Kings 18:22
Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but
Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.”
I am overwhelmed by the power of my God. His might and strength is unimaginable to the human mind. Yet, I continually live my life as a fearful child surrounded by giants. I fail to claim the power of God as a living and active force moving about and defending His children. He promises to protect me in times of danger, place words of wisdom in my mouth when defending the Gospel, and to encourage me when I’m down.
1 Kings 18 is an amazing story of faith and guts. We could all learn a lesson by studying and following the prophet Elijah’s example when surrounded by enemies of our Creator. Outnumbered and overwhelmed by the threats against him and his Lord, Elijah did not give in. Instead, he arose to the challenge. It was not a challenge motivated by pride or conceit, it was a stand that he was called to take by the Lord. Possibly the only glimpse of God that these people would ever see, Elijah stood firm in his faith and called down the fire of God from heaven. The might of our Lord was made known to all who were present because Elijah rose to the occasion and placed his strength in God.
The Bible is full of examples such as this one. Our Lord is not a casual God watching from afar, but rather, an involved and concerned Savior, living inside of our hearts and instructing us in wisdom and truth. As children of God, it is our duty to take a stand for what we believe in. We are to follow the examples of Elijah, Joshua, King David, and Christ Himself. Our strength does not come from within, but as theirs did, from God Almighty, the Lord of everything we see.
Where do you compromise on a daily or weekly basis? Is it in the cafeteria, the courtyard, or on the bus ride home? What about when you stay the night at your best friend’s house, attend church activities or go to work? The truth is, we are continually presented with opportunities to defend or proclaim the name of Christ, but we fall short, fearful of failure and persecution. Where would we be today if someone had not faithfully told us of God’s love? What if Paul, Peter or James had not spread the Gospel because they were facing too much persecution? Where would we be if Jesus Christ, Himself, had not willingly faced the ultimate sacrifice of dying on the cross for our sins?
The Lord promises to go with us wherever we are. It doesn’t matter whether we are in a group of Christian friends or surrounded by 450 mocking unbelievers. In both cases, it is our duty as Christians to put our faith in God’s strength and to take a stand for the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Place your strength in Him today!