Turning Points:“Finding God In The Whisper”

 Turning Points

Introduction:

Good morning church. Thank you for worshipping with us this morning. My name is Stuart Davidson and I am the pastor here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church. I want to welcome you and if you are watching online this morning, we are glad that you are worshipping with us as well. 

Over the last 6 weeks, we have been working through a series entitled “Turning Points”. Before I go any further, I want to thank Bryant Thompson for preaching for me last week. He did an exceptional job and I really appreciate him teaching for me while I was away. I also want to thank you friends. I feel so blessed to serve at a church that supports me being with my family during important milestones in the lives of my children. My oldest son Jay was playing in his first collegiate baseball game in Shreveport, LA. So thank you for Bryant and thank you church for loving and supporting my family. 

Turning Points. Last week Bryant examined the story of David being confronted by Nathan. The week before that, we looked at Rehab’s story. We have also learned about Moses, Jacob, and Abraham. In each case, each character experienced a moment of trail, a moment of decision, an event where they could have made one decision that would have led to disaster and disappointment. Instead, they took the route of faith, the road of dependance, and that singular decision led to their deliverance. 

Friend, have you ever had one of those “turning points” sort of moments? Can you look back at your life and think of a moment where you had to make a bold decision? Maybe you heard God’s voice. You heard Him speaking to you, narrating your decision, and you were obedient to His quiet voice. You look back at that decision today and realize that was a life defining, life altering event.

Speaking of hearing God’s quiet voice. Today’s message is entitled “Finding God In The Whisper”.

Today’s Message:

“Finding God In The Whisper”

I can remember a couple of those instances in my life. A couple of times where God’s still small voice spoke and led to a major turning point in my life. This first instance  was not made by me, it was made by my father in law Chuck Ashley. Angela and I met in 1995. We had been dating a year. It was the summer of 1996. My father in law was a Colonel in the Air Force. The Air Force had given Chuck a decision. He would either retire or he could be moved to Washington, D.C. to work at the Pentagon. Angela and I knew instinctively that if her family were displaced to D.C. that our relationship would be over. The conveniences of our modern world did not exist. No internet to speak of. No FaceTime or Facebook. No texting. Come to think of it, cell phones were not even a thing yet. 

How in the world did we survive?

Well, Chuck and Ann spent some time praying over the decision and Chuck decided to stay in Montgomery. He retired and prayed that God would open the door for a new career. God did! He became the Education Pastor at Montgomery’s First Baptist Church. That one decision had a tremendous impact on our relationship. That one choice had quite a butterfly effect. Not only did it allow mine and Angela’s relationship to continue. That decision, Angela and I believe today, led to the eventuality of our children being born and Jett being adopted. Our entire lives would be different today if God had not orchestrated that choice. 

Another turning point in my life came in 2002. I was serving at Birmingham’s First Baptist Church. I was in seminary, going to class at night and periodically driving over the New Orleans to work on my Master’s Degree. The church was small and I had really small group of teenagers that I was called to serve. I loved that church and they treated me well. As it happened, a very large church in Birmingham came calling. They wanted me to take over their youth program. I was ministering out of a rotten trailer and they had a building that sat 400 youth. It was tempting to say the least. I was young and inexperienced. The time came for me to sign the dotted line. Angela and I went to the top floor of the Alabama Power building in Birmingham to meet the 2 head members of the search committee. The forms were slid across the table. The pen was in my hand. Suddenly, the Lord stepped in and said “no”. It was as if my hand was frozen. I couldn’t leave First Birmingham. 

“But Lord, this is a bigger church.”

“But Lord, this group really fed my ego and made me feel a certain way about myself.”

“But Lord, I’ll think Im more important and special if Im at a bigger church.”

None of that mattered. I had to listen to the Lord and the Lord was clearly directing my path down a different road. I said “no thank you”. That decision laid out the plan for where my life is today. That choice eventually opened the door for me to be here with you this morning. Talk about a turning point. 

Friends, let me tell you something that I have learned in 46.5 years of life. I have learned that if you are confronted with a fork in the road, if you are confronted with a decision, a turning point, listen for God. Wait. Don’t move. Don’t do anything until you hear God speaking to you. 

“But preacher, what if I have to wait for a long time? What if the moment passes me over?”

I would tell you that if the moment passes you by, the moment wasn’t meant for you. 

Fill in these blanks for me this morning. The blanks under “Today’s Point”. 

God’s voice is not limited, but we must learn to listen!

