1 Kings 19 God's Call To The Saint
Some of the greatest people in the Bible struggled with the giant of depression. “depression feeling extreme discouragement, dejection, despair, hopelessness.”Moses cried, Num 11:15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
Jonah cried, Jonah 4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Elijah cried 4 he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
He has come from Victory to Defeat, from the Pinnacle to the Pits.
I. THE CASE OF DEPRESSION
A. IN SUCH A MAN:
Martin Luther's wife wearing a black armband. “Who died?” God did.”
William Cowper hired a man to drive him to the River Ouse to end it all
A dense fog came down, Cowper groped his way to a door. It was his own door. No wonder he wrote. “God moves in a mysterious way ....,”
(a) A man, whose Commission was Real Ch 18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
(b) A man, whose Communion was Real. 18:24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
(c) A man whose Commitment was Real. 1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
B AT SUCH A MOMENT: - It was a time Of:-
(a) Provision - 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
(b) Prayer - 37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
(c) Presence - 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
(d) Praise - 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.
C. OVER SUCH A MATTER: - 19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
II. THE CAUSE OF DEPRESSION v's 3-4 Depression is caused by physical, emotional, or mental factors.
A. VICTORY MAKES US VULNERABLE: eg. In sport - most vulnerable when score.
B FEAR MAKES US FAITHLESS:3 when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life
C WORK MAKES US WEARY: - 19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
1. He was Over-Taxed Physically: - Been through three years of famine, slain 450 prophets of Baal, made a 20 mile run to Jezreel and another 90 miles to Beersheba and then a day’s journey into the wilderness.
2. He was Over-Strained Mentally:
He was contending with false cults. with his picture on a “Wanted Poster,”
3. He was Over-Come Emotionally:
19:10 and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
4. He was Over-Drained Spiritually: - Virtue had gone out of him.
III. THE CURE FOR DEPRESSION
A. A PRACTICAL MINISTRY: v's 5-7
(a) God gave Sleep - 5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, Ps 127:2 for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
(b) God gave Sustenance - 5 an angel touched him, and said, Arise and eat.
(c) God gave Support - 16 and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
B A PERSONAL MESSAGE:
9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?
Elijah was in the wrong place:- Physically, Mentally, Spiritually, Nationally.
C A PUBLIC MISSION: - 15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: - Elijah grappled with depression, but the Lord Refreshed him, Rebuked him, and Re-commissioned him. “Go return,”
John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
2 Tim 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
