1. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt. 1 (1 Kings 17:1)

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Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

1 Kings 17:1 (NET)

What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly for his kingdom?

In this study, we will focus on Elijah. He is one of the more dynamic people mentioned in the Bible. In order to fully understand Elijah’s story, we must understand the context of his ministry. At this time in history, Israel’s apostasy was at an all-time high because they had a wicked ruler named King Ahab. His evil was augmented by his marriage to a pagan woman named Jezebel who worshiped Baal. First Kings 21:25 says this about them: “(There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel.” Because of their leadership, Israel turned away from God and began to worship Baal—the god of fertility.

In order to restore Israel to God, the Lord called one of his greatest prophets, Elijah, to confront Ahab. The man’s life was very special and unique. In fact, he is one of only two people who never died and was taken straight to heaven—Elijah and Enoch. In Genesis 5, Enoch walked with God and was no more, as the Lord took him to heaven (v. 24). Similarly, Elijah was also faithful in his generation and therefore never tasted death. The Lord took him to heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kings 2).

Yet even with his greatness, James 5:16-18 says:

… The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.

The KJV says Elijah was a man with “like passions” as us. He was normal, and yet God used him for great things. In the context, James calls believers to bring the sick to the elders for prayer and also to confess their sins to one another and pray for one another so they can be healed (v. 16). He uses Elijah to demonstrate how the prayers of the righteous have power. He essentially says the power in Elijah’s life can be in ours. God can mightily use us as well.

As we study Elijah, it is not just to stand in awe at how God used him, it is also for us to cry out to be used as well. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.”

God is on alert; he looks for men and women that he can use greatly for his kingdom. His eyes roam the earth looking for Abrahams, Josephs, Davids, and Elijahs. He looks for people to use. Our world is no less dark than in Elijah’s time. Our leaders rebel against God. They sacrifice our children on the altar of comfort; they shame our sisters and daughters on TV and the Internet for money. They praise those who do evil and mock those who do good. God is looking to raise up faithful Elijahs whom he can strengthen for his glory.

Are we people God can use greatly? Are we people God can display his strength through? What are the characteristics of the man or woman God uses? In 1 Kings 17:1, though a small verse, we can discern many characteristics of those God often uses greatly.

Big Question: What are characteristics of a person God uses greatly, as discerned from 1 Kings 17:1, when Elijah is introduced?

God Uses the Common and the Weak

Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead

1 Kings 17:1a

What does this verse tell us about Elijah’s background? Not as much as many other introductions in the Bible. Many times, when somebody is introduced in Scripture, it gives his family origin, his birth story, what tribe he was from, and his occupation. With Jesus, there are two whole genealogies, including his lineage starting with Abraham in Matthew 1 and with Adam in Luke 3. But for some reason the writer of Kings adds very little about Elijah. This probably means there was not much known about him. He didn’t come from a priestly heritage like John the Baptist. He didn’t come from the line of David like Jesus. He was really a nobody.

All we are told is that he came from Tishbe in Gilead. Tishbe is a city that archaeologists and Bible scholars have never been able to find.¹ This tends to the probability that it was a tiny town or remote village. Elijah had humble origins—he was a small-town guy. We do, however, know a little about Gilead. Gilead was a mountainous region east of the Jordan River—not far from Jericho.² In fact, in Arabic, the word “jilead,” which is related to “gilead” in Hebrew, simply means “rough” or “rugged.”³

The people from the mountains were looked down upon in Israel. It is similar to how people from the big city commonly look down upon those from the country. Mountain people typically lived off the land and did not have high education or sophisticated clothing like people from the city. In fact, 2 Kings 1:8 (ESV) says Elijah wore a “garment of hair, with a belt of leather”—probably camel skin or some other animal’s hair (cf. Matt 3:4). He killed an animal in the mountains and clothed himself with the hair. In American culture, Elijah would have been called a “hillbilly” or “country bumpkin.” Elijah was not well educated or cultured and probably had an accent. He was a hillbilly from Gilead.

From what we can discern, Elijah was a “common” man. He was not someone well-known. He didn’t have a college degree; he hadn’t been trained at Bethlehem seminary. Nobody even knew who he was and many probably had never even heard of his small town “Tishbe.” The author wants us to see his commonality.

In fact, as mentioned, James 5:17-18 seems to focus on his commonality as well. It says, “Elijah was a human being like us.” He had passions like us (KJV). He was normal. In 1 Kings 19:4, he went through a great bout of depression where he prayed to die. He often felt lonely; in 1 Kings 19:10, he told God, “I’m the only one left that follows you” (paraphrase).

Apparently, no one really knew Elijah until he stepped onto the scene in the presence of King Ahab. He was a nobody from nowhere, but he was handpicked by the Lord to carry a message of repentance to a wayward nation.

God’s Preference

Scripture actually indicates that God prefers to use the common and weak people of this world for his glory. In biblical history, God used shepherds, fisherman, and farmers—common people without great education or high standing in society. However, they were perfect for God to use.

The biblical story is the exact opposite of what the world and even the church would often say is necessary for success. They might say, “You need this family background, this education, and this occupation!” However, that is not what God says, nor what Christian history attests. For example, Dwight L. Moody, one of the greatest evangelists the world has ever known, stopped his formal education at fifth grade.⁴ Billy Graham, another well-known evangelist, never went to seminary. Statistically, many of the biggest churches in the world are run by people without seminary training. One report in 1998 showed that one-third of megachurch ministers don’t have seminary education.⁵ This may seem shocking, but Scripture says this is normal. First Corinthians 1:26-29 says,

Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence.

Why does God typically choose the common and weak over the rich, strong, beautiful, and wise? It’s because the common man typically understands his own weakness. He is not prone to boasting. He knows that he is not strong enough, fast enough, smart enough, or good looking enough because society has told him so. The common are more inclined to humility and recognizing their own weakness before God, while the successful are more inclined to pride.

It is because of their weakness that God delights to use them. Consider what God said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…” When God sees the weak, he says, “Yes! He doesn’t trust in his own strength, education, or speaking ability. He doesn’t think he is equipped for the task. That is a person I can use; that is a person that won’t try to steal my glory.”

This is what Samuel said to Saul about his calling: “While you were small in your own eyes, the Lord made you head and king over Israel” (1 Sam 15:17, paraphrase). It was when Saul thought nothing of himself, that God found him and anointed him for great works.

Excuses from the Common

That is why in Scripture, we often see the “common” make excuses when God calls them: “I can’t lead,” “I can’t speak,” or “I am too young.” It happens because God doesn’t typically call the great. He calls the common and makes them great—he makes them sufficient for the task.

It’s been said that God often looks for the reluctant leader. He finds the person not looking for the limelight and says to them, “You, hiding over there (as with Gideon)! You are perfect! In your weakness, my power will be perfected, and my name gloried.”

When we look at the church and see how few God truly uses in powerful ways, we can discern our problem. Many of us are too strong. We are too independent. We trust too much in our own wisdom, hard work, speaking ability, experience, and education. God’s power can’t fill us, because we are too filled with our own ability and high view of ourselves. We will be inclined to boast and steal God’s glory.

We must ask ourselves, “Are we too strong? Are our strengths keeping us from being used by God?” This doesn’t mean we can’t succeed apart from God. We can, and that’s the problem! We can live lives virtually separated from God and appear successful, but we won’t be successful to God. Christ said this to the church of Sardis in Revelation 3:1, “…I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead.”

Can God use us?

Discerning If We’re Too Strong

Application Question: How can we discern if we are too strong for God to use us?

1. We can discern if we are too strong by how much we depend on God.

We can do this by asking ourselves key questions, “How much do we pray? How much do we read the Word of God? How consistently do we meet with other believers to worship and be edified?” The weak realize they can’t make it throughout the day without him—they need to be in his Word, prayer, and godly fellowship.

Sadly, many professing Christians live totally independent of God. They don’t need to go to church, read their Bibles, worship, or pray. The problem is they are too strong, and their strength is hindering the abundant grace God wants to give them.

2. We can discern if we are too strong by how we view ourselves and others.

The strong tend to have a high view of themselves and are prone to look down on others, even consistently criticizing them. They are like the Pharisees. However, Paul, though an apostle, called himself “the chief of sinners” (1 Tim 1:15, paraphrase). God could use Paul because of his weakness, not his greatness. In his weakness, God’s power was made perfect.

It has been said only those who see themselves as “chief of sinners” are fit to serve others, and thus be used greatly by God. If not, we will be prone to pride, boasting, and judgmentalism. Therefore, God cannot entrust the fullness of his power to us.

Those who think much of themselves, God cannot use. In fact, James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” He fights against the proud so they can become humble and weak.

Applications for the Weak

Application Question: What should we do if we feel too weak?

1. The weak must recognize that they can be used by God.

If we feel too weak—too common and normal—then we must understand that we are right where God wants us. We are people he can use. He is not looking for the smartest person, the wealthiest, strongest, or one from an esteemed family background. He often finds the unknown from the backyards of Gilead. He finds those who are weak in their own eyes and the eyes of others and bestows his grace on them.

2. The weak must be willing to step out in faith, as God leads.

When God calls, they must be willing to step out in faith to help out at church, share their faith, and/or serve in leadership. As they do this, they will find God’s grace made perfect in them. God will give them the words to say, the strength to serve, and the grace to persevere when weary. It was when Moses stepped out in faith, he found out God’s grace had made him a miracle worker. It was when Gideon stopped hiding and stepped out in faith, he found out God’s grace had made him a mighty warrior and leader. It was when Peter stepped out on the water, that he found out God’s grace had enabled him to walk on waves. We must be willing to step out in faith so we can experience God’s perfect power (2 Cor 12:9).

Applications for the Strong

Application Question: What should the strong do to be used by God?

What about the rest of us who recognize our own independence, strength, and pride, which may be keeping God from using us? What should we do?

1. The strong must repent of pride.

In speaking to the church of Laodicea in Revelations 3:17-19, Christ said:

Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see! All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!

To be “earnest” means be genuine. We must honestly express to God our pride and independence, and repent.

2. The strong must rejoice and submit to God when humbled by trials.

James 1:9-10 says, “Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position. But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow.”

In talking about the value of trials and how they help our faith grow (1:3-4), James says the believer of humble means—referring to the poor and the weak—should rejoice in their high position. Their circumstances give them a great opportunity to grow in their faith and be used by God. This is why Scripture says, “Blessed are you who are poor” (Luke 6:20) and that God has chosen “the poor in the world to be rich in faith” (Jam 2:5). It also says, “the last will be first, and the first last” (Matt 20:16). Scripture pictures the brother in humble circumstances as exalted in the kingdom.

But for the rich, James essentially says, they should rejoice in their “humiliation.” He seems to be talking about when the rich are made low in trials. It is then they should rejoice because it’s good for them (Jam 1:2). It reveals the futility of wealth and the brevity of life. Through trials, God reveals their weakness and need for God. He reveals that they are really like flowers that pass away.

We get a good example of this in Paul. He was not rich, but he was a great apostle and greatly used by God. Consider his response to being made low in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.” Paul rejoiced in his being humbled, and James told the rich to do the same. They should boast when God makes them weak. He is drawing them to himself and preparing them to be used by God. Paul boasted in his weakness. He didn’t complain or get angry. He knew God was preparing him to be a vessel that could demonstrate God’s power.

