Come Out of the Cave
August 10, 2011
By Pastor James May
The Prophet Elijah was a man of God like none other described in the Bible. He did mighty exploits for the Lord, and saw the hand of God move to perform great miracles at Elijah’s word. At his word alone, God stopped the rain for 3 years, and at Elijah’s word, the rain came again. At his word the fire fell from Heaven and at his word 400 priests of Baal were slain. Elijah spoke and the secret sins of Ahab and Jezebel were brought to light for all to see. God used him mightily. But even this mighty man of God was susceptible to the tricks of the devil and it was only a short step to finding himself bound up in the spirit and on the run.
Jezebel, that queen of sin, if you will, was after Elijah and she was determined to have his head on a pole if she ever caught him. Elijah had defied her idol gods and false priests on Mt. Carmel and he came from that mountain of victory and was now entering into one of the deepest valleys of depression that he would ever experience. He went from being a mighty man of God, performing miracles, signs and wonders; to a man filled with self-pity, writhing in the agony of deep, dark depression under an old juniper tree.
None of us are immune to times of great depression and some of us tend to stay depressed a long time when we go down into that valley. It’s easy going down; but coming up out of that dark valley is never easy and it truly requires a walk by faith, trusting God to be faithful. In our own human strength it is nearly impossible; but with God, we can rise again much quicker.
At his darkest moment, Elijah had a visitation from the angel of the Lord. This was the Old Testament version of saying that Jesus came to him when he needed him most. He gave Elijah food and water so that he might regain his strength. To each of us this simply means that when we need Jesus the most He is always there. Jesus comes to give us that Bread of Life daily; and to give us the infilling power of the Holy Ghost; and the water of the Word. These are the food and drink that we all need to be overcomers.
God knows our limitations as frail human flesh. Jesus knows, from his own personal experiences, the weakness, doubts, fears and troubles that we all face every day. And sometimes we are so filled with self-pity and so far down in the dumps that God has to come to us more than once; feeding us with his Word; filling us with his Spirit and giving us strength for the journey of life before us.
I believe that’s why Jesus told us in Hebrews 10:25 to “forsake not the assembling of yourselves together”. The Lord has designed his church so that none of us should go it alone. God knows that we gain strength from one another, encouragement from one another; and that feeling of family and community and belonging to something far greater and stronger than ourselves.
It is just a fact of life that those who are not faithful to gathering with the church rarely continue to walk with Jesus for very long because the “Call of the Wild” to return to that life of sin is always hounding them and Satan is quick to steal their victory. Satan’s number one goal in the life of a Christian is to return with a vengeance to destroy the life of the Believer and get them to walk away from God.
It is also a fact of life that the more we come together in church, the stronger we will be bound together in love; and the more we will love coming together in Christ. What it all comes down to is that I need you and you need me; we all need one another for accountability, encouragement and strength to continue on. Without faithfulness to the House of God and gathering in the church, with the church, there is seldom any true walk with the Lord.
God gave Elijah strength for the journey and he went on for 40 days, but his time of distress had not ended. He was still on the run; traveling in the darkness, hiding in daylight, always on the move because he knew that Jezebel was still after him and there was a price on his head.
Finally Elijah had found a cave; a place of darkness, hardness and solitude. In this place he was alone. I know a lot of people, even in the church, who have found their own version of a cave. No one can reach them. They have moved back into their shell of hardness; into the darkness of their own doubts and fears; and they don’t want to open up to anyone. They prefer to fight their battles all alone. They don’t trust anyone; and they don’t believe that anyone can possibly understand what’s happening to them. That is nothing but a trick of the devil. He knows that if we fight alone we can’t defeat him; so he forces us into a place of internal solitude; where no man can get to us and then just continuously points a finger of guilt and shame at us to keep us from looking up.
Superman was and is one of the most popular fictional characters of comic books, TV and the movies. He was from another planet; made powerful by the sun; and stood for Truth, Justice and the American Way. In my mind he was always an example of what many Christians think of themselves. They are strangers and pilgrims in the earth; not of this world; but of that place called Heaven. They feel all-powerful because they are empowered by the Son of God and the Holy Spirit. They have anchored their hope in the infallible Word of God and will stand for Truth and Justice and God’s way every time.
But like Superman, they also have their Fortress of Solitude because they think that no one could ever understand them completely and no one could ever help them when they need help. They fly off to their own little spiritual hiding place, away from everyone else, and get into their own spiritual bubble, and there they will stay for a while, wondering what to do next. I know from experience that you can be just as bound up in that place of solitude as you can when you are out in sin.
Its only when Superman comes out of the Fortress of Solitude and enters society renewed in his purpose that he becomes effective. That same thing is true of a Christian. It’s only when we are able to walk with Jesus in Victory and Power that we can be truly effective for the Kingdom of God.
So here we find Elijah way back up in his cave of solitude, hiding in distress, rolling around in his pit of self-pity; without direction in his life; and with no one around to help him overcome it all. But thank God, the Lord was still with him.
