The Battle For Our Courage Series

1 Kings 19

The Battle for Our Courage

1 Kings 19:1-4 NIV

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.” 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. 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!”

God knows how to give us courage. The enemy is skilled at taking away our courage.

Facts about Discouragement:

1. It’s common.

Everyone has been discouraged at one time or another.

2. It’s chronic.

Being discouraged once does not give us immunity. We can be discouraged repeatedly.

In fact, we can even be discouraged by the fact that we’re discouraged a lot.

3. It’s contagious.

Discouragement spreads by even casual contact.

People can become disheartened because we’re discouraged.

What Causes Discouragement?

1. Fatigue

Sometimes the best remedy for discouragement is a long nap, or a few days out of town.

2. Frustration

Most of us are living with unresolved grief and disappointment.

We don’t need God to be something new. We need him to be the same as yesterday.

3. Failure

Sometimes we just must regroup and start over. It is ok to fail because failure is never final.

Every great human achievement was accomplished because someone didn’t give up.

Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm. Winston Churchill

4. Fear

Fear is the great crippler of our generation.

1 Kings 19:18-19 NIV

Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”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.

We’re not alone.

There’s power in community.

Story of the lions on safari.