Overcoming Fear
Notes
Transcript
So far we have learned that Elijah suddenly appears in 9th century during the reign of Ahab king of Israel
Ahab and his wife Jezabel were evil rulers, Ahab had brought judgment against Israel as they served Baal and Ashteroth
When three years had passed we saw last week that a battle took place on Mt. Carmel for the heart of the people
Baal lost and 450 prophets Elijah having them slaughtered
We saw the fantastic foot race to Jezreel where Elijah the fastest man alive out ran Ahab’s charriot
Today we will see a different side of Elijah
Chair Bible page 244 1 Kings 19:1-4
1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything 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 so, if by about this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them.”
3 And he was afraid, and got up and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah; and he 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 asked for himself to die, and said, “Enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
Are you ready for the message God has for us?
Cool, let’s begin
Is this the prophet from Mt. Carmel!
Is this the prophet from Mt. Carmel!
Remember the zeal that Elijah had on Mt. Carmel - Develop
Yet as this chapter opens we find Elijah afraid!
Jezebel had heard the news of what God through Elijah had accomplished on Mt. Carmel
She was not a happy camper!
The spirit of Jezabel was not as easily overcome as her husband Ahab!
She states, “I will kill him and take his life just as he did to her prophets of Baal by this time tomorrow!”
So we see Elijah running to Beersheba to drop off his servant ant then continuing to the wilderness!
How short lived was the courage of this prophet of the Lord
With a broken spirit Elijah leaves for the wilderness to wander alone
I’m done, it is enough, now is the time for me to die!
The man whose prayer had raised the dead, had shut and opened heaven, he who had been so wonderfully preserved by God at the brooke of Cherith and the house of Zarepheth, the one dared to rebuke Ahab to his face with being Israel’s troubler, is now terrified and depressed!
James alludes of this weakness in James 5:17-18
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.
Again God has not abandoned his prophet in this moment of fear and depression
He provides again for his prophet with a visit of angel
Elijah was awoke by the touch of an angel
This angel had bread baked on hot coals, and a pitcher of water
The angel comes again with a message for Elijah - 1 Kings 19:7
7 But the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him, and said, “Arise, eat; because the journey is too long for you.”
His journey is a forty day and forty night trek to Horeb the mountain of God
Forty days and forty nights happen a great deal in the Old testament:
Flood - rained forty days and forty nights
Ten commandments - Moses spent forty days and forty nights on the mountain
According to Matthew Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights
It is a significant period in the Bible
Elijah at Horeb
Elijah at Horeb
Mt. Horeb is not just any mountain. In scripture it is referred to as the Mountain of God and for good reason.
God had spoken to anther of his prophets before, one who was not just a prophet but also the nation of Israel’s greatest leader - Moses
1 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
2 Then the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not being consumed.
3 So Moses said, “I must turn aside and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burning up!”
4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
6 And He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
This was the place where God called Moses and told him His name through a burning bush!
Here again God will speak to Elijah as he did Moses all those centuries ago!
The first thing God does is ask Elijah a question - Why are you here?
Listen to Elijah’s response - 1 Kings 19:10
10 And he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life.”
What is it about us that we need to tell God about our accomplishments!
As though God was not there! We saw Obadiah do the same thing when he met Elijah!
In all that Elijah said it is the last part that answered God’s question - I fear for my life!
God is going to teach His prophet a lesson, he tells Elijah to stand out side the cave
It says that the Lord was passing by
First there is a great and mighty wind - tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the LORD! He was not there
Second an earthquake - Loma Prieta was 6.9, I imagine this was greater, the LORD was not in the earthquake.
Third a fire - but the Lord was not in the fire
You know in scripture each of these wind, earthquake, and fire are all associated with the presence of God
Elijah would expect God to be in them, but he was not there
Then there is a gentle blowing, like a lite breeze
Note the response of Elijah - 1 Kings 19:13
13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
It was in the gentle blowing that God speaks to Elijah
Again God asks why is Elijah there
Again Elijah answers the same as before - 1 Kings 19:14
14 Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life.”
God then gives Elijah some tasks
Anoint Hazael king over Aram
Anoint Jehu King over Israel, meaning he has rejected Ahab
Anoint Elisha as his replacement as prophet of God
Purpose is given - 1 Kings 19:17
17 And it shall come about that the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death.
Remember how Elijah had said I alone am left in Israel!
Mind what God says next - 1 Kings 19:18
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.”
The chapter then closes with Elijah finding Elisha and calling him to follow him
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat while he was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah came over to him and threw his cloak on him.
20 Then he left the oxen behind and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back, for what have I done to you?”
21 So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them, and cooked their meat with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and served him.
What is the application for us?
What is the application for us?
You ever have moments of courage followed by fear?
James reminds us that as great as Elijah was he was still like us - James 5:17
17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.
Elijah should not have been afraid of Jezebel
It is like he had forgotten all the provisions God had provided in his narrative so far!
Yet at the news of a vengeful threat, fear over takes him and he runs away.
How easy it is for us to get caught up in all the commotion and fear of our day that we forget God is not in all the noise, he is heard in the quietness of gentle breeze!
Two passages come to mind
Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Like Elijah we need encouragement that we are not alone in all our struggles and joys of life
We have God who sees and knows everything
“Elijah you are not alone I have seven thousand who do not serve Baal!”
Fear had blinded Elijah, and it can blind us as well!
We are not alone! Overcome the fear that this world uses against us!
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
Overcome fear with love!
Conclusion
Have you allowed fear to blind you?
There is a great deal of fear going around in our world, have you allowed it to overtake you?
Come to the altar, talk to your father about it!
Lay it at his feet!
Remember he does not give a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, and love, and sound mind!
That is what Elijah needed and this is what we need!
Come to God this morning, right now!