A Life of Power: In the Hour of Weakness

Let’s begin reading in 1 Kings 18.41-19.9.

A Life of Power: In the Hour of Weakness. That’s the title of todays sermon.

What happened to the prophet of power? Doesn’t seem too powerful here, running for his life, curling up under a juniper tree out in the wilderness.

What happened to Elijah?

Can I just say that I am so glad this passage of Scripture is in the Bible.

· For one thing, passages like this authenticate the Bible in the eyes of skeptic scholars. If it was a bunch of made up tales they certainly wouldn’t have included this section in the life of this hero prophet Elijah. But the Bible keeps it real.

· Secondly—I am glad because we are finally on a subject that I am expert on—weakness. I know all about this topic because I have lived it. Not only have I failed in hours of weakness over and over again, but others have failed me.

· What about you? Have there been Christian people in your life that you looked up to? Maybe even a mentor---a pastor---or a family member—someone you said—that’s what it looks like to be a Christian and they were an inspiration to you and then out of the blue---they have a spiritual failure and their life is all messed up and you look at them and ask—what happened? How can this be? What happened to this person who was one of the finest Christians I had ever known? And now the life all messed up? What happens to a person like that?

You know---a causal reader might ask---Are there two different men named Elijah? You know—there were two obadiahs, two Johns in the NT, several mary’s, two James’—Maybe there are two Elijah’s

When I look out and see this man under the broom tree, tired, confused, spiritually weak, wanting to die---when I look and see this man out there, I ask---Is this the same Elijah:

· Had the faith to pray that the rain would stop?

· That trusted God for his daily provision down by the brook Cherith?

· That believed God would multiply the meal and the oil?

· Is this the same God that had the boldness to pray for life to be restored to a little boy, even though that had never happened before?

· I mean are we talking about the same Elijah?

· The same Elijah who met Ahab on the road to Jezreel and confronted the prophets of Baal to a spiritual duel?

· And there on Mt Carmel, actually believed God would actually send fire from Heaven!

· Fasted and prayed---because he really believed God when he said rain would come even when there was not a cloud in the sky

· Is this really the same Elijah?

· Yes it is and we have to answer this question---what happened to this man of God?

What happened to this man? What went wrong in his life? What happened?

Some have an easy solution---

· He wasn’t saved to start with—seriously?

· Backslidden—no use to God anymore. God will just find someone else. Pile him in the spiritual trash can. We will learn God is not finished with Elijah yet and he isn’t finished with those who go through hours of weakness. God is not through with Elijah—God is not through with those who have found themselves running and sulking under a juniper tree. The city is littered with people just like this---tired and hurt and confused---We have to try to understand these things.

There are some things we can learn from the life of Elijah about hours of weakness in the lives of Christians.

Now I want to be careful not to read between the lines this morning and we must be careful when we try to explain what happened to characters in the Bible when the text does not explicitly tell us. But there are some things that I think we can deduce with a degree of confidence about the what happened to Elijah.

I. The reasons for Hours of weakness

A. Extreme weariness

1. Sidon to meet Ahab on the road

2. Trip to Carmel

2. The dual

3. The slaying of the prophets.

4. Fasting and praying for rain---long time.

5. Then he ran to Jezreel! 20 miles. Down into the Jezreel valley and back up to Jezreel. Would have been impassible.

What I am trying to say is this man is tired and he is hungry—get the man a snickers bar or something!

Moments of weakness can come when we experience extreme weariness.

Our society---we are such a busy, pressured people. Rushing here and rushing there. So many responsibilities—

We have:

· Ministry to our family

· Ministry to our place of work

· Ministry in our community/neighbors

· Ministry of our Church

· We serve the Lord in all these spheres of life—at least we should be.

Colossians 3:23 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

Application: We must find time for rest and recreation. We need the occasional break.

A great life lesson--We should divert Daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually.

