1 Kings 19 - Dealing with Depression
Notes
Transcript
God's Prescription for Our Depression
God's Prescription for Our Depression
Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19:1–16
Bible Passage: 1 Kings 19:1–16
Big Idea: Even in our greatest struggles with depression, God meets us with care and purpose, inviting us to rest in His presence and empowering us for His mission
Opening
Opening
Welcome/Good Morning
Pastor Team Introduction
Raise your hand if first time
We Like it When You’re Here!… But...What are you doing here? What led you to being here, in this place, on this morning? This is the question we will come back to again and again today.
My job today is to do 2 things:
I want to show you how to see yourself in Elijah’s story. He was a real person, living in our very real world, felt the same fears and doubts and downfalls that we do, and worshiped the same God, Yahweh. We can learn from him.
I want to reveal to you the gospel in the stories of Elijah. Jesus is the key to God’s ultimate plan and the entirety of the Old Testament is pointing toward Jesus. We should as well.
25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
Story Recap
Story Recap
Setting: 860 BC; God’s people are divided into two opposing nations: Israel in the North (bad guys) and Judah in the South (less bad guys).
Characters: Yahweh (Main Character); Elijah (Prophet of Yahweh); Ahab (King of Israel in the North); Jezebel (Pagan Wife of Ahab, ‘Where is Baal?’)
Our story begins in 1 Kings 18 where we are told ‘the word of the LORD came to Elijah’:
“Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.” -Yahweh 1Kings 18:1
Elijah meets Ahab and declares him a ‘troubler’ of Israel, saying:
“You have troubled Israel because you have abandoned the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals.” - Elijah 1Kings 18:18
Allow me to remind you what Pastor Lewis taught us last week about that word, ‘troubler’: עָכַר akhar : to disturb the water, put into disorder, to throw into confusion or ruin
Elijah is condemning Ahab for allowing his wife, Jezebel, to institute pagan (Baal) worship and claiming that it is muddying the waters and God’s people can no longer see discern the truth from the lie.
Did you know that Baal was the Canaanite God of fertility, rain and harvests? One of the ways people would worship Baal and attempt to gain favor in fertility, was to burn their own children alive on alters. Handed over by their mothers, who watched mere steps away, as their babies were set on fire. This was the Israel that Elijah was standing against. Talk about muddying the waters for God’s people… There is a sermon in here somewhere about weak men who refuse to lead their family in faith and the dangers associated when that fails to happen. But not today.
Following this accusation, Elijah take a leap of faith and challenges Jezebel’s prophets of Baal to a dual! 850 pagans vs 1 believer.
Last week we learned how Elijah went about facilitating this duel and we got to see his comedic nature and unwavering faith. Elijah let the prophets of Baal set up their own alter and watched as they shouted and danced to Baal from the time of morning sacrifice (9am) to noon. At noon, Elijah began mocking them, proposing that perhaps their god was using the restroom, or traveling and unable to pick up the phone. Right? It’s really great stuff for being 3000 years old. The prophets of Baal took it a step further and began cutting themselves as an act of worship to their false god. This continued until the time of the evening sacrifice (3pm), there was no response from Baal.
Elijah goes to his alter and prepares it differently than the pagans did. Elijah soaks his offering in water before calling on the fire of God.
Let me take your attention back to the first verse of chapter 18, where God gives Elijah his instruction: “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”
Does God give any mention of this dramatic duel, or the humiliation of Jezebel’s prophets when he speaks to Elijah? No. God says, “go see Ahab, and I will send rain.” You go, I will.
Yahweh is the name God gives when we strikes covenants with His people. Anytime scripture refers to God as Yahweh, we should try to remember this fact. God will keep His promises, even if we don’t. This is a promise from God.
Part of me wants to liken Elijah to a kid that loves to perform and just learned a new magic trick. Walking around with his deck of cards like, ‘pick a card any card. Doesn’t matter what you pick, I’ll be able to find it.’
