“And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. 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 tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life….”
In the KJV, the third verse says “when he saw ”. He saw Jezebel killing him rather than God delivering him out of her hands. He then forgot about who he was and the victory that the Lord just demonstrated through him. The Prophet Elijah was on the run. What is the situation or circumstance that has you on the run?
What is the thing or things that have caused you to be discouraged? Discouragement is the abandonment of peace. Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of God rule your heart, acting as an umpire; deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your mind.” Do you know that you can control your peace? Isaiah 26:3 says that He will keep you in perfect peace if your mind is stayed on Him. Discouragement opens the door for depression. Depression is a mental death. Your mind is dead ahead of time before your body. It’s a state of hopelessness or lack of any expectation. Hope is expectation. Hebrews 11: 1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.” “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”
Hebrews 6:19 So hope is the anchor and If we have no hope, we have no anchor. What is the thing or series of things that has led you to a dark place? That has you convinced that God can’t handle it? That has fooled you into thinking you are on your own and have to go on your own strength? That has tricked you into thinking you are the only one? Elijah was a great prophet and man of God. He just had a great victory over the false prophets at Mt. Carmel. (Read 1 KIngs 18). It’s possible for us to go from the highest mountain top to the deepest valley very quickly. We can go from great victories to feelings of great defeat.
So here is Elijah. He’s discouraged, depressed and afraid. He ran as far south as he could go to. He leaves his servant there and goes by himself a day’s journey into the wilderness. He isolates himself and asks to die. He’s had enough. Then he begins to beat himself up and says that he’s no better than his fathers. He stops trusting God. Did you ever beat yourself up because you felt you should have had more faith for the situation?
Elijah ends up in a cave. A cave represents a place of darkness where there is no vision and you can’t see where you’re going. When you lose your vision, you lose your sense of purpose and your passion. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” – 1 Kings 19:9 Again in vs. 13, Elijah is asked “What are you doing here?” Elijah repeats his reason why he ended up there. God has another assignment for Elijah and told him to get up out of there. Let me ask you – What are you doing here?
Don’t forget who you are and what God has already done in your life. Sometimes things may get a little dark but remember the caterpillar would never make the transition into a beautiful butterfly were it not for the dark cocoon. Stop your pity party and get up. God has a plan. People are counting on you. Their destinies are tied up with yours. God is saying, “You heard another voice telling you it’s over, telling you to give up, telling you to run, telling you that you made a mistake that’s unforgivable. Now hear my voice. – Arise – Get up out of this place.”
There are situations in life that will make or break you. You will either chose to live or chose to die. But God is the God of the breakthrough. God was with Elijah on the mountain, in the valley under the broom tree and in the cave. And He’s with you. It’s time for you to come out of that place of darkness. He will bring you out of that cave to bring you into your destiny, into your purpose.
So let me ask you again, What are you doing here?
