Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:6-7
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. James 5:17
Very few have understood the unique ministry that God had given Elijah to contend with evil and wicked king Ahab and his murderous thieving wife Queen Jezebel. God had also given Esther and Mordecai a unique ministry to contend with egotistical Prime Minister Haman. As a result of their efforts Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows and the Jewish people were saved from annihilation from their enemies. The bible records:
So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's wrath subsided. Esther 7:10
Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, "Indeed, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows because he tried to lay his hand on the Jews. Esther 8:7
Then Esther said, "If it pleases the king, let it be granted to the Jews who are in Shushan to do again tomorrow according to today's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged on the gallows." 9:14 So the king commanded this to be done; the decree was issued in Shushan, and they hanged Haman's ten sons. Esther 9:13-14
God doesn’t call all His servants to be on stage in honor before rulers and governors. Apostle Paul was prisoner when he testified about the grace of God before Governor Felix and Porcius Festus, King Agrippa and in Rome before Caesar. Just like Elijah, Esther and Mordecai, some of God’s best and choicest servants are called to contend with the evil and wicked ones putting their own lives in danger like Paul did many times. But God’s always protects His anointed ones who lay down their lives on the line to deliver God’s people from evil and wicked ones. Mind you they are subject to human emotions resulting from fear, unbelief, and betrayal.
Elijah who walked in the power of God and saw mighty miracles including the stoppage of rain for three years fled into the wilderness out of fear when Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him. Elijah had been an arch enemy of they tyrant King Ahab and when the fire of God came down from heaven he had all the false prophets of Baal slain. Then he told king Ahab "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." 1 Kings 18 18:40-41 So while Ahab went up to eat and drink Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, bowed down on the ground, and prayed seven times until a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rose out of the sea! And them it happened that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain after an absence of three years.
At his word God had stopped the rain and the Lord directed him to hide by the Brook Cherith where the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And when the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land the Lord commanded him to go to Zarephath, where a widow provided for him. 1 Samuel 17:3-15. The widow had only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar. But miraculous the bin of flour was not be used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sent rain on the earth. Elijah had also performed a momentous miracle, when he brought back to life the widow's son who had died (1 Kings 17:22). Elijah was a prophet of God who was the first prophet to raise a dead man alive. Yet, before Queen Jezebel he trembled in fear. According to God's promise, (Isaiah 51:16; 49:2; Jeremiah 36:26) ever since He made Elijah a prophet before the people, for three years the Lord sheltered him in the shadow of His right hand (Isaiah 51:16; 49:2; Jeremiah 36:26). But when fear gripped his soul, Elijah forgot in a moment how God had been protecting him and how God had been in his spirit within him. He fled for his life. That is why the Bible says, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months" (James 5:7).
God’s trusting ones are not to be surprised or dejected when they are overcome by fear, it's part of being human. It is only a passing phase. Soon the Holy Spirit will come down and cast away all fear. He will make them stand up bold as a lion so they too can chase the devil, heal the sick and perform several of the Lord's miracles to the people with the Lord's power. They too can bring this light into so many who are groping in darkness. In all these paths that they go through, the Lord will shield them.
The God of Elijah understands when His trusting ones are sometimes in fear and with a broken heart. And He will not rebuke them but He will hold them up with His gentle hands and heal and restore them just as He did for Elijah. His word is unchanging:
A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. Isaiah 42:3
Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, "Sit here while I pray." And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch." Mark 14:32-34
Jesus Christ In the garden of Gethsamane when He was about to be nailed on the cross, He was gripped by a deadly fear. "He began to be troubled and deeply distressed" His soul was, "exceedingly sorrowful, even to death". So, He knows and understands what it s to be troubled and deeply distress and will cast away all their fears! He who has overcome the world will help them overcome all things. They are not to lose heart but are to be of good cheer for He will also give them the victory! He is after all their loving Father? God’s word is unchanging;
"The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time." Isaiah 60:19-22
So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:29-30
http://billyburke.org/PrayerMinistryRoom/JourneyofYourPrayerRequest/tabid/142/Default.aspx
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts
https://www.scribd.com/doc/122879429/
https://books.google.com/books/about/THE_BEST_OF_THE_KAMBULOW.html?id=YS3cAgAAQBAJ
https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_All_Sufficient_Christ.html?id=IzHZ0LtVaDsC
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