This sermon explores how Elijah's experiences of fear, frustration, and overwhelm can guide us in navigating our own similar moments with faith.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we gather here today in the warm embrace of our shared faith, united by the love of our Savior and the common pursuit of understanding His Word. We are not here by accident but by divine appointment. We are not just a gathering of individuals but a family, a body bound together by the blood of Christ.
Our focus today is on a passage from the book of 1 Kings, a story of the prophet Elijah, who found himself in the throes of fear, frustration, and overwhelm. It's a story that resonates with us, especially in these challenging times.
As we turn to the pages of Scripture, let us read together from 1 Kings 19:1-4: "Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 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.' Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 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.'"
In this passage, we see a man of God, a prophet, who, despite his spiritual stature and closeness with the Lord, experienced the very human emotions of fear, frustration, and overwhelm. It's a story that reminds us that even the most faithful among us can experience moments of despair and distress.
First, we need to remember who God is. He forgot that God is sovereign, that God is powerful, that God is in control. He forgot that the same God who had just demonstrated His power on Mount Carmel was with him. He is with us, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We need to remember that He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Next, remember what God has done. Elijah forgot what God had done. He forgot the victories he had experienced, the miracles he had witnessed. He forgot that God had always been faithful, that God had always come through. We need to remember what God has done. We need to remember the victories we've experienced, the miracles we've witnessed. We need to remember how God has been faithful, how He has come through.
Third, we need to trust God. Elijah didn't trust God. He didn't trust that God would protect him, that God would deliver him. He didn't trust that God was in control.
Fourth, we need to pray. Elijah prayed. He prayed that he might die. But he didn't pray for courage, for strength, for deliverance. He didn't pray for God's will to be done. Facing our fears is not easy. It's not something we can do on our own. But with God, all things are possible. With God, we can stand firm. With God, we can face our fears.
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