1 Ki 19 1-18 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; “that means he planned to be there awhile” and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake 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:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
According to 1Kings 17:1 Elijah was one of the inhabitants of Gilead
1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
The point is: He was one of the people, he was one of us, in other words he was in the same mess as everybody else, he was surrounded by the same problems, the same sinful circumstances.
He was in it, but he wasn’t a part of it.
This is very important: Because Israel’s spiritual condition was at an all time low, from generation to generation each successive king had taken the nation deeper into sin and farther away from God.
Finally it says that Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord above all that were before him, and Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the Kings of Israel that were before him.
But here stands Elijah alone against this flood of ungodliness, and perversion.
Have you ever felt like you’re all alone?
You’re the only one trying to do right, You’re the only one who is standing for righteousness.
You’re the only one on your job
You’re the only one in your family
You’re the only one on your street, In your town.
Maybe God forbid (even in your church) you’re the only one who is really trying to
Live a pure and holy and separated life.
Tell Your neighbor (I’ve got good news) It only takes one.
It only took One David to get rid of Goliath
It only took one Moses to Lead 1-3 million people out of bondage
It only took one Ezekial to turn a dry bone yard into a mighty army
I just want to tell you: You can make the difference on your job, in your family, in your city, in your church, In your world.
Tell your neighbor: I can change it
The devil goes to great lengths to try to convince us that one person could never make a difference, but the devil is a liar. “No matter how dark it gets one light changes everything.
Jesus said: Ye are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.
The only way that darkness can win is for the light to refuse to shine.
Grab your neighbors hand and shake it real good and tell them: Just turn the light on.
Elijah was no push over prophet Elijah knew the power of God, (through his ministry the dead were raised, the widow of Zarephath went into supernatural provision and was sustained through the famine.
He had a debt destroying, dead raising, prosperity producing anointing
He was bold as a lion and mean as a bear, (he was a mans man, he was no weekend warrior).
“ He stood alone” against a wicked king, and his wicked wife, and entire religious system that had turned against God.
I know a lot of people that can stand as long as they got someone to lean on, as long as people are backing them up, and patting them on the back encouraging them.
But if you are ever going to do any real kingdom work, you might as well know (Sometimes you will have to stand alone).
Paul the apostle said:
2Ti 4:16 At my first answer (no man stood with me, but all men forsook me:) I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.
Tell your neighbor: I’m learning to stand
I want your help, I appreciate your help, I enjoy your pats on the back, I am grateful for your blessing and your encouragement, but I don’t have to have it.
At some point you have to be able to stand on your own two feet:
You got to be able to praise when nobody else is praising, dance when nobody else is dancing. Pray when nobody else is praying,
You got to be able to preach to yourself and get happy off your own preaching.
When David looked around and couldn’t get anyone to pat him on the back or speak an encouraging word to him.
He preached to himself.
Elijah was a man who knew how to stand: But in our text we find Elijah in a Cave.
The Cave is a place of hiding:
Jos 10:16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
Jos 10:17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
It’s where you go when you want to be alone The Cave is a place of Separation:
Isolation,
When there is a strong attack against you the devil will try to Isolate you, cause you to with draw from others,
The Cave is a place of Depression:
One of the greatest signs of being in a cave is the spirit of depression,
Depression is not just an attitude or a feeling (Depression is a Spirit)
Isaiah calls it (The Spirit of Heaviness)
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Depression
Heaviness = -somewhat dark 5, darkish 1, wax dim dull, colourless, be dark, faint Fear, sorrow, grief, feelings of hopelessness and dejection (to feel low)
The Cave is a place of Fear:
1Ki 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
These One hundred prophets were hiding in a cave for fear of Jezebel
Fear is the opposite of faith
(Faith mobilizes, fear paralyzes)
Fear is believing more in what the devil says than what God has said
Fear is more than just a bad feeling (Fear is a Spirit) It is alive
2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Obediah Fed them with bread and water;
This tells me that The cave is a place of meager existence: In the cave it seems like everything comes in small doses, like your being given just enough to keep you alive, but not enough to make you enjoy life.
Everything is in rations:
The cave is a spiritual reality (You may never in your life walk into a natural cave but at some point in your faith walk you will experience a cave).
A cave is a spiritual condition:
You can be rich and be in a cave
You can be surrounded by people and be in a cave
You can be anointed and still be in a cave
You can be a pastor and be in a cave
You can be a prophet and be in a cave
You can cast out devils on Sunday and be in the cave on Monday
No one is exempt from the cave
The Cave is a place of death:
Ge 23:9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
Ge 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
Everybody won’t know what I’m talking about, but somebody knows what it feels like to be in a cave,
Somebody knows what it feels like, to feel isolated and alone.
