Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. – 1 Kings 19:2-3
As soon as Elijah won the battle in Mount Carmel, Jezebel threatened to kill him. At that moment, he did what we must not do: he looked at himself, his situation, his life, his potential death, and he ran away. Fearful, in despair, he wanted to die. Keeping his eyes on the Lord, he was victorious. When he looked at himself, he received defeat. What a valuable lesson for us!
The enemy tries to bring us to a place of anguish immediately after a breakthrough. We get battled before and during our steps of obedience, and even more after! The goal of our adversary is to stop us from doing again what we have pressed through to do and cause us to retreat into inactivity.
After we step out in faith and God moves through us, our human state is fragile, and we can be vulnerable to the conniving ways of our adversary. In those times, we must choose to be around the people of faith we trust and rest in the Lord’s strength. His peace protects us; His power frees us; and His love comforts us, from glory to glory!