Defeating Depression Series

DEFEATING THE HOLIDAY BLUES

“Defeating Depression”

1st Kings 18:1-19:1 and Romans 8:38-39

Distance runners like those who run marathons often experience what is called hitting the wall. When they get to about mile 20 of the 26 mile run their energy begins to run out and they begin to think, will I actually make it to the finish line? One runner said it was like he felt like an extremely heavy weight had fallen on his shoulders and was making him carry it the rest of the way.

Many of us, on occasion know that feeling. We know what it feels like to hit a wall and not be able to move forward. Sometimes we call this the blues. When you think of the blues our thoughts are always negative. Losing a job---you get the blues. Someone betrays you—you get the blues. You experience regret and you get the blues. As far as music goes, the blues began on Southern Plantations in the 1800’s when slaves would sing as they worked in the cotton fields. The blues were born out of pain. So at this time of year some of us experience the Holiday Blues. But that is not true depression. Depression is when the winter blues roll into the springtime blues and then roll into the summer blues and even the fall blues. Depression lingers. And it can be very hard to separate ourselves from it. But listen. Paul wrote to the church in Romans and said, “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present, nor the future, nor any powers; neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” And I would add, not even depression! Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

In 1st Kings Chapter 18 we find what we call the God contest. Whose God is bigger? Elijah stands up for the one true God, Jehovah. He is confronted by Ahab. Ahab says you’ve been causing trouble. Elijah responds by saying you are the one who has caused trouble. You are now following the false god Baal. So meet me at Mt Carmel and we will settle this once and for all as to who the true God is. Ahab brings 850 of his prophets with him. Elijah goes before his people and says “why do you waver between two opinions. Either follow the Lord or follow Baal. Make a choice. And they just stood there. Not a word. Elijah realizes he is the only prophet left who is following the one true God. So he tells them we will now see whose God is real. Slaughter a bull and stack wood all around it and whoever can call down fire from heaven; Baal or Jehovah God will be the proof. So the people who followed Baal called on him from morning until noon. And nothing happened. Elijah was so sure of himself that he began to taunt them saying, hey maybe your god is asleep or maybe he’s gone on vacation somewhere; he’s traveling or maybe he is somewhere in deep thought. ?

Then Elijah says to the people take 12 stones and build an altar. Slaughter a bull and place it on the altar. Dig a trench around it. Pour water on the altar. They put so much water on the altar that it seeped over and filled the trench. Elijah then prayed and waited. He cried out answer me Lord so that these people will know who the One True God really is. Here is what the Bible says happened. Verse 38. “Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned the sacrifice, the wood; the stones; the dirt and also licked up water from the trench.” All of it was destroyed by fire. At that moment everyone there fell on their faces and said this is the true God! This has to be one of the greatest miracles in the scripture. You can imagine that Elijah would be elated beyond description. (pause). But instead look at what happens. In the next chapter.

Elijah sends a messenger named Jezebel to threaten him. One woman. After all Elijah has just witnessed, this one woman frightens him to the point that in

V. 3 We see that Elijah was so afraid that he ran for his life.

V.4. He has thoughts of dying. He says I’ve had enough Lord. Take my life.

V.5. He is so tired he lies down and goes to sleep.

V. 6. Then he awakes and there is food there so he eats it and goes back to sleep.

V. 10. He awakes and says I am the only one left. I’m completely alone. There are some things that depression can do to someone and we see it right here. So there are some things we have to realize.