Elijah trusted that if Yahweh said He would send rain, He would do it. The condition was that Elijah shows himself to Ahab. Elijah did that, but took it even further. Knowing God would keep His promise, Elijah proceeds to rig the most dramatic magic trick in history.
Go ahead, pick a card, any card! Shout and dance all you want! I’ll still be able to pull the rabbit out of the hat and it will be holding your card. Here, go ahead and soak my burnt offering in water, it doesn’t matter! The deck is rigged!
Pastor Lewis taught us how this scene ends: in victory.
Elijah calls upon the LORD to act and He responds by sending fire that consumes the entirety of the burnt offering, stones, dust and water included.
This scene closes with Elijah putting 450 prophets of Baal to death before the rain starts to come. Duh Duh Duhhhh!
Like in any good action movie, after the good guys win the big battle...the screen will pan to the big bad villain who is already plotting their next dastardly plan against the hero.
LOTR: Frodo has arrived in Rivendell! But the ring will soon begin to corrupt the hearts of his companions.
Star Wars: Anakin has defeated Count Dooku! But Emperor Palpatine is the true villain and will soon turn Anakin to the dark side! Spoiler alert!
Harry Potter: Harry finally makes it to Hogwarts after learning he is a wizard and escaping his abusive aunt and uncle, but low and behold...He Who Must Not Be Named is already there! And he is coming for Harry...
That is what we should experience when we begin reading 1Kings 19:1.
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
Translation: This time tomorrow, YOU’RE DEAD.
This is the language of ancient oaths. We this same oath uttered in the book of Ruth.
17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
Perspective: No matter how great your victory, death is coming for you. No matter how big you think your God is, there is too much evil; too much sadness; too much hurt in this world to overcome. All your efforts result in nothing!
Has anyone here ever been told that in your lives? Perhaps by a parent? Or a coach? 2 Steps forward, 3 Steps backward.
Does anyone here find themselves in a place where you just can’t win? Even though you can see and acknowledge battles being won around you, it feels like you’re still losing the war?
I can relate: Many of you here are aware that I was suddenly let go from work more than a month ago and it has been a time of fear and faith in our family. We have been beyond blessed to receive an incredible amount of support from the church, from our friends and family. More than I could have ever hoped for.
But I still wrestle with that enemy who tells me, “your friend’s patience will run out soon. One day, you won’t have the money to feed your children. One day, everything you have built for your family will be lost. Yes! Sunday was great and the message was powerful, the congregation raised their hands and shouted loud and thanked you when it was over...but your problems are still waiting for you when you get home. Nothing can save you from your own failures.”
What am I doing here?
Does anyone here struggle with Depression?
Does anyone here struggle with Depression?
Whether it be long form depression, or a season of struggle that has you looking around going, “God what am I doing here?!”
Who here can admit that there have been times in their life where they said “enough is enough!” Perhaps you arrived this morning with those very words on your soul. “God, I am so tired of losing. Even when I win, I feel as if it is not enough. I still lose in the end.”
Married:
Perhaps you can’t seem to win with your spouse. No matter what you do in obedience to the LORD, your husband refuses to soften his heart to you. No matter how much care and attention you give to your wife, you still wrestle with a lack of respect and empathy. Maybe you feel utterly alone, and unfaithfulness has taken a tragic step into your marriage. You feel like giving up. Enough is enough.
Sports:
No matter how much work you put into practice, you still strike out with bases loaded in the ninth inning. The game was tied and you missed the free throw. Your college application was denied. Why even play? Why even try?
Parents:
Some of you here have a broken relationship with your children. Some of you have had to say goodbye to the ones you love the very most in this world and The enemy is planting seeds of deceit inside your soul and asking you, ‘Why fight a losing battle? Just give in. Enough is enough.’
If only we had a biblical example of what to do when we face the overwhelming odds of depression.
Today, we are going to learn from Elijah who struggled with this very thing - moments after his dramatic victory on Mt. Carmel, he was promised death within a day.
