Elijah expected to see great results after his victory over the false prophets of Baal. After Elijah killed 850 false prophets, he thought that the king and queen would bow to Jehovah God. But they didn’t. Jezebel wanted to kill him. Elijah became very fearful. He ran away.
1 Kings 19:1-4
1 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!”
Elijah was a great man of God. But he wanted to die because he felt overwhelmed. Moses did the same thing. Moses asked God to take him home.
Numbers 11:14-15
14 I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”
Moses was overwhelmed by the people of Israel and their sin. He was discouraged and felt fear because he felt like he had too much responsibility.
Jonah felt the same way. He was inside a fish for three days, then God told the fish to spit him out. God forgave him for his sin. He experienced a great miracle. Then God used him to bring revival to Nineveh. But afterward, he wanted to die.
Jonah 4:3
3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”
Isn’t this a terrible reaction? We should not have this reaction. We should not wish to kill ourselves. It’s a very irresponsible reaction.
Why did they feel this way? Fear.
Fear is unmanageable without God. Those who are dealing with fear want to be alone. They don’t want to be around people. Fear leads to depression and suicide.
Elijah, this mighty man of God, dealt with fear. He left his servant in the town and then went a day’s journey into the wilderness. Now, after this great revival, the killing of the false prophets, there were people who wanted to learn and know more about God. But Elijah was very selfish at this moment. He ran away. He wanted to be alone.
If you want to overcome fear, rejection, discouragement, and depression, serve others and serve God.
Fear makes you want to run away, but when you stay with people and serve them, you will overcome. If you run away, you will feel more rejection.
We can overcome fear in the Lord.
Fear comes from disappointment, discouragement, and depression. Fear tries to come in after a great victory. Fear comes in when you feel overwhelmed by a great responsibility.
After victory, we need to continually climb the mountain. Continue to pray. Press on.
Philippians 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
When you fight the good fight, you should not expect anything. When you pray for something, don’t stop when you see some fruit or some victory. After great victory, we need to continue to press on. Pray continually. Move forward. Don’t set your heart on the results of your prayers. Have the mentality to continually move forward.
When Elijah ran away, he went as far as he could get, all the way to a foreign country. God was merciful, though. He knew that he was doing the wrong thing, but God sent His angel to provide for him.
1 Kings 19:4-7
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!”
5 Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.”
God didn’t send an angel to correct him or tell him to get up and overcome. Instead, he woke him up and gave him food to eat. God used food to restore him and strengthen him.
This is a great scripture. I probably would have commanded him to get up in the name of Jesus and receive strength. I probably would have told him to overcome through prayer and fasting.
But after God provided for him with food and water and after he rested, then God dealt with him. This is what God did with the churches in the book of Revelation. First, He praised them. Then He corrected them. This works with people, too. When you need to correct someone, praise him or her, too.
What is the open door for fear? Pride. In 1 Kings 19:14, Elijah told God how well he had served Him.
1 Kings 19:7-10
7 And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8 So he arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.
9 And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.”
Elijah was prideful and cocky. He told God that he was the only one left who was so zealous for God. Elijah made the mistake of running away from Israel and his responsibility. But he wasn’t humble. Instead, he bragged about what he had done.
God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here?” He asked Adam and Eve the same thing. He asked Cain the same thing. Why? When God asks you what you are doing, He is giving you a chance to think and to analyze and examine your heart. God already knows what you are doing. He already knows what you are struggling with. But He asks for your sake, so that you can take time to examine yourself.
God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here?” because he wanted him to think about his choices, his mistake. God knew that Elijah was supposed to be in Israel, ministering to the people that he just witnessed the mighty miracle of God in bringing fire from heaven.
When wicked people see God’s miracles, their hearts get harder. Think about the Egyptians. They saw miracle after miracle, but their hearts got harder and harder and harder. When God uses you to bring victory or a miracle, you can’t expect that people will acknowledge or respect or honor you. Don’t look for that. Just praise God and move forward.
Elijah looked around, expecting praise or acknowledgement or change, and got discouraged. That was his mistake. He looked around instead of focusing on God.
Elijah had already seen God’s mighty provision in 1 Kings 17. His life was pretty peaceful during the famine.
We should learn from this. If your life is peaceful right now, you should use that time to strengthen yourself in the Lord for the upcoming battle. Life will not always be peaceful. You should use every time of peace to prepare for battle. Then use every time of victory to push forward. There is no time for relaxing and settling back. Continually push forward.
God bless you,
Pastor Sun East