We might ask ourselves at times, “Why are we going through this? Why are we separated from family and friends? Why are we so lonely? Why is life so hard?” It’s because God is humbling us. He is taking us lower so he can raise us higher. He is preparing us to be used.

Personally, I have experienced this many times. When God called me into ministry my sophomore year of college, everything went wrong in my life. I went through over a year of depression where I often didn’t want to live. However, it was understanding God’s process of making a man of God that gave me hope. Because of our natural tendency towards pride and independence, God often places those he calls into the wilderness. He puts them in difficulty to prepare them. Moses went into the wilderness; Joseph became a slave and then a prisoner; even Christ went to the wilderness before beginning his ministry. It is there that God humbles us so that he can use us.

Therefore, we must rejoice when God humbles us and makes us weak because it is only there that we can be truly strong. It has been this theology that has given me strength in my wilderness seasons. It gave me strength to trust and rejoice even when I felt like giving up.

If we are too strong, we must trust God and rejoice when he makes us low by bringing us through trials. It’s how he prepares us to be used.

General Applications

Application Question: What other applications can we take from how God prefers to use the common and weak?

1. We must be careful about using society’s criteria in judging God’s ministers.

First Corinthians 4:5 says,

So then, do not judge anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.

Paul says this in the context of people improperly judging his ministry and others’ (4:1-4). This commonly happens today. Many people are excluded from certain ministries because of secular wisdom. Consider most churches: When they are seeking a pastor, they often require a masters or even a PhD. The ministry has become professionalized, which is not what we see in Scripture. Many of God’s greatest servants lacked formal education, though not training. They were fishermen, shepherds, farmers, etc. In fact, the Pharisees marveled at the apostles because they were unlearned—meaning they lacked formal training (Acts 4:13).

Because the church and many of our denominations have become professionalized, they exclude those God called, and therefore the church suffers. Much of the church has become pharisaical in that they add to the Scriptures, as if they are not enough for life and godliness. God has already given us requirements for pastoral ministry in Scripture (cf. 1 Tim 3, Titus 1). We must trust God and his Word.

2. We must be careful of judging ourselves and others by the world’s standards.

The church many times judges others based on wealth, education, status, and even ethnicity, instead of biblical values. Consider James’ rebuke of believers in James 2:3-5:

do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

Many Christians view others with secular eyes and not God’s eyes. Their secular view affects who they marry—many Christians would not marry Jesus because of his educational background, poor family, and even his ethnicity. For many, their secular worldview affects their career trajectory. Instead of pursuing something that meets their needs, allows them to be with their family, and lets them serve God in the church, they are in the rat-race of more. Therefore, they neglect their family and church. Be careful of judging yourself and others by the world’s standards. Only God’s standards matter.

3. We must be careful of limiting how God can use us.

We live in this world, but we are not of this world. God does not require degrees, finances, or a ministry lineage, though he may use each of those. He requires someone with a right heart to display his power. He may call us in a direction that society, family, and friends reject, and it may not even seem to align with our natural gifts and talents. We shouldn’t limit God. His power is made perfect in weakness.

Application Question: Why does God often choose the common and/or weak over the strong to use? In what ways has God used you in your weaknesses or times of weakness? What areas of strength do you have where you might be tempted to not rely on God? How is God calling you to rely on him (and possibly his saints) more in this season?

God Uses the Righteous

Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab

1 Kings 17:1

What else can we discern about Elijah other than his humble beginnings? We can also discern that Elijah was righteous. When God looks for a man or woman to use, he looks for those practicing a lifestyle of holiness and righteousness. Where do we see this in the text?

We see it not only in the fact that Elijah challenges wicked King Ahab but also in his name, specifically. Elijah meant “My God is Yahweh.”^⁶ Yahweh was the covenant name God gave to Moses when he set Israel free from slavery in Egypt.

Names in the Old Testament meant more than something you called somebody. It represented the character of something or someone. In fact, in ancient societies, it was common to name someone only after discerning their characteristics. When Isaac and Rebekah had children, they named their first Esau because he was hairy. They named the second Jacob because he came out grabbing the brother’s foot. Jacob means “heel grabber” or “swindler” (Gen 25). And, that’s just how Jacob lived his life—cheating people. But when he met God and wrestled with him in Genesis 32, God changed his name to Israel, because he had wrestled with God and prevailed. God changed his name because there was a change in character and calling. When someone truly encounters God, it will change the fabric of their character.

Similarly, Elijah no doubt was a man that lived for God. He was probably raised by a faithful Jewish family in the mountains who chose that the God of Jacob would be their God. Elijah, obviously, internalized their teachings and followed Yahweh, even when the rest of Israel was pursuing Baal. When Elijah confronted Ahab, he essentially said, “Unlike you and the rest of Israel, Yahweh is my God!”

When God looks for someone to use, he finds a righteous man or woman. He finds a Samuel, a David, a Josiah, a Mary and raises them up for his purposes. These people are characterized by holiness—separation from the ways of the world and a pursuit of righteousness. And this was true of Elijah. When all Israel followed Baal, Elijah followed Yahweh, God.

Prayer of the Righteous

Why is it important for the man or woman God uses to be righteous? Scripture says God, in a special way, hears the prayers of the righteous. We see support for this in James 5:16b-18, as it describes the power in Elijah’s prayers. It says,

As mentioned, James used this as an apologetic for bringing the sick to the elders for prayer, as well as praying for one another (v. 15-16). He essentially says, “Don’t you know the prayers of righteous people matter! They are powerful and effective! Remember Elijah? Therefore, bring your sick to the elders to receive prayer, and pray for one another for healing.”

Why does God choose the righteous? One reason is because their prayers are powerful. It is sobering to consider that our personal righteousness, or lack of it, affects the efficacy of our prayers.

There are so many Christians that wonder, “Why doesn’t God hear my prayers? Why doesn’t he answer me? Why isn’t he using me?” It might be because of spiritual compromise and a lack of righteousness.

We see further support for this in Jesus’ words in John 15:7. He said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.”

What did Jesus mean? He meant that there is power in a life that is consecrated to Christ. There is power in the life that is set apart to live and dwell in God’s Word. When a person abides in God’s Word and practices it as a lifestyle, God answers his or her prayers. Those are the types of people he uses. They are the world changers.

We must ask ourselves: “Do we love God’s Word? Do we read it, memorize it, teach it, and pray it? Do we make our home in it, as the Word “abide” or “remain” means? Or are we more like visitors—visiting it on occasion, obeying God’s Word when it’s convenient and doesn’t hurt?” Compromising Christians have little to no power, and God can’t use them as he would like.

James uses Elijah as encouragement not only for us to pray and seek prayer, but also for us to become righteous people—for there is power in a righteous life.

Lack of Power in a Sinful Life

But we also must consider the opposite side. A lack of personal righteousness will stifle our prayer life and the effectiveness of it. Consider these verses,

But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.

Isaiah 59:2

If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Psalm 66:18

When the Psalmist says, “harbored,” it can also be translated “cherish” (NIV), which means to love or enjoy something. Essentially, it means that if one loves sin, God will not hear his prayers. If one loves an ungodly, immoral relationship, then God won’t hear. If one loves getting a good grade, even if it means cheating, God won’t listen. If one loves nursing unforgiveness towards someone instead of forgiving, God will reject his prayers. If one loves ungodly entertainment, music, and TV shows, then it negatively affects the efficacy of his or her prayers. As we consider this, we must realize this hinders many Christians from having power in their prayers. They pray, but it’s not effective.

When God looks for a person to use, he finds a righteous person. One who says, “The Lord is my God. I’m going to be different than the rest of the world. This is why I’m waiting to have sex till marriage. This is why I won’t be dishonest at work or gossip about my boss behind his back. I want to know God, and I want him to use me.”

God looks around and sees that person and says, “That’s someone I can use! That’s a person who wants to be righteous like me. I can burden him for nations; he will pray, and my mighty arms will move to save. I can put him in a workplace, and he will mourn over their sins and I will mourn with him. I will bring revival because of his prayers.”

God hears the prayers of the righteous. Will we choose righteousness? Will we make Yahweh, the God of Israel, our God? We can’t have two masters—the world and God. We can only serve one.

James 1:7-8 says the double minded man is unstable in all his ways and he will receive nothing from God. The one living for the world and trying to live for God, at the same time, is not somebody God can use.

Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God uses the righteous person?

1. We must repent of anything that displeases God or hinders our relationship with him.

First Thessalonians 5:22 says, “… Stay away from every form of evil.” Likewise, Ephesians 5:3-4 says,

But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting—all of which are out of character—but rather thanksgiving.

There should not be sexual immorality, impurity, greed, foolish talk, or coarse joking in our lives because they are not fitting for God’s people.

2. We must pursue righteousness as a lifestyle—serving God and others.

Righteousness is not just the absence of sin, it’s the presence of good deeds. Galatians 6:9-10 says,

So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

God is looking for righteous people to use, those who turn away from sin and pursue purity in heart and deeds to honor God. Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”

Are we willing to let God use us?

Application Question: Why does God often choose the righteous to use greatly for his purposes? How is God calling you to grow in righteous character and deeds and to help others do the same?

Conclusion

What are characteristics of the person God uses?

God Uses the Common and Weak
God Uses the Righteous

Again, 2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “Certainly the Lord watches the whole earth carefully and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him.”

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray for God to purify his church from sin and spiritual apathy and restore to it a zeal for the Word and righteousness.
Pray for God to raise up the common, the weak, and the righteous and put them in strategic places for his glory and to change the world.
Pray for God to bring revival in the world through the church and his Spirit within her.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Charles R. Swindoll. Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Great Lives From God’s Word 5: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll) (Kindle Locations 103-104). Kindle Edition.

² Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

³ Accessed 10/16/20 from https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/gilead/

⁴ Accessed 7/14/17 from https://www.moody.edu/about/our-bold-legacy/d-l-moody/

⁵ Accessed 3/17/2016 from http://hirr.hartsem.edu/bookshelf/thumma_article2.html

^⁶ Davis, D. R. (2002). 1 Kings: The Wisdom and the Folly (p. 201). Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

2. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt. 2 (1 Kings 17:1)

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Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

1 Kings 17:1 (NET)

What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly? As we consider Elijah and his powerful ministry, we can discern common characteristics of those God has used throughout history. The first characteristic we considered was the fact that Elijah was a common man. He was from a small town in Gilead, which was a mountainous region. He would have lacked the education of those from a big city. He wore clothes which represented his rugged upbringing. Scripture says he wore a garment of animal hair with a belt (2 Kgs 1:8). He probably had an accent. Because of his country upbringing, those from the city would have looked down upon him. He was common; however, God has delighted to use people like this throughout history (1 Cor 1:26-31). The Bible is full of stories of God greatly using farmers, shepherds, and others who would have not been highly esteemed in society. Why? Because God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9), in people who will trust in him instead of their strength, riches, or education. The apostles were common men who lacked formal rabbinical training (Acts 4:13). When God does use somebody of great standing in society like Moses or Paul, he makes them weak through their circumstances, so they can become humble and rely on God.

Why doesn’t God mightily use more people in the church? No doubt, it’s because we are too strong, too independent, and we need to become more humble and dependent on God, so he can use us. Christ taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them” (Matt 5:3). In Matthew 18:4, he taught that the greatest in the kingdom are like little children—totally dependent on God.

