Even Elijah Was Afraid
By Shauna Leis
“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’”
1 Kings 19:3-4
Now, to get the full effect of these verses, you have to go back and read 1 Kings 18 to understand what Elijah had just been through. Elijah had just been through an amazing mountain top experience with God and then came crashing down to the reality. Satan’s lies worked their way into Elijah’s mind and paralyzed him with fear.
Let me give you the condensed version of the story here: King Ahab was considered by God as the most wicked king in all of Israel’s history, compounded by the fact that he was married to Queen Jezebel (probably about the most wicked queen in history too!). King Ahab and Queen Jezebel were directly responsible for the annihilation of nearly all of God’s prophets. A handful were left hiding in caves for fear of their very lives, and Elijah decided to go out and give a public challenge to King Ahab for all of his wickedness against the God of Israel. It was a challenge that Ahab just could not refuse.
The two sets of opponents gathered on the top of Mount Carmel – Elijah for God and over 850 prophets for the pagan gods of Baal and Asherah. The contest – see whose God could produce fire to consume the bull being offered for sacrifice. The prophets of the pagan gods wailed loudly for hours begging their god to show up and consume the sacrifice on their altar. But to no avail – not even after begging, pleading, and cutting themselves would their gods make themselves known.
Elijah however took a bit of a different tactic and sought to prove once and for all that God was indeed the God of Israel. He doused the altar three times with water until it was standing in the trenches. He prayed that God would reveal Himself so that the people of Israel would have no doubt that He was God. God responded in a very mighty way. Fire from Heaven came down and consumed the sacrifice, the stones, the wood, and the soil even licking up the water in the trench. The people were amazed and fell down to worship the God of Israel – the Great I AM. Elijah then had the prophets of Baal and Asherah destroyed so that they could no longer lead the people of Israel astray to worship these false gods.
Jezebel, however, was not amused and told Elijah that she would have revenge on him personally so Elijah feared for his life. He had just witnessed the Holy God of Israel call down fire from Heaven and consume even the water around the altar, but he was afraid of a mere woman that threatened to get revenge. So, he ran. He was so afraid that he even left his servant behind and went into the desert. Then he sat down under a tree and prayed that God would remove him from this earth.
Elijah bought the lies that Satan was pouring into his head. You have probably heard the same lies from him at some point in your life - lies like, “Do you really think God is going to protect your very life? Do you think you are that important to God? Do you think that God pays attention to someone like you? You are afraid.” Then just like that, you buy into the lies and come crashing down from your mountain top experience to land in the pit of despair. You beg God to remove you from this earth so you do not have to suffer through this experience anymore. You may even fear for your life.
Thank goodness though that the story does not end with verse 4. As Elijah is sleeping, listen to what happens in verse 7. “The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ So, he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.” While on this mountain, Elijah got to hear the very voice of God speaking directly to him and encouraging him. Now, my precious friend, if that does not indicate to you that we are important to God, I do not know what else will! The God of the universe sent His angel to give Elijah something to eat and encourage him for the journey ahead – a journey to the mountain of God, where he could have another mountaintop experience.
God is so like that! He knows our weaknesses and our fears, and He encourages us just in the way that we need to be encouraged. Notice that I did not say in the way that we want to be encouraged, but in the way that we need to be encouraged. God still had work left for Elijah to do even though Elijah had prayed that he would just be removed from the earth. Will you trust God today to know what is best for you? He sees the bigger picture of what we are going through at the time and knows how best to use us in His kingdom plans. Talk to Him now; allow Him to work through those lies that Satan whispers into your ear and break through that cycle of fear that you are going through right now. God loves you so much and longs to strengthen and encourage us through whatever circumstance looms over us. Do not let that fear immobilize you any longer!
Pray with me: Lord God, there are times when we are just simply afraid. Our circumstances crowd in around us and immobilize us against what we know we ought to be doing. However, You are stronger than our fears. You conquered the cross and death for us so we would no longer have to be afraid. We can stand before You, strengthened and encouraged for the task ahead. Lord, fill us up with Your strength as only You can do. Break the cycle of fear that surrounds each one of us today. We love You so very much and pray all of this in the precious name of Your Son, Jesus Christ!