“When Depression Strikes”
1 Kings 18:41-46;
19:1-9
SUBJECT: DEPRESSION
THEME: Proper rest is found in Jesus Christ even during bouts with Depression.
Matthew 11:28, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
INTRODUCTION:
· Moments earlier, Elijah had stood victorious on Mount Carmel, watching God send fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:38–39). Yet when Jezebel threatened his life (1 Kings 19:2), fear gripped him.
· Scripture never hides human weakness; even “a man subject to like passions as we are” (James 5:17) can stagger after great triumph.
· Fear here is not mere anxiety but an urgent, bodily response—like David’s cry, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee” (Psalm 56:3). God’s word is clear: faith heroes sometimes tremble, but the Lord remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).
He Ran for His Life
· Elijah’s flight is literal. He covers nearly a hundred miles to Beersheba, showing the depth of his dread.
· Running to preserve life is not condemned; God had earlier directed Jacob to flee danger (Genesis 35:1–5). The issue is not the act of escaping but the heart seeking refuge apart from God’s voice.
· Ironically, the prophet who outran Ahab’s chariot (1 Kings 18:46) now flees in weariness. Like Jonah later (Jonah 1:3), Elijah’s steps reveal the struggle between divine calling and human frailty.
Remember all Christians face times of depression...even some of God's most devoted servants. What may be surprising is that Elijah's bout with depression came after his greatest spiritual victory--beware. It happened suddenly and seemingly without warning. But it was still predictable.
MESSAGE:
IV. WHEN ELIJAH’S DEPRESSION STRIKES.
1 Kings 19:1-3 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. [2] Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. [3] And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
When Elijah received Jezebel's message, there was an incredible change in his personality. His joy turned to sadness and his boldness to fear. He was afraid of Jezebel's threats and ran for his life (vs. 3).
A. ELIJAH LOST FOCUS. "Take Away My Life!"
1 Kings 19:4, But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
After facing four hundred and fifty
prophets of Baal so victoriously, Elijah was now running from Jezebel! Wasn't
God able to protect him from this evil woman? Clearly, Elijah had lost
perspective and entered a state of deep depression. In some respects, this
should not surprise us since Elijah was "a man subject to like passions as we are, . . ."
James 5:17, Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Elijah's depression was so severe that he wanted to die. In fact, he actually prayed that he might die. Pouring out his soul before God, he cried out, I have had enough, lord just take my life (1 Kings 19:4).
B. GOD UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING.
1 Kings 19:5-8, And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. [6] And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. [7] And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. [8] And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
1.
God Did Not Forsake Him.
(Rom. 15:13)
In a state of emotional depression and
physical exhaustion, Elijah laid down under a tree in the wilderness and fell
sound asleep (v.5). We're not told how long he slept, but suddenly, an angel of
the Lord awakened him and told him to "Arise and eat."
To Elijah's amazement, "there
was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water" (v.6). God had not forsaken His
servant.
Though Elijah's depression was severe, it didn't affect his appetite. "he did eat and drink, and laid him down again." As before, we're not told how long he slept but eventually the angel returned and awakened him the second time and gave him the same instructions and once again, Elijah dined under a broom tree in the wilderness. (Dr. Gene Getz)
2.
God Took Care of Him.
Little by little Elijah gained his physical strength. However, it would take more than food and rest to bring emotional healing to Elijah's soul. Though his pace was slow, we read that "went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God." There he found a cave and entered and "lodged there" (v.8-9).
A moment of deep despair overcame the prophet. Elijah journeys into the
wilderness, sits under a juniper tree, and expresses a wish to die, feeling
overwhelmed and inadequate compared to his ancestors. He says, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than
my fathers." This passage highlights themes of
exhaustion, hopelessness, and the struggle of faith during challenging times.