3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
Here he is: Elijah has fled South to Judah, far from Samaria where Ahab and Jezebel are. Not only did he leave the country, we are told that he made the 100 mile trip south to Beersheba and then another day’s journey into the wilderness. Once he is far removed from civilization and totally isolated, he says things that should be red alerts to any guidance counselor worth their salt: Enough is enough. I am worthless. I am ready to die.
How does God respond to this behavior?
1. God Wants Me to Get Nourished and Rest
1. God Wants Me to Get Nourished and Rest
5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
How does God respond to Elijah running from his fears and responsibilities? How does God respond to Elijah’s depression and request for death? With a snack and a nap.
Who here can relate to that truth bomb? A snack and a nap can go a very long way. I’d probably be better off with less of the snack part, but you get what I’m saying right?
I have a problem of sometimes working right through breakfast and lunch. It’ll be mid afternoon and, in a moment, my stomach will twist and finally remind me that it needs food. Anyone here know what that feeling is like? It hurts, but I have learned over the years that if I put some food in it, it’ll use fix the pain and discomfort immediately. Moments after eating some toast or drinking a glass of milk, it goes away.
You are not yourself when you’re hungry!
You are not yourself when you’re hungry!
Some of you might have needed to hear that truth most of all this morning. Men, no need to look over at your wives, they know it already, deep down. It’s why girl’s nights always have a significantly broader assortment of finger foods than guy’s nights.
Hey, y’all came here for truth, I’m just the messenger.
You are not yourself when you’re hungry!
You are not yourself when you’re hungry!
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
What is the answer when you feel burnt out? Depressed? Bombarded by stress and anxiety? Get up, eat, rest. Exercise, healthy diet, rest. 3000 year old nutritional advice that we still know today.
Allow me a moment reassure you if you genuinely battle with depression in your life. I am not minimizing the solution here, saying just eat good food and you’ll feel better. What I am trying to do is tie a common truth to a deeper truth hidden in this scripture. I am trying to reveal to you the truth in Psalm 34:8: “taste and see that the Lord is good!"
Fill your hungry souls with God, with truth! And watch the hunger pangs fade away.
Jesus tried to reveal this many times:
Remember at Passover, the Last Supper, the night before his arrest and eventual crucifixion in Jerusalem: “Take, eat; this is my body.”
With the woman at the well in Samaria: “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Ladies and gentlemen, your feelings are real, but they don’t tell you the truth.
Your feelings are real, but they are lying to you! You are not yourself when you’re hungry! So fill up on the Word of the Lord and be restored! Drink the water of life that comes only from our risen Savior, Jesus Christ!
But Pastor Blair, I screwed up big time. I abandoned the purpose God gave me, if you only knew how far I have fallen. I am not strong enough be who God is calling me to be.
Let me remind you of Elijah, mighty prophet of Yahweh who, after orchestrating one of God’s most dramatic displays of sovereignty, immediately falls for the lies of fear and depression and flees his responsibility.
God doesn’t condemn him for this. God doesn’t say, “Get up and go back, you have a mission and we are at war against evil!”
No. God says, “here’s a snack. Take a nap.” When Elijah wakes, does God send him back to confront Jezebel?
No. God says, “Here’s another snack. Take another nap. This journey is too much for you, but not for me.”
When Elijah wakes again, does God send him back to fight the pagans of Baal? Let’s see:
8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.
Horeb is another name for Mt. Sinai, which is 40 days and nights of travel South of Elijah. Notice that Jesus was also in the wilderness battling Satan for 40 days and nights before He too would climb a mountain. Elijah’s climb will result in renewal for his soul; Jesus’ climb will result in renewal for all humanity.
Not only does God choose not to send Elijah back into the thick of it, he sends him even further south, to the place of Elijah’s ancestors. To the place where Moses had a one on one meeting with Yahweh. God is bringing Elijah back to his roots, reminding him that though Israel has strayed FAR from their covenant at Mt. Sinai, God remains the same. The same God that led the Hebrews through the desert by a column of fire after the Exodus is the same God that Elijah calls down atop Mt. Carmel, is the same God that feeds and nourishes Elijah when his strength runs dry.
