The prophet Elijah, a model of Seer

• 1. Becoming a SeerTrainingyourSpiritualVision

2. Learning to Prophesy MinistryMarco Lafebre.August 21, 2014 3. Elijah as a model of Seer 4. When there is no word of God : There is lack of spiritual knowledge. Bondages are laid upon people keeping them inchains. An spiritual exile takes place, as you are banishedfrom the land where your blessings and inheritanceare, and you become an alien in areas out of yourpromised land. People dont care about moral principles. People just simple forget Gods Word. They live their own lives as if indeed they were theowners of their lives. 5. When leaders are not Godly: Evil people get out of boundaries. Gods commandments have no effect. An atmosphere without law is rampant. An evil vision brings poverty. Gods vision brings prosperity. In times like these, the Lord communicates to HisProphets and Seers revelation of His purposes. 6. The Prophet Elijah Elijah means Yahweh is my God. He lived in a time of: Witchcraft, spiritual darkness, sexual perversity. There was a lack of Gods Word, famine. Jezebel was reigning with intimidation and fear. She trained prophets. She had 450 Baals prophets. 7. God uses Elijahto speak out His Word God uses Elijah to send His Word into thisfamine of Gods word. After delivering the Word of God, he wentthrough an intense training His training consisted to: Overcome strong emotional changes. Geographical changes. All the circumstances that Elijah wentthrough, helped him to become A VOICE,not an echo or just a sound. 8. A voice A voice utters words, phrases, ideas, plansand has full understanding of what issaying. Becoming a voice of God implies that youare delegated to speak in His name. An echo is a repetition of a voice, has nofull knowledge of what is saying, andeventually will deteriorate and disappear. A sound is simply a noise, at momentscan be very disturbing. 9. 1 Kings 17 (NKJV)Elijah Proclaims a Drought17 And Elijah the Tishbite, of theinhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab,As the LORD God of Israel lives,before whom I stand, there shallnot be dew nor rain these years,except at my word. 10. Elijah comes into scene Elijah comes and confronts King Ahab. He declares a drought that will end up only at his Word. Elijah, doesnt fix his eyes in the natural seeing King Ahabstanding in front of him, but he boldly declares that hestands before the God of Israel. He choses to look anddeclare the supernatural. God knows that His voice (Elijah) needs some training tomaster the handling of Gods power, the presence andauthority of God, so he can be able to confront defeat anddestroy the power of Jezebels witchcraft. So God commands his steps. All Elijahs struggles helped him to be equipped and gavehim security that the calling, the anointing, the authorityand the mantle that God has put upon him, was his bestand only source of strength to defeat the evil power ofJezebel. 11. Today as in Elijah times There is a famine of Gods Word. Reading of the Bible, prayer in public places, namingGods name is banned; and those who defy this ungodlylaws are facing opposition and its consequences . The Godly concept of family and marriage isdowntrodden But God is releasing His Prophetic Word through thosewho as Elijah, are willing to isolated themselves withGod to be able to listen what God has to say. God wants to train His people. He needs more Seers that can be able to see and hearHis voice and be willing to deliver it unto others. 12. 1 Kings 17:2-4 (NKJV)2 Then the word of the LORD came tohim, saying, 3 Get away from hereand turn eastward, and hide by theBrook Cherith, which flows into theJordan. 4 And it will be that you shalldrink from the brook, and I havecommanded the ravens to feed youthere. 13. From Samaria to theBrook CherithOne of the firstthings that Godwill do when Heis preparing usfor a task isseparate us fromthe eyes ofpeople, in a wayHe captures youfor his own. He isjealous andwants your fullattention. 14. Elijah trained todepend on the Lord.Depending onthe Lord for hissustenance ,The natural andsupernaturalmeet here aspart of histraining tolearn how torely on God. 15. After confronting King Ahab God orders Elijah to go to the east of the JordanRiver and hide himself close to the Brook Cherith. This hiding is not of fear, but God separates Elijahfrom the eyes of the world. Elijah is isolated in this place with God. Cherith is a place of: Circumcision, test, where you put off the flesh. In this place Elijah is delivered and transformed,his fears and the old life died here. This is necessary in order to be able to move in theSpirit. 16. Trusting in Gods provision Here Elijah learned to depend on God, both, in thenatural, and in the supernatural provision for hissustenance. The brook was a natural provision for his thirst. The ravens acting against their natural instinctwhere supernaturally ordered by God to feedElijah. At the same time, all his religious ideas werechallenged in this place, his mind was beentransformed as he was leaning on the Lord. 17. Cheriths provisionlasted just for a time. Famine and drought bring both spiritual and materialchange, poverty and death. The brook that calmed Elijahs thirst dried up. The ravens stop bringing the daily food. When we speak the Word of God, it will affect notjust others, but we will feel its effect as well. Ourenvironment will change! By Elijahs command there was no rain, consequentlythe brook eventually dried up. 18. 