Our Web Site: cbcbedford.com
-----------------
RUNNING FROM A PROBLEM
1 KINGS 19
You cannot read first & second Kings without realizing the impact of two prophets during that period. Elijah and Elisha.
A. It is just assumed that Elijah and Elisha are kind of spiritual twins. Their names sound alike. They go together like knife and fork - salt and pepper - ham and eggs - pork & beans. However, just the opposite is true. There have probably never been two of God’s men who are more dissimilar.
Elijah names means "My God is Jehovah" - Elisha means "God is my Savior"
* Elijah is the prophet of the Fire -lighting - tornado - earthquake
Elisha - about the best he could do was make an ax head float.
* Elijah is optimistic, outgoing, sociable - talkative - extrovert.
Elisha is inward - seeks small crowds - does his best work in the presence of one or two.
* Elijah calls fire down from heaven in the presence of his enemies.
Elisha make an ax head float. Open’s the spiritual world to just his servant.
ELIJAH THIS IS YOUR LIFE:
* When you think of a prophet - The name Elijah heads the list.
* He lived during one of the darkest days of history. He preached during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel.
* There is a whole sale departure from the Faith. He stood alone. (Now some one will say, "There was 7,000 that had not bowed to Baal - They might not have bowed their knee but they had also not opened their mouth."
* He denounced the new morality - The new doctrine of faith. Just because he was a hopeless minority - He didn’t say "I must go along with the trend. He took a definite stand for God and he was alone in doing so.
* There is little controversy that he was one of the most dramatic character on the page of Scripture.
* He walked out on the page of Scripture into the court room of Ahab and Jezebell. and made his great announcement: "There is going to be no rain again until I say so - and I’m not going to say so because I’m going on vacation."
* Then God enrolls him in his university. Called the school of hard knocks.
[1] The brook Cherity - [2] The widow of Zarephath 3 The dead son.
AFTER THREE YEARS:
* There is the contest on Mt. Carmel. (He loved every minute of it.). Him vs. 450 prophets of Baal.
Now you would think that nothing could shake the faith of a man of God like this. {WRONG.}
JEZEBEL HEARS WHAT HE HAS DONE AND SAY "I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LIKE ONE OF MY DEAD PROPHETS BEFORE THIS TIME TOMORROW." AND HE RUNS LIKE A SCARED RABBIT.
Now, I’m willing to admit that running from a wicked woman is real wisdom in most cases - it was not what Elijah should have done. He ran from his problem. You should never run from a problem.
WHAT LESSON CAN WE LEARN FROM OUR TEXT TODAY?
T/S THERE ARE SIX VALUABLE LESSONS YOU AND I CAN LEARN ABOUT RUNNING FROM A PROBLEM.
I. A CHILD OF GOD IS IN THE MOST DANGER OF RUNNING FROM A PROBLEM RIGHT AFTER A GREAT SPIRITUAL VICTORY. (This is also true in the life of a church.
A. We are most apt to let our guard down right after the knock out punch than any other time. How often have you heard it said, "Things are really going great around here" only to turn around and see that this is when the devil will hit the hardest.
The devil can only get to us when we let our guard down.
B. How often have you heard someone quote Romans 12:1,2 but seldom do they quote verse 3. They all should be taken together.
Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
C. After Israel had won the greatest battle of their nations history (deliverance from Egypt). They fail to go into the promise land.
After David had fought his greatest battle and gained the kingdom - He let down his guard and fell.
After Noah had by faith saved his family and the entire human race - He got off the ark and let his guard down.
Peter (after going through the greatest spiritual experience of his life. - the upper room) dropped his guard and fell. We could go on and on in Bible examples.
{12} Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
We need to get up every morning of our life and quote 1 Cor. 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
II. THE SECOND LESSON WE LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE IS THAT RUNNING FROM A PROBLEM WILL CAUSE DEPRESSION IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD OF GOD.
1 Ki 19:4 (NIV) while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a Juniper tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
A. Have you ever felt like Elijah? It’s all just a waste of time. No one else cares -why should I care?
B. NOTE: It is impossible to be depressed while in the will of God.
You see, "You can’t believe Roman 8:28 and be depressed.
Paul attitude of life - "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."
Here is a great truth: "It is not the problem that is the problem - It is your attitude about the problem that is the problem."
III. THE THIRD GREAT LESSON WE LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE IS RUNNING FROM A PROBLEM WILL CAUSE YOU TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.
A. Elijah was not where he was suppose to be. Two times God asked Him, "What are you doing here, Elijah? (V-9 & 13) God had given him no instructions to go anywhere.
B. Being in the wrong place will get you in a lot of trouble. David found that our. "At the time when Kings went to war". David was on the roof looking at Bathsheba.
Abraham got into trouble by going down to Egypt when he was told to stay home. Isaac got into trouble by going down to Egypt when he was told to stay home.
C. Listen everyone but especially young people - Be very careful where you go and what situation you put you self in. "Old Statement, "The back seat of a car on a dark lonely road is not the place to fight temptation." "Flee youthful lust."
D. Sometimes the hardest thing in the will of the Lord is just STANDING AND WAITING.
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
IV. THE FOURTH LESSON WE LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE ABOUT RUNNING FROM A PROBLEM IS THAT YOU WILL DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS EVER FACED THE KIND OF PROBLEM YOU ARE FACING. V-10, 18
{18} 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.
A. There is an old Spiritual that Goes
"NO BODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I GO THROUGH". But that is wrong.
1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:. . . . . . .
NOW THIS IS A LONG ONE - HANG ON
V. FIFTH, WHEN YOU RUN FROM A PROBLEM - NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU RUN OR HOW FAR YOU GO - EVERY STEP YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE PROBLEM IS A STEP YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE BACK AND YOU WILL HAVE TO RETURN TO THE EXACT SAME SPOT AND FACE THE SAME PROBLEM FROM WHICH YOUR ARE RUNNING.
A. Elijah had walked 41 days away from his problem. He had to walk all the way back. Couldn’t take a cab - couldn’t rent a car - take a plane - train or a bicycle. He had to walk back.
B. Remember Jacob run from his brother. He had to come right back to face him.
C. I am convinced that the road back to the Father’s house for the Prodigal Son seem a lot long that when he went down to the Far Country.
VI. LAST, AND PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED IN THIS PASSAGE IS - WHEN WE FINALLY GET READY TO FACE THE PROBLEM FROM WHICH WE ARE RUNNING - YOU WILL LEARN THAT THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM IS NOT IN THE TORNADO - THE EARTHQUAKE, OR THE FIRE BUT IN THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF THE WORD OF GOD.
A. Isn’t it amazing that a Christian will look at everything else in the world before he will seek the will of God. Isn’t it amazing when we finally come calmly to God and turn the problem over to Him that He will work it out in His own blessed way.
We sing, "Oh! what grief we often suffer, Oh! what pain we often bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in Prayer."
We sing, "Trust and Obey - For there’s no other way - To be happy in Jesus but to Trust and obey.
CONCLUSION: What problem are you running from today?