Jesus did this and he taught his disciples to do the same thing. Throughout the gospels we read how busy Jesus was with the work of His Father but sprinkled through out are little periods of time where Jesus would pull away from the crowd for rest and prayer and relaxation.

When you look back over the horizon of your life and you recall those hours of weakness when you blew it---think about it---were you tired and worn out? Would a little rest and relaxation have made a difference? Often times it will.

There is often an

B. Extreme let down after a high spiritual hour.

1. This is what Elijah has been waiting on for 3.5 long years.

2. Fire from heaven

2. The people fell on their faces ---shouted Jehovah he is God

3. How he has longed for this moment—he hated Baalism---the sin of Baalism—such a horrible religion and the people have finally turned back to God ---he has longed for this!

3. Then as the cool refreshing rain began to fall upon him and he runs ahead of Ahabs chariot you can almost sense that his spirit surges within him and says this is it! Victory is here!

And after a high spiritual hour, there is quite often a let down.

It happens this way very often doesn’t it?

Have you ever experienced God in a very real way like he answers a prayer and it so clear to you that God has supernaturally intervened in your life. Wow that is so exciting! You can’t wait to start telling people and when you do, people kind of look at you finny. At best--some people may say they are happy for you but they don’t quite show the same enthusiasm you do. Some may come right out and say it, “Could just be a coincidence you know.” Man, talk about a kick in then gut. Suddenly, you start doubting your initial reaction and you start feeling stupid and before you know it, you have a moment of weakness. Its a huge let down after a spiritual high.

Ever gone on a mission trip or a Bible conference or a church camp? Boy if we are not careful after those events, we can really sink into a spiritual low. This happened to me as a teenager when I would go to Super Summer camp. It was a week long experience of worship and bible study with kids from all over Texas. I know HSU hosts them still today. When I was kid they were at Baylor University. By the time that week was over, I was so on fire for Christ I was ready to win my whole school to the Lord. But it didn’t take long for reality to set in when no one even really cared, not even the people back home at church.

A church we used to attend raised money to send some kids to the local church camp. These were kids from homes whose parents did not go to church. I remember this one girl about 12 came back so excited about Christ. You could see it one her face Sunday morning. But by the time the next Sunday came, she looked dejected. Why? Well imagine what she felt when she got home so excited to tell her mom what happened but she was more interested in TV. Her dad was drunk. Bad language in the house. Gossiping about neighbors. What a letdown.

This seems to happen after major church events like VBS or Easter. Or some rally or conference or concert.

Application: Anytime we are a spiritual mountain top, we must discipline ourselves to pray EVEN MORE and read God’s Word EVEN more than before. God will not leave us on the mount. He needs us in the valley where we can reach others and we can grow.

CS Lewis wrote about this and said that he noticed that the people God used the most are the ones who spent the most time in the valley, not the mountain.

This same idea played out in a scene from the New Testament where Elijah and Moses appear with Jesus on the mount of transfiguraiton. When Jesus appeared to Peter James and john in a glorified state. Peter gets so excited he wants to build some houses up there so they call all just stay up there. But jesus wont have it. Jesus leads them back down into the valley where there is a demon possessed boy needing their help!

We are meant to be in the valley. Enjoy the mountain when you are there, but be ready, the valley is where you are headed. Don’t let that lead to a moment of weakness.

Extreme Weariness—A huge letdown after a spiritual high and perhaps

C. Extreme disappointment.

1. Maybe Elijah was extremely disappointed that things didn’t go right. Things did not go the way he expected.

Have you ever felt like you could write God’s script for him? Lord—this is the way its going to be. And then when it doesn go that way we say—well what went wrong?

I am so bad about this. I have gotten better but I can see exactly how things should go and when they don’t meet my expectations I can get so disappointed. It used to really get me down worse than it does now.

But God has not authorized me to plan out how things are going to go in life.

Elijah didn’t expect things to go the way they did—I’m sure of it. He did not expect a death threat from Jezreel. What did he expect when he got to the streets of Jezreel?

