The Life And Times Of Elijah Series

Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)

During these boot camp experiences, God teaches us to trust Him one day at a time. God didn’t tell Elijah what the next step was until he had taken the first one. God will not show you your future until you come away with Him. As one author says, this is called the “value of the hidden life.” The purpose of this hidden life is to teach us our place in God’s plan. This can only happen if we are willing to be sequestered with God at the Brook Cherith. The idea of sequester comes from the legal field and means, “to cause to draw into seclusion.” (Webster) It comes from the Latin word that means depository. And that is exactly what God is doing to us during days of being hidden by His presence.

Now, for most of us this is all too painful. We have to be around activity, people, and cell-phones. I believe the busyness of our lives and the technology of our day is slowly robbing us of vital life with God. I will never forget watching Jews praying at the Wailing Wall, or more appropriately the Western Wall, in Israel and hearing a cell phone go off. Only those willing to draw away with God will ever achieve all that God has for them. I like what Vance Havner says, “If you don’t come apart, you’ll come apart.”

If you want to see a life filled with greater power, anointing, and the supernatural, it will only happen at the Brook Cherith. Elijah needed all the training God had for him in the secret place if he was ever to speak on behalf of God in the public place. Before God will ever take you to Mt. Carmel and use you in a mighty way, He has to take you to the desolation and obscurity of Cherith. Before you can ever have the palace, you have to serve faithfully in the prison. Before you can ever have a crown, you have to carry the cross.

3. God’s servants are willing to follow His direction, thus receiving His provision.

So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. (1Kings 17:5-6)

Recently I received a check from the State of Washington in one of those cream colored envelopes that mean money. I opened it and found a check for $359.00. Before I could enjoy my new found farthings, I noticed that although the check was made out to me the money was to be used for Phil Squires.

My youngest brother lived in the state’s oldest mental hospital for over 5 years. For several years we made the almost 200 mile round trip to visit and take him grocery shopping. Then the state closed the wing where he lived and relocated him to a neighboring community in a group home with several other residents. The state also asked me to be a partial guardian to help care for Phil’s meals and medication. Now I had the resources to take care of his needs. I could have allowed that check to sit on my desk unopened or I could be the first in line at the bank, check in hand, to get the cash Phil needed for living. I had the power to give or withhold my brother’s resources for meals and medication. Because of my love for Phil, I made sure he got the money as soon as possible.