The second characteristic we learned about Elijah was his righteousness. We saw this when he stood up against Ahab who was leading Israel away from God, but we also saw it in his name. His name meant “My God is Yahweh.” Elijah’s parents no doubt raised him to be a godly man, and when all Israel was turning away from Yahweh to follow Baal and his corrupt practices, Elijah lived out his name. When God looks for someone to use greatly, he finds a righteous person. In James 5:17, in using Elijah as an example, James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” God hears the prayers of the righteous and he uses them to transform families, communities, cities, and nations.

What else can we learn about Elijah? It is clear from this passage and Elijah’s life that he was a man of great courage. We see this in two ways: The first way is his defiance of the King. According to the author of 1 Kings, Ahab was the most wicked king that had ever sat on the throne of Israel. First Kings 16:30 says, “Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the Lord than all who were before him.” What made him even worse was his marriage to Jezebel. She was from the kingdom of Sidon, and she instituted Baal worship in Israel. From Scripture, we learn that she was very wicked and often was the mastermind behind Ahab’s evil ways. Together, they made a frightening couple.

But nevertheless, Elijah appears in the presence of the King and defies him. What makes this even more terrifying is that appearing in the presence of the King without permission could be extremely dangerous. In the story of Esther, even as queen, she had to get permission to come into the presence of her husband. In fact, one time, so she wouldn’t be put to death for coming into his presence without permission, she asked her uncle to get the Israelites in Susa to fast for her for three days (Es 4:16). In general, the Israelite kings weren’t as ruthless as the Persian kings, but nevertheless, it took great courage for Elijah to confront Israel’s most wicked king. Since Elijah was commissioned by God, apparently, he was not afraid, and if so, he was willing to face his fears. He not only showed up in the presence of the King but also gave him bad news: “there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

The second way we see Elijah’s courage is that he not only stood up to the most wicked king of Israel but also to a false deity. Baal was the primary pagan deity worshiped in Israel at this time. He was considered the god of the storm and fertility. Followers of Baal would commonly practice sexual rituals and even sacrifice their children in order to secure rain and blessings for their crops. When Elijah declared it would not rain, not only was he confronting the King, but he also was confronting this pagan god.

This confrontation with Baal will come full circle in 1 Kings 18 when Elijah confronts all the prophets of Baal. He gathers all of them for a competition: Which deity, Yahweh or Baal, would bring fire on a sacrifice? Again, Elijah’s boldness and courage are seen as he mocks the prophets and Baal. First Kings 18:27 says: “At noon Elijah mocked them, ‘Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.’”

Elijah’s courage is displayed as he confronts both Ahab and Baal. However, it must be noted that this is a necessary quality for every man or woman God uses. Consider what Moses said to Israel and Joshua before they crossed over into the promised land:

Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!” Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it. The Lord is indeed going before you—he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”

Deuteronomy 31:6-8

In fact, after Moses’s death, God again commands Joshua to be brave before entering the land. He said,

Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them. Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do… I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

Joshua 1:6-7, 9

The repetition of the command to be brave or courageous shows its importance. If we are going to be people that God can use, we must be courageous. With that said, it must be known that courage is not necessarily the absence of fear, it is being willing to confront our fears. Elijah confronted the King who could have killed him. He stood up to the pagan god, Baal. He also later confronts all the false prophets and Israel. He was willing to be courageous.

Unfortunately, many Christians can’t be used by God because they are ruled by fear. Fear keeps them from doing God’s will with their lives. Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart.” God’s peace should be ruling and guiding our lives, not fear. In this study, we will consider three Ahabs or fears that commonly keep people from doing God’s will.

Be Careful of the Fear of Man

The first one we will consider is the fear of man. Many Christians, especially young ones, care too much about the praise of man, and therefore, are hindered in their walk with God. Consider these verses,

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!

Galatians 1:10

Many people are trapped and crippled in their spiritual life because of fear of what man will say or do. They are afraid to be different from their friends, family, and culture. Consequently, they are no longer following God but men.

What are some practical ways that we see fear handicapping believers?

Some are not willing to follow God in the career field that he has called them to or have a lesser standard of living because of shame, as their friends and families would not approve.
Some accept and adopt the drunken and dishonest cultures of their workplaces because they fear what their co-workers and bosses will say or do.
Some won’t marry the person God called them to because of what family or culture would say. That person has the wrong ethnicity, career field, family background, etc.
Some, especially young Christians, are not willing to be godly because it will not be considered cool or acceptable among their friends.

The fear of what people will say or do is a snare. With that said, Elijah stood up to the wicked forces leading Israel without succumbing to fear of repercussions. In Luke 14:26, Jesus said this: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Christ knew that relationships and the fear of people, including one’s own family, would be a major hindrance to discipleship and even salvation.

Is the fear of man keeping you from doing God’s will?

Be Careful of the Fear of Failure

But there is another type of fear that often cripples Christians from being used by God and that is the fear of failure. Some are afraid to fail, and therefore, they never step out in faith to follow God’s leading. Christians and non-Christians alike are greatly affected by this. They don’t want to fail, so they never attempt anything out of their comfort zone. They won’t serve in a ministry; they won’t lead a small group; they won’t share their faith; some won’t even pray out loud. Fear handicaps them. Instead of faithfully obeying God, they at all costs seek to protect their comfort.

We may get a hint of this in the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25. God gave one man five talents and another two, and they both made profit. However, he gave another person one talent and instead of attempting to make a profit, he hid it in the ground. Consider how he responds to his Master, who reflects God:

Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

Matthew 25:24-25

Essentially the man says, “I was afraid to fail you, so I hid my talent in the ground!” A lot of Christians are just like that. They see the difficulty of the task at hand, including the expectations that come with it, and they become afraid and quit before beginning. They declare, “Lord, I can’t speak!” “Lord, I can’t lead!” “Lord, this is not my gifting!” Fear traps them—so they don’t even try.

Was it not “fear” of failure (and the fear of man) that kept the Israelites from conquering the promised land? God promised it to them, but after they surveyed the land, they said, “Nope! Too many giants, God. Can’t do it!” In Numbers 13:31, they said, “We are not able to go up against these people, because they are stronger than we are!” And, consequently, God removed them from the promised land, and they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. How many Christians are wandering in the wilderness, year after year, missing God’s best for their lives because of fear? No doubt, too many to count. They are spiritually stuck. To move forward, they must confront their giants. They must confront things too big to conquer in their own strength.

Is your Ahab the fear of failure? Is the fear of failure keeping us from progressing spiritually?

Be Careful of the Fear of Death

Another common hindrance to doing God’s will is the fear of death. If Elijah feared death, he wouldn’t have confronted the King. If the apostles feared death, they would not have boldly proclaimed God’s Word in the face of the Jewish and the Roman persecution. In fact, courage in the face of death has been one of the greatest testaments to Christians throughout the centuries, as they have been flogged and persecuted for their faith. Christ said this in Luke 12:4: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.” In Luke 14:26 and 27, he said that to be his disciple, we must “hate” our own life and carry our own “cross.”

There is a temptation to soften the interpretation of carrying one’s “cross,” as just referring to the burdens and normal hardships of the Christian life. However, the cross was a form of execution in those days. When Christ said, if you want to be my disciple, if you want to be my follower, you must “take up your cross,” he was literally saying you must be prepared to die for him. In that society, that was a very real possibility. The Jews persecuted Christians, and later, the Roman Empire began to do the same. This is certainly true in many nations today, as more Christians have died in the last one hundred years than the previous two thousand years. Being a disciple of Christ means we must be willing to hate our own lives and take up our cross (Lk 14:26-27).

Death is a great hindrance for many Christians. This will keep many from going to a Muslim or communist country to preach the gospel. It will keep many from leaving the comfort of home for missions. Why? It’s because we don’t “hate” our own life in comparison to our love for God and his will.

Christ, in fact, came to deliver us from the suffocating fear of death. Hebrews 2:14-15 says,

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

Christ became a human and died to free people from the fear of death. Christians don’t have to be afraid of death because Christ defeated it. Christ died and rose again, and one day, after our deaths, we will rise again like him.

In fact, it was Christ’s resurrection that gave the disciples, who all denied him at the crucifixion, boldness to preach and die for their faith. His resurrection made them all willing to die. Why? They were willing to die because they knew if they died, they would immediately be with Christ spiritually (2 Cor 5:8) and one day be physically resurrected.

In considering the resurrection, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul proclaims that there is no victory or sting in death because our victory is in Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, Paul said, “Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” And in Philippians 1:21, Paul said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” Therefore, believers should not fear death.

Sadly, many Christians care so much for their life that it hinders their spiritual growth—it hinders them from being a man or woman that God can use greatly. They cannot leave their comfort zone because instead of “hating their life,” they love it dearly. They have never allowed themselves to be set free from the “fear of death,” and therefore, God cannot use them as he did Elijah or the apostles. Fear cripples and hinders their spiritual progression. Believers that don’t fear injury or death are a serious threat to the kingdom of darkness.

What is your Ahab? Is it the fear of man? Do we esteem the opinions of friends, family, and employers over God’s esteem? Is it the fear of failure? Is fear of failure causing us to hide our gifts in the ground? Or is it the fear of death? Christ conquered the grave so we wouldn’t have to fear death.

Application Question: In what ways do people commonly experience the fear of man, failure, and death, which hinders their faith and walk with God? How have you specifically been hindered by these or other fears?

How to Conquer Our Fears

We have talked about three common fears that keep us from being willing to do God’s will and therefore hinder God from using us greatly. Now we will look at how to conquer our fears.

1. To conquer fear, we must fear God more than anything else.

Consider again what Christ said in Luke 12:4-5:

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Luke 12:4-5

Jesus said that the disciples should not be afraid of those who could kill them but to instead be afraid of God. This would deliver them from their fears. Likewise, Proverbs 9:10 says, “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord, and acknowledging the Holy One is understanding.” It is the beginning of making right decisions with our lives. When we honor God, we can boldly face Ahabs, giants, and anything else that terrifies us. The problem with many Christians is not that they have a fear of failure, a fear of man, or a fear of death. Their problem is that they do not fear God! The fear of God is the beginning of being wise.

When we fear God more than what our employer thinks or can do to us, then we start to become someone God can use. Promotion, ultimately, comes from the Lord. When we fear God more than failure, we will be willing to take risks like sharing our faith, even when we know it will probably be rejected. When we fear God more than death, we become dangerous to the kingdom of darkness and extremely valuable to the kingdom of light. We become valuable because there are not many people like that. Most are crippled by fear and, therefore, cannot be used greatly by God.

Do we fear God more than people, failure, and death?

2. To conquer fear, we must recognize and reject it as a hindrance to obeying God.

In 2 Timothy 1: 7, Paul says, “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Timothy had been left in charge of the church of Ephesus and was struggling with fear of the difficulties included in his ministry. Paul told Timothy the spirit of fear he was struggling with was not from God, and therefore, Timothy should reject it. Certainly, there are healthy fears, like fear of crossing the street without looking both ways. But Paul is not talking about that type of fear. He is talking about fear that keeps us from doing God’s will or having God’s peace.

That is what Paul told the church of Philippi, in Philippians 4:6b, “Do not be anxious about anything.” That means we need to reject “fear” as something not from God.

