Daily Devotions

1 Kings 19:1-4 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
KJV
I think from time to time about Elijah and this account in 1 Kings 19, especially when I know of a believer in Christ who is discouraged. Some will try and tell you that a Christian should never be discouraged, never be overtaken by worry, never be overwhelmed by the trials and struggles of life. Yet here we see one of the great men of God, one of the prophets of God discouraged and worn down. What brought Elijah to the place where we find him in verse 4? Let us examine a few things. First, he had fought and won a great battle with Satan and the prophets of Baal in the proceeding chapters. In 1 Kings 17 the prophet had announced God’s judgment upon Israel for idol worship, three years of no rain or even dew upon the ground. That made Elijah public enemy number 1 in the eyes of the king and he had to go into hiding. During that three year period the prophet continued to serve and was used of God. (Chapter 17) In chapter 18 Elijah is back before Ahab and that great battle takes place where God is shown to be the true God, the living God by coming down and burning up the sacrifice soaked with water after which Elijah slays 400 or 800 prophets of Baal. (Chapter 18) Them the prophet calls upon God and the skies are opened in Israel and there is a sound of abundance of rain. What a great victory by the hand of God through the hands of the prophet. That brings me to the first point, that we are often wearied in our spiritual battle, even when we come out on top. Satan takes a toll upon us, even when we stand victorious. It is at times when we are strongest that we are weakest as well and at those times we need to rely on the Lord more than ever. Remember Christian, Satan will be sure to attack you after you have experienced a spiritual high.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 25th, 2016 at 6:51 am and is filed under Daily Devotions. You can skip to the end and leave a response.