Here in the USA, we stand in the balance of righteousness and holiness before God. We are still amid a global pandemic that has crushed our constitutional and civil rights. Our Federal, City governments, and schools are on the brink of disaster because demonic principalities of deviant, perverted behavior and greed control them. There are food, oil, gas, electricity, and money shortages. We are looking at possible nuclear war. People call "evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20 ESV)
Can you hear the voice of God through all this? Are you living in divine revelation from God? During times like this, when great shaking is upon our society, it is too late to say, "I wonder if I can hear God's voice." How are we to deal with the proliferation of perversion and pornography? How are we to deal with immorality? How do we deal with the enemy of God as he tears at our nation's moral fabric and constitutional liberties?
The enemy's name is 'satan,' which means 'adversary, to lie in wait,' who is also called the "tempter" (Matthew 4:3), the "evil one" (1 John 2:13), the great "deceiver" (Revelation 12:9), the father of lies, and a murderer (John 8:44). Jesus called him the "ruler of this world" and "the kingdom of the air" who is "the spirit….now at work in those who are disobedient' (John 12:31 ESV; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV).
The Greek word for "work" is " energéo," which means to energize like an electrical current energizing a wire to make a light bulb shine. The enemy energizes those who are not Born-Again, who "follow the ways of this world," and directs them to do his will (Ephesians 2:2 NIV). Born-Again Christians are not to fight against "flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12 NLT).
The enemy energizes people to do his bidding, opening gateways for the demonic to come in and infiltrate how we think and feel. Every area of our lives, church, education, medicine, business, and government, is being put on a dividing line. Are we willing to pay the price to stand for the righteousness of God in all areas of our life?
God is calling us to holiness so we can stand against wickedness and perversion, the likes of which we have never seen before. God desires that we love Him with 100% of our heart in deep personal intimacy. He asks if we will seek His face in the secret place.
The life of the prophet Elijah gives us the roadmap on how to confront the enemy so that "the hearts of fathers" will be turned "to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers…” (Malachi 4:6 ESV).
This study will reveal how Elijah confronted things in society and used to help change them back into following God.
The Ministry of Elijah
Elijah was a great prophet of God, perhaps the greatest. He was a model of genuine devotion and righteousness to God. His name in Hebrew is 'Eliyah' (ay-lee-yaw') and means 'God of Jehovah.' Very little is known about him. He lived far from the cities and initially wore unique and distinctive clothing known as a mantle which was a sizeable and magnificent garment or robe made of hair with a rawhide rope tied around the waist and was later shown to be the traditional clothing of a prophet (1 Kings 19:13,19; 2 Kings 1:8,2:8,13; Zechariah 13:4; Matthew 3:4).
Elijah lived during a time of great political and moral crisis. The political leader's legislated policies intended to merge Israel's beliefs with the Canaanites, who worshiped demonic idols, participated in sexual perversion, and sacrificed children to the Canaanite gods. (Sound familiar?)
The king, Ahab, was married to a strong-willed immoral woman named Jezebel, a leader in religion and politics. Her name is often used to describe an impertinent, arrogant, seductive, or shameless woman in the church who will not submit to authority. Jezebel persuaded Ahab to introduce the worship of the Tyrian nature god Baal (The god of the religion of climate change?) and Asherah, the mother goddess of fertility and the wife of the war god Asir. Interestingly, Asherah was the adversary of Baal. She deliberately tried to purge the land of the prophets of God (1 Kings 16:32, 18:19).
Elijah was a man who was formed in a secret place of hiddenness through intimacy and prayer with God, who suddenly gave him the mandate to go and stand before King Ahab and Jezebel and prophesy to them that they turn back to worshipping Yahweh, the God of Israel alone. Elijah stood in the authority God had given him.