No doubt, some fears are passed down generationally. Mom was a worrier—she worried about everything. Dad was a worrier, and it made him try to control everything and everyone around him. Now, we struggle with worry, and it often hinders us from walking in the will of God and steals our peace.

In order to conquer our fears, we must recognize that fear is not from God and reject it. We must reject anything that keeps us from doing God’s will.

3. To conquer fear, we must know our resources in God.

Courage is not foolishness; it is a proper evaluation of resources. For many of us, we know that we can make a trip to the grocery store because we have a vehicle and enough gas to get there. Therefore, we have nothing to fear. It’s the same way with every task God calls us to in life. If God called us to it, we must recognize that he provides the resources for the task. Is that not what God said to Moses when he said that he couldn’t speak? God replied, “Who made the mouth? I will give you the words to speak. Don’t worry about that.” (Ex 4:11 paraphrase). Then God said, “If that’s not enough, I’ll give you, your brother, Aaron, to speak for you. He will be your mouthpiece. Don’t worry, just obey!” (Ex 4:13-16 paraphrase).

Isn’t that exactly what Paul said to Timothy? “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 1:7). Essentially, he said, “God has given you everything needed for ministry: power for the task, love to care for the people (even difficult ones), and self-discipline to be faithful.”

Isn’t this exactly what God said to Joshua? In Joshua 1:9, God said, “I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.”

This is true for us as well. God is with us! He empowers us for whatever task he calls us to. We don’t have to fear because we have the resources. Proper evaluation of resources not only gets rid of fear but also gives us courage.

4. To conquer fear, we must take steps of faith.

Many times, it takes a step of faith to totally rid ourselves of fear. Personally, it is often when I step into the pulpit and start to preach that all my fears and anxieties go away. It is when I start to do God’s will that I find out that he has in fact given me power, love, and self-discipline to accomplish the task.

Many never experience those resources because they won’t take a step of faith. A good example of this is Peter. In Matthew 14:28-29, Peter saw Jesus walking on the sea and cried out to him, “If it’s you, let me come to you” and Christ said, “Come!” (paraphrase). Is it possible for a man to attempt to walk on water in a raging storm and not be afraid? No doubt, Peter was afraid. But, when he took a step of faith on the water, he found there was grace. God’s resources were available to fulfill Christ’s command.

Oftentimes, the best way to get rid of fear is to just do it. Like the old Nike slogan, “Just Do It!” After we’ve clearly discerned God’s will, we should take steps of faith and allow God to prove himself faithful: get involved with the church, share your testimony, ask to pray with somebody, start preparing for the mission field, turn away from a situation or relationship that’s handicapping you. If Christ has called us into the water, it is the wisest step we can take. As we do so, his grace will be available which will remove our fears.

What steps of faith is God calling you to take to serve him?

Application Question: How should believers overcome various fears that hinder their obedience to God or make it more difficult? How is God calling you to overcome fears which are hindering your faith?

Conclusion

As we consider Elijah’s courage in confronting Ahab, even at the prospect of death, we must ask ourselves, “What is my Ahab? What is keeping me back from doing God’s will?” Is it the fear of man, the fear of failure, and/or the fear of death? As God said to Joshua who was called to lead Israel and conquer giants in the promised land, we must be strong and brave in order for God to use us (Josh 1:9)—willing to confront our fears. What fears is God calling us to confront so he can use us in a greater way?

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray for God to reveal his will to us and that we would be willing to follow it (individually and corporately), even as Elijah did.
Pray for God to deliver us from anxieties, worries, and fears that hinder us from doing his will.
Pray for God to enable us to be courageous in confronting whatever challenges we currently face or will face in the future.
Pray for God to give us faith to move mountains (referring to trials and hindrances to his will) and that those mountains would move, in Jesus’ name.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

3. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt 3 (1 Kings 17:1)

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Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

1 Kings 17:1 (NET)

What are characteristics of the person God uses greatly? As we consider Elijah and his powerful ministry, we can discern common characteristics of those God has used throughout history. The first characteristic we considered is the fact that Elijah was a common man. He was from a small town in Gilead, which was a mountainous region. He would have lacked the education of those from a big city. He wore clothes which represented his rugged upbringing. Scripture says he wore a garment of animal hair with a belt (2 Kgs 1:8). He probably had an accent. Because of his country upbringing, those from the city would have looked down upon him. He was common; however, God has delighted to use people like this throughout history (1 Cor 1:26-31). The Bible is full of stories of God greatly using farmers, shepherds, and others who would not have been highly esteemed in society. Why? Because God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9), in people who will trust in him instead of their strength, riches, or education. The apostles were common men who lacked formal rabbinical training (Acts 4:13). When God does use somebody of great standing in society like Moses or Paul, he often makes them weak through their circumstances, so they can become humble and rely on God (Jam 4:10).

The second characteristic we observed about Elijah was his righteousness. We see this in the fact that he stood up against Ahab who was leading Israel away from God, but we also see it in his name. His name meant “My God is Yahweh.” Elijah’s parents no doubt raised him to be a godly man, and when all Israel was turning away from Yahweh to follow Baal and his corrupt practices, Elijah lived out his name. When God looks for someone to use greatly, he finds a righteous person. In James 5:17, using Elijah as an example, James said, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” God hears the prayers of the righteous and he uses them to transform families, communities, cities, and nations.

The third characteristic is that God uses those who are courageous—meaning they are willing to confront their fears and not be hindered by them. Elijah boldly confronted the king which could have led to his death, and he also confronted the demonic deity, Baal, whom Israel was worshiping. When he said it would not rain, it was a direct challenge to this false deity, his prophets and worshipers, as he was the god of the storm. Elijah was courageous, and we must be as well.

What are other characteristics of those God uses greatly? We’ll consider two more.

God Uses Those Devoted to His Word

Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

1 Kings 17:1

The next characteristic of those God uses greatly is that he uses those devoted to his Word. How can we discern that Elijah was devoted to God’s Word from 1 Kings 17:1? It is very clear by what he proclaims to King Ahab. When he says that there will be no dew or rain, he is simply saying what God promised to Israel as a discipline for worshipping false gods. Deuteronomy 11:16-17 says,

Make sure you do not turn away to serve and worship other gods! Then the anger of the Lord will erupt against you and he will close up the sky so that it does not rain. The land will not yield its produce, and you will soon be removed from the good land that the Lord is about to give you.

The main message of the prophets was calling Israel back to God’s Word. The book of Deuteronomy is actually written in the form of an ancient covenant called a suzerain covenant. In those days, a small nation would approach a great king for protection in exchange for obedience, yearly crops, and taxes, among other things. The contract had both blessings and curses—blessings if they kept the contract and curses if they didn’t. That’s exactly what we see in Deuteronomy. If Israel obeyed God, he would bless them with rain, protection, and wealth. God’s plan was to bless Israel and, through blessing them, draw all nations unto him. Like God’s covenant with Abraham, God would bless them, and they would be a blessing (cf. Gen 12:2). But, as mentioned, this covenant included covenant curses. One of the curses was if they started to worship false deities like Baal, then God would shut the heavens and make it not rain on the land. They would experience extreme drought and famine: the cattle would die, the commerce would fail, and consequently, people would suffer and die because of their disobedience.

By Elijah’s proclamation over Israel, it is very clear that Elijah was a man of faith in God’s Word. He probably was studying God’s Word one day, was challenged by the curse, and responded in prayer to God. He potentially prayed something like, “Lord, your people have fallen away from you. They are worshipping Baal and other false gods. Fulfill your covenant promise by disciplining them and turning them back to you!” It was probably then that God put his message and declaration in Elijah’s heart that there would be a severe drought.

Daniel

We saw this same thing with Daniel. In Daniel 9:2, Daniel was reading the book of Jeremiah where it says that Israel’s exile would only last 70 years. Israel was exiled to Babylon for their false worship and disobedience to the covenant. Daniel’s time in the Word prompted him to prayer, and from that prayer, God gave him a vision about Israel. Daniel 9:2-3 says:

in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books that, according to the word of the LORD disclosed to the prophet Jeremiah, the years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem were seventy in number. So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Daniel was a prophet just like Elijah. How did Daniel know to pray for the restoration of Israel to the land? He prayed for it because he saw it in God’s Word. After his prayer, God sent Daniel an angel to give him a specific vision about the restoration of Israel and its future (Dan 9:20-27). This is probably what happened with Elijah as well. Prophets were people of God’s Word. They went throughout the land proclaiming the Mosaic covenant and calling Israel to repent for breaking it. In obedience to God, they proclaimed both the covenant promises and curses.

Application

How can we apply this reality? There are several things we can take from observing the devotion of prophets, like Elijah, to God’s Word.

1. In considering the devotion of the prophets to God’s Word, we should constantly read God’s Word and pray it in response.

Not only should this apply to doctrinal and practical teachings in Scripture but also to prophecy. Though Scripture promises Christ will return to the earth in glory, we should pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20). Though Scripture promises God will establish his kingdom on the earth, we should pray for it, as in the Lord’s Prayer, “May your kingdom come!” (Matt 6:10). When reading prophecies about Israel, the gospel spreading to all nations, etc., it should prompt us to pray for it in faith. That’s essentially what prophets like Elijah and Daniel did; they prayed in response to God’s teachings and promises.

Many Christians when reading Scripture only mentally affirm it but don’t pray it. God has chosen to fulfill his plans through the prayers of his saints (Ez 22:30). Therefore, we should pray as we meditate on his Word. Reading Scripture is how God talks to us, and through prayer, we talk back to him and build his kingdom. This is what people who God uses often do—they study God’s Word and pray it.

2. In considering the devotion of the prophets to God’s Word, we should allow Scripture to prompt and direct our passions and direction in life.

If one is struggling with what to do in life or with direction, he or she should spend more time in God’s Word. Apparently, Elijah’s study propelled him into his calling and future ministry.

Likewise, many people have found their passions and callings through time in Scripture. Some have given themselves to the ministry of teaching children in considering Christ’s call for Peter to give special care to the lambs, the baby sheep (John 21:15). Some in studying, especially the Old Testament, have felt a call to pursue law and justice ministries. Micah 6:8 (NIV) says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Others have felt called to adoption or orphan ministry by considering how God is called “a father to the fatherless” in Psalm 68:5, and how God calls caring for orphans and widows a religion he accepts, which pleases him, in James 1:27. Others feel called to work in different forms of government, as Romans 13:4 calls government officials “God’s servants”—rewarding the good and punishing the bad. Elijah’s devotion to God’s Word prompted and directed his future ministry, which unfortunately included his suffering alone through a drought, away from family and friends (1 Kgs 17:3-6). Scripture should always lead us to application, and at times, it may lead us into our callings long-term.

Just like with the prophets Elijah and Daniel, God often speaks to us when we are in his Word. He gives us wisdom and helps us discern the paths we should take. People who are not in God’s Word often don’t hear God speak, and therefore, miss his direction. David said this in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp to walk by, and a light to illumine my path.” David essentially said, “When I was in darkness and couldn’t figure out what I should do next or where I should go, God guided me through the light of his Word. It was then I could see clearly!”

Sadly, many Christians are content to walk in darkness, as they are not devoted to God’s Word. This darkness brings worry and fear about the past, present, and future, but God’s Word brings light, clarity, and peace. How can we clearly discern God’s voice as Elijah did? It comes through devotion and faith in God’s Word.

