Today’s song comes from a man who was drafted by the New York Mets to pursue a professional baseball career. Following his college career at a Community College in Mount Carmel, Illinois, Todd Dulaney believed the Lord was calling him to become a professional athlete. Yet, like any journey with God, you approach crossroads and as time passed Todd’s true calling was as a gospel singer.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? 56 Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [i][upon the soul] through [j][the abuse of] the Law. 57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.
Victory Belongs to Jesus is based upon the words of the apostle Paul in the passage above. While Todd doesn’t directly quote this verse in the lyrics, he sings about Jesus’ victory over death. While the Jewish leaders who convinced Pilate to crucify Jesus instead of Barabbas, John 18:40, God waited three days to complete this incredible comeback victory in the form of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.
The Bible refers to evil as any mindsetthat which is opposed to God and His purposes. While the word evil can refer to anything that causes harm, everything that contradicts the holy nature of God is considered evil in God’s eyes. With or without the moral dimension, evil has a way of infiltrating lives in subtle ways. When evil attaches itself to human lives, individuals will begin to act out in anger, often through emotional outbursts. Unfortunately, when evil behavior is confronted, defense mechanisms activate, forming a wall that can divide and further separate rocky relationships.
Elijah replied, I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, by forsaking the commandments of the Lord and by following the Baals. 19 Therefore send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of [the goddess] Asherah, who eat at [Queen] Jezebel’s table. 20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you halt and limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him! But if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word, 1 Kings 18:18-21.
As Christians mature in their faith, the goal is to recognize evil with a readiness to stand up to it as a moments notice. One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible occurs when Elijah persuades 950 secular prophets into a spiritual duel. Instead of using weapons, Elijah comes up with a proposal to call fire down from heaven. The winner of this challenge will be the first to have their God bring fire down from. Although no coin flip was used to determine the order, Elijah allows followers of Asherah and Baal to go first. If you read the entire passage, 1 Kings 18:18-29, Elijah is so confident that he begins taunting these unsuccessful prophets.
At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened. 28 And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with knives and lances until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 Midday passed, and they played the part of prophets until the time for offering the evening sacrifice, but there was no voice, no answer, no one who paid attention. 30 Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people came near him. And he repaired the [old] altar of the Lord that had been broken down [by Jezebel], 1 Kings 18:27-30.
When these secular prophets finally gave up, Elijah goes to extremes to prove that the God of Abraham is Lord. Instead of appeasing these prophets, Elijah repaired an altar previously smashed by his opponents and prepared an offering to God. To prove a point, Elijah fills the area around his sacrifice with water, knowing what His Lord was about to do. On this day upon Mount Carmel, Elijah stared evil in the face and won. According to eye witnesses of this miracle, God sent fire down from heaven, consumed Elijah’s sacrifice and licked up all of the water in the trench that was dug. As evil continues to ravage cities, communities and states, may Elijah’s testimony inspire readers to be fearless before evil today.
Throughout the course of history, unusual events have occurred which defy the laws of gravity. Skeptics argue that reality has been embellished, like a fishing story, changing each time it is told. Meanwhile, just when it appears you understand the mind of God, a twist of fate leaves you dumbfounded, unable to comprehend why something happened.
On top of Mount Carmel, like a classic western movie, Elijah challenges King Ahab’s prophets to a duel. However, guns are replaced by fire, with the winner burning up the hopes of the loser’s god. According to 1 Kings 18:36-39, Elijah was victorious as the Lord God answered his prayer, sending fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice soaked in water. Unfortunately, this mountain top experience was short lived.
When a king is publicly embarrassed, it usually doesn’t go well for the man that brought him disgrace. Being a poor loser, King Ahab complains to his wife, the most wicked woman in the kingdom, 1 Kings 19:1. Not ready to accept defeat, Queen Jezebel fires back with a death threat, vowing to send a hitman to kill Elijah, 1 Kings 19:2. Forgetting the power of God, Elijah ran down the mountain into a valley of despair, wanting to die than face this trial, 1 Kings 19:3-4.
The average person lives in this valley, where heartbreak, pain and setbacks are a daily occurrence. A spirit of depression hovers over this valley, like a stationary dark cloud, waiting for winds of change. However, the forecast for change looks bleak, leaving a state of hopelessness in your heart.
Dr. Love sends a messenger with a recipe for healing in 1 Kings 19:5-9. Thinking out of the box, God sends an angel to fulfill this subscription of sleep. Although Solomon urges people to avoid slumber in Proverbs, sometimes the best thing for depression is rest. Getting up twice to eat, the food draws Elijah back into a deep sleep. Once revitalized, its time to go back up the mountain.
Whether you are presently on the mountain top, half way or in the valley, God’s voice is only a whisper away, 1 Kings 19:10-13. However, we need to get our lives straightened out before you can have full reception, Isaiah 1:15. If you follow the directions in Isaiah 1:16-17, there is a wonderful promise of hope. Don’t delay in fulfilling; Come reason with God today so you can rise on wings like eagles to the peak, Isaiah 40:31.
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