What are you doing in this cave?
I Kings 19:1-15
I. Introduction:
This episode happened after the victory on Mount Carmel.
It was a great victory that Elijah witnessed, surely it must have counted as one of his highlight is in His life.
But now we’re witnessing the man of God on the run.
The Devil steals his Joy in the Lord!
Has it happened to you also? Just as you experience the Joy of the Lord, something happens and it robs you of that joy.
Sometimes you just want to run away!
II. Let’s follow Elijah’s run:
1 Kings 19:3 And when he saw that, he arose, and run for his life, and came to
Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
Elijah is running away.
Fear directed his life and now he’s running away from his responsibilities.
Exactly the same way that Christians in today’s life are running away from their responsibilities as children of God, fearing the world.
Look at God’s instructions in
Ephes. 6:12-14 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. [13] Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. [14] Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
God wants you to stand in the gap!
Ezekiel 22:30 And I was looking for a man among them, that should make up a wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.
Let me ask you personally: Are you standing in the gap, or are you running?
A) How to identify a runner!
A runner is someone who:
Will not make a choice for God, (v3.when he saw that he ran)
Never trusts God and rely on own plans, (v3. he arose and ran, no prayer)
Who fear people more than God then follows the main stream for the Popularity vote, (v2; die tomorrow)
Loves his own life more than anything else even more than God, (v2)
Is selfish, Self-righteous, Proud,
A runner is someone who:
Quits when things are not going his way, (V4.take my life, I want out).
Always complain about life, (V 4. It’s enough, always had enough)
Looses his testimony (V3)
B) Let’s look at the consequences of running:
Your life will deteriorate:
It started on the mountaintop of Carmel – victory! (I Kings 18:38-40)
Slip down to the wilderness – doubt! (I Kings 19:3)
Leads to a cave – depression (I Kings 19:9)
A cave is a dark, cold spooky place.
There are spider webs, creeping crawling creatures there.
You will also find bats with diseases in a cave.
Not a pleasant place to sleep in.
Translation:
You will slip into the cave of self-pity, depression, with darkness over your soul.
You will feel isolated and separated in the cave of your life.
(I call it the “no one understands me” syndrome)
There is no joy, no smile and no more laughter in your life.
This all happens when the webs and creatures of unforgivenes fills your heart.
A Cave is not a permanent place
V 9 He spent the night there!
What was he doing in that night?
He was pondering on his thoughts, (Exactly the same as Job did Job 2:13)
I know this, because of his answer to God in V10.
God don’t want you to be in a cave!
Elijah spent one night to many in the cave according to God.
V9 What are you doing here, Elijah?
Gods question to you!
My friend God is asking you today:
What are you doing in this cave in your life?
God wants you to trust Him with your life!
That means that you give your whole life to Him.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.
He didn’t make you to live in a dark spooky cave.
I’ll tell you some people’s lives are so spooky, you never know what is going to jump at you.
He want’s you to have a life in abundance. Full of you and goodness. John10:10
Ephes. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
III Conclusion:
Let’s obey God’s instruction today: (The way out of a cave)
1 Kings 19:11 And he said, Go out, and stand upon the mount before the Lord.
1. First you must – Go out! – Repent of distrusting God.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2. Stand upon the mount before the Lord – Pray to God – seek Him
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
3. 1 Kings 19:15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way:
Rev. 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy
candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Prayer:
