“Let not one of them escape.”
— 1 Kings 18:40

When the prophet Elijah had received the answer to his prayer, and the
fire from heaven had consumed the sacrifice in the presence of all the
people, he called upon the assembled Israelites to take the priests of
Baal, and sternly cried, “Let not one of them escape.” He took them all
down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. So must it be with our
sins-they are all doomed, not one must be preserved. Our darling sin
must die. Spare it not for its much crying. Strike, though it be as
dear as an Isaac. Strike, for God struck at sin when it was laid upon
his own Son. With stern unflinching purpose must you condemn to death
that sin which was once the idol of your heart. Do you ask how you are
to accomplish this? Jesus will be your power. You have grace to
overcome sin given you in the covenant of grace; you have strength to
win the victory in the crusade against inward lusts, because Christ
Jesus has promised to be with you even unto the end. If you would
triumph over darkness, set yourself in the presence of the Sun of
Righteousness. There is no place so well adapted for the discovery of
sin, and recovery from its power and guilt, as the immediate presence
of God. Job never knew how to get rid of sin half so well as he did
when his eye of faith rested upon God, and then he abhorred himself,
and repented in dust and ashes. The fine gold of the Christian is oft
becoming dim. We need the sacred fire to consume the dross. Let us fly
to our God, he is a consuming fire; he will not consume our spirit, but
our sins. Let the goodness of God excite us to a sacred jealousy, and
to a holy revenge against those iniquities which are hateful in his
sight. Go forth to battle with Amalek, in his strength, and utterly
destroy the accursed crew: let not one of them escape.

On this day...

• The Genuine Joy of the Lord - 2011
• Apostolic Preaching - 2007
• 1 Kings 18:40 - 2007
• 1 Thessalonians 1:4 - 2007