A Common Characteristic of People God Uses

As we considered Elijah’s devotion to Scripture and that of the prophets, it is clear that this is a common characteristic of those God uses greatly for his kingdom. Let’s consider some others God greatly used for his kingdom.

Joshua

Joshua was another one of God’s prophets, someone who met with God and spoke for him. Consider what God said to him about his calling to lead Israel into the promised land:

Make sure you are very strong and brave! Carefully obey all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful in all you do. This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful.

Joshua 1:7-8

Joshua’s success as a military general was attached, not so much to his strategy and war plans, but to his daily, personal time in God’s Word and his practice of it. He was called to memorize and meditate on it day and night, continually speak about it, and practice it. If he did this, he would be prosperous and successful in fulfilling God’s will for his life. No doubt, many Christians are missing God’s best or even failing in their marriage, parenting, careers, and ministry in general, and it has nothing to do with their competence; it has everything to do with their faithfulness to God and his Word.

Are we being faithful to God’s Word? Do we meditate on it? Do we talk about it with our friends, family, and co-workers? Are our lives devoted to obeying it?

How can we be successful as a son, daughter, wife, husband, parent, teacher, businessman, or physician? Success is often a byproduct of our faithfulness to God’s Word.

David

We also see this promise written by David in Psalm 1, as he declares the secret to God’s blessing and favor. Psalm 1:1-3 says,

How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers! Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands; he meditates on his commands day and night. He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.

David essentially said, “I have learned that a common characteristic of those God blesses and uses greatly is that they have a common delight. They delight in God’s Word and, therefore, turn away from sin to meditate on Scripture and obey it all day.”

No doubt, David is probably not only talking about others that he had watched but also himself. In 1 Samuel 18, this word keeps appearing in reference to David: “success” or “successful” (v. 5, 14, 15, 30). First Samuel 18:30 says, “David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.” David was successful at everything he did. After defeating Goliath, he was given a high rank in the army, probably as a general. But because the people cheered him so much, “Saul has killed his 1000’s, but David his 10,000’s,” he was demoted. He was given only 1000 men, but he still prospered. The king tried to kill him by making him take 100 foreskins of the Philistines. However, David took 200 of them instead. Finally, David had to flee the kingdom for his life and become a refugee.

Surely, it was over for David. How can one prosper when the king wants him dead? But all of a sudden, 400 other refugees came to him (1 Sam 22), then 200 more—600 in all. These became his mighty men—leading him to excel, even as a refugee. It’s a phenomenal story. Why did this happen? No doubt, it’s because God promises to bless those who delight in him and meditate on his Word; even their seeming failures lead to success.

Are we people whom God can bless? Have we chosen to never let Scripture depart from our mind and mouth all day long and to practice it in everything we do?

Some, in evaluating themselves, may wonder, “God’s Word is not my delight; how can I make it my delight?” In this case, we should make studying God’s Word our discipline until it becomes our delight. This is a way to step into the blessing of God. He uses people who, like David, Joshua, Daniel, and Elijah, have chosen to delight in and meditate on God’s Word.

Application Question: How would you describe your time in God’s Word on a scale of 1-10 and why? What disciplines have you found helpful with faithfully studying Scripture? How is God calling you to be even more devoted to Scripture study?

God Uses Those Who Delight to Dwell in His Presence

Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.”

1 Kings 17:1

Another characteristic we can discern from Elijah’s life is that God uses those who delight to dwell in his presence. In verse 1, the NET version says, “the LORD God of Israel lives (whom I serve),” but a more literal translation is “before whom I stand” as in the ESV, NASB, and KJV.

What made Elijah able to boldly oppose evil in his own day? What enabled Elijah to stand alone, by himself, before the King? Elijah saw himself standing in the presence of God, which no doubt encouraged and empowered him. Elijah was a man who dwelled in God’s presence.

When considering people God used greatly throughout Scripture, this is a common characteristic. The narrators of Scripture often take us into the secret place of our biblical heroes—the places where they meet with God.

Moses

Moses met with God on the mountaintop where he took off his shoes before God and received a commission to set Israel free (Ex 3). In Exodus 19, Moses met with God again on the mountain and there received the Ten Commandments. After a later visit to meet with God on the mountain in Exodus 34, Moses left with his face shining like the glory of God. After building the tabernacle, Moses continually met with God there in order to get wisdom to judge the affairs of the people and guide them (cf. Ex 33). God’s glory cloud would come down and meet Moses in the tabernacle.

Joshua

Certainly, this characteristic is also seen in the story of Joshua, Moses’ successor. Exodus 33:9-11 says,

And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. When all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people, each one at the entrance of his own tent, would rise and worship. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, the way a person speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his servant, Joshua son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the tent.

The narrator, Moses, adds a foreboding little fact about Joshua. Even after Moses left the tabernacle, Joshua stayed, probably right outside of it, until God’s presence left. See, the narrator knew that Joshua was eventually going to lead Israel, and he knew why. Not only was Joshua faithful and obedient, but he also was someone who loved God’s presence. He loved being with God even more than he enjoyed following Moses.

See, there are those who primarily go to church because they love the sermons, their pastors, their teachers, their friends, or even simply out of duty. However, for Joshua, it wasn’t that way. He was consumed with the presence of God, even when nobody was around. His focus was being with God. God uses those who “stand before him”—those who walk in his presence.

Enoch

We also saw this with Enoch. It was said of Enoch that he walked with God (Gen 5:24). Essentially, being in the presence of God defined him. Genesis also tells us that God took him to heaven, just like he eventually took Elijah to heaven. What many don’t know about Enoch is that he was very similar to Elijah. He was a prophet of God who spoke against the evil men and deeds of his day. Jude said this about Enoch:

Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Jude 1:14-15

Enoch prophesied about the second coming before the first coming. He spoke of God’s coming judgment.

Elijah and Enoch were very similar. God so enjoyed them both that he took them to heaven before their deaths. They are the only ones recorded in Scripture that experienced this. But one of the things that made them unique and especially used by God was how they enjoyed God’s presence. Enoch walked with God, and so did Elijah.

Noah

This was also true of Noah, who was a great grandson of Enoch. Scripture also says he walked with God. Genesis 6:9 says, “… Noah was a godly man; he was blameless among his contemporaries. He walked with God.” And as we know, though God destroyed the world by a universal flood, he saved Noah and his family through an ark. When the narrator says, Noah “walked with God,” he is telling us why he was so favored—he enjoyed God’s presence and obeyed him.

David

David is another example. He said this in Psalm 27:4: “I have asked the Lord for one thing—this is what I desire! I want to live in the Lord’s house all the days of my life, so I can gaze at the splendor of the Lord and contemplate in his temple.” David essentially said, “I want to make my home in God’s presence. I want to dwell at his temple. I want to see God’s beauty—that’s all I want out of life!” That was his one thing—his priority.

Is that our “one” thing? Most have many things that keep them away from God. However, when God finds somebody to use, he finds someone who delights in and enjoys his presence.

Paul

We even see this with Paul. In 2 Timothy 4:17, consider how Paul described his ministry while being tried in court during his Roman imprisonment: “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth!” As he stood before the Roman officials, he sounds like Elijah. God stood beside him to give him strength to preach God’s Word to the Gentiles. In addition, Paul said this:

But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things—indeed, I regard them as dung!—that I may gain Christ,

Philippians 3:7-8

My aim is to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Philippians 3:10-11

Have you ever strongly felt God’s presence comforting, strengthening, and empowering you for ministry? Those who consistently have often can’t live without it and, therefore, continually seek the experience of it with all their heart. Paul, David, Moses, Joshua, Noah, Enoch, and Elijah made it their one thing. Being with and knowing God was their main passion and pursuit, and it should be ours as well, even more than serving people.

Application

What do people who enjoy God’s presence look like? How can we become like them?

1. People who love God’s presence will typically be found worshiping and praying to him.

Psalm 22:3 (KJV) says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” God inhabits the praises of his people. At times in Scripture, when God’s people worshiped, God would manifest himself in a powerful way. When Solomon and the Israelites dedicated the temple to God and worshiped him there, his presence manifested so powerfully that the priest could not enter the temple (cf. 1 Chr 7:1-3). Also, in 2 Chronicles 20:20-22, when Jehoshaphat and his army worshipped God before a battle, God routed their enemies. Therefore, when people are praising God, thanking and honoring him, God’s presence often manifests powerfully, even today. And in those places, one can often find the people whom God will use greatly offering praises amongst the masses.

Is there a worship night or a prayer night? Don’t be surprised to see them there. They are there because they love God’s presence. In addition, as mentioned, you will commonly find these people praying, as prayer is a form of worship. When people wanted to accuse Daniel, they knew he would be in his room praying daily at a certain time (Dan 6). Worshipers commonly offer petitions, thanksgivings, and intercessions to God faithfully.

Are we worshipers?

2. People who love God’s presence often can be found in church, small groups, and various ministries.

Matthew 18:20 says, “For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.” Therefore, you will commonly find these people involved in small groups, prayer meetings, church, and church activities in general. Wherever God’s people are gathered, they will commonly be there because they know that’s where God’s presence manifests.

Unfortunately, for many, they feel no need to be in these places. They have other things that they would rather do like sleep, watch movies, hang out with friends, work, etc. But not the ones who love God’s presence. Their reasoning is, “If God is there, why wouldn’t I be?”

3. People who love God’s presence practice holy lifestyles.

Philippians 4:8-9 says,

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.

Paul says that when a person thinks on godly things and practices righteousness, they will experience the manifest presence of God. He says, “the God of peace will be with you.”

The person who enjoys God’s presence tries to stay away from ungodly thoughts and ideas, entertainment, and practices. Much of what they avoid is not necessarily sinful, it’s just not pure, lovely, and commendable. They know there are some things that rob them of intimacy in their relationship with God, and therefore, they try to avoid them. Like Joshua, they want to be where God’s presence is. Like David, God’s presence is the one thing they desire. Therefore, they aim to practice a holy life in order to know and experience God more.

Are we walking in holiness, so we can better enjoy God’s presence?

4. People who love God’s presence are humble people.

Consider these Scriptures that show people’s reactions to being in God’s presence and experiencing him:

In the year of King Uzziah’s death, I saw the sovereign master seated on a high, elevated throne. The hem of his robe filled the temple… I said, “Too bad for me! I am destroyed, for my lips are contaminated by sin, and I live among people whose lips are contaminated by sin.

Isaiah 6:1, 5

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”

Luke 5:8

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them!

1 Timothy 1:15

Being in God’s presence by necessity reveals our sin and how much we are not like God. Therefore, it produces humility in us. Those who walk in God’s presence cannot but declare: “Woe is me! I am a sinful man—the chief of sinners.” In the same way, those who are not walking in God’s presence commonly are prone towards pride, self-exaltation, and judgmentalism—in part because they are looking at themselves and others instead of God.

Are we growing in humility from being in God’s presence?

5. People who love God’s presence are often broken people.

Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged.” God is near the broken in heart. He is beside them, comforting, and helping them know him more. However, it should be known that sometimes God allows brokenness so that we can continually experience more of him.