"As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." And the word of the Lord came to him, "Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there." So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land." (1 Kings 17:1-7 ESV)
With the boldness of God acquired in the secret place and standing in the counsel of God, Elijah was able to say, "There will be no more rain!" He confronted the evil power and principality working through Ahab and Jezebel. He announced to them that only at his word as the servant of the true God, Yahweh, would the fertilizing rains return to the Promised Land as His gift and not Baal's after a devastating drought in the land.
Afterward, God directed Elijah to get away to a remote place outside the Promised Land where He would provide bread and meat carried to him by ravens and water from the stream Cherith (1 Kings 17:4; Exodus 15:25,16,17:6; Numbers 11,20:2-13; Deuteronomy 8:15; Psalm 78:16,20-29).
When the stream dried up, God told Elijah to go to the home of a widow in the small Phoenician city of Zarephath, which was the homeland of Jezebel and her god Baal, that was also drought-stricken by God (1 Kings 17:8-24). Because Elijah and the widow took God's word seriously, He bestowed life-sustaining blessings in the land of Baal (Deuteronomy 32:15-21).
Through Elijah's ministry, an even more tremendous blessing was in store for the Phoenician widow. God would bless her with the gift of life for her son after he died and Elijah interceded for them (Deuteronomy 30:19; 32:47).
The drought lasted three and a half years (1 Kings 18; Luke 4:25; James 5:17). God told Elijah to prophesy to Ahab that He was about to send rain. Elijah went to Obadiah, one of Ahab's high officials, and asked him to announce his coming. When Ahab and Elijah met again, he called Elijah a troublemaker (1 Kings 18:17). Elijah replied and challenged the gods of Ahab and Jezebel to test their power.
"I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father's house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." (1 Kings 18:18-19 ESV)
Elijah then rebuked the Jews who were watching this take place.
"How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, "I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal's prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God." And all the people answered, "It is well spoken." (1 Kings 18:21-24 ESV)
Throughout the day, the prophets of Baal begged their god to hear them, crying out in desperation and cutting themselves with knives and spears, but Baal remained silent. At noon Elijah mocked them with merciless sarcasm.
"Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." (1 Kings 18:27 ESV)
Towards the evening, Elijah called the Israelites to gather around him as he rebuilt a shattered altar of God using twelve stones to represent the twelve tribes of Israel and dug a trench around the altar to prepare for a sacrificial offering (1 Kings 18:30-31). He filled the trench with wood, placed pieces of the offering on top of it, and poured water over it and the wood until they were drenched and the trench was filled (1 Kings 18:33-35). When the hour of the sacrifice had come, Elijah prayed that God would let it be known that He alone is God in Israel and that he is His prophet who was following His instructions to reclaim Israel for Himself (1 Kings 18:36). When Elijah went to the top of Carmel and cried out in prayer he began to confront the demonic spirits through the power of God and the heavens opened up and fire streamed down.
"Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, "The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God." And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there." (1 Kings 18:38-40 ESV)
Elijah's Confrontation
The time came for Elijah to prophesy to Ahab that God was going to provide rain and that he should prepare a feast in anticipation (1 Kings 18:41). A small cloud "like a man's hand" rises from the sea, and Elijah warns Ahab of the approaching storm (1 Kings 18:44-46).
Ahab went and told Jezebel what had happened, and she was infuriated. With her arrogant petulance, she tells Elijah she will kill him within a day. After seeing the hand of God move mightily in signs and wonders, astoundingly, Elijah flees in fear, praying that he might die and be released from his burdensome and seemingly hopeless mission (1 Kings 19:4; Numbers 11:11-15). However, God was not done with him yet, so He sent food and water (1 Kings 18:36).
Elijah, still afraid, sat in a cave on Mt. Horeb and presented his case to God against Israel, calling for judgment because of their rejection (1 Kings 19:11-14). God refuses to give up on Israel and commands Elijah to return and continue his mission with Elisha the prophet to bring judgment for purging but not destruction because there are a few in Israel who have not "bowed to Baal" nor "kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18).