C. THE EXPLANATIONS FOR ELIJAH'S DEPRESSION.
1. Depression Often Follows "Mountaintop Experiences." Elijah's experiences illustrates this point both symbolically and literally. Ironically, his "emotional highs" took place on the top of Mount Carmel. Imagine the excitement and joy that must have flooded his soul when God responded to his prayers and sent fire from Heaven. For three and a half years he had been waiting for this moment. Like all of us, when Elijah experienced this incredible emotional high, he was also destined to experience an intense emotional low. It's a predictable pattern in human behavior.
APPLICATION: This is in part a contributing factor in postpartum depression in new mothers. The great event of the childbirth is over and now she is experiencing the “baby blues.” Before she was pregnant, beautiful, and fat, but now she is just fat. Though she read and prepared much for baby’s arrival, she is still struggling with intense feelings of inadequacy, you miss the old you, you are unhappy with your looks, you may be unhappy with how baby looks, you may be exhausted from strenuous labor, and even the fact that all the attention has shifted from you to the baby. You’re no longer at the center of the stage, baby is for now. All of these factors contribute to postpartum depression and the ‘mountain top experience’ of deliver is certainly one of these real factors.
2. Depression Often Follows Intense Periods of Stress and Hyperactivity.
A. Emotional Stress.
Though Elijah's emotions had to have peaked on Mount Carmel, remember that he also experienced unusual stress as he confronted the prophets of Baal. Though he certainly knew in his heart that God would answer his prayers, at the same time he experienced all of the physiological effects that accompany this kind of emotional wear and tear.
B. Physical Stress.
Adrenalin was pouring into his
bloodstream-and although the Lord had granted him unusual strength in running a
twenty-mile "marathon" in a blinding rainstorm, Elijah was also
drawing on his normal and natural resources.
All of us have a physical alarm system that is activated under stress. It's this system that provides us with unusual strength to go without sleep, to accomplish what appear to be superhuman tasks, and to concentrate beyond our normal abilities. But once these activities are over, our alarm system "turns off" and everything returns to normal. When this happens, depression is predictable. All of these dynamics contributed to Elijah's sudden personality change even though his burst of energy enabling him to run twenty miles was definitely supernatural. (Dr. Gene Getz)
ILLUSTRATION: This kind of thing could happen after a big church event or with the preparations for a big holiday meal. You plan, pray, and prepare. You go through days that are laden with stress. You work all day and all night preparing each dish with great care and love for the event or holiday. But when the day is over and everything is done you often feel down and somewhat depressed. This is predictable.
3. Depression Often Coincides with Physical and Emotional Exhaustion.
A. We Must Know and Respect Our
Physical Boundaries.
God has created each one of us to function within certain physiological and psychological boundaries. When we extend our energy outside these boundaries over a prolonged period, we are going to suffer the consequences. Unless we recreate and recuperate, we'll not rebound properly.
B. Elijah No Doubt Suffered from
Exhaustion.
It's easy to conclude that Elijah had stretched himself far beyond any human being's normal physical and emotional boundaries. His stressful experience on Mount Carmel and his twenty-mile run had left him exhausted. Jezebel's threat became the "straw that broke the camel's back"! This helps explain why he ran from the problem. From a human point of view, he could no longer handle what he was ordinarily able to cope with emotionally.
C. Elijah’s Distorted Logic Is
Evidence of His Exhaustion.
Another mark that characterized Elijah's depression was his mental distortions. The facts are that Jezebel's threats were minor compared with what had happened on Mount Carmel. Normally, Elijah would have been able to also discern that Jezebel's threats reflected her own fear. Why couldn't he just believe that God could protect him from this wicked woman? The answer to this question is obvious. He was terribly depressed!
4. Depression Often Follows
Keen Disappointment and Disillusionment. Elijah had high hopes for
national repentance in Israel. He was excited about Ahab's initial response on
Mount Carmel. In fact, he did all he could to forge ahead through this crisis.
He even became his servant and ran ahead of the kings chariot all the way back
to the palace. No doubt he truly believed that Ahab would take charge once he
returned to Jezreel and dealt with Jezebel's idolatrous behavior.
