Irvin Wasswa- Tylertown Campus Pastor LHBC
1 Kings 19:1-18
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came 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 asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks 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. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.[a] 13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
What do you do when you feel as though you are growing in your walk with God, you are choosing to live for Him, and you still feel as though the enemy is on your back? What happens when you are living boldly on mission for the Lord and seeing people you know come to faith and grow in the Lord, yet you still feel as though you are under attack from the devil? Well if that is you you understand exactly how the great prophet Elijah felt in 1 Kings 19. He found himself in a place of deep discouragement after perhaps one of the greatest movements of God in all the Old Testament. You remember Mount Carmel just a chapter before in 1 Kings 18 don’t you? Elijah faced off against the prophets of Baal to prove which God was the real God (Yahweh or Baal) and Yahweh showed up and rained down fire from heaven. The people of Israel got right with the Lord and lives were changed. Right after that Elijah’s life is threatened and we find him on the run for his life.
What happens when you feel like the enemy is on your back? You get discouraged. Is that you today? Do you find yourself like Elijah in a state of discouragement? We see in 1 Kings 19 encouraging ways we can wade through discouragement in this season. What we first must do to wade through discouragement is to choose to REST IN THE LORD. If we are not careful what can happen is that discouragement can breed restlessness. Elijah got the word from that wicked first lady Jezebel that she was looking to kill him and Elijah traveled a full day’s journey in fear and found himself at the end of his rope. What happens next is that the Lord encouraged Elijah to rest and provided a snack. He then tells him to listen closely to His voice and lean into where He is and what He is saying. In the same way friend the Lord is able to provide rest to your restless and weary soul. So choose to rest in Him. Choose to lean in and listen to Him to His words of encouragement and allow for them to strengthen you. The bible says in ISaiah 40 that even the youth grow weary and children grow faint but those who trust in the Lord will renew their faith. Choose to trust in the Lord.
Secondly, we see that we must choose to Remember Who is in Charge! In the midst of Elijah’s groaning and complaining, the Lord steps in and gives Elijah orders on his next assignment, along with encouraging him with the truth. Elijah had believed a lie that he was the only man left who hadn’t bowed in worship to Baal and the Lord quickly reminded him that was not true. In his remarks he reminds Elijah who is in charge! He reminds Elijah of the truth and that He still had a calling on his life. What can happen in the midst of discouragement is that it can skew our view of God and what He has called us to. Even though the season is screaming that it is the end of the world, it is not. God is still God, He is still in control and He still has a plan for your life! Remember that He is still in charge and choose to run to Him!
How do we wade through seasons of discouragement? Rest in the Lord and Remember that He is in charge. May we choose to even in the deepest of pits in our life to do so!
PRAYER FOR TODAY: Dear Heavenly Father Lord! I am desperate for You! Help me to wade through this season of discouragement by resting in You and remembering that You are still God and you are still good. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
MEMORY VERSE FOR THE WEEK:
Psalm 42:13: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.