ELIJAH...DEPRESSION

In Chapter 18, Elijah experienced great miracles and victories. Something changes in Elijah, and we’re all very susceptible to it. We will all experience these victories in our lives. I think we underestimate the amount of energy and stress we exhaust while winning the victories...

1 Kings 19:1–3 (MEV)

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. 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.”

When he saw that she was serious, he arose and ran for his life to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

Suddenly, he becomes discouraged and fearful for his life, even after such great victories.

HOW TO GET DEPRESSED IN 4 EASY STEPS

Our most challenging seasons often follow our most significant spiritual highs and victories. So what happens to us? What can we do?

1 Kings 19:3–5 (MEV)

When he saw that she was serious, he arose and ran for his life to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough! Now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.”

As he lay and slept under the juniper tree, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.”

WEAR YOURSELF OUT.

SHUT PEOPLE OUT.

FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE.

FORGET GOD.

GOD’S PRESCRIPTION FOR OUR DEPRESSION

GOD SAYS TO EAT AND REST.

I feel like we are at an all-time disadvantage right here. I can’t help but think we may be some of the busiest and most distracted generations in the world's history. With all that we are trying to balance, it is no surprise. The Lord says to get rest!

1 Kings 19:5b–6 (MEV)

He looked, and there was a cake baked on coals and a jar of water at his head. And he ate and drank and then lay down again.

Eat, drink, and rest. Then rest some more. Lay down the things you don’t have to do and hand them off to someone else who can be trusted to do them. Make time for yourself and the people you love.

1 Kings 19:7–8 (MEV)

The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” He arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

GOD REPLACES OUR LIES WITH HIS TRUTH.

Elijah had lost sight of the victories. I’m sure he thought that all of Israel would repent and turn back to God. Jezabel rose against him and was going to kill him. His mindset then switched from victory to failure. He is lonely and does feel that he is alone in this fight for truth. He is emotionally and physically exhausted.

In our weakest moments, we are most likely to believe lies. Remember, the devil waited until the end of 40 days of fasting to tempt Jesus. He will do the same to us.

1 Kings 19:9–10 (MEV)

He came to a cave and camped there, and the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”

And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, Lord of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.”

GOD SPEAKS IN A STILL, SMALL VOICE.

We have been discussing how to hear God speak on Wednesday nights. We know God’s preferred way of talking to us is to whisper. Why? I think it is because you must be close to hear it. You have to lean in close to Him to hear His voice. He wants this close, intimate relationship with us.

1 Kings 19:11–12 (MEV)

He said, “Go and stand on the mountain before the Lord.”

And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind split 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 came, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake, a fire came, but the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire, a still, small voice.

GOD GIVES US SOMETHING TO DO.

Proverbs 16:3 (MEV)

Commit your works to the Lord,

and your thoughts will be established.

It is not God’s plan for us to do nothing. We must be busy with His work. There is a saying that idle hands are the devil’s workshop. So what is His business?

1 Kings 19:15–16 (MEV)

The Lord said to him, “Go, return on the road through the Wilderness of Damascus, and when you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Aram. And you shall anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah, to be prophet in your place.

He sent Elijah to find and anoint Elisha as his successor. He was to be the next prophet in line. I would argue that this has not changed today.

Mark 16:15–18 (MEV)

He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Let us be about the Father’s business. We are to make disciples and raise the next in line. Commit our works to the Lord, and He will establish our thoughts. We do not want to be the people with no vision or purpose and run wild without aim.

2 Kings 2:11–12 (MEV)

As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elisha was watching and crying, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see him again. Then he grabbed his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

I believe we all want to be Kingdom builders. Like Elijah, we all want to be with the Lord and hear Him say well done, good and faithful servant!

PRAYER...

Immediately following a great victory, Elijah became depressed. 1 Kings 19:3-5 illustrates four common contributors to depression. Elijah wore himself out, shut people out, focused on the negative, and forgot the faithfulness of God. Which one of these four is your most common challenge?

Elijah honestly believed he was the only faithful one left. God replaced this lie with the truth: 7000 others still were faithful to God. Can you name a lie that you believe to be true? What is God’s truth?

God encouraged Elijah to eat and rest, to believe truth instead of lies, to listen to His voice, and to get back to doing what prophets do. During this season, which of these areas resonated with you the most? Why?