The Secret Strength Behind Your Voice

By: Pastor José Flávio Macieira — 2025

This reflection is part of the series "The Prophet of Word and Power," inspired by the themes from the book "The Desert Therapy."

The boldness to take a public stand comes not from the volume of your voice, but from the depth of your secret life with God.

Have you ever felt your voice is too small to make a difference? Have you looked at the culture around you, at the "giants" in power, and felt intimidated, thinking, "who am I to speak up?". In a world that demands we have an opinion on everything but "cancels" us if that opinion is unpopular, the temptation to remain silent is enormous. We seek relevance, a platform, a microphone, believing that strength lies in reach. The story of Elijah, however, introduces us to a radically different and infinitely more powerful source of authority.

“And Elijah... said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.’” (1 Kings 17:1 NIV)

Elijah emerges during one of Israel's darkest periods. King Ahab and Jezebel had made the worship of Baal—a god of prosperity and rain—the official state religion. The nation was in deep apostasy. It is in this setting that a man from the desert, with no status or platform, enters the palace and directly confronts power. His declaration is a total affront, an attack on the culture's "god" in its supposed area of strength. Where did such boldness come from? The answer lies in his introduction: "the God of Israel, whom I serve." His public courage was the direct result of his private communion.

Imagine a state-of-the-art microphone with a stunning design. Unplugged, it is just a piece of metal, a silent and useless object, no matter how eloquent the person speaking into it. Now, connect that same microphone to a powerful sound system. Even the softest whisper can fill a stadium. Our lives are like that microphone. Our talent, our personality, our "platform" are the design. But it is our connection to the Source of all power—the God "whom we serve"—that determines whether our voice will have an eternal impact or be just fleeting noise. Elijah's authority was not in the microphone, but in the Power Source to which he was connected.

Our culture idolizes the "influencer." Power, we are told, resides in the number of followers, the verification badge, the ability to set trends. This is the modern Baal: the god of relevance and the platform. Many people, including Christians, spend their lives trying to build their own altars to this god. Elijah's story turns this logic upside down. He had no followers, no status, no marketing strategy. He had only one thing: a direct commission from the living God. The gospel offers a better narrative about power: true influence comes not from how many follow you, but from Whom you follow.

It is easy to read about Elijah's courage and feel inadequate. The fear of speaking the truth is real. The fear of losing one's job, of being ridiculed by family, or of being rejected by friends is paralyzing. The grace of God does not annul this fear. Instead, it offers us a greater security. Grace tells us that our deepest identity is not "popular," "successful," or "accepted," but "servant of the Most High God." Being faithful to this identity may have costs in this world, but it guarantees us the approval of the One whose applause is the only one that echoes into eternity. Grace doesn't make us fearless, but it makes us braver than our fear.

Your Next Step of Courage This week, identify an area where the pressure to conform has silenced your conviction. Instead of focusing on the fear of confrontation, dedicate time in prayer to strengthening your identity as a "servant of God." Ask Him that the security you find in secret may become the boldness you display in public.

The Mirror of the Soul

1. What "Baal of influence" do you most admire or fear in your life today (a person, a company, a cultural trend)?

2. Have you ever avoided taking a stand for fear of being misunderstood or rejected? What does Elijah's identity, "whom I serve," teach you about this?

3. How does the analogy of the "microphone connected to the source" change your perspective on where to seek your effectiveness and impact?

Prayer Lord, God of Elijah, You are the living God! Forgive us when we seek authority and validation from human platforms and forget that the only true Source of power is You. Connect us more deeply to You in our secret life, so that our public life may have a boldness born of love and security in our identity as Your servants. We want to be microphones that amplify Your voice. In Jesus' name, amen.

Don't worry about the size of your platform. Worry about the voltage of your Power Source.

Loved this reflection? It's the starting point of the 40-day journey we explore in the book "The Desert Therapy: God's Care for the Exhausted Heart." For a full immersion, get your copy today! Livros | Propagando a Palavra