ELIJAH: Spirit is Where the Power Is
ELIJAH: Spirit is Where the Power Is
I know we may “feel” that mere “spiritual” influence is flimsy and vulnerable. However in truth, spirit is where the power really is. After all, a Spirit made the entire physical universe. A Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. The Holy Spirit anointing on Jesus enabled him to override and change the physical realm—heal sickness, perform miracles, walk on water, multiply bread and fish, etc. Despite God’s voice being still and small, because it is Spirit, it is infinitely powerful. Jesus underlined this for us with what he said in the following verse:
(John 6:63 BBE) “The spirit is the life giver; the flesh is of no value: the words which I have said to you are spirit and they are life.”
The spirit and power that operated in and through Elijah transferred to Elisha, and then on to one of the “sons of the prophets.” Elijah received the spirit trigger, the word in seed form from God. This word grew in his heart. His part then was to declare it, impart the vision, delegate the responsibility, and transfer the power to three “next generation” leaders. One of them did some “on-giving” and delegated to a third generation. The outcome was a complete success. Despite the questionable tactics of Hazael and Jehu, God was able to bring the ultimate outcome to pass. He did it according to all the prophetic words that he had spoken over Ahab, Jezebel, Hazael, Jehu, Ahaziah, and Elisha.
Elijah’s passion for God, coupled with his brokenness and hunger for answers, allowed God to use his heart as soil for His word-seed to come to harvest on earth. In effect, Elijah’s faith in that word released an umbrella of grace under which the subsequent generation of God’s leaders and their delegates were able to succeed in fulfilling God’s purpose. This truly is the spirit and power of Elijah at work.
If you are serious about allowing God to use you, then remember the triumph of his kingdom begins with a God-seed sown into prepared soil. That is, a human heart that is passionate for God but has its fallow ground broken up.
(Jeremiah 4:3 DKJV) This is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.”
(Hosea 10:12 DKJV) Sow to yourselves in righteousness; reap in mercy. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until he comes and rains righteousness on you.
In his fundamental parable of Mark 4, Jesus said that rocky soil—hard heartedness—prevents the harvest of God’s word. That’s why a broken heart (like Elijah’s was on Horeb) is a good place for God to sow. Jesus also warned against sowing among weeds and thorns, as these choke the word.
To receive God’s word-seed, we need to prepare our soil and climb God’s mountain. Here again are some of the requirements (from Psalm 15) for those who can successfully get to that mountaintop place of hearing God’s voice, and then bring it to successfully harvested fruitfulness:
? Walk uprightly
? Work righteousness
? Speak the truth in your heart—no deception, no denial … about anything
? Do not backbite with your tongue
? Do no evil to your neighbor
? Do not take up a reproach against your friend
? Disesteem vile people
? Honor those who fear the LORD
? Keep your promises—even if it hurts you—and do not change
? Do not put out your money at usury; do not gain financially by taking advantage of others’ vulnerability—causing wrongful loss to them
? Do not take bribes
Conclusion
Mighty kings rule with their words. God is no different. However, we must remember that his word seeds require a growing season. Harvest is assured if we “bear fruit with patient endurance”:
(Luke 8:15 ALT) “But the [seed] in the good ground, these are such who with an upright and good heart, having heard the word, hold [it] fast and bear fruit with patient endurance.”
Have you heard from God? Have you received and clasped his word-seed in your heart? Perhaps you have heard something from Him about the next generation in your world, and you are wondering why it has not happened yet. Remember that it can take some time. Elijah’s word-harvest took longer than his lifespan, but God surely brought it to pass. Can I encourage you not to lose heart, but to keep your focus and confession pure according to God’s promise? It is His word; He will do it. However, as applies to all of us, God needs time to prepare every person he uses. Nevertheless, when they are ready and the time’s right, his anointing explodes on them; and the spirit and power of Elijah triumphs. Praise the Lord!
Do not be misled into believing that a miniscule word seed, spoken in a still small voice, and received into a humble submissive heart—which is completely dependent on the unseen, spirit realm for it’s fulfillment—is somehow inferior to the world’s hierarchical power and might. Nothing is mightier than our King. His Spirit, in and through us, is all-powerful. And, in conjunction with the Living Word of God, the infinitely powerful might of God and his invisible warriors are invincible, indomitable, triumphant, and infinite.
It all begins with the Word of the King. So …
“Seek first the kingdom of God …” (Matthew 6:33 DKJV)
Remember:
(1 John 4:4 AKJV) “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Spirit truly is where the power is; and the omnipotent Holy Spirit and mighty angels who excel in strength are released to work in earth’s realm, through the Living Word of God—when it is received, believed, brought to harvest in, and released through us in our words and actions.