Jacob wrestled with God and was left with a limp—a continual reminder of his dependence upon God. Paul received a thorn in his flesh to keep him from pride from all the revelations he received (2 Cor 12:7-9). It was said of Charles Spurgeon that sometimes he wouldn’t leave his bed for weeks, as he struggled with intense depression. There is a cost for experiencing God, and many who know him in an intimate manner know this pain.

Are we willing to pay the cost of knowing God intimately? Are we willing to limp forever or have a thorn in the flesh to know God and his mysteries in a deeper manner?

Those who intimately know God often also know the experience of the limp, the thorn, and the cross. It is these painful experiences that have drawn them to greater intimacy with God. And it is these painful things that keep them dependent upon God. There is a cost for deeper intimacy with God. It is painful, but worth it to be in his presence.

Practical Exhortation

Are we people who enjoy God’s presence? Are we like Joshua, the one who sticks around after church is over to worship, pray, fellowship, serve, and study God’s Word more? Many are ready for worship to be done right after it starts. They certainly don’t stay after to serve or fellowship with others. They have their own agendas.

But the worshiper, who loves God’s presence, lingers even after most have left. It’s all about being in God’s presence. When God saw this characteristic with Joshua, no doubt, he said, “This is him! This is the next leader of Israel! He is somebody I can use greatly because he loves me.”

Yes, there may be loneliness and sometimes depression for those whose passion is God’s presence. Elijah was alone by a brook for many months; David was away from his family hiding in a cave. However, even in those seasons, God’s presence was with them, and his presence will be with us. He is near the broken hearted and the contrite in spirit. His grace is sufficient for our weakness.

Are you willing to be one God uses?

Application Question: What are some ways to practice dwelling in God’s presence? What are common distractions to pursuing intimacy with God? How is God challenging you to pursue dwelling in his presence more?

Conclusion

What type of person does God use? James 5:17 gives Elijah as a model. He was a human, like us, and yet he prayed, and it didn’t rain for three years. He prayed again, and it began to rain. From Elijah, we learn many characteristics of the person God often uses greatly.

God uses the common and weak. Are we too strong?
God uses the righteous. He hears and answers their prayers.
God uses the courageous. We must be willing to confront our fears in order for God to use us.
God uses those who are devoted to his Word. He prospers those who meditate on it day and night and never let it depart from their mouths.
God uses those who delight in God’s presence. Are we worshipers?

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that God would draw us more into his Word than ever before—reading, memorizing, praying, and teaching it. Pray that it would become both our discipline and delight.
Pray that God would draw us away from sin and worldliness and towards righteousness—looking more like God.
Pray that God would make us worshipers—people who delight in him and continually honor him with our thoughts, words, and actions, regardless of our circumstances, whether good or bad.
Pray that as we draw near God in worship, he would draw near us, both individually and corporately.
Pray that as God makes us more into his image, he would use us greatly for his kingdom.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

4. Lessons From Kerith Valley University (1 Kings 17:1-7)

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Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As certainly as the Lord God of Israel lives (whom I serve), there will be no dew or rain in the years ahead unless I give the command.” The Lord told him: “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream. After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

1 Kings 17:1-7 (NET)

What is God’s process for developing a man or woman of God? How does God develop those he uses greatly for his kingdom?

In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah confronts King Ahab, the worst king of Israel. Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, had turned Israel away from God to worship Baal. Elijah proclaims there will be no rain or dew except at his word. But the next thing that happens is surprising: God tells Elijah to “hide” in Kerith Valley, east of Jordan. This is surprising because you would think Elijah would be sent to proclaim the Word of God throughout Israel, calling people to repentance. But the man shows up, speaks one sentence, and God immediately removes him from the scene and sends him to a valley.

What is Kerith Valley? We don’t know anything about this place other than the meaning of its name. The word “Kerith” means “a cutting.”¹ God essentially tells Elijah that he must hide in “Cutting Valley.” Names in Hebrew culture were not just terms one called somebody or something. They typically symbolized the object’s character or nature. The Valley of Cutting was not only a place where Elijah hid from public ministry, but it also was a place where God was going to do a work in his life. It was, no doubt, a place of cutting and molding the prophet for greater ministry. It is in “Cutting Valley” that God commonly prepares all men and women that he uses greatly for his kingdom.

Christ uses a similar terminology when talking about the nature of the vine, and thus the Christian life, in John 15:1-2. He says, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.” Here Christ says that when a branch bears fruit, when a person is faithful to God, God prunes the person—he cuts away so the person can become more fruitful. The nature of the vine is to become crowded with leaves, fungus, and other things that can be detrimental to growth. Therefore, a good gardener consistently trims a vine so it can bear much fruit. We can have no doubt that this was God’s plan for Elijah.

Elijah was faithful, as he stood against Ahab, but now, God will prune him so he can bear more fruit. In fact, right after leaving the valley, Elijah does a great miracle. He resurrects the son of a widow—the first resurrection we see in Scripture. Soon after, he calls down fire from heaven and destroys the prophets of Baal. Elijah was brought to “Cutting Valley” so he could be prepared for greater works in God’s kingdom.

Have you been to the valley? Often, pastors preaching on this passage have used whimsical titles, such as calling it “Kerith Valley University.” Have you been to KVU, Kerith Valley University, where God prepares men and women of God? As in any university, whatever classes you fail, you must retake, and when you pass them, you can take higher-level courses.

As we study this narrative in Elijah’s life, we will consider pivotal lessons that God teaches everybody in the valley—cutting seasons in their life—so they can bear more fruit.

Big Question: What lessons does God teach Elijah in Kerith Valley, and how does he teach us the same lessons in seasons of cutting in our lives?

The Lesson of Our Responsibility to God’s Word

The Lord told him: “Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan.

1 Kings 17:2-3

The first lesson Elijah learns is a lesson about the Word of God, which he began to learn even before entering the valley. He learned this lesson in his receiving God’s Word after his obedience, and also in his being taken away from Israel because of their disobedience.

How do we see this? In verse 2, the word of the Lord came to Elijah only after he was obedient in challenging King Ahab and praying for it not to rain. It was only after Elijah finished what he was called to do that God gave him new revelation. We see this as a principle throughout Scripture. It was something that Christ taught often. In Mark 4:24-25, Jesus said,

… Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.

Jesus taught that how a person responded to God’s Word affected his continued hearing of it. The person that faithfully obeyed God’s Word would be given more, but whoever was not faithful would experience a taking away.

It was because Elijah faithfully obeyed God’s Word that God spoke to him again—sending him to the valley—and because Israel disobeyed God’s Word, Elijah and other prophets were being taken from them. When God hid Elijah in the valley, God was taking away the Word from Israel. They had been unfaithful hearers, and God was removing his prophet. Even what they had was being taken away. In fact, we learn in 1 Kings 18:4 that the other prophets had gone into hiding as well because Jezebel was killing the prophets. God was taking the Word from Israel.

We see this reality at other times in Scripture. Amos 8:11-12 says this:

Be certain of this, the time is coming,” says the sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a shortage of food or water but an end to divine revelation! People will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north around to the east. They will wander about looking for a revelation from the Lord, but they will not find any.

Because of Israel’s unfaithfulness, as a judgment, God removed his Word, bringing a spiritual famine. Essentially, we see this again in the Gospels with Israel. Jesus said this to the disciples about his teaching of parables in Matthew 13:10-14:

Then the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He replied, “You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: ‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.

In the context, the disciples did not understand Christ’s sudden change in teaching philosophy. Previously, he taught clearly, but at this point in the Gospels, he began to speak in parables. The parables were not meant to enhance understanding but to hide the truth. Christ would take the disciples away and then explain the parables, but he didn’t do that with Israel (cf. Matt 13:36). Because the disciples were obedient to God’s Word, they received understanding. But because Israel was constantly hearing and not obeying, their understanding was taken away, as their hearts were hardened towards the truth.

This is the first lesson Elijah learns, as he leaves for the valley: “We are gravely responsible for the hearing of the Word of God. If we are faithful, the Word of the Lord comes to us again. But if we are not, God will remove his Word from us.” Therefore, we must ask ourselves, “What type of hearers are we?” No doubt, some are growing tremendously in the grace of our Lord Jesus. Their love and knowledge of God’s Word are increasing. They are studying, memorizing, and sharing it with others, as they cannot get enough of it. But others are becoming hardened. When they read and listen to Scripture, they get nothing from it. They do not have a stomach for it, and like Israel, their ears and hearts are hardening.

We must understand this: It is a tremendous privilege to hear the Word of God, but with that privilege comes a grave responsibility. We must faithfully respond to it in order to receive God’s blessings, and if not, we receive God’s discipline. Our hearts are always either growing softer or harder. It has been said that the same sun that melts the ice hardens the clay.

From a national standpoint, it is a scary thing when God removes his faithful preachers. It is a scary thing when all that can be found are those who preach politics, sports, their testimonies, or false teaching. However, this is what happens when a nation is disobedient. Likewise, in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (ESV), Paul said this:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

Paul said that the time will come when the church would not tolerate biblical preaching but would instead heap up teachers that simply “itch their ears”—making them feel good—but they wouldn’t preach God’s Word. The church would turn from the truth to myths—fabricated or unfruitful stories. Though believers will, of their own volition, reject truth, even as Israel and its leaders rejected the prophets, their rejection was God’s judgment. As judgment, they experienced a famine of God’s Word.

Sadly, this is happening in many of our churches, ministries, and Christian institutions today. Like Israel receiving unexplained parables, in many (if not most) churches, the congregations primarily get stories instead of clear exposition of God’s Word. This essentially is a judgment happening throughout the world. The church is not responding to God, even as Israel didn’t, and God is taking away his revelation—not casting his pearls before swine (Matt 7:6). He’s giving them a famine of God’s Word—they get stories instead of clear teaching, even as Christ gave to Israel.

As we consider this, we must ask ourselves, “Have we learned this lesson in the valley? Have we learned about our responsibility to God’s Word?”

Application Question: How can we know if we have learned the lesson of our responsibility towards God’s Word?

1. If we have learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word, we will always survey, guard, and cultivate our hearts.

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Are our hearts hard or soft to God’s Word? Are they becoming more calloused or more tender to God’s Word? Jesus warned us in Mark 4:24, “Take care about what you hear.”

If we have learned this lesson, we will be faithful gardeners of the soil of our hearts. We will constantly survey our hearts for dullness or resistance to God’s Word, repenting of any sin, so we can understand and accept Scripture.

2. If we have learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word, we will be quick to obey it.

Elijah obeyed God when called to confront Ahab, even though it could have cost him his life, and he obeyed when called to go to the Valley of Cutting.

Are we swift to obey God? Or are there areas in our lives where we are holding back full obedience?

As an example, when Abraham was a new believer, he wasn’t swift to obey. When God called him to leave his father’s house and land to go to Canaan, Acts 7:2-4 and Genesis 11:31-32 tell us that he first moved to Haran with his father and settled there for years. After his father died, he then obeyed God by moving to Canaan. For many years, he missed God’s best. This is common for young believers. They often delay or outright disobey—missing God’s best and hardening their hearts. But those who have been trained are swift to obey.

Are we swift to obey God, or are there areas of delayed obedience or disobedience in our lives?