Today’s Point:

God Voice Is Not Limited, But We Must Learn To Listen!

Do you believe that this morning? God is always speaking. Always communicating. His will is not a mystery. The problem is not that God is not thinking, the problem is that we are often to busy or being to loud to hear Him. 

One of my favorite pastors and writers is Pastor Mark Batterson. Pastor Mark is the Lead Pastor at National Community Church in Washington, D.C. He wrote a book recently called “Whisper: How To Hear The Voice of God”. Listen to this quote on the subject of God speaking. 

“The voice of the Spirit is as gentle as a whisper because God speaks the loudest when we’re quietest. Learning to hear His whisper is the solution to a thousand problems, the key to discovering our destiny, and the sacred privilege of every follower of Christ. He speaks in the language of Scripture, desires, doors, dreams, people, and pain. But if you want to hear His whisper, you have to silence the competing voices. You have to be still and know that He is God.”

Today’s Quote:

“The voice of the Spirit is as gentle as a whisper because God speaks the loudest when we’re quietest. Learning to hear His whisper is the solution to a thousand problems, the key to discovering our destiny, and the sacred privilege of every follower of Christ. He speaks in the language of Scripture, desires, doors, dreams, people, and pain. But if you want to hear His whisper, you have to silence the competing voices. You have to be still and know that He is God.”

-From “Whisper: How To Hear The Voice of God” by Pastor Mark Batterson 

Background and Context:

Do me a favor this morning, open your Bibles to I Kings 19:9-18. As you do that, I want to give you a bit of background and context of today’s passage. 

Elijah just had a mountaintop moment—literally. On Mount Carmel, he called down fire from heaven, proved Yahweh was the one true God, and watched the people declare, “The Lord, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39). You’d think he’d be riding high on faith, right? But when Queen Jezebel hears about it, she puts a bounty on his head, and suddenly, Elijah runs for his life (1 Kings 19:2-3). He’s exhausted, discouraged, and done, even asking God to take his life. But instead of rebuking him, God gives him rest and food before leading him 40 days to Mount Horeb—the same mountain where Moses met God at the burning bush.

At Horeb, Elijah hides in a cave, and God asks, “What are you doing here?” Elijah unloads his frustrations—“God, I’ve done everything, but I’m the only one left, and they’re trying to kill me too!” (v. 10, paraphrased). Then, God tells him to stand outside as He passes by. A mighty wind comes—but God’s not in the wind. A powerful earthquake—but God’s not in the earthquake. A blazing fire—but God’s not in the fire. Finally, a gentle whisper comes, and that’s where Elijah hears God. The lesson? God doesn’t always show up in big, dramatic ways. Sometimes, He speaks in whispers. And Elijah wasn’t alone—7,000 others still followed God. His work wasn’t over, and neither was Elijah’s.

Statement of Faith:

We believe the Bible is inspired, infallible, and authoritative. It is vital for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. God’s Word brings life, peace, and protection, and it profoundly touches the human soul. As a unique and powerful book, let us stand in reverence and respect for it.

Today’s Scripture:

1 Kings 19:9-18 ESV

There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" [10] He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away." [11] And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. [13] And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" [14] He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away." [15] And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. [16] And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. [17] And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. [18] Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

Pastor: “This is the Word of the Lord.”

Congregation: “Praise His name, praise His Holy name.”

3 Takeaways From Elijah’s Turning Point…

I. God’s People Can Be Discouraged, Depressed, and Downcast vs. 10 

As I read this passage, I felt the Lord give me 3 lessons, 3 teachings, 3 takeaways from Elijah’s turning point with the Lord. Fill in the first blanks this morning, God’s people can be discouraged, depressed, and downcast. Go back and read verse 10. 

He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."

“God, look at your people. They have broken their promises to you. They have town down your alters. The have killed your prophets. Now, after all that I have done, I’m the only one left.”

Friends, have you ever felt like the entire world was against you? Have you ever felt that you were doing exactly what God called you to do only to feel unappreciated, only to feel persecuted, only to feel left out in the dark and cold?

How did that make you feel?

Friends, let me tell you something that I have discovered from reading Scripture, following God is not for the faint of heart. Following God is a road paved with suffering, hardship, and heartache. There will be times when you may be forced to stand alone, times when you will feel castigated, or moments when you feel alone. Those may be some of the hardest, darkest moments of your life. 

