OVERCOME BY PERSISTENCE
1 Kings 19:1-18
Introduction
Today we conclude our series called THIS IS HOW WE OVERCOME. We overcome life’s challenges by …
-Trusting God in the Chaos
- Obeying God when we do not understand
- Turning to God for Redemption
- Rejecting reluctance and embracing His mission
- Trusting God’s provision for our needs
- Listening to God’s voice for guidance
- Give Extravagant Praise When challenged
For the last message in this series we travel to 1 Kings 19 to talk about the prophet Elijah and the need to keep on keeping on - Don’t ever give up!
In 1 Kings 18 Elijah had defeated the prophets of Baal in a stunning display of the power of God. The King of the time was Ahab who was married to Queen Jezebel - a foreigner and wicked woman. Jezebel threatened Elijah’s life because of his treatment of the prophets of Baal. “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like one of them.” (19:2). This would turn out to be one of the toughest challenges of Elijah’s life - as he wrestles with himself in a time of self-doubting and discouragement. He sat down under a broom bush and said, “I have had enough, Lord, take my life…”
No matter how strong we think we are, we will face battles of discouragement - and our persistence will be challenged.
1. CHALLENGES TO OUR PERSISTENCE
Others - Jezebel made a threat to Elijah’s life. We may not have threats against our life, but other people can certainly play a role in our feelings. This is true in families, at work, on line, in church. We can let the words of others discourage us.
Isolation - 3, 4a. When we try to handle everything on our own, we rob ourselves of the input, help, and viewpoints of those who love us. When Jesus went to his most distressing moment, he took his three closest friends.
Discouragement - 4b “I have had enough, Lord, take my life…”
False Beliefs - 10. Elijah believed he was the only one who served God. Because he thought everyone else had abandoned God, he thought he alone was God’s special servant. What false beliefs keep us from being encouraged? Being truthful with ourselves is key to persistence.
Loss of Direction 11-13. Even in the display of God’s power and presence, Elijah is just standing in the entrance to the cave repeating his false beliefs, exercising his right to rehearse his troubles. It is interesting that Elijah still feels alone after being fed by an angel - TWICE! Sometimes, depression and despair can blind us to miracles in our midst. (Pulpit Fiction)
Ultimately, God asks twice: What are you doing here, Elijah?
What are some things we can learn about growing in our persistence … the power to overcome? Sources of Power for Persistence:
2. POWER SOURCES FOR PERSISTENCE!
Rest & Refreshment For Energy. God tends to Elijah’s physical needs for energy, Strength. Psalm 23:2,5 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters... You prepare a table before me... . In our time of nonstop activity, we often are discouraged and weakened by a lack of rest and refreshment.
1 Peter 4:11 …Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
Reminder of God’s Presence. Elijah journeys to Horeb - the mountain of God. Where Moses first met God in the burning bush! Also known as Sinai, place where God gave the Law. For Elijah, a trip to that holy mountain was a pilgrimage to his spiritual roots…a place to rekindle memories, to recall all God had done throughout history. The mountain was a setting that would force Elijah to think about something other than himself. (Leininger) Here, Elijah stands in Moses’ footsteps, hearing personally from God on the mountain. "a gentle whisper" (NIV); “a still small voice" (KJV). When we start looking at our lives without the presence and power of God, the strongest of us is reduced to weakness and a loss of faith. God is near, but we are the ones who are often far away from Him. Elijah certainly doesn’t seem to be walking in powerful faithfulness at this point. But notice that God has not gone away… he continues to minister to Elijah’s fearful heart.
Renewal of God’s Vision & Work. God recommissions Elijah - gives him some new jobs to do. A renewal of purpose. “This is the Call of Elijah, a call in the middle of chaos, exhaustion, and fear” -Jonathan LeMaster-Smith. God has called us into the Kingdom with work to do!
Ephesians 2:10 NLT For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Reminder of God’s Power by Jim Erwin
You say: "It's impossible."
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16; John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9; Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it."
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (2 Corinthians 9:8)
Conclusion
Will we accept the challenge to open up to receive from God the power to persist in faith, work, Kingdom vision?
“So Elijah went…” James 5:7 Elijah was a person just like us. …
In our fears, anxieties, pains, and losses, we ask God to help us in our times of being deeply troubled … and he will walk with us through those times and bring glory to Himself.
1 John 5:4 …Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Trusting, Obey, Turning to God, Embrace His mission, Trust Him to provide, Listen for his guidance, Praise Always, and Never Give Up! This is how we overcome!
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Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Jezebel disbelieved God even after such an extraordinary display of his power?
2. Is it surprising that Elijah doesn’t remain steadfast when Jezebel threatens his life, especially after Baal’s defeat at Mount Carmel? What do you think happened to his courage?
3. What are some ways that God is compassionate toward Elijah? What do we learn about how God sees us in our dark moments?
4. What do the strong wind, earthquake, fire, and whisper teach us about God? Does God always speak in the whisper?
5. How is God speaking to us today in our struggles and hardships?
6. Writers have struggled to identify Elijah’s condition in the cave. Some have labeled it ‘spiritual depression’. Someone said Elijah was “prophet drained of strength” in a “pit of fear and depression”. Perhaps we are more mindful of mental health than at any other time. What can we do to work towards eliminating the stigma of mental health issues and seeking help?
7. Why do people find rest so difficult these days? Why is there a sense with some that rest is associated with laziness? There is a lot written today about burnout. How would one know if they were facing burnout?
8. In the end, God gives Elijah some big assignments (including finding a successor to his prophetic ministry). If we were coming out of a period of discouragement and wondering what God has called us to do… make a short list of the kinds of things God wants us to be about doing.
9. Was there anything else you wanted to talk about today?
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Video of this message will be available by searching for it on the YouTube channel of Forsythe Church of Christ.
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1 Kings 19:1-19a
When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai,[a] the mountain of God. 9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. 16 Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi[b] to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. 17 Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! 18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”
19 So Elijah went
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Resources
Erwin, Jim. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/jimerwin/2007/01/04/1-kings-191-18-how-to-deal-with-discouragement/
Leininger, David E.
https://sermonwriter.com/sermons/1-kings-191-18-dealing-with-depression/
LeMaster-Smith, Jonathan
https://spiritandtruthpublishing.com/blog/elijahs-exhaustion-1-kings-19/
Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary)
Pulpit Fiction Podcast Notes https://www.pulpitfiction.com/narrative-notes/4-9
