David Rathel - August 13, 2023
ELIJAH Got Back Up
Kings 19:9-18 (NASB77) Then he came there to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10And he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11So He said, “Go forth, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking 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. 12And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13And it came about when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, torn down Thine altars and killed Thy prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15And the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; 16and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17“And it shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. 18“Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
From Series: "Get Back Up"
The fighter is knocked down. His face is bludgeoned, swollen and bleeding. His body aches. The arena is spinning out of control. The crowd boos and hisses his name. Every cell in his body is screaming out the words: “STAY DOWN!” What’s he gonna do? What are you going to do? In the fearsome fight of life, every one of us has been knocked down. That’s your test! That’s when you find out who you are. Your decision to get back up isn’t a fight against your opponent. It’s a fight against yourself! God has never allowed one of his children to be knocked down without also giving him the ability to get back up. The most beautiful thing in the Christian life is when a believer has been knocked down and gets back up. The reason it’s so beautiful is because it’s so rare. Together, let’s make it commonplace. Let’s be the comeback congregation. Take a deep breath. Look up to heaven one last time. And… GET BACK UP!
