The Hand of the Lord
Dear Friends,
The bible talks to us about the hand of the Lord. Anytime you see “the hand of the Lord” you can bet something is about to happen or has already happened. The hand of the Lord is a symbol of action. This is mentioned in 1 Kings 18:46 “Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.” The hand of the Lord is a hand of grace, power, and anointing that brings us beyond our self and our abilities. Hand is a symbol of strength and power that assist us, encourages and supports us. This shows us the supernatural strength with which the Lord endowed him to accomplish His will. Was this a random act of God as He chooses? Would this be available to anyone? If so, what is necessary to prepare ourselves to step into this position? Let’s look a little further into this account given us in the Word.
Verse 41 says, “Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” King James Version says, “There is the sound of the abundance of rain.” Yet, there was not a cloud in the sky. So, what does cloudless rain sound like? The word sound is also translated voice. He heard the voice of the Lord proclaiming abundance!! This was not a natural sound. Jesus said, “I came to give you life more abundantly.” Do you hear the sound of it? Do you need the natural clouds (signs), to prove it is coming or that it is here?
Rain was the promise of God for the end of the drought. When Elijah heard the sound of the roar, the abundance of rain, he was hearing the abundance of the promise.
Verse 42 “So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.” Elijah was in a position of humility before the Lord. (In the dispensation we live in, the position is in our heart if not in the posture). Elijah was thankful to the Lord for the honor of being His vessel at the sacrifice before the prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 18). Now he is again, before the Lord praying for the promised manifestation, for the glory of the Lord to be shown.
Next, Elijah sends his servant to look for the rain in verse 43. “He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times.” This is a great symbol of the human spirit, and the soul. The human spirit declares, and the soul is to be the lookout for the manifestation. The soul reports: ‘I see nothing, there is no manifestation in my mind, emotions, feelings, or senses.” Elijah, the symbol of the human spirit, didn’t back off from the truth.
The human spirit is the master that speaks direction – the soul is the servant that is to listen and so what he is told. The servant is to be told, not to be consulted with!! When Jesus performed a miracle at Canaan, the servants were told, “Whatever He says, do it!!” The human spirit is to be fixed on the Word, the soul is to be given direction. In the will of the soul, it is determined whether the servant is rebellious or submitted. Elijah told his servant keep looking until you see what I hear. The servant obeyed.
Our soul tells us, “I see nothing.” The human spirit says look again and keep looking, it’s coming!!! The human spirit does not let go. The human spirit didn’t send the servant back one time, then back off because the servant didn’t have a good report. Sent him back 7 times. Keep the soul busy so you don’t have to hear it too much. Discipline it!!! Go back, keep going, don’t back off, don’t stop until you see what I am saying that agrees with what the Lord said to me. The soul is wrong if it does not agree with the Word of God.
Verse 44 “It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’ The soul is to see and report even the slightest change. If we dwell in dry places, small things mean nothing. The cloud was like a man’s hand, or the hand of the Lord? Immediately Elijah prepared for the results.
Verse 45 “In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.” In a little while, after the first report of the slightest manifestations, and agreement of soul and spirit, results were taking place. The master, the human spirit- and the servant, the soul, have come together saying the same thing in agreement with the Word of the Lord.
Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah (symbol of the human spirit), with power, anointing, grace, that brought him beyond himselfand took even his soul into the promises of God.
What are you hearing? What is your soul reporting? Are you in agreement? You are the master that tells your soul what to expect and what to look for. Don’t settle for anything less than what the Word of the Lord has said. The reports will line up with the promise and the resultant manifestations will follow in a little while.
The Hand of the Lord will come upon you, and you will take flight in His grace, power and anointing.
I have preached myself happy!!! I hope you are excited as I am right now!!!
Pastor Bob