Today’s devotion is from 1 Kings 19:18
“I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
After Jezebel threatened Elijah, he fled into the wilderness, sat under a juniper tree and wanted to die… Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a Juniper tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” (1 Kings 19:4)
He felt isolated and alone after putting his life on the line for Israel. Elijah had just called fire down from heaven, killed all of the prophets of Baal, called rain down from heaven to break the drought, and outran the chariots… then after one threat from a little lady named Jezebel, he wanted to die… (Read 1 Kings chapter 19)
In a moment, he went from the great and powerful, anointed prophet of God, to a trembling, fearful, defeated, depressed man who wanted to die. How do you go from God’s anointed man of power for the hour to a defeated, depressed, fearful person who feels abandoned, unappreciated, valueless, and a person who wants to die?
I cannot really tell you how, only that it happens all the time… somehow the devil defeats many of God’s greatest generals right after their biggest victories. The devil finds a way to blindside a person in an area that they are vulnerable in. We all get blindsided when we least expect it, but in moments like that, we need to take the time to encourage ourselves in the Lord. As with Elijah, He will send His angels to feed us, to strengthen us and to minister to us in our time of feeling isolated, vulnerable and discouraged. As with Elijah, the Lord will speak to you in a still small voice and give you His strategy to overcome whatever it is you are facing!
Elijah was not alone, he had the Lord, he had legions of angels, and there were seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal. As with Elijah, you are not alone, God is with you and He is for you, you have legions of angels on your side, and you have many who love you, who are praying for you and who are holding up your hands. Get ready to receive the Lord’s strategy for your next chapter, get in faith, and get excited… your BEST is yet to come!
