The battle with the Spirit of Intimidation has resulted in many of God’s children giving up their calling, vision, and sometimes even their marriages. One of the reasons this occurs is that this spirit can blind the Lord’s most anointed servants from all that God is doing in their lives. Have you ever heard the term, “he was blinded by fear”? There is no better example of this saying than the unfolding story of how Elijah the mighty Prophet of God became Elijah the depressed, discouraged, and fearful prophet.
A great question for us to ask ourselves at this time is, “Are there some truly miraculous things the Lord is doing in our life this very moment that we are so blinded by fear, depression, and discouragement that we cannot see?” You may doubt the fact that intimidation can blind us to that degree, yet we find Elijah in that exact position. Let us now look at the narrative.
FIRST, ELIJAH DOES NOT TAKE NOTICE THAT AN ANGEL IS MINISTERING TO HIM.
1 Kings 19:4-5
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.
I am certain that most of us would be greatly encouraged if an angel appeared to us. Indeed, angels are mighty spiritual beings sent to help the heirs of salvation, yet many of us are unaware of their diligent protection and care. Is it possible that the ministry of an angel or angels is even now surrounding your life but you are not aware of it? I am convinced that angels are joyfully helping us, for the Word of God declares it to be so.
Hebrews 1:13-14
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Hebrews 13:2
2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
How is it then that Elijah hardly noticed this Angel? The Angel even spoke to him and gave him miraculous sustaining food. In fact, we will discover a constant flow of God’s manifestation in Elijah’s life that this servant of God fails to recognize; for he has been blinded by the spirit of intimidation. How is this possible? As our story unfolds, Elijah eats the food given him by the Angel on two occasions, and this food sustains him for forty days as he is being divinely directed by God to a place of protection and solitude where the sovereign Lord will speak audibly to him.
Still, Elijah is so blinded that each time the Lord asks him a question he only speaks of his problems. How would you respond if you heard the audible voice of God? Do you not think that you and I would walk around on cloud nine rejoicing of this great blessing? You see, the Spirit of Intimidation if given into, has the power to blind us from the blessings of our great heavenly Father and maximize our problems to such a degree we can hardly function.
I have known many believers in whom the Lord was bringing great and constant blessings into their lives. So much so that others were envious of what the Lord was doing. Yet, no matter how many blessings were coming their way, they focused only on the great problems they still lay ahead. How about you?
Consider with me that God was divinely helping Elijah the whole time but Elijah could not see it. The forty day journey Elijah was taking was being divinely directed by the Lord with every step he took, yet Elijah was unable to appreciate this miraculous journey. Why? He could only dwell on his problems. Oh Lord, please forgive our blindness. Even in the midst of this long dry journey, this journey of loneliness and seeming forty day silence, you are directing our every step. You are leading us to a cave of isolation so that we cannot focus on anything other than your divine presence and still we are blind. Let us receive your word recorded in the book of Revelation and anoint our eyes that we may see.
Revelation 3:18
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (emphasis mine)
I was once in a worship service in which the music was so loud I could barely think. They were singing songs that I did not know and the building was packed. Still, I could not sense the presence of God in any of what was going on around me. Suddenly, I was enveloped in total silence and I began to have the following vision.
With the eyes of my heart I was standing on beautiful, green grass on a warm summer day and I was enveloped in a lovely silence and peace. The hand of the Lord reached toward me and I put my hand in His. I was like a little child and somehow I knew we were going to have a picnic together. We walked to a lovely green spot and the Lord set down His picnic basket and removed a red and white checkered picnic blanket and spread it on the ground. He invited me to sit down and as I did so He reached into the basket and brought out a spiral notebook . I knew without Him saying anything that I was to devote a great deal of the ministry He had called me to in writing by inspiration and revelation. For some time I had been journaling in a spiral notebook and recording the dreams and visions I had been receiving.The Lord then handed me a beautiful golden pen that fit into the spine of the notebook. He reached into the picnic basket a second time and pulled out a small stone jar with a lid on it. He took the lid off and inside was anointing salve. He then gently rubbed the salve on my eyes and said, “Son, no matter how disturbed, distressed, or distracted you find yourself, if you will pause and anoint your eyes with this salve you will instantly enter into my presence.”
The rest of that service I basked in the glory of that encounter. Divine peace flooded me and I knew I had been given priceless gifts that would be a blessing to me and thousands of others the rest of my life. Yet, like all gifts, I would have to spend a great deal of time developing the skills and insights necessary to use them to their fullest anointed purpose. One of the deepest lessons I learned from that encounter is that we can be blinded just as easily in a religious setting as we can be in the darkest storm. I reminded myself that the Spirit of Intimidation is very comfortable in religious settings and took note to seek to guard against this subtle deception.
I firmly believe that one of the greatest mistakes that leaders make today is that when we call a Council, Elders, or Deacons meeting, we begin with a brief prayer of devotion and then start dealing with the problems, challenges, or difficulties before us. I have sat through and participated in hundreds of these meetings and each one has ended up with more problems than when we started. I am sure that it is assumed that each person participating in the gathering has come together to talk business and has had fellowship and worship with the Lord before they got there and we can therefore move directly into the business side of things. Yet, dear one, that has proven to be a great error. No, we must wait on God until there is a divine sense of His presence. It is truly only in the presence of the Lord that perspective can be gained. Not only that, but we must have leaders who can draw us back into His continual presence as the meeting goes along.
Perhaps some who are reading this have never been involved in a denominational church business meeting, but the same principle is involved in settling personal or family challenges. Get into the presence of the Lord first and stay there. If we, like Elijah, focus only on the problems, we will miss the supernatural things the Lord is doing for us. Three times the Lord asks Elijah why he is in the cave of isolation and depression and Elijah always answers that same way.
1 Kings 19:9-11
9 And he came there to a cave and stayed there. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very zealous for Jehovah the God of Hosts. For the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and have slain Your prophets with the sword. And I, I alone, am left. And they seek to take my life away. 11 And He said, Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD. But the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
(emphasis mine)
Can you see it? The reason the Lord led Elijah to this cave was so that he could discern the still, small voice of the Lord in the midst of tumultuous difficulties. Indeed, the leader who can bring other leaders into the presence of the Lord during business and planning sessions will be the man or woman we need to follow. The husband who can bring the family gathering into the presence of the Lord and then make Godly decisions will be the man who solves the problem of divorce in the land. Do not be fooled when confusion, discouragement, and division are present, for truly the Spirit of Intimidation has found its way into our gatherings. Indeed, it is at this time we need the spirit of a Jehu to arise. One who not only recognizes this spirit but who is also anointed to slay her.
2 Kings 9:30-33
30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? 32 And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trod her under foot
To put this into simpler terms. If you or I find the Spirits of Discouragement, Confusion, Despair, or Depression present, let us not give into it. Let us begin to talk about the good things the Lord is doing in our midst; let us do only what the scriptures tell us too. Namely:
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-20
16 Rejoice evermore. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit. 20 Despise not prophesyings.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 5 pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; 6 and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
In our next chapter we will discuss one of the most important verses the Lord wants to anoint for our day. As this verse is enlightened in our spirit, we will be able to wage war against the enemy with great effectiveness.
MORE TO FOLLOW
Apostle Robert Rogers
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