March 20, 2021
A Strange Time for Fear
In 1 Kings 18, Elijah experienced one of the most dynamic victories in all of Scripture. Armed with unflinching faith in the Lord, he faced down 450 priests of the local false deities. God moved mightily, destroying the idolaters and bringing glory to Himself throughout Israel. What a fantastic win!
But right after this confrontation, when Elijah’s faith should have been at its peak, he became scared. In today’s reading, the prophet learned that the evil queen Jezebel had called for his death. Apparently forgetting God’s mighty victory just moments before, Elijah ran away. How could this be?
Elijah’s story reminds us that success and spiritual growth do not necessarily go hand in hand; our faith can waver at any time. In fact, when we’re successful and confidence is high, that’s often when we turn our eyes away from the Giver of strength and toward ourselves.
Your victory is always in God’s hands. Don’t be fooled: He may work in, around, or through you to accomplish His purpose, but it is always His victory. Have you been distracted by success? Turn your eyes back to God. All praise and glory are rightly His. And He is also the source of freedom from fear.
Bible in One Year: Judges 20-21
