Vigilance After Spiritual Victory
Unless we are vigilant and watchful we will find ourselves overcome by the enemy immediately following some signal victory. Having gained the battle we are prone to lay off the armor and be less active and alert. But it does not take Satan long to recover from defeat. He steps in at the unguarded moment, and, ere we are aware of his presence, terror and confusion overcome us. This was true in the case of Elijah. He gained a signal victory at Mount Carmel, when God by the exhibition of fire from heaven witnessed to the faith of his servant. But the threat of Jezebel to serve him as he had served the prophets of Baal, reached Elijah in an unguarded moment. He who had defied the wicked and haughty Ahab to his face, and rebuked his false worship before all Israel, was now seized with terror and dismay, and fled to the desert to save his life. Elijah but manifested the weakness of his human nature. Let us learn from his experience the lesson designed of God for us. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom from Satan's power, and constant trust in God the only source of strength and steadfastness.