Think about Elijah. If you rewind a few chapters, you will see Elijah’s exploits. He stood toe to toe with the world’s most evil King. He stood boldly and unapologetically. Elijah is God’s instrument to multiple miracles. One of those miracles includes raising the widow’s son from the dead. Remember the story where Elijah confronts the prophets of Baal? Elijah, hysterically and hilariously, embarrasses these false prophets. He calls down fire from heaven to burn up his offering to the Lord. 

Elijah may have been brave. He may have been bold. 

He may have been brave and bold then, but where we find him in verse 10 is far from that place. 

Elijah was far from God’s victory. He was far from seeing God move. He was far from remembering God’s promises. He felt afraid. He felt threatened. He felt alone. We are catching Elijah at his lowest moment. Gone was his big talk. Elijah’s ego had been stripped away from him. He was throwing for himself a mighty big pitty party. 

Oh, just so you don’t forget, Elijah is not the only Bible character who experienced his share of discouragement. 

In Numbers 11, Moses found himself at his lowest point. He was discouraged. Leading the Israelites had proven to be very challenging. They were complaining all the time. Wandering through the wilderness was overwhelming. 

In Psalm 42, David finds himself feeling depressed and discouraged. He was running for his life. King Saul wanted to kill him. He had no friends. He had no where to go. He was living in a dark damp cave. 

Then we get to Job 3. Job’s children had been killed. His wealth was gone. His health had disappeared. His friends accused him of secret silent sin. He felt totally abandoned. 

What about Jeremiah 20. Jeremiah was called to preach a very unpopular and unpleasant message to his rebellious people. He would suffer severely for his obedience to God. 

There there is Jonah. In Jonah 4, Nineveh repents and Jonah is horrible depressed. He wanted to see the city destroyed for its evil but God spares them. So down was Jonah that he wants to die. 

Even the stalwart Apostle Paul was not immune to discouragement. In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul was dealing with beatings, imprisonment and persecution. Listen to what he says in 2 Corinthians 1:8, “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.” 

Oh friends I can go on and on and on. I say all of this to let you know that you will go through seasons of despair. You will go through stretches in your life that are filled with adversity. You will feel all alone. You will feel like your prayers are bouncing off the walls, like God is not there, like He doesn’t hear you. 

I want to encourage you this morning, if that is where you are, you are in good company. Some of God’s mightiest warriors felt the same way you feel. You are not alone. God has not abandoned you. 

Your despair does not define you. Your discouragement is not your destination. The loneliness you feel is not the final word.

Elijah felt alone, but he wasn’t. Moses felt overwhelmed, but God sustained him. David hid in a cave, but he would soon sit on a throne. Job lost everything, but in the end, God restored him. Paul despaired of life itself, but God continued to use him for His glory.

And then we come to Psalm 42:11 (GNT)—a psalm written by a man who knew discouragement well. It says:

“Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Did you catch that? The psalmist acknowledges his sorrow. He doesn’t pretend it’s not real. But he doesn’t stay there—he shifts his focus from his problems to his hope in God.

That’s what I want to encourage you to do today. If you feel discouraged, don’t ignore it, but don’t live there either. Instead, put your hope in God. Even when you don’t understand. Even when the road is hard. Even when it feels like you’re standing alone.

Because the truth is—you’re never alone. God was with Elijah in his despair. God was with David in his cave. God was with Paul in his suffering. And God is with you today.

So lift your head, put your hope in God, and praise Him—because even in the darkest moments, He is still faithful.

3 Takeaways From Elijah’s Turning Point…

I. God’s People Can Be Discouraged, Depressed, and Downcast vs. 10 

II. God’s Presence Is Not Always Dramatic and Deafening vs. 11-12

So, our first point this morning was that God’s people can be discouraged, depressed and downcast. It’s sad but true. Our second point this morning is that God’s presence is not always dramatic and deafening. We see this in verses 11-12. 

[11] And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 

So, there was Elijah. He was about as low as low could get. He just wanted to die. Then God tells him to get up, walk out of the darkness, and stand on the “mount before the Lord”. In my imagination I see Elijah pulling himself up, tear filled eyes, weary. Maybe he is thinking that God is going to allow him to throw himself off the mountain. Maybe God is really going to end him. Then something strange happens. 

Scripture says that the Lord passed by. 

Have you ever felt that way before? Have you ever felt that the Lord has simply passed you by? He has passed by your pain. Passed by your problems. Passed by your hurt. Has it ever felt that the Lord is just blind to your experiences, blind to your suffering. He has just passed you by. You feel like this season of misery is not ever going to end. Three times the Lord passed by Elijah. 

