Are You Laboring Under An Erroneous Impression?

 

 

Satan loves to "toy" with the minds of God's people. And he is no respecter of persons in doing so. He especially targets those who are on the front lines of battle.

Perhaps you find yourself today - overwrought, disheartened, and feeling all alone - due to the circumstances which are happening around you.

Don't ever forget - you are never alone! Emmanuel is with you.

 

"Despair of success hinders many a good enterprise. No one is willing to venture alone, forgetting that those are not alone who have God with them." - Matthew Henry Commentary

 

Right now, in what you are facing - do you feel as though you are alone? Do you feel as though no one else is going through what you are going through? Certainly, no one is suffering quite like you are. Others may have trials - but none can compare to yours.

 

Believe it or not! This is erroneous thinking! Satan is playing with your mind here! You need to recognize it and stop these thoughts from going any further. You may not realize it - but you are getting very close - if you haven't already done so - of accusing God of being very unfair and unjust.

 

There was one mighty servant in the Bible who felt all alone - yet he was deceived in his thinking. He thought that he was the only zealous prophet taking a stand for the Lord. Kill this last servant of the Lord, and the work of the Kingdom of God was over! That prophet's name was Elijah.

 

Read what the Scriptures say about him concerning this issue -

"Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men"(1 Kings 18:22).

"And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thy altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away"(1 Kings 19:10).

"Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down Thy altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life"(Romans 11:3).

 

Notice what he said here -

"...I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD..."

"...I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts..."

"...I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away..."

"...I am left alone, and they seek my life..."

 

Elijah's focus was on himself and his negative circumstances - rather than being on the Big Picture - God's work being down in the kingdoms of this earth.

 

Was it possible for Satan to wipe out God's Last Mouthpiece? Would the Lord God Almighty be without a "voice" in this earth?

 

To the above questions - you easily and readily answer - "No" - yet Elijah felt that it was all over for him, Israel, and God's work.

 

This is what happens when we focus on ourselves and our negative circumstances - when we lose sight of the fact that God - not the devil - is in total control of things!

 

"I, even I only..." remain in the office of a prophet - rebuking and standing against all evil in my realm of influence. I have served God earnestly and spectacularly and now I am feeling apart and rejected. I am the only faithful one around. No one else seems to want to take a stand against all the gross idolatry in the land. Many of God's so-called people are in sin - they have abandoned His worship for the things of this world... forsaken the preaching of the Cross and the Blood of Jesus...and persecute and ridicule any who  dare to preach a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun or emphasize the believer's victory over sin in thought, word, and deed.   

 

"...I am left alone..." - I have none to support or encourage me. Most of God's people are lavishly supporting the False Prophets in the land.  

 

"...I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts..." - Could there be a greater time of spiritual declension or distress than now? The entire Church seems to be running after money, the things of this world, and pleasure. The leaders are corrupt - and the people love to have it so! Yet, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts. But it seems as though I have labored in vain - all my endeavors have been to no purpose. I might as well give up for I cannot change what only God can change.

 

Perhaps these have been your thoughts lately - as you endeavored to labor for the Lord.

 

He wants to inform you today that you are not alone. He - Who sees in secret - knows all things. He knows all those who are His.

 

In Elijah's case, there were 7,000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal, yet he felt as though he was the sole adherent of true religion in the land.

 

Perhaps today - among your peers - you are feeling rather alone in your stand for righteousness. Or you may feel as though no one is suffering quite as severely as you are.

 

Would it be safe to say that there are 7,000 others who feel the same way you do - or are experiencing the same heartache - if not worse?

 

Watch out for an erroneous impression - while laboring for the Lord.

Always remember - God will not be without a people - and what you are enduring at the present moment - countless thousands have already experienced before you.

 

Keep your focus on the Big Picture - God's Kingdom Purposes. 

 

Elijah said - "...I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD..."(1 Kings 18:22).

God said - "Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him"(1 Kings 19:18).

 

What are you saying at the present time?

And how would God respond? 

 

Determine from this moment onward that you will not allow Satan to give you an erroneous impression on your circumstances. 

 

The truth of the matter is this - 

you are not alone in your suffering.