“And he said, ‘Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and then a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19: 11-13
I just recently saw a group of women shouting over one another, speaking harshly and loudly, with all attempts to drown out all opposing opinions. And I thought, when you really have something important to say, it’s never necessary to scream to be heard, for the Truth needs no trumpet, it’s always loud and clear.
I also find it amusing, whenever my friend and I meet to discuss scripture and how the Lord is working in our lives, something loud and noisy, rude and demanding, usually comes right beside us to prevent us from hearing God’s Word. We laugh about it now, and have learned to ignore it, continuing our conversation, turning deaf ears to the intrusion.
When God Joins Our Conversation
Satan is the accuser of God and all who have come to faith in His awesome salvation. The best way to defeat his antics is to ignore his outbursts, accusations and walk away. Since there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, he looks for ways to pull the rug from under anyone whose confidence is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)
“Those who have no leg to stand on will look for ways to pull the rug from under those who do.” DF
Years ago, when my faith was shaky, I began listening to the accuser’s voice, until I was convinced I’d lost my salvation. Then, as I quoted God’s Word in Isaiah 40:30-31 about “waiting” on what God had to say, I heard a small still voice, say, “Don’t give it the time of day, just walk away.” As soon as I started ignoring the verbal assaults, I felt God’s awesome peace, while soaring high with the power of His unconditional love.
I love how God asked, Elijah, what he was doing there. Actually, it was a question concerning his faith. Was he standing in faith, or was he listening to the voice of doubt and fear. I also love the way the Lord just told him the next thing to do while assuring him, he was in no way the only one who was trusting in Him. Elijah had just experienced an amazing victory and was simply worn out emotionally and physically from the ordeal.
The lord did the practical thing by allowing Elijah to rest and be nourished before speaking. But He is always ready to speak in our worse circumstances, the question is, are we waiting in expectation to hear What He has to say.
When we’re wrestling with thoughts & worries, it is can be easy to forget that our enemy is often the instigator. The command to take every thought captive is imperative for us to remember. To test whether those thoughts, which affect our emotions, are lining up with what God says. Thank you for the reminder. I needed it this morning.