1 Kings 17:8-10 (NKJV) Elijah and the Widow of Sarepta 8 Then the word of the LORD came to him,saying, 9 Arise, go to Zarephath, whichbelongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, Ihave commanded a widow there toprovide for you. 10 So he arose and wentto Zarephath. And when he came to thegate of the city, indeed a widow wasthere gathering sticks. And he called toher and said, Please bring me a littlewater in a cup, that I may drink. 19. From Cherith toZarephathChanging from aphysical locationto another,brings us as wellto a differentspiritualatmosphere.Elijah nowdepends more onthe Lord, so nowhis training is ofa different type. 20. Elijahs WarfaretrainingZarephath becomesthe place of warfaretraining. Here Elijahlearns to exercise hisGods given authorityand confronts theevil king and priestEthbaal who isJezebel's father.Again, God separatesElijah and sends himto a foreign countryto depend on a poorwidow who will takecare of him. 21. Zarephath or Sarepta Zarephath= place of death, place of melting andrefining Doors= Authority, greater opportunities. Here Elijah learned to exercise his authority overthe enemy. Here Ethbaal, Jezebels father was king and priest. Ethbaal = with Baal, or for Baal. So there was an spiritual confrontation in the place The true God against an idol god. 22. Elijah carries the fire. The Sidonean widow, and her son are about to dieof hunger. She is collecting sticks for the fire. She is doing the work of a child, children dontcarry fire; only the Father or mother will kindle thefire. Elijah comes as the father of Israel, to be trainedhow to call down fire upon the sacrifice. The widows sacrifice is accepted and kindled bythe fire of God that Elijah brings to her place. 23. Bring down the Fire of God. Elijah is trained to bring down the fire of Godto consume sacrifices that are acceptable toHim. The faith of Elijah in Gods promise is shownby his request of help to the widow. Its followed by a declaration that prosperitywill come into her life after first helping him. God accepted their demonstration of faith andprosperity was for the widow who in turnhelped Elijah. 24. 1 Kings 18:1-2 (NIV)18 After a long time, in the third year,the word of the LORD came to Elijah:Go and present yourself to Ahab, andI will send rain on the land. 2 SoElijah went to present himself to Ahab.Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 25. In Three years Elijah isconformed into the image ofChrist. 3 means conform. Rom 8:29b NKJV predestined tobe conformed to the image of His Son. In here, Elijah is being conformed in the three areas ofhis being: Spirit, soul and body. Here he learns to obey, to imitate God, he is called to bea copy of God. His spirit is enriched with the freedom of Gods Spirit. His mind is transformed so he may have Gods thoughts.(1 Cor 2:16 But we have the mind of Christ) His emotions come under control. His will suffered change, isnt there anymore, Gods is. 26. 1 Kings 18:7-8 (NKJV)7 Now as Obadiah was on his way,suddenly Elijah met him; and herecognized him, and fell on his face,and said, Is that you, my lordElijah?8 And he answered him, It is I. Go,tell your master, Elijah ishere. 27. Obadiah knows Elijah. Obadiah is afraid that when he returns with kingAhab he would not be in the place, as he issupposing the Lord could take Elijah to unknownplaces as He has done it before. Elijah calm him down promising that he isinterested in meeting with Ahab. The time to confront and start the destruction ofJezebels reign of witchcraft, terror andmanipulation has come. Elijah is eagerly following Gods instruction andwants to confront King Ahab. Ahab wants to destroy Elijah, so they met. 28. 1 Kings 18:41-46 (NKJV) The Drought Ends 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat anddrink; for there is the sound of abundanceof rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink.And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; thenhe bowed down on the ground, and put hisface between his knees, 43 and said to hisservant, Go up now, look toward the sea. So he went up and looked, and said, Thereis nothing. And seven times he said, Goagain. 29. Elijah prays, his servant issent to look toward the sea. 30. Elijah heard from God:I will send rain on the land. He believes God, he visualizes the coming rain, heearnestly prays for what he sees in the spirit tocome to pass in the physical; he sends his servantto look towards the sea from where rain shouldcome. His servant comes with a negative report, hecannot see what his master sees, apparently hedoesnt really care too much about spiritualthings. Seven times Elijah had to send his servant untilfinally he comes notifying a cloud in formation. 31. 7 = complete,total, done. God wants us tolook intently into hispromises, so theycan become real forour benefit. Piercing through thenatural will open thedoor of the unseen,of that what is tocome but is notthere yet We need to look andlook until the objectof our searchingcomes in your visionspan. 32. 1 Kings 18:41-46 (NKJV) 44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, thathe said, There is a cloud, as small as a manshand, rising out of the sea! So he said, Go up,say to Ahab, Prepare your chariot, and godown before the rain stops you. 45 Now it happened in the meantime that the skybecame black with clouds and wind, and therewas a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and wentto Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the LORD cameupon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ranahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 33. 7 Means: Complete,finished, all. Elijah persisted in prayer until his request to God wascompleted, he knew his work was finished when hisservant informed of the cloud. Elijah doesnt require more. He knows that God is on themove and he decides to leave the place. But before doing that, as he cares for King Ahab, hesends with his servant word that he needs to run awaybefore his chariot gets stuck in the coming mud. The Spirit of God comes upon him and outruns the kingschariot. 