2. God Replaces My Lies with His Truth and Presence
2. God Replaces My Lies with His Truth and Presence
9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
Elijah is exaggerating here (Only I am left). We learn in the previous chapter of this story that Obadiah rescues and hides 100 prophets of Yahweh, then tells Elijah.
Elijah knows intellectually that he is not alone, but he feels spiritually and emotionally alone.
God does not correct Elijah. Instead, God gives Elijah his ‘Moses’ moment. He allows Elijah to witness, with His eyes, the glory of Yahweh.
11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore 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, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
But the Lord was not in the fire.
What do we learn in scripture when God IS in the fire? Let’s see:
What happened to the bush in Exodus when God was in the fire, speaking to Moses? I did not burn.
What happened to Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego in the book of Daniel when King Nebekadnezzar through them into the fire? It did not burn them, why? Because the Spirit of the Lord was there.
What happens to Elijah when the Lord is ready to call him home to heaven? 2 Kings tells us that he is swept up into heaven by a whirlwind of chariots and horses made of fire. Did Elijah burn? No, God was in the fire.
As a believer in Jesus Christ, scripture promises that now, the Holy Spirit of God lives in me! And in each of you who believe!
What do we have to fear from the flames?!
I believe the Holy Spirit wants me to ask each and every one of you this question today: What are you doing here?! What has led to all this?
Have you ever gotten lost in a crowded place and started to feel that heavy anxiety that comes when you don’t know where you are or how to get out? I was flying from Austin to Dallas one weekend as a kid, probably 7 or 8 years old, and I was all by myself.
I remember my mom walking me to my gate, but she couldn’t board the plane with me. I was supposed to fly, then get off the plane and follow the signs to baggage claim. Easy peasy.
When I landed in Dallas, I got off the plane and stopped in the main aisle, looking left and right. Then, I was surrounded by the flood of people exiting the plane and ended up getting swept into their traffic flow.
At first I was hanging in there, but I soon started to sweat, lose my breath, and feel like the whole world was falling in on me. I didn’t know where I was, and I was afraid that I would be stuck there forever. My feet grew heavier and heavier, and I sat down on the floor of DFW and cried into my backpack. And no one offered to help me.
But there was one moment, etched into my memory, where I caught a view of my dad through the crowd of people, and my heart lept in my chest. Everything changed in a moment! My dad was there to save me! My legs suddenly had a wealth of energy, my heart was suddenly full of joy instead of fear! Then, it didn’t matter where I was or how many people crowded around me. I was fine! My dad was RIGHT THERE! I had nothing to fear any longer!
You may be sitting in that chair this morning, hopeless. The world is falling in all around you. Maybe your job is struggling. Maybe your relationships are breaking. Maybe you’re afraid that you are lost and have no way out!
You ask for God to move in your life and when you look around, you see wind breaking up the mountains you have built, you see earthquakes destroying your foundations. You see fire burning and encroaching on the things and people you love most!!
But church, I AM HERE THIS MORNING TO OFFER A PERSPECTIVE BASED IN TRUTH!
MAYBE, as with Elijah, the Lord is not in the wind! The Lord is not in the Earthquakes! The Lord is not in the fire! The Lord...is in the gentle whisper.
Reminding you, “Hey now, calm. Find my face in the crowd, my presence will banish the lies. When I am around, there is nothing to fear.”
There is a place for revival and miracles and grandiose revelations of God. There is a time for sweeping movements of faith that rock the foundations of our world. But God does not always work in the grandiose, but in the quiet moments.
