Battle After Breakthrough

Title: Battle After Breakthrough

Theme: Dealing with depression.

Text: 1 Kings 19

Introduction

Review chapter 18

Epic battle of the prophets. Prophets of Baal – 450 vs. Elijah – 1.

In my mind I hear the song “Eye of the Tiger”. The battle is beginning.

Then I see the prophets on one side and Elijah on the other and the sound, “Let’s get ready to rumble”.

This is the ultimate test of the gods. The challenge was “The God who answers by fire” would be God. In other words there would be no tricky or room for question. Today they would know the answer.

If you know this story you know what happens. The prophets of Baal go first. They get into their stance.

So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention. (1 Kings 18:26-29)

Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord

Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

(1Ki 18:30)

The altar of the Lord represented worship. God inhabits the praises of His people. It represented relationship. Prayer connection between us and God. It represented sacrifice. We are to constantly offer our selves as a living sacrifice. There is where we become more like Him by dying to our selves.

Stones are the foundation. God’s foundation

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name." (1 Kings 18:31)

The water is the word.

The Rains Come

Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again." Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.' " Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

(1Ki 18:41-46)

This miracle took faith, determination, persistence (continuing)

This was an Epic battle and an Epic Day. You could imagine that Elijah was on top of the world.

Battle of the Mind

(1Kings 19:1) And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword.2) Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time."

Elijah’s Reaction to Jezebel’s threat – He Ran

(1Ki 19:3) And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

Elijah’s second Reaction was to ask God to take his life

(1Kings 19:4) But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"

(1Kings 19:5) Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6) Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.