11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. (I Kings 19:11-12 NIV)
I went around my house anointing the doors and windows, some passage ways, and other spaces as the Lord gave direction tonight. While doing so, I began to pray for different things over my house and the houses and people connected (spiritually, naturally, by blood, by love) to my house. God whispered a blessing to me during the prayer. For many, they would have begun to shout because God was telling them of the blessing that was coming. For me, the blessings were 1. HE spoke to me and 2. He came to see about me. The natural blessings of the Lord are good and wonderful and needed in the earth realm and I thank God for them. But for me, I want the other stuff more - wisdom, knowledge, discernment. My celebration was because He knows my name.
As I began writing this blog, God reminded me of this passage of scripture. It's a familiar text. I've heard it preached several times. But tonight, God said, look at the steps.
Step 1 - Go out
When God gives, He gives direction, otherwise, we'll miss Him when He passes by. Elijah is whom God is speaking to in this Scripture. First, he had to be courageous enough to go under the direction of God. There will be so many times in life when God will give direction and we will miss it because we will be scared to go out on our own. In this season, fear should not derail your passage. You've paid enough time in fear to last the rest of your life. Now, your faith must triumph over your fear.
Step 2 - stand
Standing on the Word when hell is breaking loose is hard. Trust me when I say I understand. After anointing my house, I began to cook dinner. God brought back to my remembrance a time when I had lost 2 jobs, been evicted twice, and my car broke down to the point it could not be repaired. 5 things. God reminded me then as he reminds me now, 5 biblically represents His grace. Standing with God means standing in His grace. Those 5 things were just that, things. What God blessed me with in return was so much better - a better house in a great school district for my son, a better job with higher pay, a secure car that I could get us back and forth in. But more important than all of those, He allowed me the time to strengthen my relationship with Him. As I was waiting on a new job, I would go and clean the church. During those times, it was me and God and the conversations we had. What a friend we have in Jesus is not just a song. It is the truth when you develop the relationship with Him.
Step 3 - stand on the mountain
Some of us would take it at stand and let it go. But where you stand matters. Elijah couldn't just go out anywhere. God's direction said stand on the mountain. Your issues may seem big but God is bigger. Stand on your mountains and listen for the whisper. The Word says - choose ye this day. There will be a day when you will have to decide if you stand on God's side or if you will follow the world. Where will you stand?
Step 4 - in the presence of the Lord
When God spoke to me this afternoon, it was because I was in His presence. I was praising Him. I was seeking Him. Not his blessings, not what He could do for me. I was simply praying - talking to Him. I was having such a good time with just me and God that I completely lost track of time. Dinner was late getting on the stove but guess what, that didn't even matter. I was in the presence of God and it felt so good to just have a conversation with My Father.
If you were to continue to read the passage, you would see that God's voice was in the whisper and that's when Elijah began to have a conversation.
Step 5 - close your mouth
Some of us are missing God because we aren't following directions and/or being too vocal. There was a rap group many years ago that came out with a song whose lyrics say, "You Talk too much, man you never shut up". Some may have just been offended that I used rap lyrics. I know, I get it. But, understand this. The words didn't lie. Sometimes the smartest person in the room is the quietest one. Stop talking so much.
When you take the time to stand in God's presence, wait for the whisper, it's coming.
Be A Blessing and Not Just Blessed
Nakya