Are You Responding to God at Your "Cherith?"
Elijah not only went to Cherith,
he remained there. To him, it wasn't just a stop on the way to a better place;
it was the essential call of God on his life. What can we learn from this?
Wherever we go as a result of God's call, we must be prepared to stay there
until we either go home to Him, or until He comes for us. After all, we have no
record of Elijah asking God to remove him; neither do we have any record of the
Prophet complaining to God about being out of the loop, or away the limelight.
No, Elijah was alone with God. He
was not strapped with the responsibilities of ministry, and though it may not
have started out that way, it came to suit him just fine. Elijah was free to
live in simplicity by the basics. We should focus more on that in the church,
especially since there is often so much more of the sense of being "called"
than there is any evidence of having been "chosen." But what stands in our way
is waters muddied with ambition, methods and techniques for advance, fed by
promises (to or by us) of what will "surely take place." As a result,
it is too rarely remembered and nearly never emphasized that we are only truly
ready for "what's next?" when we "have learned in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content" (Php.4:11).
When the Brook Dries Up
Elijah stayed at the brook
Cherith, remaining there even when the brook dried up. Can you imagine how he
must have felt as that flow of water, which once so completely met his needs,
then changed into just a trickle? Or, as the birds began coming by irregularly,
occasionally and then not at all? After all, how do you feel during times you
seem to be receiving less (& then even much less) from that "place" of
resource God has called you to? Don't you go through some discomfort? Still, we
have no record of Elijah complaining or asking to be removed.
Neither do we have any record of
Elijah accusing Ahab as being responsible for his circumstance, nor wondering
if Jezebel hiding somewhere upstream, blocking the flow of water or shooing
away the birds so that he will fail. How we need more of Elijah's refusal to
waver in the midst of uncertainty and unforeseen changes. We could use a sharp
reduction in the tendency to overreact to circumstances in the church today!
After all, David said: "though the earth be
removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, you
will be my strength and refuge." (Psa.46:1-2)
What is the supernatural
significance of Elijah's increasing hunger and thirst? How is God clueing him
by the way things are changing? This "shift" was a transition that served as an
announcement, but it was not an indication that he was in disobedience, or that
the enemy had found a way to cut him off, or that he had failed to hear a call
to move along. A new season was beginning in Elijah's life. It was God's way of
preparing him for what was next. Although Elijah may not have immediately
perceived it as such, this "shift" was not only a transition but evidence that
he was getting closer to his ultimate destiny. And this is the case. God often
first leads us through preparation of heart in the midst of situations before
we see any real change in or circumstances.
God's Way
We should realize something very
important, if we haven't already. Any change we make in circumstance apart from
change of heart will have to be repeated until we are transformed. As a
preacher once said: "if you fix the fix God has fixed to fix you, He will have
to fix another fix to fix you with." This is why so many who "Ishmael" their
way out of difficulty only find it thrust upon them again and again, never
understanding that until they learn to go through situations and circumstances
in God's way, they will not see lasting change: either in them or around them.
Thinking again and again about
what he had prophesied to Ahab, Elijah no doubt came to realize Cherith was
"the place to be." No pressure; no expectations (on either himself, or from
others). While he went there "ready" for God to send him back and use him at
any moment, the longer Elijah remained the more content he became to be there
with God. Ambition, self-investment and the "need to be right" (pride) were
stripped away during the stay at Cherith. The longer Elijah stayed, the less he
saw himself as "ready." But as he was changed into simplicity by trusting God
at the most basic level, Elijah discovered that which we sometimes say: "less
is more."
The question for those called to
the Apostolic and Prophetic is this: How will you arrive at the place of
contentment with God and the basics? When will you perceive that God will move
you in new directions, but only after you become "content in whatever
circumstances?" (Php.4:11). Are you willing to stay firmly committed, even when
everything could fail? My 30 years of following God's call have shown me that
most react in the flesh to the changing conditions of Cherith, instead of
responding by the Spirit to God in faith. Most muster up some sort of assault
on the spiritual airwaves in full attack mode- sporting full "gadget and gizmo"
warfare regalia (shawls, flags, ground curse research, marketplace rallying,
etc.). When that fails, they condemn self or leadership. Sometimes, in the
desperate effort to breakthrough, they undertake all these efforts at the same
time!
What must really sadden the Lord
is that many only try to really, truly "activate" when they perceive a threat,
rather than consistently live led by the Spirit in order to advance regardless
of difficulty. But as Elijah experienced such dryness and hunger it simply
became the "shift" into transition of a new season rather the cause of
meltdown, spiritual psychosis, or blame and shame. THAT is positive change.
We should see the dryness of the
brook and hunger of the belly as the receding tide of the Spirit's move and
flow through our lives. Only when that tide is fully out can we see all that's
come in and been left by the previous wave. By seeing what that tide brought in
that is now so out obviously of place, we can deal with those issues and
prepare ourselves for what is next, for change is surely coming.
Instead, we often tend to want to
take authority over the ocean of the Lord (while either commanding Him, or
worse: the devil) to loose the flow once again. But the remaining debris in
plain view is God's graceful way of providing ample opportunity for us to
repair, restore, and prepare in order to get ready for what's next in maturity
and ministry.
Called Into Another Place
Times of dryness, inconsistency
in various types of support, or sudden barrenness in effectiveness can be God's
way of alerting us to changes that are ahead: positive changes of direction,
provision and (as a result) new anointing. This is seen so clearly because
after the brook completely dries up, Elijah is then called into another place.
It wasn't simultaneous; there was a time of lack. It wasn't instant, there was
a time of waiting. But what God had done with Elijah at Cherith had run its
course, fulfilled its purpose, and therefore it was over.
God's people get very defensive
about their "revivals," networks, ministries, movements, co-laboring ventures,
regional unity efforts, "churches" and denominations, etc. But in most those instances their efforts
manifest pride, stubbornness and rebellion. All of these "flows" of God are to
give way to the ongoing move of the Lord to see His people gather and prepare
all who will receive Him throughout the earth (Mt.24:14).
The manifestation of "church"
that WE build through our efforts will not last, regardless of how many we
inspire to help us or how many we leave behind to carry it on after we are
gone. It was not designed to (Psa.127:1-2; Jn.15:5). The Church Jesus came to
build WILL last forever, however, with Hell giving way to the rightful advance
(Mt.16:18). To be truly committed to what Jesus wants to build through us, it
requires a Supernatural Exchange. That means we must reject the fallacy that we
can build for Jesus. That work of the flesh cannot stand. It is in a constant
state of flux. It depends on the strength and expertise of people or methods.
It is ultimately doomed to fail- requiring to be done over and over again with
no end in sight and constantly subject to the whims of Jezebel.
What will keep you and yours from
being "cast forth as a branch and . . .
withered; and men gather(ing) them, and cast(ing) them into the fire and they
are burned?" (Jn.15:6)
Do you realize, that- as Elijah-
you are being called to know God in the most totally dependent way? Are you
resolute in your dependence on God?
Is there any evidence you are
content? Is there thanks and gratefulness instead of complaining? Can you be
called forward to receive a new provision and become fruitful in a new way?
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