1 Kings 19:1-18 Breaking through the Blackness - Finding the way out of depression

Let’s read 1 Kings 19:1-3

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah,

Have you been here? All is going well. And then the other shoe drops. Out of prosperity and successful living disaster happens. And life feels like it comes crashing down.

It is an experience we likely all have encountered.

And so have even the great men and women of the Bible. The issue is not so much that these times occur. The issue is how do we deal with them when they do.

Elijah is no exception. After 3 ½ years of faithfulness and refining by God he trips. And he falls. The darkness of depression overcomes him. And in the circumstances that transpire, we see a microcosm of some of the events that can lead to depression in our own lives and we also see some of the ways out.

I. Breaking through the darkness: Blackness seeps into life

A. Even after big success

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

1. Exhausted resources

2. Overconfidence

3. Self dependence

B. From opposition

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid,…

1. Initial impact (culture shock)

2. Draining impact over time (culture fatigue)

3. Not another one – just when you think it is over

C. From Abandoning the place God put you

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah,

1. Give up

2. Tendency to run away

3. Problem is still there – ultimately must face it

D. From Isolating self from others

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 3 … 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. …

1. Run from the source of help

2. Dwelling in own thoughts won’t provide solutions

3. Can’t think straight – need others to help

4. Sometimes just need encouragement to go on

E. From Dwelling on self

1. Self deprecation – put self down

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 4 … 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.”

2. Self exaltation – Feel sorry for self – blame others/God

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 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.”

3. Self consumed – real problem is self focus

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 4 … “… O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, … and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, …

II. Breaking through the darkness: Beating back the blackness

A. Address the physical/emotional elements *

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 5 … And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” 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.

1. Food / water – the physical – perhaps even serotonin levels - medication

2. Personal contact – encouragement / someone to care

3. Primal needs met enables one to address the real need of God

B. Recognize spiritual interventions

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 5 … And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, … 7 And the angel of the Lord came again a second time …

1. Maybe spiritual people who point back to God

2. Maybe events – Set up by God

3. Maybe supernatural (angels here) – presence in an unexpected time

4. Demonstration that the Lord is still involved / concerned / seeking us

C. Intensely seek the Lord

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 8 went … to Horeb, the mount of God. 9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, …

1. The journey back starts in seeking Him

2. Only the Lord will meet the real need

3. He is the One orchestrating events so that you will seek Him

III. Breaking through the darkness: Dealing with real issues

A. Be honest with the Lord *

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 9 … he (God) 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.”

1. Poured out his heart as he was – no pretense of religion – wasn’t feeling it

2. Self consumed, but honest

3. A questioning of God – Is He fair / Does He bless

B. Experience the presence of the Lord

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 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.

1. Seek Him to intervene / speak

2. Often comes in unexpected way

3. Like an Israeli interrogation – When you are in control and powerful there is no need to yell. Quietly reveal the truth

C. Listen and Respond to the Lord

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 13 And when Elijah heard it, 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 … 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. …

1. Not address his felt need – doesn’t speak to his spoken issue – they are not the real issue

2. Do as I say – response to the Lord regardless of feelings – an act of faith

3. How often we are directed back to the very spot that we wandered from. Ultimately, we must deal with the problem that we ran from. As we seek to return, we must revisit that place / that problem / that struggle. Then we can move on.

D. Return to serving

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 15 … 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.

1. The problem wasn’t really being tired of service and needing a break it was being self consumed.

2. The way back begins with a return to serving Him.

3. Returning to service puts the focus back on the Lord and others.

E. Realize the Lord’s greater plan

(ESV) 1 Kings 19 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.”

1. Justice will be done

2. The ministry will go on

3. A remnant of the faithful will remain