There are many people that in spite of having a living connection with Jesus, feel as if their spiritual breath which radiates power, purpose, and the grace to step forward has been smothered. So it was with the prophet Elijah! The hand of the Lord was on Elijah as he spoke truth to Israel in order to turn their hearts back to God, and to help them recover from the destructive patterns that the spirit of Baal had ensnared them in. On Mt. Carmel, Elijah experienced a mighty spiritual victory over the power and prophets of Baal.
Yet after this great victory, when the enemy Jezebel bullied Elijah with death threats, he was overwhelmed and afraid. His intense fear told him that all he had been through during the testing with the prophets of Baal (even though God brought the victory) was too much, that the struggle had gone on too long, and he was overpowered with despair. This mighty man of God, who was tremendously used by God, full of faith, and God’s power, was now cast down in his soul. Then he took the path to depression, by attempting to run away from the problem, his feelings, and pulling away from God, and from people who cared for him. He lay under a juniper tree, despondent, and feeling that he was alone and no one understood him. He wanted to quit- He wanted to die.
God understood the emotional and spiritual state within Elijah’s heart. But God revealed to Elijah that it was not time for him to leave this earth; he must finish his work and fulfill the purposes and plans God had for him. God sent help to get him up and eat. Then Elijah’s faithful, loving Jehovah God renewed their spiritual relationship, lifting Elijah up and giving him power, hope, and the ability to live out his life and fulfill his destiny.
When fear knocks our spiritual breath out and we feel like lying down and quitting, we must remember that God’s love for us is bigger than our fears. Just as God helped Elijah, He will help us. Step by step, day by day, moment by moment, we will recover and be given the power, grace, hope, faith, peace, and joy to replace our negative fears and depression. Jesus said, “I will send you the Divine Encourager from the very presence of my Father. He will come to you, the Spirit of Truth, emanating from the Father and he will speak to you”. God speaks good plans and purposes over our lives, and He will work in Union with us to fulfill our God given destiny on planet earth!
“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain all the prophets [of Baal] with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’ Then he was afraid and arose and went for his life and came to Beersheba of Judah and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a lone juniper tree and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life’”(1Kings19:1-2).
