is powerful and that God honors it  because we are his sons and His Spirit dwells in us.

We have to be like Elijah and be fed up enough to step out and speak a word in season that is true and it brings change.  Paul  gave us a clue as to what the sons of God are to be doing in the earth; the things that are taking place in the earth that are not apart of the kingdom should be judged. But we have to know how to judge (not attacking one another).  We have allowed sin to control us and keep the promises of God just out of our reach. I'm not saying you are in sin but the power and effect of sin has a devastating effect on the land. We are to have control over it. God has given us the power to have control over the earth and to subdue it.

1 Corinthians 6: 2 tells us that the saints shall judge the world. When you back up to chapter 5:1-5, Paul addresses a situation about fornication. The Christians were condoning this immoral act and rather than be sorrowful or grieved because of this issue that seemingly was prevalent among them as Pail was, instead they were puffed up about it. He wanted them to know that they had power in the spirit to deal with this problem. In comparing this instance to Elijah, the bible does not say this but I believe he was mourning about what was going on in Israel at that time. Because the spirit of Baal had taken over in the land introduced through Jezebel (the king's wife) the spirit of false worship and corruption spread throughout the land and the people of God would not withstand it. Here one can only empathize with Elijah in that sometimes we feel like one against all this ungodly stuff and often times contemplate what can one man do?

This happens when we forget who we are and that our voices don't matter cause the enemy wants us to feel as though our voices cannot and will not be heard. We become fearful and we loose courage as we face defeat. I believe if we allow ourselves to feel what God feels as His word states that we have the mind of Christ, we know it is not impossible only that we must tap into it. That's how a son of God does it.

This is what Elijah did he spoke the mind of God and he didn't even have the Holy Spirit in him, it would come up on him. The word he spoke caused the heavens to be shut up and it cost him something. Their was a death sentence declared on him and all of the prophets in the land. God gave him a word and a place to go for safety. And just like He performed for Elijah, He did for the ones that gave their lives because it was a matter of obeying the Word.

When we look into 1Kings 18, God gives a word to Elijah stating that the drought was over and he was to show himself to Ahab. Here is a man that was commanded to go right to the same authorities who wanted him dead. He uses this opportunity to call for a show down between the Living God and Baal to stop the effects of sin that had prevailed over the region. He knew the timing of the Lord and he had a word for the season.  He used timing to call for a show down for the people in order to show the powerlessness of idolatry and point the people to the true and living God.

Conclusively, Elijah was used of God to demonstrate his power as a son of God. It was not to puff himself up, but to testify (witness) to us the ability we have as the sons of God to speak out against sin and the moral depravity that comes when a notion turns against God's word. It takes courage to stand against all others that walk contrary to God's law - but when you take courage and speak the mind of Christ, God will allow great demonstrations to be done through you for drawing others back to Him.