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A New Normal

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2 Kings 1:7-10 The king asked, What was the man like who came to meet you saying these things? 8 They answered, He was a hairy man with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.9 Then the king sent to Elijah a captain of fifty men with his fifty [to seize him]. He found Elijah sitting on a hilltop and said, Man of God, the king says, Come down.10 Elijah said to the captain of fifty, If I am a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty. And fire fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

Years ago I was hiking above the mountains of Boulder, Colorado. As I looked to the south, towards the Pikes Peak – Colorado Springs region, I had a vision. In the vision I became aware that there was a showdown taking place between the true Followers of Jesus and the satanists that “coven-ed” (i.e., a coven of satanists) in that region. (Satanists and witches love high places). In the vision we had become an Elijah Company, challenging the satanists to call fire down from Heaven as Elijah had in 1 Kings 18 demonstrating Who was truly God. The reality of the vision scared me as I imagined myself being one of its participants.

In the passage from 2 Kings 1, King Ahaziah was dying and had sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub whether he would live or die. Jesus used this title to speak of satan (most translate it as Beelzebul) prince of demons, or lord of the flies. What’s interesting is that the King asks the messengers who had encountered the prophet, What was the man like? The messengers, and king shallowly described the prophet by his appearance – not by who he was. Which was unfortunate for the king and the soldiers he sent to arrest Elijah. If they had been listening, and looking with spiritual eyes they would have quickly discerned this was the man who called fire to fall from the sky on a water-logged sacrifice, consuming it and the rocky altar it was placed on. This was the man who called for the slaughter of over 900 prophets and priests of two false gods. He prayed that it wouldn’t rain for three and half years and it did not rain till he gave the word. This was no man. He was the Man of God. John 18:4-6 records a similar situation when Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of His crucifixion. When the temple police came to arrest Jesus, He inquired Whom they were seeking? They replied, Jesus the Nazarene. When Jesus said to them, I AM, they fell to the ground. It’s my opinion that they fell to the ground simply because they were well aware of this story, and did not wish to become a living sacrifice. In Acts 4, Peter and John were sequestered to appear on trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin and interrogated by asking, By what sort of power or by what kind of authority did [such people as] you do this [healing]? Peter responded with such power that Acts 4:13 notes: Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Jesus said to His disciples, If you have seen Me you have seen the Father. The fullness of the Godhead dwells within you. What’s blocking others from seeing who Jesus is in you? When someone queries, What are they like? Will they describe how you dress, or your physical demeanor? Or will they recognize you have been with Jesus? Are you scared to be identified with the Elijah company or are you ready for that to be your normal – because you have walked with Jesus in the Fire?

Striking Your Goliath

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..4 And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span…
…10 And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 11 When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid…
…16 And the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening. 1 Samuel 17:4,10,11,16

“The intercessor struck the giant a hundred times. On the hundredth blow, the giant fell. And then a voice asked, ‘Which blow was the most important?’”

Extended fasting can produce a breakthrough where other methods fail. Elijah’s experience with the forty day fast is a clear example of this. Elijah had just witnessed one of the most dramatic demonstrations of God’s power, yet despite this incredible victory on Mt. Carmel, Jezebel was still alive and dominating the land. Furious about the death of her prophets and under the possession of the spirit of Ashtoreth, Jezebel vowed to kill Elijah, who ran for his life. The Angel found Elijah on the verge of collapse and, after feeding him, the Lord initiated a forty day fast as Elijah journeyed to Mt. Horeb. I believe that this forty day fast was an act of spiritual warfare against Jezebel’s sorceries and that still today, the forty-day fast will help cleanse us from her influences.

In the book, ‘The Prophetic Whisper’ Richard Gazowsky shares the significance of a forty-day strategy that the Lord gave him:

“I am going to show you a secret vulnerability in Satan’s kingdom. His weakness is in the flies.” Later that day, we went to the Carmel Public Library and looked up the word “fly”...I discovered that the meaning of Beelzebub, one of the names of Satan is, “Lord of the Flies”...Scientists have discovered that flies have a reproductive period that lasts from four hours to over forty days, depending on the species. When pest controllers go to eradicate flies in a certain area, they spray pesticides every day for a forty-day period. If they destroy the reproductive cycles of presently existing flies, they can kill off a whole generation of future flies. I then saw what God was trying to show me...if a Christian will pray consistently for a forty day period he will be able to conquer most satanic strongholds in his life.

Not only did the forty-day fast break the power of Jezebel’s intimidation and influence, more importantly, it prepared Elijah to receive the most important commission of his life: to anoint Elisha.

Is there a Goliath in your life? Maybe that situation, addiction, or a stronghold is defying you. Your fast is a tremendous act of spiritual warfare. Take the stone of God’s word and sling it for forty days. Declare the victory of Christ over that thing that has taunted you. Goliath taunted the armies of Israel for 40 days and then came David with his stone and sling. Satan can’t hold on long, he is a sprinter. He may taunt for 40 days but your marathon stand could break Satan’s hold over you, your children and your circumstances. Let’s all move in faith for personal breakthroughs all over the world during this forty day fast.

Prayer: Father, we declare that this is the day of a breakthrough. God, we strike this giant over and over and over again with the stone of Your Word shot from the sling of our confession. We overcome our giants through your name. We declare before the powers of darkness taunting our lives that, “We overcome you by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of our testimony, and we love not our lives unto death.” Even now we shout in faith with the hosts of heaven, “Now salvation!” Revelation 12:10-11.