CALLED OUT OF CAVES

1 Kings 19:9-10

9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10  He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

I. YOUR CAVE MAY EXPLAIN YOUR MOMENT, BUT IT DOES NOT EXCUSE YOUR MOVEMENT

Psalm 139:7-10

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I run away from where You are?  8  If I go up to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in the place of the dead, You are there!  9  If I take the wings of the morning or live in the farthest part of the sea,  10  even there Your hand will lead me and Your right hand will hold me.

II. GOD’S WORD BREAKS WHAT FEAR BUILT

1 Kings 19:11-13

11  The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  12  After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Numbers 23:19

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Romans 10:17

17  So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

III. WHEN YOU STAY IN A CAVE TOO LONG, YOUR PAIN STARTS PREACHIN

1 Kings 19:13-14

13  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14  He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

Proverbs 18:1-2

18 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. 2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Psalm 34:18

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

IV. GOD CALLS YOU OUT OF THE CAVE BECAUSE PURPOSE IS STILL WAITING

1 Kings 19:15-18

15  The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16  Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet.  17  Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.  18  Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Romans 11:2-5

2  God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?  3  “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4  But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”  5  So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

Romans 5:8

8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9

9  If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

2 Corinthians 5:17

17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!