34. Elijah runsfor his life.After killingBaal's prophets,Elijah ran fromthe furiousQueen Jezebel.He fled toBeersheba, theninto thewilderness, andfinally to MountHoreb (Sinai) ... 35. 1 Kings 19:3-4 (NKJV)Elijah runs for his life 3 And when he saw that, he arose andran for his life, and went to Beersheba,which belongs to Judah, and left hisservant there. 4 But he himself went a days journey intothe wilderness, and came and sat downunder a broom tree. And he prayed thathe might die, and said, It is enough!Now, LORD, take my life, for I am nobetter than my fathers! 36. Elijah under the broom tree Elijah allows fear to control him and runsfor his life. He goes with his servant and left him inBeersheba. He goes alone to thewilderness, he wants to find the Lord. Elijah tired and dejected seats to restunder a broom tree, as a prophetic actsaying: I need my mind to be swept out,to be dusted off. 37. 1 Kings 19:5-8 (NKJV) 5 Then as he lay and slept under a broomtree, suddenly an angel touched him, andsaid to him, Arise and eat. 6 Then helooked, and there by his head was a cakebaked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ateand drank, and lay down again. 7 And theangel of the LORD came back the secondtime, and touched him, and said, Arise andeat, because the journey is too great foryou. 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; andhe went in the strength of that food fortydays and forty nights as far as Horeb, themountain of God. 38. Angelic food and drink for Elijah 39. 40 Days and 40 Nights journey In here the forty days and forty nights journey is symbolic. 40 means: Acceptable or unacceptable rule; dominion. Elijah spends 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness beforehe reaches Mount Sinai. Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain when hewas receiving the law. Our Lord spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness as a partof His temptation. I believe the Lord was giving Elijah enough time to reflect andhave dominion over his fears and dejection, giving him time torule over these situation. 40. 1 Kings 19:9-10 (NKJV)9 And there he went into acave, and spent the night inthat place; and behold, theword of he LORD came to him,and He said to him, What areyou doing here, Elijah? 41. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV) Gods Revelation to Elijah 11 Then He said, Go out, and stand on themountain before the LORD. And behold, theLORD passed by, and a great and strong windtore into the mountains and broke the rocks inpieces before the LORD, but the LORD was notin the wind; and after the wind an earthquake,but the LORD was not in the earthquake;12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lordwas not in the fire; and after the fire a stillsmall voice. 42. 1 Kings 19:13 (NKJV)13 So it was, when Elijah heard it,that he wrapped his face in hismantle and went out and stood inthe entrance of the cave. Suddenlya voice came to him, and said,What are you doing here, Elijah? 43. Elijah wentout of thecave.Elijah heard thewhisper.Wraps his facewith his mantle.Went out andstood at theentrance of thecave.Then he hearsthe Voice of theLord. 44. 1 Kings 19:15-16 (NKJV)15 Then the LORD said to him: Go,return on your way to theWilderness of Damascus; and whenyou arrive, anoint Hazael as kingover Syria. 16 Also you shall anointJehu the son of Nimshi as king overIsrael. And Elisha the son ofShaphat of Abel Meholah you shallanoint as prophet in your place. 45. God does not acceptsudden resignationsGod requests Elijah to anoint twoKings, and toAnoint the Prophet that will replacehim.God is interested in restoring hisprophet and He let him know thathe still has some work to do. 46. 1 Kings 19:18 (NKJV) 18 Yet I have reserved seventhousand in Israel, all whose kneeshave not bowed to Baal, and everymouth that has not kissed him. 47. You are not alone. Elijah forgot that Obadiah told him that he hashidden 100 Prophets, 50 each in two differentcaves. He was not alone. The Lord informs him that He has reserved 7000 inIsrael. 50 meaning the accepted ministry of this prophets. 100 meaning fully accepted by God. 7000 meaning mature judgment. 48. ElijahreturnsFrom MountHoreb to theWilderness ofDamascus.Elijah hassome tasksto do. 49. In all this instances Elijah is visualizing things that areabout to come, before they would come into being. It was an introductory session to sensitize Elijah to laterfound himself in the presence of the Lord in a totaldifferent level. He was able to see his manifested power through thewind, the earthquake and the fire. He was able to detect the very presence of God when heheard the still small voice. He received direct orders from God about some task thathe had to do, 50. Some Scholars believe that this cave was the same onewhere Moses stood to see the Glory of God. Moses requested to see Gods Glory. God ordered Elijah to go out and stand before Hispresence. Both of them Heard Gods voice Moses got revelation of Gods name and characteristic. Elijah received orders and revelation of future Kings toreign and of whom would take his office. Both of them appeared with Jesus in the Mount ofTransfiguration. 51. Recommended Book GATEWAY to the SEER REALMLook again to see BEYOND the NaturalBarbie BreathittThis is an excellent book, I really encourage you to read it,it will transform your life. 52. Next Week We will meet again next Thursday and we will study theearly beginning of Prophet Elisha.