A Still, Small Voice - Pastor Stacey Shiflett

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A Still Small Voice

1 Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Intro: In 1 Kings 19, Elijah was struggling.

·        In spite of the tremendous victory on Mt. Carmel, he was struggling.

·        In spite of praying for rain and it rained, he was struggling.

·        In spite of outrunning a chariot, he was struggling.

He was running for his life from a devil-possessed woman named Jezebel.

It was easier for him to kill hundreds of false prophets than to confront one power-trippin’ woman.

He ended up running from her for over a month.

The Bible says he went for forty days.

Then he went and hid in a cave. Vs. 9

God came to him and spoke to him in verse 9.

Several things I noticed about this story.

1. God’s questions were identical. - vs. 9 and 13

“What doest thou here, Elijah.”

2. Elijah’s answer was identical. - vs. 10 and verse 14

“And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

The only thing that changed was THE TONE OF VOICE THAT GOD USED.

NOTE: The voice of God can be like thunder.

·        Job 40:9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

Psalms 29

·        3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

·        4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

·        5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.

·        7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

·        8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.

·        9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests:

Make no mistake – God sometimes chooses to speak through a great strong wind that can rent the mountains.

In Exodus 19, God spoke through all of these manners.

·        16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.

I believe we could all agree that in the previous chapter, 1 Kings 18:38 that God spoke through the fire.

·        38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

·        39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

But do not underestimate the STILL, SMALL VOICE!!

In this story, God chose to communicate with Elijah through a STILL, SMALL VOICE.

But to the Child of God, trust me when I say, you would much prefer the STILL, SMALL VOICE!

·        John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

The word STILL means whisper, calm

The word SMALL means thin, small, fine

In this Old Testament story, I saw many characteristics of the STILL, SMALL VOICE of the Holy Spirit that works today.

A Still, Small Voice has the power to…

I. Disarm

When Adam and Eve encountered God in the Garden, they hid themselves.

·        Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

When Moses encountered the voice of God in Exodus 3:6, he hid his face.

·        4 …God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

·        6…And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

When Elijah heard that still, small voice, he wrapped his face in his mantle.

·        13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle

There is something very disconcerting about that still, small voice.

There is something very unnerving when God uses that still, small voice.

It will take the fight out of you, and it will humble you before Him.

That STILL, SMALL VOICE will take the sword right out of your hand.

God knows how to make you weak, vulnerable and receptive.

He will not always use a loud voice, or a thundering voice.

Sometimes, just a still small voice is all it takes to get us in a frame of mind to listen.

A Still, Small Voice has the power to…

II. Dislodge

Notice where Elijah was a the beginning of this conversation.

·        9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him,

He was in a cave, and the Bible says he LODGED there.

The word LODGE means to abide or to rest.

·        13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.

That still, small voice had the power to get Elijah up and out of that cave.

WHEN ELIJAH HEARD IT…HE WENT OUT.

Some of the greatest conversations you’ll ever have will be when God uses that STILL, SMALL VOICE.

Some of the most life-changing words you’ll ever hear will come in the form of a STILL, SMALL VOICE.

It will force you out of your comfort zone.

It will drag you out of your place of rest and relaxation.

It will pull you out of your hiding place.

A Still, Small Voice has the power to…

III. Dispatch

Notice how the conversation with God starts out in verse 15.

One word. One powerful word. One life-altering word. - “Go.”

How many times have the people of God heard that word?

How many times has God used that STILL, SMALL VOICE to dispatch one of His servants?

Philip in Acts 8:26.

·        Acts 8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

Saul in Acts 9:

·        Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Ananias in Acts 9:

·        10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

·        11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

Peter in Acts 10.

TURN TO Acts 10

·        13 And there came a voice to him,

·        15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time,

·        17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made enquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate,

·        18 And called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there.

·        19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

·        20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.

Tell me that the STILL, SMALL VOICE of God does not have the power to DISLODGE AND DISPATCH YOU!!!

Even if you are backslid and running from God, God knows where you are and how to get to you!!

What about the prodigal son in Luke 15?

·        17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

·        18 I will arise and go to my father…

A Still, Small Voice has the power to…

IV. Disrupt

There is something very disruptive to the lives of people when God

Notice the chain reaction of this one conversation with God when He used that STILL, SMALL VOICE.

God told Elijah to go to Damascus and anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. – vs. 15

How many people’s lives do you think this disrupted?

Then God told him to go to anoint Jehu to be king over Israel. – vs. 16

How many people’s lives do you think this disrupted?

Then he told him to go anoint Elisha to be the next prophet after he was gone. – vs. 16b

How many people’s lives do you think this disrupted?

Notice the extended plan of God concerning these three anointings.

·        1 Kings 19:17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

The STILL, SMALL VOICE of God reveals the deep, omniscient and omnipotent mind of God.

While Elijah was hiding in the cave, God was planning long-term events for multiple kingdoms.

God had a plan; a strategy; a coordinated effort with contingencies for every possible outcome.

Do not underestimate the STILL, SMALL VOICE!!

It might be STILL, but it can DISLODGE, DISPATCH AND DISRUPT!

It might be SMALL, but it can APPOINT KINGS and ANOINT PROPHETS.

That STILL, SMALL VOICE can orchestrate an escape-proof plan for the enemies of God!

That STILL, SMALL VOICE can strategize a fool-proof series of ways to slay them with the sword!

A Still, Small Voice has the power to…

V. Disprove

From the beginning of this chapter, Elijah was operating under false assumptions.

Elijah was struggling and it was all based on vain imaginations and bad information.

Elijah was fearful and suicidal and discouraged because he thought he was the only one serving God.

Notice his attitude in verse 4.

·        1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Notice his words in verse 10 and in verse 14.

·        And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

But God didn’t leave him in that frame of mind.

Before the conversation ended, God disputed Elijah and God disproved him.

God completely dismantled the narrative and set the record straight.

God let Elijah know that his attitude was wrong, his thinking was wrong and his information was wrong.

·        18 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.

In other words, God didn’t just say, “You’re wrong.”

God said, “You are BAD wrong!!”

How many times has God come to us in a STILL, SMALL VOICE and shown us just how wrong we are?

Conclusion: When God uses that STILL, SMALL VOICE to CONVERSE with you, LISTEN!

·        That Still, Small Voice has the power to…CONVICT you.

·        That Still, Small Voice has the power to… CONVERT you.

·        That Still, Small Voice has the power to… CONVINCE you.