God sends Elijah again to confront Ahab to lay responsibility on him directly, and that judgment will fall on him and his kingdom. Jezebel would also not be spared ( 1 Kings 21:17-29). Ahab chose to humble himself before God, who tells Elijah that His judgment will be postponed until the days of Ahab's sons (1 Kings 21:27-29).
Ahaziah was the son of Ahab, who was religiously devoted to Baal (2 Kings 1:2-16). He was seriously injured in a fall and chose to pray to Baal-Zebub, a god worshiped in the Philistine city of Ekron, rather than God. Ahaziah's pray was blatantly disloyal to God, who sent Elijah to challenge the house of Omri. God commissions Elijah through an Angel to announce the king's death because it is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who heals or takes away life, not Baal-Zebub. The king's emissaries deliver the message to Ahaziah, who becomes enraged and sends soldiers to arrest Elijah. He is found sitting high on an outcropping, and the soldiers demand that he come down.
"Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, "O man of God, this is the king's order, 'Come down quickly!'" But Elijah answered them, "If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty." Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty." (ESV)
The king sends a third emissary who shows Elijah respect, and the Angel of God instructs him to accompany the king's officer and deliver His message to the king's face. The events conclude with the prophecy fulfilled (2 Kings 1:13-17).
The ministry of Elijah soon ended and was transferred to Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-12). When the day came for God to take him away, Elijah wanted to release Elisha from further service to him, but he refused to accept it three times because his ministry to Elijah was not finished, and he was determined to carry on his work (2 Kings 2:2-6).
At the Jordan river, Elijah opened a path through the waters with his mantle and crossed the river with Elisha to a region outside the Promised Land. Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you" (1 Kings 2:9a ESV). Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me" (2 Kings 2:9b ESV). Shortly afterward, Elisha sees Elijah taken to Heaven on "chariots of fire" by a whirlwind, and his mantle is left for him as he prepares for his prophetic ministry (2 Kings 2:11-14 ESV). Elijah shows up in Scripture again on the mount of transfiguration with Moses talking with Jesus and then in the book of Revelation with Moses as one of the two witnesses (Mark 9:4; Revelation 11:5-12).
The Jezebel Spirit
The spirit of Jezebel is an international principality that devastates nations and multitudes of sons and daughters. It is a demonic power that does not associate itself with men or women. It was not just the person Jezebel who confronted Elijah, but a demonic principality who was waging war against the God of Elijah. That same war is going on in the world today. It is constantly coming against our passion and heart for Jesus to hinder us from being thoroughly captivated by His love, surrendered to His will, and the anointing of fire and power of the Holy Spirit.
The Armor of God
The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of satan are in constant head-to-head combat. The goal of the Jezebel spirit is to destroy those that live by and proclaim God's Word and abort the newborn. If it cannot get you to abort your child, it will try to abort your calling and destiny. That is why we are commanded to:
“…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” (Ephesians 6:11-18 ESV)
Elijah was a person who was open to hearing the voice of God. When he cried out, he confronted the demonic spirits through the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The heavens opened up, and fire streamed down.
As we close, I leave you with questions for the heart.
Do you want to move in the wisdom and counsel of God?
Do you want God to teach you how to seek deeper intimacy with Him?
Do you want God to awaken your heart and enlarge it with His love?
Do you want God to show you the areas in your life that can be changed?
Do you want the strength to resist temptation and overcome the enemy?
Prayer and Altar Call:
Lord Jesus, I long to move in Your wisdom and counsel like Elijah. Teach me how to seek deeper intimacy with You. Where there is compromise in my life, I ask You, right now, to bring Your fire to purge them from me. Break off apathy and religiousness from me. Start to awaken my heart and enlarge it with your love. Please show me the areas in my life that can be changed. Thank You for giving me the strength to resist temptation and overcome the enemy. I love You and want to serve You! Amen!
Next week we will discover why Elijah could move in miraculous power and yet suddenly be filled with fear.