But it didn't happen! All that Elijah had hoped for was dashed! His disappointment quickly turned into disillusionment. In the midst of his physical and emotional exhaustion, he dropped over the edge both spiritually and psychologically. (Dr. Gene Getz)
5. Depression Often Results
from Periods of Anger, Particularly If We Don't Deal with it Properly. It's difficult to discern how much of
Elijah's depression related to feelings of anger. It's not difficult, however,
to understand that anger would be a natural emotion in this set of
circumstances. After all, he had given himself totally to vindicate God's name.
He had done his best to encourage Ahab to take a similar stand for
righteousness. And as we've seen, he had high hopes for Israel. But he also
knew that there would be no significant and permanent changes in the children
of Israel if the king himself did not change.
The one factor that is missing in Elijah's
experience is that he didn't have time to brood-to "let the sun go
down" while he was still angry (Eph. 4:26). Excitement suddenly turned to
sadness and despair. This may explain why he responded so quickly to God's plan
for healing.
On the other hand, we must remind ourselves again that Elijah was a man just like us. He had endured a great deal of difficulty for three and a half years. It would not be surprising if he had experienced some pretty severe bouts with anger-perhaps repressing those feelings. This, of course, is pure speculation. But the fact remains that we know that "repressed anger" does contribute significantly to depression. In fact, it is a very predictable emotional dynamic. (Dr. Gene Getz)
V. SOME MAIN BELIEFS FROM ELIJAH’S DEPRESSION TO FINDING REFUGE.
Principle 1. Being a Dedicated Christian Who Is Used of God in Significant Ways Does Not Guarantee That We’ll Not Experience Depression. (Moses experienced it in Ex. 5:20-23; Joshua experienced it in Josh. 7:5-13; and many others.
A. We Are All Humans with Limitations.
Like Elijah, we're all human. We have our physical and psychological limits. If we violate these limits on a prolonged basis, we'll experience the consequences.
B. Depression Does Not Necessarily Mean That
You Are Unspiritual.
This does not mean that
we are necessarily unspiritual. Furthermore, it does not mean that we are
necessarily out of the will of God when we violate these limits. In fact, the
normal demands of life often force us into these situations. Making a living, academic
pursuits, parenting, and other domestic responsibilities often push us beyond
our normal boundaries. And, of course, ministry responsibilities are even more
demanding. This is why God created us with these "alarm systems."
The important principle to remember is that depression does not necessarily mean that we are out of fellowship with God. Simply understanding this truth will enable us to deal with depression and overcome it without intensifying the problem by feeling guilty.
Principle
2. Under Certain Circumstances,
Christians Should Expect to Experience Depression and its Accompanying Results.
When we face "mountaintop experiences" emotionally, and when we find
ourselves in the midst of intense periods of stress and hyperactivity, we
should be prepared to face the consequences. Eventually-if we're human at
all-we'll face low points emotionally. This is very predictable when we've used
up our physical and emotional reserves.
Remember, too, that disillusionment and disappointment cause depression. Since these factors are a very common part of life, we should not be surprised and caught off guard when we get depressed. It's normal to experience periodic low points. Proverbs 13:12, Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
Principle
3. Depression Always Distorts Our View
of Reality.
Elijah lost mental and emotional
perspective when Jezebel threatened his life. Though he could certainly recall
the specific events that happened on Mount Carmel, he had difficulty
remembering "emotionally." In fact, in the midst of his fear that was
generated by Jezebel's threats, he even had difficulty remembering God's
faithfulness in the past. God's supernatural provisions in the brook Cherith
and in the home of the widow were beyond his psychological reach.
This should not surprise us. Depression thwarts our emotional memories and blurs our view of reality. God's acts of faithfulness in the past tend to lose their motivational effectiveness.
When all of this takes place, we tend to distort what's happening in the present. Small problems appear huge and gigantic. Simple difficulties seem terribly complex. Temporary struggles appear endless. We have difficulty seeing "light at the end of the tunnel."