The first time the Lord passed by, it was in a great and strong wind that tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord. Then Scripture says that the Lord was not in the wind. 

That’s strange because the last time that Elijah felt a powerful rushing wind, the Lord was in the wind. But not this time. The last time that Elijah felt that sort of wind was in I Kings 18. Elijah was preparing to speak to King Ahab. It was on Mount Carmel. God was speaking to Elijah. 

1 Kings 18:45-46 ESV

And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. [46] And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

The the Lord passed by another time. This time was in an earthquake. Funny, Elijah heard stories about God moving in earthquakes but God was not in this earthquake.

When Moses was given the Ten Commandments in Exodus 19:18, the mountain shook with an earthquake. Earthquakes are often signs of God’s judgement. 

Psalm 18:7 ESV

Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry.

Then God passes Elijah in the fire. Throughout the pages of Scripture, God reveals Himself in the fire. 

The burning bush. 

The pillar of fire.

The last time Elijah saw God in the fire was on Mount Carmel when he went to battle with the prophets of Baal. God was in that fire but He was not in this fire. 

Three times passes by and three times Elijah misses God. 

Friends, how many times have you asked God to do something, be somewhere, speak to you in some special manner and He passes you by. Maybe it during a time where your faith was weak. 

“God, if you are there, make yourself known to me.” 

You hear dramatic testimonies where people have seen God, been saved by angels, or been delivered from terrible circumstances. You hear these tales of dramatic salvations but for some reason, God seems absent or unable to impact your story. 

Let me tell you brother and sister, God’s presence is not always dramatic and deafening. 

And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. [12] And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper. 

God was in the whisper. Why? How does God speaking in a whisper help you and me today?

Elijah had been looking for God in the big, powerful, dramatic displays—but God wasn’t in the wind, He wasn’t in the earthquake, and He wasn’t in the fire. Instead, God was in the whisper. Why?

Because whispers require closeness.

Think about it. If someone shouts, they can do it from across the room. But if someone whispers, you have to lean in to hear. God wasn’t distant—He was drawing Elijah close.

This is why Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) says,

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

In the stillness, in the quiet, that’s where we truly know God. He doesn’t always come in the loud moments. Sometimes, He speaks in a whisper, because He’s near enough for us to hear it.

Maybe you’ve been looking for God in the dramatic, in the miraculous. Maybe you’ve begged for a sign, a breakthrough, a moment where everything changes—but all you’ve heard is silence. Can I tell you something? Silence doesn’t mean absence. Sometimes, the whisper is more powerful than the fire.

So what do we do? We lean in. We quiet our hearts. We stop running, stop striving, stop searching for the big sign, and simply listen.

Because even when we can’t see Him, God is near.

Even when we don’t feel Him, God is speaking.

And even when the answer isn’t loud, it is still certain.

But Elijah wasn’t just dealing with discouragement—he needed direction. And that brings us to our final point…

3 Takeaways From Elijah’s Turning Point…

I. God’s People Can Be Discouraged, Depressed, and Downcast vs. 10 

II. God’s Presence Is Not Always Dramatic and Deafening vs. 11-12

III. God Calls Us To Depend On His Deliverance vs. 18

God calls us to depend on His deliverance. 

Elijah felt alone, abandoned, and defeated. He truly believed that he was the last faithful person left in Israel. Then God corrects that thinking in verse 18. 

1 Kings 19:18 ESV

Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

This was God’s way of reminding Elijah, “You are not alone. My plan is still unfolding. I have already secured the victory.”

You see friends, Elijah had a misconception. He was seeing only through his eyes and not seeing through God’s worldview. Elijah was convinced that his ministry was a failure. He believed that no one else was following God. Elijah was only looking at his circumstances. He was not trust God. He did not see the providential hand of God working in the background of his life. God reminds Elijah that he is not in fact the only one left. The truth is that there are 7000 people in Israel who had remained faithful. You see, Elijah couldn’t see it but God could see clearly. 

Friends, let me share with you an important detail to always remember, God sees what we cannot see. He does what we cannot do. 

I heard this form a pastor just last week. I copied it down and I have been thinking about it all week. 

God won’t do what you can do and you cannot do what God can do. Think about that. 

God won’t do what you can do and you cannot do what God can do. That was Elijah’s biggest problem. Chances are that is your biggest problem as well. 

You are waiting around for God to do what you can do for yourself. You are frustrated and fatigued scurrying around trying to do what only God can do. 

