Before Whom I Stand
Part 1: Finding Strength in God’s Presence
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
— 1 Kings 17:1
The greatest prophet in history called to the kingdom of Israel at its most depraved time. Under the rule of Ahab, the kingdom has fallen into a state of blatant idolatry. The prophets of Baal have become the monarchy’s spiritual voice while God’s own prophets are hunted down and murdered. Yet, in the middle of this degenerate state of apostasy, a man of unknown origin appears before this wicked king—in the time when the voice of God is inaudible—to deliver a word from the Lord his God before whom he stands. The voice of the Living God spoken through His servant, Elijah, is about to bring a drought unto a land that desperately needs to be reminded that there is a Living God in Israel.
The State of Declension
Mirroring Ahab’s reign, the state of the world today bears a remarkable resemblance of debauchery and the loss of morality. Once founded upon the foundation of unalienable rights endowed by the Creator, today, with that gift of liberty, much of society is in pursuit lust, pleasure and arrogance. The voice of the Church is rejected as irrelevant or oppressive; Christians are portrayed as dogmatists, bigots, homophobic and intolerable extremists predisposed to violence.
The rise of ad-hoc sensibilities—the offspring of relative moralism and godlessness—in society muting the voice of many Christians, forcing them to jump on the latest cultural and political bandwagon or be shunned and branded as religious fanatics.
Silencing the Lambs
The real power behind this tyrannical rule of Ahab is Jezebel, the image of Satan. Her blatant disregards for authority, instilling fear in the hearts Israel by cutting off the worship of the Lord God and massacring His prophets. The uninhibited rise of Jezebel’s spirit of sensuality permeates all levels of social, economic, political and even within the churches.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.
— 2 Timothy 3:1-4
The fear of nonconformity paralyzes much of Israel to the point that they cannot decide what to do. Elijah scolds the people because of their indecision on the mount of Carmel:
How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
— 1 Kings 18:21
The word “halt” literally means limp or dance. Many Christians are limping with Christ; dragging their faith as if it is a nuisance or even a hindrance to the social image they are trying to uphold. Others are dancing around their faith, like the prophets of Baal leaping on the altar, making light of the Truth and their testimonies become contemptuous.
Christians are silenced by the Satan’s threats of being marked and ostracized if they do not conform. They are petrified by the magicians’ snake, they yield to the pseudo power of the Devil forcing them to recoil in beds like adolescents, dumbstruck as Jezebel slaughters the innocents.
Saints Rising from the Shadow
The voices of God’s prophets today are hunted and cut off by the secular media apparatus. Yet, in this turbulent time of despondency, there are those whose knees have not bowed to Baal—those who stand in the secret places, under the shadow of the Almighty, they will rise and face this spiritual wickedness.
I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
— Romans 11:4
When a lowly shepherd takes a detour to look into the awesome fire of the Holy God, the encounter turns this once mighty prince—who ran like a coward into the wilderness—into a great deliverer of an entire nation. In the hand of God’s servant, the simple staff becomes the mighty weapon that swallows the serpents, parts the Red Sea and triumphs over their enemies.
Now is the time to turn aside from the torrent of this life and enter into the merciful presence of the Most High; there, you will receive the mandate to stand before wickedness and call for the famine of natural resources. God’s salvation will be revealed when the people of God have relinquished their dependencies on the flesh, and take up their crosses to follow Christ into the wilderness. Beholding the miraculous providence when “pastures of the wilderness do spring” the mercy of God’s “rain” will become the instructions for the saints:
Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
— Joel 2:23
The words “former rain” can also be translated as “teacher”. The wilderness is the place of desolation, deprived of human resources, it is here that we must cut off our own will and learn from the Master, the ways of God.
The Secret Place of Strength
Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
— 1 Kings 17:3
Cherith means “to separate”. God calls Elijah to separate himself at the brook of miraculous interposition by divine mercy. In this place of separation, the Christian will find the Water that quenches the everlasting thirst and the Bread that feeds the soul preparing him for the Jordan ahead.
Those who enter into this secret place of the Most High, will find himself standing before the Lord God. Even in the wilderness, in the midst of a famine, his cup will never be empty and the place under the shadow of the Almighty will be his habitation.
Before any drop of rain comes, Elijah must learn the art of hiding himself in God. The Lord returned to the place of separation during various times in His ministry to find strength. He would teach in the temple in the daytime but at night, He went to the mountain to seek the Father; heed His warning, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things.” To find strength to overcome the desires of the flesh, the Christian must find that secret place before the Lord his God.
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
— Matthew 6:4
There is a stream of life in the wilderness of separation where we are called to be. That closet is the classroom of the Holy Spirit who teaches us to wait upon the Lord to find strength. Learn the virtue of patience in faith and when she has perfected her work, you will be “perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Beholding God’s Glory
In the state of declension, the Church is the only restraint left keeping humanity from slipping into everlasting destruction. The Church needs to rise up and challenge the wickedness of this generation; indecision leads to paralysis and ultimately spiritual decay and death.
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
— Isaiah 60:1-2
The darkness of misery that shadowing this generation’s moral decomposition will certainly cover the earth; but in this time of great spiritual famine, only the Church of God has the Bread of Life for the dying souls. Church, arise and take spiritual authority in Jesus Christ to set the captives free!
Run to the brook of separation where you will learn holiness; allow the Spirit to shed your dependencies on this life and extinguishes the desires of the flesh.
Moses failed to give God the glory at waters of Meribah by asserting his own strength; that place in the wilderness, Christ finished the work for humanity by shedding His blood. God’s strength becomes perfect at the termination of your own. Come boldly by the precious blood of the Lamb into the holy place of unspeakable joy and full of glory. Receive strength in the presence of the Lord to stand for Christ before this generation.
