Still Small Voice

We often hear the phrase “God speaks in a still small voice”. What does it really mean?

In our scriptural text today, we learn that Elijah is a fugitive on the run. Queen Jezebel had issued a death decree over his life.

If you are going through a crisis, this sermon will greatly encourage you.

We see crisis when life is hard but in the midst of harsh world we can hear the voice of the Lord.

1 Kings 19:12

12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

We may feel completely abandoned, maybe the last person in the family.

1. It is easy to lose sight of God's victories in my life during troubled times

Elijah just wanted to beat the battle. Whoever can burn down fire, that God is the true God. God did exactly that. The fire just blew the whole place down and Elijah killed all. Elijah claimed the lord is the God.

Next Baal claimed to want to bring down Elijah. Elijah fled and lose sight of what God has just done, His provision and His goodness in troubled times.

We are seeing it wrongly the same way as Elijah. He has completely forgotten what God has just done. The same God can bring down the enemy is the same God that can bring us through our troubled times.

The lord has not abandoned Nor forsaken us. He will cover us if we trust in him.

1 Kings 19:4b

4 And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”

We should not give up just because of a setback. The problem is not with God but with how we are seeing the problem we are facing - we are losing sight

John 16:33

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Maybe in a state of crisis and calamity, in Christ we can have peace. Without peace, everything we are fighting seems meaningless and stupid. Peace is nothing external, it is intrinsic / internal.

Jesus did not say as Christian we will have no trouble, but take heart (pulling our hand into our heart and feel secured) because Jesus have overcome the world. That means we can trust him because he has overcome the world.

If Elijah knew this, even though what Jezebel has said, he will not run.

2. God asks questions to lead me in the right path

When God asks questions it does not mean he does not have the answer. He know the answers even before he asks the questions

1 Kings 19:9

9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:13

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

God asked Elijah twice what he was doing. He did not ask Elijah to go to the cave. Elijah said he was the last one who trusted him and doing his will. Now there is a witch who is threatening his life.

Seeing the supernatural is seeing beyond the earthly truth. Fire does not come down from the sky unless God sanctions it. Elijah blamed God for being the last one standing. He is completely abandoned that is why he is hiding in the cave. He was so distressed completely out and discouraged.

God asks him question not to scold him but to realign him to where he is supposed to be. Just as God asked Adam and Eve where are they. He is asking them whether they knew where they were?

When God asks is divine questions is to bring us back to the right path. What is happening to our heart, what are we doing here ( some of us should be getting out of our job Long ago, but because of fear we stay put).

God asks Elijah not to stay in the cave and run away from Jezebel.

Luke 6:46

46 “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

Sometimes we say things but don't mean it. Sometimes in finding out place we forget what God wanted us to do or be at. Just as Elijah who ran away instead of staying put. As we think about god's goodness in our life, these are hallmark of his intrinsic character of solidarity.

3. God speaks to me in powerful or personal way

What is important to know is God is so intentional and strategic that he speaks to us in a different powerful way.

1 Kings 19:11

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces 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;

God asks Elijah to come out from the cave where he is hiding. Thereafter God destroyed the cave with the wind. God is showing Elijah what he can do. Thereafter an earthquake. It is very frightening to Elijah. But the lord is not in the earthquake. Next a fire came from heaven. After all these, a still small voice.

When we are going through depression, God does not have to impress us with fireworks. He showed Elijah - wind, earthquake, fire. God is not in any of them, but God was in a still small voice. This is what we need to know in our troubled times. Be still in the Lord as he will cover us and protect us.

God can speak on what ways he likes. He speaks because he can speak in anyway he wanted because he can fit in where we needed.

Job 33:14-15

14 For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,

When deep sleep falls upon men,

While slumbering on their beds,

God get us to trust in him. We see that through the bible where Jonah was running and there was a storm. The people in the boat worship God. They realized God was speaking. When God speaks some of us receive it in one way or another. God is speaking even in the storm we need to hear we need to receive.

God speaks in different ways and we need to receive and hear it. Are we listening to the voice of God? It is moments in our life, there is only one voice we need to hear - it is the voice of God Not of Jezebel

4. Even in my brokenness, I should do the will of God

This is a reason many people wanted to quit - I am so broken, I am so weak. Most things in life are I realized potentials. Because of a few setbacks which could be bad. We go through the he will of God for our life, it is still important.

1 Kings 19:15-16

15 Then the LORD said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

God has a succession plan in place from Elijah to Elisha. When Elijah was so sad and depressed, God showed up. God redirected Elijah's path and asked him not to quit. Don't quit being a counselor, a Father, a Mother. It is especially in our brokenness that God can move.

God says "My grace is sufficient for you and my strength is made perfect in your brokenness". We cannot let feelings get in our way because there is too much at stake.

It is easier not to love especially in our weaknesses. But the truth is easier to be mean than be kind. Doing the will of God is tough but not to do it is worst for mankind and our own soul. When we are broken, we serve because we are depleted and asks lord that we are empty and receiving the still small voice - we can set an example, shine the light of Christ, to encourage others - anointed us at such a time like this so that people will know that He is God.

We will not quit on the calling of God, our calling as parents - there is too much at stake.

1 Peter 4:16

16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

The point of pain when it is at the most may make us want to quit. But we use it as a point to glorify God. It is only when we are going through suffering, for god's sake, God will use us in our brokenness.

5. Take comfort knowing that I am one of many fighting the good fight

Elijah felt that he was the only one going through the pain alone. God understand us if we are in this situation. Elijah thought he was the only one serving the lord.

1 Kings 19:18

18 Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

When that voice comes, it is always Satan not God when we feel pity piety. Our God is not a God of pity. He was walking through valiantly humbly with Jesus when he was on the cross.

Jesus asked John to take care of his Mother at his last breath. The stage of Churches all around the world has to bow to this. When we are tempted to feel alone, there is hope that the lord is behind the scene. The lord has reserved 7000 who will not bend their knees and give up. There will be many people who will bow to false god and false teachings.

Still small voice - we live in a world where there is so much sound - MRT lines, new skyscrapers. It is so difficult to calm us down to bring down the sound. God works in us when there is peace and quietness.

What are we doing here? In the midst of the crisis, we need the still small voice of the lord.

We run here and there when we hear of any news. We feel like we are wavering because we hear too much. We run to the lord in the stillness of our heart and let the lord speak to us.

Sermon Note by : Sister Veron