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.
(1Kings 19:7) And the angel [51] of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, "Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you." 8) So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
(1Kings 19:9) And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
Why was Elijah discouraged and depressed?
(1Ki 19:10) So he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."
Elijah had given everything. He poured himself into preaching. He had surrendered his life to
God’s Answer
God’s Answer #1: A Word from the Lord
(1Ki 19:11) Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord." And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
(1Ki 19:12) and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
We need to get alone with God. It is great to see God’s power work in a service or a miracle but what we need more than anything is a Word of God. This word will sustain you.
A miracle will sustain you for a short time. A word from God will sustain you in your calling for the rest of you life.
You cannot bring into question my calling.
What are you doing here?
(1 Kings 19:13) So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
This question is less about location and more about condition. Why has Elijah arrived at this point. With all he had seen and accomplished how could he be stuck hiding in a cave.
(1Kings 19:14) And he said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; because the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life."
This is a time of inflection. This where Elijah is called to look inside of him self. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
God’s Answer #2: You have a purpose & God has a plan
(1Ki 19:15) Then the Lord said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. 16) Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.17) It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
Who we are and what we are doing is part of God’s bigger plan. We have a purpose
“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13).
God’s Answer #3: You are not alone
(1Kings 19:18) Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."
And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
We are designed to be creatures of fellowship. We need the encouragement and exhortation from one another. God gives us gifts to share. We are part of a body.
God’s Answer # 4: Give it Away
(1Ki 19:19) So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him.
When we are not giving it away we will become staganent. We have a lot coming in but not anything going out.
The Holy Spirit
On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing [34] in Him would receive; for the Holy [35] Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
(Joh 7:37-39)
(1 Kings 19:20) And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, "Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?" 21) So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.
Conclusion
What are you dealing with today? Discouragement, Depression, Frustration. God is here to give you the answer to your needs.