Application Question: In what ways do you see a famine of God’s Word and a hardening of hearts happening in the contemporary church? How have you experienced times of hardness or special sensitivity in your heart towards God’s Word? How would you describe the status of your heart now? How do you feel God is calling you to apply this lesson of our responsibility towards God’s Word?

The Lesson of Solitude

The Valley of Cutting is not only a place of pain, but it is also a place of solitude. Elijah would be alone for many months. This is assumed because eventually the small stream from which he drank and bathed eventually dried up. His only company would be some birds that appeared two times a day to bring him food.

God often places us in seasons of solitude in order to remove all distractions and to allow us to focus on him more. It is there that we learn that God is enough. We may not have the comfort of family, friends, or even work, but it is there we hear God’s voice and discern his movement around us.

In Psalm 46:10, God commands his hearers, “Stop your striving and recognize that I am God!” It can also be translated, “Be still, and know that I am God” (NIV). It is in the place of solitude where we are often forced to stop all our activity and busyness that we start to know God more deeply and therefore know ourselves and our shortcomings.

Unfortunately, many of us do not get to experience God or truly know him more because we are too busy, too distracted. We need the solitude that the Valley of Cutting provides so we can grow.

The Discipline of Solitude

Because solitude is so important for our spiritual growth, we must make it a daily pursuit. We must get away to be alone with God for prayer, to study his Word, and to worship. It is a spiritual discipline we all must practice.

We see this discipline very clearly in the life of Christ. In Mark 1:35-37, it says:

Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. Simon and his companions searched for him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

Starting in Mark 1:21, we actually see a busy day of Christ’s ministry. It started with him teaching in the synagogue and casting a demon out of a man. Then, in verse 29, he went to Simon’s house, healed his mother, and then presumably ate (v. 31). Then, in verse 32, it says after sunset the whole town gathered at the door for him to minister to them. All night he healed people and cast out demons. Then, in verse 35, it says early in the morning while everybody was asleep, he woke up and went to a solitary place to spend time with God. Later, in verse 36, the disciples and Peter looked for him, and when they found him, they essentially said: “Everybody’s looking for you; the ministry is thriving. Why did you leave?” For Christ, being alone with God was more important than ministry, in part, because power for ministry came from being alone with God.

Going away to the secret place is counter-cultural. Being busy is one of the ways we tell people that we are important and significant. Being busy often makes us feel like we have a purpose, and when we’re not busy, we often feel lazy or like something is wrong. However, if we are going to know God and have power in our life, we must, as a discipline, go to the quiet place to meet with God.

When we do this, people may actually get upset with us, questioning: “Why aren’t you working more! Why aren’t you pursuing more education! Why aren’t you seeking a spouse!” However, the place of solitude is where God forms men and women of God. It is when they stop their striving that they often see and know him in a greater way.

Are we getting away from the noise and busyness to be with God?

The solitude Elijah experienced in the Valley of Cutting reminds us of our need to practice spiritual disciplines. We should, like Christ, commonly pursue God at strategic times throughout the day—including the mornings and evenings. We must enter our quiet places to be with him and enjoy his presence. It is in the place of quietness that he delivers us from a lot of the noise distracting us from worship, reveals his love for us, challenges our sin and insecurities, and empowers us for ministry.

Unexpected Seasons of Solitude

Because we tend to neglect the discipline of solitude or simply to sanctify and prepare us for greater ministry, God often leads us into unexpected seasons of solitude, as he did with Elijah. Consider how Psalm 23:1-2 (NIV) puts it: “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Our shepherd often has to “make” us lie down. This is because we are so prone to activity that we often neglect God, neglect concentrated focus on our faith, and sometimes even burn ourselves out. Again, he makes us lie down to strengthen us and restore our focus. Sometimes God “makes” us lie down through trial, sickness, loss of a job, difficulty with family, friends, or co-workers, or even a pandemic. Often this is a season not of rest from difficult circumstances but of spiritual rest in the midst of our circumstances. It is a season that we lie down in God.

In fact, in considering the shepherding analogy, sometimes with a wandering sheep, the shepherd has to break his leg and carry the sheep in order to protect him. In that case, the sheep would have to lie down on the shepherd because he was not capable of going forward on his own. Sadly, not only are we prone to busyness but also prone to wander into sin. In those cases, God may have to stop us in our tracks through some trial, so we can come back to our senses and find rest and restoration in the Shepherd’s arms.

Listen, God can make us lie down. He can bring events that make us stop our striving—trials that make us stop our busy activity. However, God won’t make us find rest in him. He won’t make us seek his face. We must choose to draw near him in the place of cutting—the place of solitude. While Elijah was in the valley, he could have wasted time: he could have done lots of swimming, counted rocks and stars, or spent a lot of time being upset and angry at God or Israel. Or he could focus on the most important reason God brought him to the valley—to be still and know God more.

Sadly, many people when entering the place of cutting, instead of seeking God, run around frantically trying to control their circumstances. Instead of having peace, they become prone to anxiety; some develop anxiety disorders. Others develop addictions. They develop addictions to alcohol, smoking, caffeine, or some other drug. Some become addicted to a person or people—in that they become their quiet place, their sanctuary, instead of God.

In the place of cutting—the place of solitude—we must run to God. We must choose him instead of other avenues and coping mechanisms. God hid Elijah so he could be with him. God stopped Elijah’s ministry so he could focus on the Master more and be equipped for greater service.

Application Question: How do we know if we have learned the lesson of solitude?

1. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we will zealously guard our times of solitude.

Solitude with God will become a non-negotiable in our lives, even if we’re naturally extroverted. We won’t miss it because we’ve learned that we can’t function properly without it.

Personally, in one season where God took me to the “cutting place,” my personality changed. I battled with depression for a year or so while in college and the military. During that time, I took a personality test, and for the first time in my life, the test said that I was an introvert. I needed to be alone. I coveted and protected that time because I realized apart from significant time with God, I struggled with great depression. Though I don’t have the same intense battle with depression anymore, the need for solitude remains. It was a lesson I learned in that season of trial which continues to bear fruit today.

Have we learned the lesson of solitude? If not, we will commonly neglect it for other pursuits. Busyness will crowd out our alone time with God.

2. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we practice introspection—seeking to have a right heart before God.

In this season, God begins to show us things in our hearts that are not right with him. Lack of trust for God shows up, fear of people—what they say and think—identity issues, worries, etc. God reveals these so we can work on them. In Psalm 139:23-24, David said this: “Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns! See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!”

What is God showing you in your times of solitude?

3. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we will zealously guard against addictions and timewasters.

This is how many Christians fill their time in order to avoid solitude with God and oneself. Addictions and timewasters actually hinder spiritual growth and short-circuit God’s plan for us in the Valley of Cutting. As mentioned, Elijah could have spent his entire time swimming and counting stars, but if he did, he would have missed God’s purpose in the solitude. It’s the same for us. Too much time on the Internet, playing video games, hobbies, social media, and entertaining unfruitful relationships or activities can be harmful for us, especially when they replace our relationship with God.

Have we learned the lesson of solitude? If not, addictions and timewasters often will crowd out our time with God and hinder our spiritual growth.

Application Question: Why are spiritual disciplines so important (i.e. prayer, worship, time in the Word, fasting)? What is your spiritual discipline routine like? How can you grow in these disciplines? How have you experienced seasons where God “made you lie down” (Ps 23:2)? If so, how, and what did you learn in those seasons? What are your time wasters or potential addictions? How is God calling you to guard against them?

The Lesson of Depending on God for Daily and Future Needs

Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.” So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.

1 Kings 17:4-6

The next lesson we learn in the Valley of Cutting is our need to trust and depend on God for daily and future needs. How do we see this? This is seen in the fact that God ordered the ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat every morning and evening. From this fact, it seems clear that Elijah was not able to store up food for future days. God didn’t give him enough to store up for a week or even the next day. God miraculously provided his daily food. Elijah was learning to trust and depend on God, even for daily provisions.

One of the problems many of us have coming from developed countries is that we haven’t had to learn to depend upon God for our daily needs. This is because we typically have enough provisions for weeks and even months. Certainly, this is a blessing, and it is prudent and wise for us to live in such a way if we can. Working people, if possible, should save in case they lose their job, get injured and can’t work, or eventually retire. This is a wise and prudent thing. However, our affluence makes it easier for us to lose focus on God as our daily provider.

This was specifically a lesson God not only taught Elijah but also tried to teach Israel while they were in the wilderness, when he miraculously provided them with daily manna. Exodus 16:15-20 describes this:

When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” because they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you for food. “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each person is to gather from it what he can eat, an omer per person according to the number of your people; each one will pick it up for whoever lives in his tent.’” The Israelites did so, and they gathered—some more, some less. When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat. Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.” But they did not listen to Moses; some kept part of it until morning, and it was full of worms and began to stink, and Moses was angry with them.

Why did God not allow the bread to last more than a day? Normally, bread will last at least a few days and up to a week. It certainly won’t spoil after a day. But, with Israel, God said that they should only get what they needed and not take any more. If they did, it would spoil. Why? It was because God was teaching them to trust him for their daily provision. He was showing them that he would provide all their needs. Consider how Moses explained the lesson in Deuteronomy 8:3:

So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth.

God wanted them to learn that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Every day Israel had bread; it was a gracious gift from the mouth of God. Because the bread was miraculous, the presence of it taught them that it was God’s gift to them.

See, when we have more than enough, our job is stable, and our savings is adequate, we tend to find our security in those things instead of God. Therefore, it can be difficult to learn the lesson of dependency on God for daily provision. Again, we tend to put our trust in our job, our savings, or our family. This is why Paul said this to the rich in 1 Timothy 6:17: “Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hope on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.” We should not put our hope in our job or savings account, which are uncertain, but on God.

Proof that we tend to put our hope in things other than God is seen in the fact that when we lose our job, scholarship, home, or retirement, we tend to get frantic. Those things represent security to us rather than our relationship with God. However, like the manna given to Israel daily, those things are simply provisions from the mouth of God. He spoke and gave us a job. He spoke and provided our rent or tuition through various means. Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Because we tend to put our hope in our provisions, God often has to put us in the Valley of Cutting by taking away or threatening those provisions, so we can freshly recognize that those gifts originally came from him. He uses the job, parents, or savings to meet our needs, but it ultimately came from him all along. He is the one who provides the mental capacity, physical strength, and open doors to work for provisions. It does not come from ourselves or others. At times, as with Israel and Elijah, he has to meet our needs miraculously to help us know and depend totally on him and not our job or savings. As Paul said in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

God takes us to the Valley of Cutting to learn dependence. It could be through the loss of a job, a scholarship, or a disabling sickness. And in that season, he meets our needs in a variety of ways—sometimes by friends and family, a new job, or some other surprising way. He humbles us by taking away our perceived security, and then teaches us to rely on him. As with Elijah, every day God meets our needs in such a way we know it came through him.

Going to the Valley of Cutting is important because many think they don’t need God, and this is not just true for unbelievers. Though many Christians have orthodox theology, in that they believe in God, they are functional atheists in that they live their lives without truly relying on God. They believe their success is based solely on their own wisdom, educational background, work-ethic, and networking, which is why the Valley of Cutting is necessary. It teaches us our weakness and therefore need for God, even for daily provisions.

Application Question: How do we know if we have learned the lesson of dependence?

