Linda Buishas
At the entrance of Charis Bible College, Colorado, there’s a sign: “Welcome to your place called there.” It’s there to remind the students of the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 17. God told Elijah to hide by the Brook Cherith and God would send ravens to feed him there, and Elijah obeyed. God is always faithful, but if Elijah hadn’t been obedient, he wouldn’t have experienced the provision God had planned for Him “there.”
After the brook dried up, God led Elijah to a widow where he asked her to give him the last of her food. Because of their faith and obedience, the supplies were not used up until the drought ended several years later.
We each have a “place called there” where God has already provided all that we need to fulfill His purpose. If we don’t go where God sends us, we may not only miss our own provision, but others would miss whatever God intended to provide for them through us.
People are suffering, in their souls and bodies and spiritually, because they don’t know their authority as Believers or their value to Jesus. They don’t know their identity in Christ. God uses us not because we are qualified, but because we are willing to tell them the truth.
Elijah had influence, because people are drawn to the truth. He was a threat to the king because of it. We should be a threat to evil, as well.
A few weeks ago, the life of a man who loved the Lord was ended because he boldly spoke the truth. He was in his “place called there.” Satan hated him because of his faith and influence. This man is now alive with our Lord, not because he was perfect, but because he proclaimed Jesus as his Savior. His influence lives on. Satan didn’t win.
When we obey Psalm 37:4-5: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass,” and Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you,” God’s desires become our desires, and peace comes from trusting Him. This is one of the surest ways we can receive direction from God to our “place called there.”
“Go” can be in the form of a desire that makes our hearts leap with joy, stirs our hearts, or brings peace, knowing it’s the Holy Spirit. “Go” means whatever God has put in our hearts to do. It will always be greater than anything we could manage on our own (Isaiah 55:8-9).
There is an anointing in being obedient to God. Great joy and purpose come when we allow His desires to be our desires. If we aren’t experiencing God’s peace and provision, could it be because we aren’t in our “place called there”?