The Holy Spirit is telling you this morning, “Don’t focus on the wind, I’m not over there. Don’t focus on your failures, that’s not where I am. Don’t let the world crashing down around you break your spirit! Listen for my gentle whisper, always but a breath away. Hear my voice in the song on the radio, I made sure it would be playing today just for you. Listen to the words, I am trying to talk to you. Look for me the generosity of your friends. I do not reside in the fear of not having enough, I am in the heart of the cheerful giver. Find my face in the beauty of your bride, hear my voice in the laughter of your children. Feel my heart for your pain in the embrace of a stranger.”
His presence, often times hidden as a gentle whisper, has more than enough power to defeat your pain. Not only that, God wants more from you that this.
Call up worship team.
As the worship team comes up, I’ll ask again: What are you doing here? What has led you to this stage in your life?
3. God Has Something for Me to Do.
3. God Has Something for Me to Do.
13 And when Elijah heard it [the whisper], he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
After the fear and the fleeing, after the sadness and depression, after the loneliness and isolation, God still had something for Elijah to do. Beyond his despair, God gave Elijah purpose.
And that purpose was not to go back and fight the evil! God would use Elijah to raise others to do that (King Hazael of Syria, Jehu to be the new King of Israel, Elisha to succeed Elijah.
Our struggles do not disqualify us from God's call; they often precede new beginnings.
Church, I am here to tell you that your journey does not end in your struggles. There is a greater purpose to all of this, a purpose that may be hidden inside of a gentle whisper. Our stories were not designed to end when we face trials of many kinds.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
A yoke is a tool that is used to harness animals to a wagon or plow of some kind. This is still practiced today, but the metaphor would have been plainly evident to people during the time of Christ.
When a farmer or wagon leader would train a new animal to pull the load, best practice was to place the untrained animal next to a more learned member and yoke them together. This would force the younger animal to match pace and step with the more senior animal. Overtime, the younger animal learn how best to move so they were in sync with the others and thus, pulling their load easier and with less jerky motions.
Jesus is here this morning, holding out His yoke. “Hey, there is work to do. We have a burden to carry, but don’t worry. My yoke is easy, my burden is light. I am carrying the heavier share of the load! Believe in me! Trust in me! We have a destination in mind, yes, but we don’t need to sprint. Let’s take our time and walk in step. I lead, you follow”
The yoke gets heavier when we try to go our own way and solve problems under our own strength. We just aren’t strong enough. But when we walk hand in hand with Jesus, listening for His gentle whispers, eating the bread of life and living water that He provides, yoked up to the God who became Man and suffered and died on a cross for the sins of all who would believe...we begin to understand the peace of God. We begin to relate to the Prince of Peace.
Spiritual depression or unhappiness in the Christian life is very often due to our failure to realize the greatness of the Gospel.
Spiritual Depression, 34
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Welsh Preacher and Writer)
Is there a cure for depression? Yes. But it is not in us. It is in God. The cure is to seek God’s face, so ours will not be downcast.
James Montgomery Boice
Conclusion/Alter Call
Conclusion/Alter Call
I’ve asked this question several times this morning: What are you doing here? What led you to this place?
What is the state of your mission, right now? Are you in the thick of the battle, or are you running? Are you in a season of failure and depression? Are you being sent back into the field for your next mission?
Have you had anything to eat? You aren’t yourself when you’re hungry! Have you taken a sip of the living water that is Jesus Christ? Have you allowed yourself any rest, so you can hear His gentle whisper, restoring you and empowering you for what’s next?
Perhaps, some of you needed a reminder that God is still good, regardless of your circumstances. God is still present, though you have fled from Him. Jesus loves you, even if you don’t love yourself. Come and see.
If you’re sitting in that chair and you have not asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart and be your personal Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit is pleading with you this morning: Come and see. Step out of the chaos and come to the front, kneel at the alter. I want to pray for your soul.
If you don’t know Him this morning, but feel His knocking on your heart, ANSWER THE DOOR! Come and see!! Watch the hunger pangs fade away!
Watch the flames of depression be rendered impotent by the mere presence of the LORD!!!
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Prayer
Prayer
Let us all bow our heads and seek the Lord in prayer.
Let us look through the flames that threaten to burn us and see your face, Jesus.
