If even one of the greatest men of God in history can slip into such a desert place, it can happen to any of us. Rather, this is meant to offer the same help and hope to you that Elijah experienced. ![]() Please understand, in the same way, this is not to condemn any of you or step on anyone’s toes if you are in a difficult place. Notice in this Scripture that instead of condemning or reprimanding Elijah, God sent an angel to minister to him. There is no shame when you find yourself here. He found himself in the depths of despair, and that very same thing can happen to any of us. Elijah had gone straight from a mighty victory to a suicidal death wish in a mere moment. Queen Jezebel had threatened Elijah’s life after this, and he ran into the desert horrified to the point of suicide. Moving on, let’s see what caused this change in Elijah… Consequently, our old bread is getting stale, and it no longer sustains us. We too have experienced some of the most extraordinary victories in the church and in our lives at times, but we are often drawn by the temptation to subsist on those past experiences rather than continually seeking God for fresh bread. Here is where the story turns and where we might even relate a bit. Yes, he ran faster than a horse! Talk about a man full of the Spirit of God and walking (or running!) in a mighty victory!Ĭan this really be the same person who just moments later would be wallowing in a state of depression begging to die? From a mighty victory to a death wish in a matter of a few verses? Soon after this victory came the sound of the “abundance of rain!” Chalk up another great victory for the people of God! Immediately after this event, the Holy Spirit came upon Elijah, and he ran so fast that he made it to the town of Jezreel before King Ahab could get there in his horse-drawn chariot. It consumed the sacrifice, the altar, and even licked up all the water in the surrounding trenches. Conversely, Elijah prayed a simple prayer to the one, true, living God who answered with fire. They beat themselves to a frenzy as they begged and cried out to their gods who never answered. Carmel, and it was on! The false prophets went first. Elijah called all of the prophets of Baal and Asherah together to settle the score once and for all. Finally, after the land had suffered severally from the drought, it was time to do something about it. Elijah had declared that there would be no rain in the land until he, himself, called for it because King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had essentially run the nation of God’s chosen people into the toilet with their worship of Baal and Asherah. ![]() Here is a quick synopsis to set the stage for today’s lesson. How exciting when he socked it to those prophets of Baal! Carmel that we studied last week from 1 Kings 18. One of my favorite Bible stories of all time is the one with Elijah on Mt. ![]() Consider this the hand you need to pull you back out! Well, I am here to tell you that there is hope. Have you ever found yourself in a pit over your head, and there seemed to be no way out? How did you get that far? You have served God with all your heart, and then one day, the passion suddenly disappeared. I have included links to each portion of the chapter, and I recommend that you read the corresponding verses with each point. I found six crucial points from 1 Kings 19 concerning God’s deliverance when we find ourselves in a pit and about taking care of ourselves to prevent burn out and depression. However, I have written my own notes from this part of the story that I used in a sermon I preached about three years ago. I typically write a summary of each day’s personal study to help everyone get the most out of the practical lessons within and in preparation for the small group discussions. I am going to approach this week’s blog from a different perspective. I can relate to Elijah’s feelings of despair in this chapter, and I believe we all go through similar moments or seasons in which we can benefit from the precepts of “Soul Care” found here. I have truly enjoyed the tremendous relevant and practical lessons we can all glean from this portion of Elijah’s story. Carmel to a tender moment of soul care under the broom tree for a gravely depressed prophet of God. ![]() What a wild shift in the mood from last week’s study to this week’s – from a powerful demonstration of God’s strength on Mt.
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