Careful to not read between the lines

A. Thought Jeze would go crawling back to Jezreel.

After all, the prophets of Baal have been defeated, Baal had been shown to be a fraud---and the people had shouted, :Jehovah he is the God; that Elijah thought that Jezebel would go running back to her daddy in Zidon.

But that’s the thing about people like Jezebel---they aren’t known for their running.

Application: When we think we have satan beat, watch out---

maybe we have overcome a sin and we feel it is no longer a threat, it doesnt give up that easy. It will likely come back as a temptation when you least expect it.

Think of Peter. The night before Jesus was crucified he promised Jesus he would never deny him but would stick with him till the death. We all know how that turned out. He couldn’t even stay awake to pray with Jesus in the garden and then denied he even knew Jesus and even cursed him.

When you think you have the devil on the run, beware, he is probably waiting around the corner to ambush.

I think they may be why Peter wrote in the 5th chapter of his first letter:

1 Peter 5.8 “Be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Lions who are seeking someone to devour hide in the grass and wait to ounce on the weakest animal in the pack.

Application: If you are winning spiritually, he is going to fight you!

Mountain lions----they say they wont bother you, just ignore them but if you come across a wounded mountain lion get out of there quick—they will likely attack. When our church has success for the Jesus and when you are winning for the cause of Christ---watch out—Satan and his demons are like a wounded mountain lion.

B. Maybe he thought God would intervene. Why wouldn’t he. Elijah had lived in the presence of the miracles of God for years.

I think as he was running to the streets of Jezreel, it wasn’t a question of IF God would intervene, but HOW God would intervene.

God had done some amazing things. He had fed him with ravens, he provided an endless amount of flour and oil, he had raised a boy back to life, he had sent fire from heaven. He had caused a drought and now had sent rain.

I can just imagine as he was running along in the rain to Jezreel thinking, what will God do this time?

Maybe he just open the earth up and swallow Jezebel up like back in Moses day.

Or maybe he would just send fire or lightning from heaven and zap her.

But he didn’t. No miracle---just a death threat from Jezebel.

Have you ever been in situations where you just had to scratch your head and wonder where in the world is God!

C’mon God, why don’t you do something here. Why are you allowing this to happen to me? Why God why?

Why did that horrible accident have to happen God? Why would you allow that?

I loved my spouse and now they are gone, whats going on, that wasn’t in the life plan God!

How can this be your will God!

Why does my little girl have to suffer with these physical problems God!

Why Cancer now God—you can heal me! Do it God, please.

And when God doesn’t answer the way we want and when we want, it can lead to extreme disappointment.

C. Maybe he thought that when he came running in the rain to the streets of Jezreel that the people of God would come out of their houses and rally around him and oust Jezebel and Baal idols and there would be a great revival.

But they didn’t! They should have, but they didn’t.

Back to their houses, back to their businesses, back to the normal routines of life---There is a lesson for us there---But...

It seems like what we have is a lonely figure standing in the rain, soaked and extremely disappointed.

There may have been other reasons for his hour of weakness but some of them are He was extremely tired, had an extreme let down after a high spiritual hour, and extreme disappointment that things hadn’t gone right.

And there are people all over this community who are out of the will and service to the Lord for the very same reasons.

II. Reaction of the X’n during the hour of weakness.

A. This has never changed. We want to Run.

A. He ran. The last thing a tired man like Elijah needed to do was run some more but that’s what he does. This time the Hand of the Lord is not on him but the fear of Jezebel is.

This is the first reaction of a Xn in the hour of weakness RUN-That has never changed. Run run run. When we have failed God, we want to run from him and from anything that has to do with him. RUN!!

He Ran way down south to Beersheba--about 80 miles and then even further into the wildnerness—left his servant there—probably too tired.

