ESOCS Devotional 22 July 2023
MEMORY VERSE: “And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:12 KJV
TEXT: 1 KINGS 19:1-16 (KJV)
And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake 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:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?
14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
God moves in mysterious ways with a mandate to perform diverse wonders. Thus, the move of God is unpredictable; it is neither static nor stereotyped. The meaning is that the move of God is multidimensional, diverse in forms and operation. The mighty and revival move of God in a generation may not be the exact manifestation in the next generation. His move and workings in a particular church or denomination may not be the same in another church. This principle also affects our individual encounters with God. The dimension God decides to move with a particular person might not be the pattern He will move with the next person. Thus, no individual should have a premeditated mindset on any particular form the move of God will take per time.
Our text reveals the various moves God manifested before Elijah and the exact one He used in ministering to him given the present circumstance.
First was the wind move: There are countless scriptures that confirm the wind move of God. The Pentecostal move of the church was birthed by the wind move of God (Acts. 2). Interestingly, for Elijah at this time, the Lord was not in the wind. The implication for us is that at a time in the service or spiritual meeting, God may not want to use the wind move to communicate to you even though others are coming under the unction of the wind. Remain focused and don’t be distracted as God still has His plans for you.
Second was the earthquake move: The entire place quaked before Elijah which can only be done by God, but unfortunately God was not in the earthquake. But has God manifested with the earthquake before? Yes! He did in Acts 16:26. However, in this encounter, the earthquake was not God’s best choice to relate with Elijah. Remain calm, even if you don’t get your own testimony by the earthquake move of God.
Third was the fire move: Ironically, the man of fire encountered fire but did not see God in the fire. No doubt Elijah was conversant with the fire move and would have naturally settled for it, but he maintained spiritual sensitivity to know that God was not in the fire. Beloved, do not use your previous encounters with God to judge, assume and predict the operations of God in the present. Never allow your past experience becloud your vision of a possible new dimension with God.
Fourth was the still small voice: There are those who never fall under the anointing but they hear clearly from God. Many times, we get carried away with the other moves of God, may be because they are dramatic and expressive that we fail to pay attention to the still small voice that commands instructions and directions.
- Understand that God moves in different ways at different times.
- Father, help me to remain focused so that I do not miss out my own time of visitation.
FURTHER READING: Exodus 24:12-18; Mark 9:2-13; 2 Peter 1:12-19
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ESOCS Devotional 22 July 2023
