1 Kings 19:1-21 God's Prescription for Discouragement and Depression

1 Kings 19:1-21 God’s Prescription for Discouragement and Depression

Introduction: The Wall Street Journal recently ran a front page story on the subject of nervous breakdowns, saying “The nervous breakdown, the mysterious affliction that has been a staple of American life and literature for more than a century, has been wiped out by the combined forces of psychiatry, pharmacology, and managed care. But people keep breaking down anyway.” According to USA Today’s weekend magazine, anxiety disorders are the Number 1 mental health problem in the United States, costing Americans more than $42 billion a year in doctor bills and workplace losses.1

In the Bible, the prophet Elijah once had a “nervous breakdown.” He had to deal with people and things which brought him down, which discouraged him. By studying his experience we can learn how God deals with us when we’re over worked and overstrained.

What brings about discouragement and depression? Conditions of the problem can be seen. Let’s look at some conditions which can lead to discouragement.

CONDITIONS THAT LEAD TO DISCOURAGEMENT AND DEPRESSION2

1. Unrealized expectations

Elijah came against 850 angry prophets earlier in the book. But he became discouraged after being threatened by a woman. He easily had unrealized expectations. He expected things to go great after his victory. Instead, he was not embraced as a winner. Instead, he was called an enemy.

“Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”” (1 Kings 19:1–2, HCSB)

Some people just don’t care about you. You can get yourself discouraged and even depressed by looking to people’s expectations.

2. Traumatic events

Elijah just had the most exciting experience in his ministry. His adrenaline was pumping. It helped him get through the contest. But following that, he was drained. So when he hears that someone is out to kill him, it naturally stresses him out.

3. Personal Worry

Elijah starts to worry about the situation. he runs off.

“Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,” (1 Kings 19:3, HCSB)

4. Poor decisions

This leads to poor decisions which can actually make your discouraged condition and depression worse. Instead of getting help, he isolated himself. He traveled 80 miles into enemy territory and then went away alone.

“Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there,” (1 Kings 19:3, HCSB)

Because he left his servant there, he was alone.

“Don’t abandon your friend or your father’s friend, and don’t go to your brother’s house in your time of calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.” (Proverbs 27:10, HCSB)

5. Loneliness

Loneliness is a powerful emotion which can get you more deeply discouraged and depressed. This is why the Bible says that we need to build up relationships around us:

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17, HCSB)

6. Negative Self-Talk

“but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.”” (1 Kings 19:4, HCSB)

What do you think Elijah was doing when he walked that day into the desert? He was giving himself negative self-talk. Woe is me. I can’t handle this anymore. My life is horrible. He’s talking himself into a depressive state.

When we feel down, we can easily get to the point where we talk ourselves into more discouragement. I don’t know about you, but I can talk myself into more discouragement and depression. When we use ourselves as a standard of measurement and sounding board, we don’t do a very good job of helping ourselves.

7. Negative Prayer

“but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.”” (1 Kings 19:4, HCSB)

Elijah has talked himself into so much negativity and discouragement that he starts praying what I would call “negative prayers.” You don’t pray that God kill you and take your life. God is the giver of life. Prayers should be directed at God for help yourself in time of need, not to hurt yourself.

“He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff —they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:3–4, HCSB)

God is in the business of comforting and renewing me. So what does God do here? The Lord wrote a sevenfold prescription for Elijah. The same therapy will work for us.

SEVENFOLD PRESCRIPTION FOR DISCOURAGEMENT AND DEPRESSION

1. Sleep and nourishment (vv. 4–8).

“Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. Then the angel of the Lord returned for a second time and touched him. He said, “Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you.” So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.” (1 Kings 19:5–8, HCSB)

Elijah was exhausted, for he had combated paganism for three years, waged a vigorous war on Mt. Carmel against the prophets of Baal, prayed with exceeding earnestness, and had run a virtual marathon back to Jezreel. When we’re exhausted, we have less control over our emotions. Depression descends more easily. Worry grips us more doggedly. Temptations catch us unawares. God provided sleep, bread, and water for Elijah under the broom tree.

2. Angelic help (vv. 5–7).

The Lord sent an angel to care for Elijah.

“Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve those who are going to inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14, HCSB)

The Bible says that angels are ministering spirits sent to serve those who inherit salvation. Many times, according to intimations in the Bible, angels minister to us though we’re unaware of it.

3. Ventilation (vv. 9–10).

“He entered a cave there and spent the night. Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”” (1 Kings 19:9–10, HCSB)

God allowed Elijah to repeatedly ventilate his frustrations. When we can express our feelings to a good friend or to the Lord, it helps reduce our swirling emotions to tangible thoughts and words. We can identify them and begin to get them “out of our system.” Learn to vent upward and not outward.

4. God’s still, small voice (vv. 11–13).

The ultimate answer to life’s downturns is rediscovering God’s infallible Word. Elijah needed a gentle word of reassurance, a gentle whisper. The same whisper comes to us as we open the Scripture.

“Then He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the Lord’s presence.” At that moment, the Lord passed by. A great and mighty wind was tearing at the mountains and was shattering cliffs before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Suddenly, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”” (1 Kings 19:11–13, HCSB)

God’s response to Elijah’s first indictment was to send three noisy things which did not contain the presence of God and then a fourth, quiet thing, which did contain the presence of God: the still small voice. This contained God’s presence, so Elijah wrapped his face in his mantle, a natural Jewish response, as this was a common Jewish reaction whenever one thought he might be in the presence of God.3

Golfer Tom Lehman gave his life to Christ in high school when a friend invited him to a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting. After college, Tom worked hard to enter the PGA Tour, and in 1991 was named the Ben Hogan Tour Player of the Year. But in 1995, his doctors discovered pre-cancerous colon polyps, and surgery was required. Tom and his wife got down on their knees and committed the matter to God, and the Lord gave him Joshua 1:9 to strengthen him during the crisis: Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you.4

5. A renewal of purpose (vv. 14–17).

““I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts,” he replied, “but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they’re looking for me to take my life.” Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram. You are to anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.” (1 Kings 19:14–17, HCSB)

Arnold Fruchtenbaum notes the following:

The parallel of these verses with verses 11–13a should not be missed. In response to Elijah’s second indictment against Israel, in verse 17 God will send three noisy things against Israel. While He will send all three noisy things, God’s presence was not in them. The first was Hazael, the king of Syria, who corresponds to the wind. Just as the wind beat against the mountain, Hazael beat against Israel until he reduced Israel’s holdings considerably (2 Kg. 8:7–15; 10:32–33; 13:3, 22–25). The second noisy thing was Jehu, who corresponds to the earthquake. Just as the earthquake split the mountain, Jehu caused a civil war that totally destroyed the dynasty and House of Ahab, as well as royal members of the House of Judah (2 Kg. 9:1–10:36). And the third noisy thing was Elisha, who corresponds to the fire. Just as the fire burned against the mountain, Elisha burned against Israel, for often where Elisha went, death followed (2 Kg. 2:23–24). God did send all three noisy things, but God’s presence was not in them.5

The Lord gave Elijah a set of new assignments. Nothing helps us overcome discouragement like rediscovering our purpose in life and setting to work at what God has called us to do.

6. Reassurance (v. 18).

“But I will leave 7,000 in Israel —every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”” (1 Kings 19:18, HCSB)

Things are never as bad as they appear where God is concerned. Elijah had twice insisted that he was the only surviving worshiper of God. The Lord told him there were 7000 others.

I don’t know about you, but when I get in such a pity party, God usually shows up in the form of another person with a much more difficult problem in their life which makes my problem seem very small.

7. A Friend (vv. 19–21).

“Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat as he was plowing. Twelve teams of oxen were in front of him, and he was with the twelfth team. Elijah walked by him and threw his mantle over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran to follow Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you.” “Go on back,” he replied, “for what have I done to you?” So he turned back from following him, took the team of oxen, and slaughtered them. With the oxen’s wooden yoke and plow, he cooked the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he left, followed Elijah, and served him.” (1 Kings 19:19–21, HCSB)

The Lord provided the solitary Elijah with a friend, Elisha, to share the load. A healthy life keeps its friendships in good repair.

Conclusion: Are you overwhelmed, stressed, discouraged, depressed? God wants to renew your strength and to restore your soul. The way He revived Elijah is the pattern He wants to use to revive your spirit, too.