Elijah's Great Victories....

 

 “Elijah’s Great Victories….”

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:

I recently read about a successful businessman who was battling deep depression. He called his pastor and informed him of what he was going through.  He said-with a note of desperation in his voice-"I'm in deep trouble. I feel as if I'm living with a heavy; wet blanket over my head. I can hardly breathe. I don't want to get up and face the day's activities. My motivation is at an all-time low. I can't even think clearly. I'm feeling immobilized. I can't even function properly in my business." (Dr. Gene Getz)

It didn't take long to discern that this gentleman was terribly depressed.   The struggles he'd gone through over the past several years, no doubt brought this on.  The pastor’s diagnosis was confirmed by a Christian counselor; exactly as the pastor had anticipated.  His friend was plagued with chemical depression--an imbalance of our body's own chemicals, brought on by extreme stress.

The good news is that he responded quickly to medication and counseling—and was able to once again cope with the challenges he faced in life. It also helped him to establish some new spiritual goals.

Depression is A Common Human Experience

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.

All Christians face times of depression even some of God's choicest servants. Elijah certainly demonstrates this reality. What may be surprising is that Elijah's bout with depression came after his greatest spiritual victory.  It happened suddenly and seemingly without warning. But in retrospect, it was predictable.

MESSAGE:

I.  ELIJAH’S EMOTIONAL HIGH.

1 Kings 18:39-44, And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. [40] And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

    [41] And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. [42] So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, [43] And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. [44] And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

GREAT VICTORIOUS EXPERIENCES.

   A.  ISRAEL’S REPENTANCE.  18:39-40

        1. Through Their Words.  

Following Elijah's great spiritual victory on Mount Carmel, he had great hopes for revival in Israel. Understandably so! The people responded in masse and acknowledged that the Lord was the one true God (see 1 Kings 18:39).

       2. Through Their Works.

Their punitive  actions against the prophets of  Baal also indicated their desire to turn from their idolatrous ways (see  vs. 40).

    B.  AHAB’S RESPONSE.   18:41

Ahab's response encouraged Elijah the most.

       1. Ahab’s Humility.

The king's heart appeared soft and humble before the Lord. Following his utter defeat, Ahab's countenance must have reflected horrible dejection and weariness.

Rather than condemning the king, Elijah encouraged him to return to his royal tent and regain his emotional and physical strength. "Get thee up, eat and drink," Elijah said, "for there is a sound of  abundance of  rain" (vs. 41). In other words, Elijah was telling Ahab to cheer up! The drought was over.

      2. Elijah’s Hearing.

What Elijah actually "heard" at that moment was in his heart. With the "ear of faith" he knew  rain was on its way, even though there were no visible clouds, no thunder, and no lightning. But Elijah knew there would be! His knowledge of God's will enabled him to "hear" things others couldn't hear. God had spoken, and the fire from Heaven was just the beginning of what God had promised would happen. (Dr. Gene Getz)

    C.  ELIJAH’S RAINS.     18:42-46

As Ahab went off to “eat and drink," Elijah once again made his way to the top of Mount Carmel to pray and wait for God to send rain. From that vantage point, he and his servant could look over the vast expanse of the Mediterranean.

          1. His Prayers      Vs.  44

1 Kings 18:44, And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

 Elijah instructed his servants seven times to climb to a lookout point to see if there was any evidence of the coming storm. The seventh time, the servant returned with a positive report. He had seen " a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand." (v.44).

          2. His Proclamation.   Vs 44

This was all the visible evidence Elijah needed. He told Ahab to get his chariot ready and to head for Jezreel before the rain became so intense it would be impossible to travel (see v.44). Suddenly, "the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. (Vs. 45).

II.   ELIJAH'S MARATHON RUN.

1 Kings 18:45-46, And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. [46] And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.   

As Ahab rode off to Jezreel in the blinding rainstorm, a strange thing happened! The power of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel (v.46). 

A.  WHERE WAS AHAB’S RUNNER?

Ahab's security team had probably vanished. A key member of that team was Ahab’s personal runner-a man who ran out ahead of his chariot to make sure the road was clear. Considering the shocking events that had just transpired on Mount Carmel as well as the mass execution of the prophets of Baal, it's understandable why the designated runner went into hiding.

Imagine Ahab's surprise when Elijah suddenly became a part of his security team. Though the king could barely see through the blinding storm, he no doubt caught glimpses of Elijah-head bowed low and his cloak flapping in the wind as he braved the elements and led the king's chariot over winding, muddy roads back to Jezreel. (Dr. Gene Getz)

B.  AN IMPOSSIBLE FEAT

Keep in mind that the distance from Mount Carmel to Jezreel-where Ahab had his summer palace-was nearly twenty miles. In view of Elijah's age, this was an impossible feat for an old man. The Lord had suddenly shifted His presence and power to Elijah, not to harm Ahab, but to help him! This must have been very reassuring to Ahab at this moment in his life. 

C.  IMAGINE FACING JEZEBEL

Another reason the Lord enabled Elijah to run ahead of Ahab's chariot relates to what the king would face when he returned to his palace. Jezebel would be waiting! Ahab would need all the emotional support he could get to stand up to this wicked woman and her four hundred prophets.

III. ELIJAH’S DEVASTATING DISAPPOINTMENT.

1 Kings 19:1-2, 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.          

A.  AHAB’S REPORT.

Things did not turn out as Elijah had anticipated. His hopes were dashed. When Ahab reported on the Mount Carmel experience, Jezebel was livid (see 1 Kings 19:1-2)! Ahab— weak man that he was-would not stand up to his wicked queen.

B.  JEZEBEL’S RESPONSE.

Imagine how Elijah felt when he received the following message from Jezebel: "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." (v.2).

Elijah was hoping for a positive report that Jezebel had listened to Ahab, and had humbled herself before Almighty God. But not so! Like the pharaoh of Egypt, she hardened her heart. She only became more entrenched in her pagan ways and more steeped in her idolatry. Flying into a rage, she threatened to kill Elijah!

In the midst of her intense anger, Jezebel did not lose complete rationality. To unleash her fury on Elijah would put her own life in danger. She knew that the children of Israel had responded positively to what had happened on Mount Carmel. She was well aware of what they had done to the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Emotions were running high. Consequently, she knew she had to give Elijah a way out. This is why she gave him twenty-four hours to get out of town! (Dr. Gene Getz)