Quiet Strength
1 Kings 19: 9-14; Isaiah 30:15
Tonight, I want to talk about quiet strength. It almost seems to be human nature to think that being loud denotes strength. I have known a number of people over the years that think that the louder they are, the stronger they appear to be. You probably know some people like that.
But I have also found that many times the louder someone is, the more obnoxious they seem to be. Someone interrupts a speaker to shout out their opinion about something. We have witnessed someone shouting out at a funeral service once and interrupting the service because the sound system wasn’t as loud as THEY thought it should be.
And I ask, “Is that strength?” OR is it rude, or obnoxious? You can answer that for yourself.
So, I set out to find out what the Bible says about strength in quietness. Is there such a thing? Can you speak softly and still show strength? I have heard that if you want someone to really listen to you, whisper what you have to say. I have tried it before in front of groups of people.
You try to get people to quiet down and sit down so the meeting can get started. You get louder and louder yet they seem to ignore all instructions. But you step up to the mic and whisper for everyone to get quiet and many times it is very effective.
I found the example of quiet strength in the book of 1 Kings 19:9-14. The prophet Elijah had just shown all the false prophets of that day whose God was real at Mt. Carmel. And now, Jezebel was sending out troops to find Elijah to kill him. So, Elijah runs to hide. In the first part of 1 Kings 19, Elijah is ready to die but God sends an angel twice to feed Elijah. He finally eats and drinks enough to hold him over for 40 days as he travels to Horeb, the mountain of God. We pick up the story in verse 9. And this passage is where I found strength in the quietness of things.
READ 1 Kings 19: 9-14 – “9 Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
11 So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by!”
Now notice the strength in the winds that came.
“And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the Lord;”
This was no ordinary wind. It kind of sounds like a tornado. The wind was so strong that it was breaking the rocks into pieces. This was a strong and powerful wind. But, then notice what Scripture says,…
“but the Lord was not in the wind.”
So, we have physical strength, but no word from the Lord, our strength. I continue…
“And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake."
Once again we have the display of physical or natural power, but the Lord, our strength, was not in the earthquake.
“12 After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire;” There is a lot of power in a fire. Fire has devoured billions of dollars worth of property and taken many lives. But, once again, the Lord, our strength, was not in the fire. Now notice the next statement and focus on the quietness.
“and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.” Don’t you love that gentle breeze on a warm day. It’s so peaceful. So restful. The Scripture says, “13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”
The story continues from there but I stop here for tonight. Did you notice it? Can you feel the strength from that passage? Yes, it’s a quiet breeze, a gentle blowing of the wind it says. Yet, it was in this gentleness that Elijah heard the voice of God. And that, my friends, is all the strength we need.
There is a story about a sunken ship that illustrates the quietness of the spirit, but at the same time God’s Power in our lives.
"Several years ago, engineers building a new bridge over the East River in New York, discovered that the wrecked hull of a ship, sunk many years before, lay right where the center piers were to be built. Powerful machinery was brought in to remove the ship, but it would not budge.
Then one of the engineers had an unusual idea-why not have the tide raise the ship!! Some strong cables were attached to the hull when the tide was low. The other ends were fastened to the barge above. As the tide came in, the barge gradually lifted the sunken ship. It was then towed out into the ocean and sunk at a spot that would not cause future problems."
God’s Holy Spirit is like the tide, it comes quietly, it comes in slowly, but it comes to us with enough power so that we might do the job God has called and led each of us to do.
So, from this, I have learned that loudness usually denotes insecurity. Individuals think that if they are loud, questions won’t be asked, and their loudness seems to be their defense, their weapon, if you will.
But, you see, we don’t need all that. And we don’t need to be intimidated by others’ loudness. Why? Because, as a Christian, you can stand with me is saying,
“My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Ps. 73:26
God is all we need. He’ll stand in the gap for us. And as we have seen, God doesn’t need our loudness, our boisterousness for strength. All He needs is our devotion and loyalty to him. He’ll do the rest.
I found another passage of Scripture that very clearly shows that quiet strength.
“For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength. . .” Isa. 30:15
Remember, too, that God speaks in a still, small voice. So, listen, and receive God’s strength in your quietness.