Friends, Elijah had to learn to depend on God, lean on God, learn from God, instead of trying to depend on his own strengths, or his own understanding. 

I have told this story before but it is worth telling again. 

I want to tell you the story of an Englishman named Lee Compere. Here is a picture of Lee. Here is a picture of his wife Susannah. 

Lee was born in Market Harborough in England on November 3rd, 1790. He was orphaned at 6. He and his sister were raised by a baptist family. At age 15, Lee gave his life to Christ and embraced full time Christian service. He devoted himself to mission work. Before he went on his first missionary journey, he was introduced to Susannah. She would become his wife and they shared a deep passion for sharing the Gospel. They served in Jamaica together and were altogether successful. They founded a baptist church there and saw many people come to Christ. It was there where Lee and Susannah discovered their hatred for slavery. They were escorted off the island because they were so outspoken against the practice. 

Lee and Susannah would go on other missionary trips together. They prayed and the Lord led them to the heart of slavery in the United States. They first landed in South Carolina. They planted churches, ministered to Native American populations, shared Christ with slaves, and remained outspoken opponents of slavery. From South Carolina the moved to Georgia. It was in Georgia where Lee Compere found his most fertile mission field. He became passionate about sharing the Good News with the Creek Indians. Georgia Baptists at the time were against spreading the Gospel to the Indians. In fact, they prohibited Christian evangelist from sharing the Gospel with the Indians. Lee and Susannah were rule breakers. They went nearly exclusively and began to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the Creek Indians. 

Sadly, a great many of the Creek Indians were against Lee’s evangelical efforts. Lee was receiving backlash from both sides: Georgia Baptists and the Indians themselves. After several years, the Compere’s left the Indians having only converted one Creek Indian. They went back to ministering to the black slave communities in Georgia. 

When Lee and his wife left that ministry, they were dejected. They felt like their ministry was a failure. 

It was not long before the city of Montgomery, AL. called Lee and Susannah to come and plant the city’s First Baptist Church. They came and they did just that. They had a few other religious ventures together, Susannah passed away and Lee remarried. He passed away in 1871. 

It was said that when Lee Compere passed away, he still felt dejected and defeated over the failure of his ministry to the Creek Indians. After all he only led one convert to Christ. 

Years would go by and something strange occurred. A mighty revival began to sweep through the Creek Indians of both Georgia and Alabama. How could this be since both the Creeks and Georgia Baptists tried to stop the spreading of the Gospel. Missionaries were deployed and they discovered the root of the revival. The one convert that Lee had led to the Lord had himself seen over 6000 Creek Indian converts come to Christ. 

Lee thought he had failed. God knew better. 

You see friends, Elijah thought he had failed too. God knew better. You might go through periods of time when you may not be able to see what God is doing, how He is moving, or what He is up to. Don’t worry. Don’t fret. God is always on the move. He is always working. Depend on His deliverance. He can deliver your marriage. He can deliver your children. He can deliver your ministry. He can deliver your work. 

You are not a failure. God knows better. He knows the truth. Do not be discouraged. Do not be dismayed. Do not be afraid. He will not and never has abandoned you. 

Remember the words of the prophet Isaiah. 

Isaiah 41:10 NLT

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Turn This Information Into Your Inspiration. 

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We come before You today, humbled and grateful for Your presence in our lives. Lord, we thank You for the story of Elijah and how You remind us that You are always near, even when we feel alone, discouraged, or uncertain about the road ahead. You don’t always speak through fire, wind, or earthquakes—sometimes You speak in a whisper, drawing us close to You. Help us, Lord, to be still, to listen, and to trust Your voice.

Father, we confess that there are times when we, like Elijah, feel abandoned, overwhelmed, and afraid. But Your Word reminds us that we are never alone, that Your plan is unfolding, and that You are working, even when we cannot see it. Strengthen us to trust in Your deliverance, to lean on Your understanding rather than our own, and to walk in faith, knowing that You are guiding every step.

For those facing a turning point today, Lord, give them wisdom. For those struggling with discouragement, lift their spirits. For those who feel like failures, remind them that Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your timing is always perfect. Let us not grow weary in doing good, but remain steadfast, believing that You will bring about a harvest in due season.

Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness, Your love, and Your never-ending grace. As we leave this place, may we carry Your Word in our hearts, Your whisper in our ears, and Your strength in our steps. May we walk boldly in faith, trusting in Your divine deliverance every single day.

We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Deliverer.

Amen.