Let that be a lesson to all of us. When it seems that no one cares, no one knows where we are and what we are all about; when it seems that life has lost its meaning; when it appears that there is no way out of your troubles except through death – that’s the time to look to Jesus and remember that He is always there and that He will never fail you.
The Lord found Elijah in that cave. He had never lost sight of Elijah anyway. God knows exactly where his children are at all times. He’s always closer than a brother.
Now the questions arise, “What does God do to get us to rise up and walk in victory? What methods will God use to speak to us? How can we hear him?”
The answers to those questions can vary greatly for we cannot put God in a box and say that this is the only way. But let’s examine what happens to Elijah in his cave of depression and see how deliverance comes.
1 Kings 19:11 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:
1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
1 Kings 19:13 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?
Elijah was searching for answers, hungry to hear from God and desiring to be free from his self-made prison. How does God answer him?
God had spoken in many ways to his people throughout the Old Testament. He wanted Elijah to hear but he knew that Elijah was accustomed to hearing in the old ways. Elijah had to learn that God speaks when God wants to; how God wants to and is never relegated to doing what he has always done.
Elijah had heard God speak before through the fire. The whole of the Children of Israel had heard God speak through the fire, the thunder and the storms upon Mt. Sinai. Moses had heard God speak through the burning bush. The pillar of fire had led the Children of Israel through the wilderness, so for the fire to come as it did surely meant that God would speak through the fire, but the Lord didn’t come in the fire.
God had also used earthquakes to get the attention of his people. When there was a rebellion against Moses in the wilderness, God used an earthquake to show his wrath and communicate his anger with those who opposed the leadership of Moses. Earthquakes are even a sign of these last days too, as God speaks through them that he is coming soon. Even at the crucifixion of Jesus, the earthquake spoke of God’s power and anger at the murder of his own dear Son.
Isaiah 29:1 says that God would speak his great displeasure upon Jerusalem and its outward signs of religion that were not done with a pure heart. God would speak to them “with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.”
The above verse in Isaiah also shows us that God used the power of the wind. It was the blowing of the mighty wind of the Spirit that spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room. It was the tempest, or wind, of the storm at sea that let Jonah know that God was not pleased by Jonah’s running away. There are a number of times when God spoke through the fire, through the earthquake and through the wind, but not this time.
It is easy to see that Elijah thought for sure that either through the wind, the earthquake or the fire, that God would speak to him, but even after all of these great manifestations of power, he had no answers. He still dwelt in that cave of deep depression. He was still hungry for a word from God; desperate for answers and straining to hear God speak.
In the Old Testament, under the law, the voice of the Lord often came as thunderous; striking terror in the hearts of those who heard him. He often made his presence known only by lightning, fire, earthquakes and storms. Under the law, there was nothing but judgment for sin, and death for disobedience. Elijah knew well all of these things and this was how he was expecting to hear from God this time too.
But God had a better way. I believe this is one of the early hints in God’s Word of how God would speak to his people after Jesus would fulfill the law. Even though God still speaks by using all of the ways of the Old Testament when he desires; under the new covenant of the gospel; God often speaks with lenience and grace. That’s exactly what happened to Elijah at the mouth of that cave.
In a still small voice; a voice that spoke peace; a voice that was filled with grace, mercy and love; God spoke to the prophet and said “come out” of that cave Elijah. Elijah had gone out before, but this time he heard from God.
Too many people come out to hear God, but if they don’t get what they are looking for in one, two or three attempts, they give up and just go back into their cave. We have to keep coming out! We have to keep seeking, keep praying, keep on keeping on until we hear that still small voice speaking. God wants to speak; but he’s waiting on us to hear!
Are you hiding in a spiritual cave tonight?
Have you come to the end of your rope?
Are you hiding in the darkness of your own heart wondering why God has left you?
Do you feel that no one cares; and no one knows the trouble you’ve seen?
Do you wonder which way to turn next?
Do you have more questions than answers in your walk with the Lord?
All of these are questions that are found in the cave and often we find ourselves in spiritual, and sometimes emotional, depression. We just need an answer. We, like Elijah, need a word from the Lord!
If any of these fit you tonight, or if the Spirit has spoken to your heart in this message, God has a word for you right now. That word is, “Come out of your cave, listen for the still, small voice of the Lord.” He is speaking to you if you will only hear him. Your time of questioning is about over. God has a new direction for you.
Elijah came out of that cave and got his second wind. He went from that cave and found his student who would take his place by the name of Elisha. God still had work for Elijah to do; and even more for Elisha. And God is not through with you either.
Psalms 89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Psalms 89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Come out of your cave tonight! Come out and enjoy the bright sunlight of the love of God. Come out and experience the mercy and grace that Jesus offers to those who will hear him.
It is a great day when we finally come out of our cave and hear the joyful sound of God’s great grace and love; and know that he still has a plan for our lives. From that place of depression; of fear and doubt, God will help us to learn to rejoice and be lifted up in him.
Come out of your cave and hear the still small voice of the Lord as he speaks. There is work yet to be done and a true purpose in life to be fulfilled.
