“Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu, grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as My prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha!”
1 Kings 19:15-17 NLT
What’s the first thing you do whenever you realize you’ve made a wrong turn? That’s right, I heard your responses. 😊 You try to get back to where you originally started. God did not tell Elijah to run when he was threatened, that was a decision he made on his own. Hence the question the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) asked him twice. “ What are you doing here?” Verses 9 & 13 in both instances the answer he gave was not the answer the Lord wanted to hear. Elijah was making it about himself. He basically said, I’m defending You, and they’re trying to kill me. God, I’m the only one left who has kept Your covenant. The Lord totally ignored his response and told him. “Your assignment isn’t done, so go back the way you came.”
Have you ever felt like you’re the only one who’s doing the right thing? He did. But that wasn’t the case. You’ll always feel alone when you run. Fear is a lonely place.
Going back is hard, especially if what you’re running from is still there. The Lord was in essence asking Elijah to face his fear. He didn’t tell him to take a different route, He instructed him to “go back the same way he came.” Sometimes your promotion will require you going back. To the world it makes no sense, but as children of God obedience is the path to true success.
Going back may also hold the key to someone else’s promotion along with your own. Elijah had no idea what the outcome would mean, his fear was replaced with an assignment to set in motion a series of events that would eventually take care of what had made him run in fear in the first place. Sometimes all it takes to change our perspective on the situation we’re facing, is a word from the Lord. His thought provoking question, refocuses us. Why are you here? What has brought you to the place where you are currently? If you’re fumbling around for the right response, it may be time to go back the same way you came. Your true potential may be locked up in your ability to face what you ran away from.
There will be times when what God asks us to do makes no sense. Going back, depending on what was behind it, can be a challenge, but our victory or defeat is also dependent upon who is telling us to go back. Elijah was also going back to anoint his replacement. But this was not a demotion as he would soon find out, but his own promotion. Elijah had convinced himself that he was the only person left who was still faithful to Jehovah. Life can feel like that at times, but we serve a big God with His faithful servants strategically placed all about us. God gave Elijah an assignment and assured him that He, God, had preserved seven thousand who have not deserted Him. By sending Elijah back the way he came, Elijah discovered that he had men just like himself who were just as dedicated and committed as he was.
The Lord commissioned him to anoint others to complete God’s plan, and also to anoint another prophet in his place. Elijah started the process of eliminating the false prophets of Baal, now the others would complete the assignment. What if he hadn’t gone back the same way he came? He would’ve missed his own promotion. For you see he was among only one other person, who never tasted natural death. (do you recall who that was from a previous message?) God literally sent heavenly transportation to bring him home. The enemy you fear is no match for the God who holds your assignment. Don’t be afraid to go back the way you came. If God told you to go back, do it. Your assignment isn’t over. The threat may be real, but God is realer. ( kids speak) 😊 His plans are bigger than your fears. Go back the way you came. Your future and that of others await your obedience.
Elijah may have run from Ahab’s wife, but Ahab benefited from him going back. The seven thousand turned out to be the army God used to defeat Israel’s enemies. And God allowed Elijah to face the enemy he had run away from. 1 Kings 21 -22 and 2 Kings 1. Elijah completed his assignment 2 Kings 2. Elisha replaced him just as the Angel of the Lord had spoken. Going back has its rewards. God’s plan for us will only be thwarted if we refuse to obey Him. But there will always be a Hazael, Jehu and an Elisha to carry out God’s plan or replace us. Wouldn’t you prefer to obey? Elijah did, and he went home in style. So my question for you is: Has the Lord instructed you to go back the same way you came? Did he ask you what were you doing where you are? What was your response? Did you make it about you? Or did His probing redirect you? Complete your assignment. Elijah couldn’t run away from his and neither can you.
What are you doing here ........? Go back the same way you came.......Never underestimate the power of your surrendered life. Many will tell you to stay in the safety of where you are, but is it really safer? Risk it all on Him, He’s got you. Finish what you’ve started out to do in obedience to God. Elijah did some pretty incredible things prior to his departure, but we also learned of a previously unmentioned incredible prophet Micaiah, a prophet Elijah in his fear thought never existed, doing some interesting things as well. Elijah was in the wrong place, but we serve a Good God who always finds us and helps us complete the work He began in us. 🙏
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant
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