Somebody knows what it feels like to run as hard and fast as you can and feel like you haven’t moved, you haven’t made any progress at all.
*You have to really strain your eyes to see anything good ahead of you.
*Your fighting feelings of discouragement (You haven’t seen the manifestation of your promise)
You’ve been faithful to God, but it seems like nothings happening.
The devil is trying to make you question if you’re even anointed at all.
It seem’s like you can’t hardly even feel God
It’s like every good thing that should be coming to you, is coming through a straw.
I know I’m not talking to everybody:
But I am talking to somebody
I know this aint the place where you want to shout and dance right now, but I just wonder if any one would be honest enough to just slip up your hand and say (I know what you’re talking about preacher)
The Great the Mighty, the awesome Prophet
The Man of God ( Found himself in a Cave)
1 Ki 19:9-10 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
Notice Elijah’s Language ( I have been)
Not I am, not I will be (but I have been)
In otherwords Elijah is saying: I’m done, I’m through, I’m finished, I came here to die..
The cave is the place where dreams die, it is the place where visions expire, it is the place where passion and enthusiasm and desire surrender to apathy and indifference and hopelessness.
It’s the place where fear reigns and doubt robs the heart of any expectation of better things.
Yes even the great Prophet found himself in a cave (A Tomb) The end
But tell your neighbor: It ain’t over till God says it’s over
Elijah Found himself in a cave (afraid of Jezebel, running for his life, wallowing in self pity, mad at God and mad at his people) mad at everybody and everything.
Ready to give up, throw in the towel
But Something Happened ( The Lord Passed by his way)
I just wander is there any body in this place who is glad the Lord passed by your way?
You went from one bad relationship to another to another, but then the Lord passed by.
You were doing your own thing, didn’t care about yourself or any body else, but the Lord passed by.
You were doing the church thing, fooling yourself and everyone around you, but then the Lord passed by.
You were lying in a hospital bed with the doctors shaking their heads, but then the Lord passed by.
You were standing in front of a judge facing a prison sentence, but the Lord passed by.
Slap your neighbor high five and tell them: I don’t know about you, but I’m glad the Lord passed by my way.
There was wind, Earthquake, Fire
But it wasn’t the wind
It wasn’t the earthquake
It wasn’t the fire
(It was the still small voice of God)
It was the word of God
One word from God turned his tomb into a womb
One word from God and the Old prophet came out with a New anointing
The Old prophet came out with a New Vision
The Old prophet came with a New Fire
I Just came by to tell somebody today (You’re coming out)
The tomb is your womb
Somebody’s on the verge of a New Revelation of the glory and power of God
Somebody’s on the verge of a new level of anointing
Somebody’s getting ready to see the greatest manifestation of the power of God you’ve ever seen in your family, in your finances, in your ministry
And the devil has tried to push you into a cave and roll the stone over the door, and call it your tomb
The place where it ends.
You’ve heard the Apostle say and you’ve heard me say, that One word from God can change your world
But let me take it even one step Farther
(One letter from God can change your world)
The only difference between a tomb and a womb is ONE LETTER
I came today to make a small correction and turn the T Into a W and tell you the devil spelled it wrong
It’s not a tomb it’s a womb and I’m Coming out
Touch 8 People and tell them I’m Coming Out.
Yeah I know I went in depressed but I’m coming out dancing
I went in fearful and afraid, but I’m coming out full of faith and power.
I went in empty but I’m coming out full
I went in thinking it was over, but I’m coming out knowing it’s just getting started.
I went in to get away from Jezebel, but I’m coming out to get rid of Jezebel.
I went in to surrender my anointing, but I’m coming out to distribute my anointing.
Tell your neighbor It’s not a Tomb, it’s a Womb and I’m coming out.
One word from God turned a tomb, into a womb and Elijah was born again
He came out slinging Oil; He was anointed from his head to his toes
He was a man on fire
He was a man with a mission
He was a man with a Vision
The fear of Jezebel was gone, Elijah was no longer looking back, but now he was consumed with taking this anointing to the next generation.
I came to tell somebody:
The devil lied (He spelled it wrong) It’s not a Tomb, It’s a Womb
And it’s not the End it’s just the Beginning
I’m talking to somebody who needs a new beginning.
When Elijah came out of that cave he came out with a new vision, he came out a generational vision.
He knew he couldn’t die, there was something he had to impart to the next generation.
When he came out of that cave he came out with a double anointing, (You say “How do you know he came out with a double anointing?” Because he conferred a double portion on Elisha, and you can only give what you have.
I’m closing by saying, it’s not a tomb it’s a womb and somebody today is coming out: And the devil is going to be sorry that he ever suggested the cave to you.