Principle
4. Its' Gods' Plan That We Get
Sufficient Rest and Relaxation to Be Able to Handle Lifts' Challenges on the
Long Haul.
There are times we are called upon to exert unusual amounts of physical and emotional energy. But if we do not take time to rest, eventually we'll lose ground and our efforts will become counterproductive.
ILLUSTRATION: I'm reminded of two men who started a journey
across the great northland with two separate dog teams. One driver decided to
stop and rest his dogs every seventh day. The other man decided to drive his
dogs straight through.
At the end of the first week, one of the
men-as planned-stopped his team and rested all that day. The other man
continued to travel. By the end of the next week, the man who had rested his
dogs, nearly caught up with the man who traveled straight through. But again,
he stopped to rest his team on the seventh day.
By the end of the third week, the one who had rested his team had passed the man who traveled straight through-and in the end reached the final destination far ahead.
All of us need rest and recuperation. This is part of God's plan for all of us. Though we are not under Old Testament law, the principles still apply. Experience verifies it.
Principle 5. We Are More Vulnerable to Satanic Attacks When
We Are Physically and Psychologically Exhausted
It was not an accident that Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness after He had fasted for forty days and nights. Jesus was hungry and weak. It was then Satan made his move (see Matt. 4:1-11)! It should not surprise us then that Satan strikes us when we are weak physically and emotionally. It's doubly important that we be on guard during these periods of intense stress.
Principle
6. Understanding These Principles
Regarding Depression Will Help Us to Cope with its Presence and its Affects in
Our Lives.
Nothing intensifies and complicates
depression more than worry. When we are feeling anxiety over depression itself;
we're actually adding to the problem that may have caused our depression in the
first place. When we accept our depression as a reality, it helps us to
overcome it.
As we'll see, however, Elijah needed more
than food and rest. He also needed more than just insight. In our next lesson,
we'll look at how God continued His counseling process with His servant Elijah.
Today, we're fortunate to understand far
more about depression and its causes, as well as the way in which it can be
treated. The facts are that most depression-even chemical depression-has deeper
roots that have interfered with our body chemistry. Consequently, we need to
discover what these roots are which, more often than not, are related to
stress.
Personally, I believe Elijah's depression
was not so much "chemical" but as a result of physical and
psychological exhaustion combined with spiritual disillusionment. From his
human perspective, all that he had sacrificed for three and a half years seemed
to be in vain.
The principles for overcoming depression
that we can glean from the way God dealt with Elijah are basic in helping us
overcome any kind of depression. Though the struggles that cause depression in
our lives may be quite different from Elijah's problems, these principles are
very basic in treating this kind of problem. It gives us a basic strategy and
starting point for overcoming our own problems.
If, however, you have applied these principles over a period of time and have not gotten relief, you should seek medical advice from a competent doctor-preferably a Christian doctor who understands our total makeup: physically, psychologically, and spiritually. (Dr. Gene Getz)
Understanding following statements regarding depression will help us cope with the presence and affects of depression in our lives. Have you gotten any special insights from these statements? Write out a specific goal for the one you relate to the most, such as: "I will be aware that next time I have a 'mountain top' experience depression may follow. I will ask the Lord to help me respond with positive thoughts."
Statements
· Depression often follows "mountaintop
experiences."
· Depression often follows intense periods
of stress and hyperactivity.
· Depression often coincides with physical
and emotional exhaustion.
· Depression often follows keen
disappointment and disillusionment.
· Depression often results from periods of
anger, particularly if we don't deal with it properly.
· Being a dedicated Christian who is used of
God in significant ways does not guarantee that we'll not experience
depression.
· Under certain circumstances, Christians
should expect to experience depression and its accompanying results.
· Depression always distorts our view of
reality.
· It's God's plan that we get sufficient
rest and relaxation to be able to handle life's challenges on the long haul.
· We are more vulnerable to satanic attacks when we are physically and psychologically exhausted.
Memorize the Following Scripture:
Matthew 11:28, Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
