So you might remember the story, in the Old Testament Elijah took out a load of false prophets and this really upset someone called Jezebel. You can read about this in 1 Kings, take a look it’s incredible! So after this all happened, Elijah, a man of God, expected Jezebel to give up when she saw the defeat of her prophets but she didn’t and came back with a threat to cut Elijah down. Jezebel threatens to go after Elijah and essentially ‘do him in’, as we would say in Essex.
This doesn’t sound like much of a threat but for some reason Elijah was totally undone by it. When he heard Jezebels lies he panicked, lost hope and ran.
A few things are really interesting about this, the timing, the nature and the response.
In my life when I have had some kind of break though, either personal or at work, and I have felt closer to God for it you can almost guarantee that a lie is coming. Elijah has just seen the power of God at work and smashed a huge hole into the enemies attack formation, and then he receives a lie tipped arrow to the heart.
The timing is one thing and the nature of this lie is another. (It’s worth saying Jezebels names meant one who deceives!) Elijah had been part of something big, God was at work and this lie from Jezebel came from a place of defeat! When we accept Jesus into our lives sin has, sorry did you read that? HAS been defeated! When lies come about you being a dirty sinner and too dirty for forgiveness, it’s a lie from a defeated opposition! We need to see that.
Well incase you don’t, the next bit is important. Elijah was lied to from a defeated enemy at a specific point when God had been working through this bloke. After running and feeling hopeless God lets Elijah experience just a sliver of His presence. Invited out on the mountainside God passes by and Elijah, covering his face hears a whisper that brings the presence of God. Restored and fired up again from this encounter, Elijah got running again but this time with faith and power again.
As Christian men we will be lied to, it will happen and when it does we need to be ready to see it, and call it out for what it is. Be on your guard brothers, lie tipped arrows are flying your way, stand strong together and know Jesus has defeated your enemy!
Image Credit: Paul Summers
