The gentle whisper of God’s voice.

• There is this human expectation that God only speaks in big things, that He is not involved in the small things.
• We expect the loud voice of the God but we failed to hear His gentle whisper.
• The Hebrew word for whisper is “Demanah” which is translated as “silence”. The sound of silence.
• The whisper of God voice is sometimes just a simple nudge, a dream, a picture, an idea, a scripture.

Elijah knew the God that answers by fire and brimstone, but he did not know the God who speaks with a gentle whisper.

“O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” (1 Kings 18:36-37 NLT)

• God answers Elijah’s prayer in a loud “voice”

Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!” (1 Kings 18:38-39 NLT)

• We look for the fire, the lighting but we ignore his gentle whisper. So much so that the voice of the enemy is louder in our minds and our hearts.
• “The voices of the world are loud and sparse, but the voice of God is a constant whisper.” Benjamin Elger
• The enemy’s voice can only produce one thing: fear.

When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” (1 Kings 19:1-2 NLT)

• He allowed the enemy’s voice to be loud in his heart and mind. Fear came in!

Elijah was afraid and fled for his life… Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” (1 Kings 19:3-4 NLT)

• Elijah was so fearful that he asked God to take his life. He was done!
• Fear can stop you from being who you are. Fear can stop you from hearing His voice.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of POWER and of LOVE and of a SOUND MIND. (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJ)

• God has not given a spirit of fear. Fear does not come from God.

Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.” (1 Kings 19:5-7 NLT)

• The voice of God is always much clearer from a position of rest.

So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. (1 Kings 19:5-7 NLT)

After 40 days of being on the run he finds himself hiding in a cave.

Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9 NLT)

• Elijah was there in that cave because he wanted to hear from God.

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. (1 Kings 19:11-12 NLT)

• God was not playing hide and seek with Elijah. God was teaching Elijah a lesson.
• Elijah’s past experience was always the loudness of God’s voice.
• Sometimes our past experiences can set the wrong expectations.

And after the fire there was THE SOUND OF A GENTLE WHISPER. When ELIJAH HEARD IT, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (1 Kings 19:12-13 NLT)

• God spoke in a gentle whisper and Elijah heard it!
• Not just heard it, but he also felt His presence!

His gentle whisper reveals His gentle nature.

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4 NLT)

• God whispers because He is close.

CONCLUSION:
What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?