Why does a Christian run? There may be many reasons but one is that

a. When we have started to run---its hard to turn back and face the crowd. When a person has been out of church for a long time---for whatever reason-hurt, mistake, guilt, whatever—it is very hard to go back. So many just go find a different church. The truth is, their home church is praying for them and would celebrate their return.

b. Fear of failure – Elijah was not used to failure and fear of failure is difficult thing.

c. Fear of fear – new emotion for Elijah

d. He’s afraid to die. He ran for his life.

B. To Escape from Life.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Fears death but wants to die-inconsistent.

confused

Application: The most confused individual in the world is The Christian man or woman who is out of the Lords will and they need help. They are everywhere.

People have run from the Lord---fallen out of service to him—they are out there in a spiritual wilderness--hanging out under their little juniper tree and they are just going thru the motions of life with a façade of happiness.

No real joy—no abundant living---there is an emptiness there and they know it.

The world provides a LOT of ways to ignore the emptiness and to try to fill the emptiness--- parties, alcohol, drugs, but it doesn’t have to be something as stigmatized as that---anything that gets us out of the reality of this life and offers a virtual reality-- TV programs, video games, movies—binging on movies, traveling—eating—now we actually have virtual reality—people can just leave this world behind for a while and be someone and somewhere else.

I am done with this life and done with this world----I am going to drift away into another place---

Under the juniper tree! Spiritually depleted and spiritually starving.

There are Christians all over---just sitting under their Juniper tree.

III. Response of Jehovah in our hour of weakness.

a. Compassionate Tender-Loving Care.

• God understands our weaknesses whether we do or not.

· Understands what makes us tick

• Our weakness and our needs.

• Tired-lets him rest

• Hungry and thirsty-feeds him

• More rest

• More food.

b. Then the searching question.

What are you doing here Elijah?

• See, God knows Elijah is not going to be happy eating angel food cake under a Juniper tree.

· He is good and he can not leave us in the wilderness.

· God knows when we have fallen out service to him are not going to have true joy until we come back to Him and serve Him. So God calls out and the questions comes roaring into our minds---what are you doing here?

• Question comes in a variety of ways-

illness---what are you doing here?,

financial loss—what are you doing here?,

difficulties in life—what are you doing here?

Hebrews 12:6 ESV6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

c. Spiritual Cure

—He sends him to Mount Horeb where he is going to teach Elijah the secret of true Power—next week!

CLOSE WITH SOME APPLICATION:

1. We need to be patient and kind with others in their hour of weakness. Not condone or compromise.

Illustration- Woman caught in adultery-

John 8:7

7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.

2. We need to encourage others in their hours of weakness.

---Listen there will be enough people to kick em while there are down---Let’s be a people who lift them up and pray for them and encourage them.

Help them put the pieces of their life back together. Be there for them.

3. We need to confess our weakness and find forgiveness and power.

We need to seek God in our weakness. Get right with God today. If you are wandering away from God---if he is not at the center of your all you do and all you are---confess it now.

Here is the truth—the last thing we want to do--We dont want to! But at least pray for the want to. Pick up the Bible and eat and drink God’s Word. There is something about it, it makes a difference.

If you are not saved, commit you life to this wonderful loving compassionate God. He will give you joy and strength. You don’t have to go through an hour of weakness, but when you do, He will be there to help you and provide for you and he will always be drawing you back to himself.

Please bow your head in prayer.

For those of you who are experiencing a time of weakness—

Will you say right now—I commit myself to you right now. Confess I don’t know why life has gone the way it has but I trust you God.

If you are running from God, turn around and go back. Stop running!

Pray to him now—speak to him.

If you need to recommit your life to him---say Lord—here is everything—all I am—I commit it to you God.

Maybe there are some here today who have friends and loved ones who are going through a time like this ---maybe I have been the best support for them.

This may mean something to you---If there are those who here today who would say, there is a loved on my mind or a friend on my mind who in an hour of weakness and I want to commit myself to God to be there for that person—to life them up, to encourage them, to help them. If you would make that commitment this morning, would you lift up your hand?

Online---let us know using the chat or the messaging.