Elijah

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Times of Frailty 1 Kings 191-4
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Heroes

• The Bible doesnt sugarcoat the truth about
  great men and women. We are told the good news
  and the bad news.

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Heroes

• Noah built an ark.and got drunk
• Abraham had great faithbut lied twice to save
  himself
• Moses parts the Red Sea.but murders Egyptians
• David defeats Goliathbut commits adultery and
  murder
• Peter walks on waterbut denies knowing Jesus
  three times

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I Kings 19 1-4

• This is a story of Elijahs battle with
  discouragement, despondency and depressionand
  ultimately Gods provisions for him.

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Thrill of Victory Agony of Defeat

• Elijah defeats the 450 prophets of Baal and the
  400 prophets of Asherah. People bow down and
  acknowledge The Lord, He is God.
• Instead of rejoicing Elijah ends up hundreds of
  miles away hidden in a cave.
• Elijah appears despondent perhaps even suffering
  from depression. He prays that God would take his
  life.
• 9.5 of all adults are diagnosed with some form
  of clinical depression. One out of every 4 women
  suffers some form of depression at some point.

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Depression Affects All Types of People

• To remain as I am is impossible. I must die to
  be better. Abraham Lincoln
• Charles Spurgeon admitted his struggle with
  depression in a chapter entitled, The Ministers
  Fainting Fits
• The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not
  always ready, the brave not always courageous,
  and the joyous not always happy. Spurgeon

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Elijahs Condition

• He was gripped by fear and doubt v.3
• He reacted impulsively
• He wanted to be alone v.3
• He allowed himself to be controlled by dark
  thoughts

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QUESTION

• Can you think of anyone in the New Testament who
  temporarily lost his faith and his bearings?

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John the Baptist

• When John saw Jesus approaching he states,
  Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins
  of the world.
• Herod ultimately puts John in prison
• While in prison he sends his disciples to Jesus
  to ask, Are you the one who was to come or
  should we expect another?
• A few verses later Jesus praises John and
  compares him to Elijah (Matt. 1114)
• Yet both men struggled with times of doubt and
  depression.

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His Condition Diagnosed Roots of Despair and
Depression

• He was overstrained mentally
• He was exhausted physically
• He was discouraged
• He was out of touch with people and with God
  loneliness.

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The Responses of Despair and Depression v. 3-4

• Desire for Escape v.3a
• Desire for Solitude v.3b
• Desire for Death v.4a
• Desire for Self Pity v. 4b

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Handling Doubts, Despair and Depression

• Admit your doubts and/or depression and ask for
  helpbegin by asking God, but dont be afraid to
  ask others.
• Keep walking.
• Keep going back to the things you know are true.

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Romans 838-39

• For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
  neither angels nor demons, neither the present
  nor the future, nor any powers, neither height
  nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
  will be able to separate us from the love of God
  that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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II Timothy 112

• I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that
  he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him
  for that day.

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A Handful of Convictions You Can Hold To

• God is Good
• Life is Short
• Every Day is a Gift
• Fame is Fleeting
• This World is Not My Home
• God uses Hard Times for My Benefit
• God is Sovereign Over all the Details of my
  life. He is God and I am Not!
• I can Trust Him Completely

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Stay Tuned Next Week

• Four Things Elijah Receives from the Lord

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