1. When we’ve learned the lesson of dependence, we guard our hearts against idolizing our means of provisions.

Again, it’s easy to start to see a job, career, education, a spouse, or parents as our providers or those who sustain us. We can tell that our hearts are idolatrous by how we respond to the possibility of our means being taken away. Often that will create anxiety or anger in the idolatrous heart.

How can we guard against idolatry?

We guard against idolatry by always giving God thanks for his provisions and blessings, even when they are taken away. Giving him thanks for work, finances, education, family, and friends is a constant reminder that he is our ultimate provider. When Job lost his wealth, family, and status, he said, “… The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” (Job 1:21). Are we giving God thanks?
We guard against idolatry by holding everything with an open hand. Again, when Job says, “… The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!”, it shows that his focus wasn’t his family, status, or even his life; it was always God. He held everything with an open hand. Like Christ, we must be willing to say, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42).
How else can we tell if we’ve learned the lesson of dependence?

2. When we’ve learned the lesson of dependence, we devote ourselves to prayer, especially in trials and waiting seasons.

First Peter 5:7 (NIV) says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” And in the Lord’s Prayer, Christ taught us to pray for our daily bread (Matt 6:11). In the valley, God teaches us to bring our needs and desires before him and to trust that he hears, cares, and will provide what is best. Constant intercession helps us depend on God, especially in difficult seasons.

Have you learned the lesson of dependence on God for daily and future provisions?

Application Question: In what ways are you tempted to depend on your job, savings, education, family, or other things instead of God? In what ways have you experienced seasons where God was teaching you that he was your ultimate provider? How is God calling you to depend on him more in this season?

The Lesson of Contentment

So he did as the Lord told him; he went and lived in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. The ravens would bring him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he would drink from the stream.

1 Kings 17:5-6

The next lesson we learn from the valley is contentment. Where do we see this? We see this in the fact that ravens brought Elijah food in the morning and evening. Something interesting about ravens is that they are scavengers. They are large black birds who are about two-feet-tall (61 cm), with a wingspan of over four-feet (122 cm).

An Unclean Bird

In Israel, ravens were considered unclean, and therefore, Israelites were taught to despise them. To touch a raven would make one unclean—meaning that he or she would not be able to offer sacrifices at the temple. Leviticus 11:13-15 (NIV) says, “These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, the red kite, any kind of black kite, any kind of raven.” So for a Jew, this might be the worst way to receive food. These were dirty animals that scavenged food even from corpses. For us, it might be emotionally equivalent to getting our food from rats, a type of scavenger we’re more accustomed to.

Torn Food

But not only would Elijah as a Jew have a problem with eating food delivered by an unclean scavenger, but he would also probably have a problem with the food itself. Imagine a raven bringing food; the food might come as a few crumbs here, a torn piece of flesh there. A raven is not a waiter at a restaurant who makes sure the food is heated and presented nicely. A raven tears food as it grabs it. For many, if the food doesn’t look good, smell good, or have the right texture, they won’t eat it. When they go to a restaurant, they say, “Oh, I don’t like this!” When someone asks, “Why?” they respond, “I just don’t like the texture,” “It smells weird,” or “It’s not hot enough!” Elijah had to eat food coming from a stinky, smelly bird that was probably torn in pieces.

Lack of Diversity

But, not only would there be a problem with the type of bird bringing him food and the manner the food came, but he would also probably have a problem with the lack of diversity. Apparently, he had the same meal every day—bread and meat. Granted, there could have been some diversity in the types of bread and meat (if God was gracious). But, to eat bread and meat twice a day for months would be difficult. Most, especially from developed nations, prefer more diversity in their meals.

It is very clear that one of the lessons Elijah was learning in the cutting place was contentment; he had to eat food from an unclean, despised bird, which probably would have been torn in pieces, with little, if any, diversity. This is a lesson God teaches all those he will use greatly, and he puts them in the cutting place to do so.

Israel

This is the same lesson God taught Israel in the wilderness. While there, they did not get the variety or quality of food they had in Egypt. God provided manna for them every day, and quite naturally, the people started to complain and murmur against God. They said, “Where are the bananas and fruits we had in Egypt? Where is the meat?,” and God judged them for complaining. What was he teaching them? He was teaching them contentment.

Paul

God taught Paul the same thing. Consider what he said in Philippians 4:11-13:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in any circumstance. I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.

He said, “I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.”

We often think of contentment as only being necessary for meager or poor circumstances, but wealthy people also struggle with great discontentment, even leading some to suicide. And because of this, they are constantly seeking something new to satisfy them or bring them joy. Yet, Paul said he had learned contentment in both circumstances.

Paul said this was a “secret.” A secret is something that most don’t know. Most have never learned this secret, but it is crucial if a person is going to be someone God can use greatly for his kingdom—someone who can stand up to kings, false prophets, and rebellious nations.

Missionaries / Disciples

We see this practically with missions. Many missionaries don’t last a year on the mission field because they have never learned the lesson of contentment at the cutting place. They go to a different country and experience food that doesn’t taste or smell good, and they really struggle with the culture and being away from family. They have never learned the lesson of contentment in all circumstances and therefore aren’t effective on the mission field.

No doubt being aware of the difficulties of missions, Christ said this to his disciples as they went off on missions in Luke 10:3-7. He said,

Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves. Do not carry a money bag, a traveler’s bag, or sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house!’ And if a peace-loving person is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you. Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.

Christ said when you go from village to village, stop at a house, and if they receive you, stay there. Eat whatever they give you, don’t be picky, and even if the provisions are meager and you are uncomfortable, don’t go moving from house to house. Stay where God opens the door for you. Christ was teaching his disciples the same lesson—contentment. If they were going to be used greatly by God on the mission field, they had to learn it.

This is something the church has wholly lost; they have lost the secret to contentment. Consider what Paul taught his disciple Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:6-8:

Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.

Paul says we should be content with food and shelter. The Greek word for shelter just means “covering,” which possibly refers to housing and clothing. Paul essentially tells Timothy to learn contentment and to not chase the riches of this world.

Training

Again, in order to train us, God often places us in situations where we are uncomfortable; he allows us to have a difficult job, roommate, marriage, or church experience. Our natural desire is to quit, leave, and get out of the situation. However, we must be aware that there is a lesson to be learned, and that lesson is contentment. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

God wants to train us like he did his disciples, so he can send us out. He needs people that he can send anywhere and to any place. Right after God trains Elijah with the unclean ravens that he was raised to detest, he sent him to Sidon to a Gentile widow’s house that he also would have disliked because of his Jewish upbringing. If he was going to serve God and do whatever God told him to do, he needed to learn contentment.

For one would-be disciple that wanted to follow Christ in Luke 9:58, Christ declared, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He challenged him to consider the cost of following Christ—at times he might be homeless and sleep in the field. Christ needs people who have learned the lesson of contentment.

Are you in an uncomfortable situation? Do you just want to quit or run away? Most times, that is not God’s desire for you. James 1:4 says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” He has great things to teach you in that place.

Application Question: Well, we must ask the question, “How do we learn the lesson of contentment in the valley?”

1. To be content, we must learn to recognize God’s sovereignty over every situation—that he is using it for our good and his glory.

When we recognize God as in control, not ourselves, evil people, random circumstances, or even Satan, we will experience more grace to be content. Ephesians 1:11 says God “accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will.” Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”

When Pharaoh would not release Israel from slavery, Moses recognized it as God hardening his heart (Ex 9:12). When Satan attacked Job, causing him to lose his wealth and children, Job said, “The Lord gives and he takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21 paraphrase). They both saw God in control of their circumstances and the evil people they dealt with. Likewise, we’ll never be content if we don’t see God as in total control of our circumstances. We’ll find ourselves constantly frustrated at people and circumstances.

2. To be content, we must be careful of complaining and arguing.

Philippians 2:14-15 says,

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God without blemish though you live in a crooked and perverse society, in which you shine as lights in the world

Complaining only makes us more discontent and tends to spread that discontent to others. When Christians do everything without complaining, they become lights in a dark world and demonstrate to the world that they are children of God. Not complaining should mark God’s children.

3. To be content, we must practice giving thanks in every situation.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” When we give thanks in faith, even when things aren’t good, it increases our faith in God and our contentment. As we thank God and worship him, we begin to trust in his sovereignty, even over the inconveniences and difficulties of life.

4. To be content, we must draw near to God for strength to persevere.

In Philippians 4:13, Paul stated his secret to contentment which was, “I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.”

We can be content in whatever circumstance because Christ will give us strength, as we rely on him. By ourselves, we can’t do it, but with God, we can. We can eat food we don’t like. We can persevere through a difficult work situation or relationship. If it is God’s will, he will give us strength, patience, and perseverance to overcome. He’ll teach us contentment.

Similarly, Hebrews 13:5 says, “Your conduct must be free from the love of money and you must be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you and I will never abandon you.’” The writer of Hebrews says the reason we can be content is because God is with us. Therefore, in order to have contentment, we must realize that we have all things in Christ and, for that reason, continually draw near him. Like Paul said, “I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.”

Are you drawing near Christ? If not, you will be prone to complaining and arguing like the world. Contentment is a virtue, and God can only develop it by putting us in less-than-ideal situations. Like Elijah, he puts us in difficult places and situations to train us in contentment. Those who are content, God can use greatly for his kingdom, because he can send them anywhere, to do anything.

Application Question: Why is contentment so important in serving God? How can we develop contentment? How has God trained you in contentment in the past? How is he training you presently, in this season?

The Lesson of Submitting and Trusting Our Future to God

Leave here and travel eastward. Hide out in the Kerith Valley near the Jordan. Drink from the stream; I have already told the ravens to bring you food there.

1 Kings 17:3-4

Another major lesson we learn in the valley is to trust God with our future. Elijah, who was serving God in Israel, was told to go to the Valley of Cutting. He wasn’t told why, how long, or when he could leave, but eventually, after the brook dried up, he was told to go to Sidon to be cared for by a widow (v. 8-9).

Now, as you can imagine, this was probably never part of Elijah’s plan for his life. The valley was not a luxury site that everybody visited. He could hide there because it was an isolated place where nobody wanted to go. Nevertheless, it was where God sent Elijah.

When God sends people to the place of cutting it usually is a time of discomfort. For many, it is the death of a dream or vision. It is not what they expected to happen in their lives. They didn’t plan to have this sickness; they didn’t plan to go into this career field; they didn’t plan to have to deal with this heartache; they didn’t plan to have to start taking care of aging parents or a sick child, but God did.

Jesus

This is a lesson that every person God will use greatly must learn. They must learn how to let go of their future and trust God with it. It is what Christ said before going to the cross. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Father, if there is any other way, take this suffering from me, but nevertheless, your will be done. The valley is not a place where anybody wants to go, but Elijah went willingly. He didn’t argue or complain; he just submitted to God. The cross wasn’t something Christ wanted to go through, necessarily; it was something he willingly submitted to out of love for us and submission to the Father’s will.

In the valley, people often experience the sweet discomfort of submitting to God’s plans rather than their own. They often go through stages of not knowing what is next, as God obliterates their five-year and ten-year plan. There he teaches them to trust his wise and loving hand with their future.

For example, Abraham heard God’s call and left his homeland for the land of promise. But while there, he never owned the land. Later, God revealed that Abraham’s children’s children would gain the land but only after being enslaved for hundreds of years (Gen 15). Going to the valley means learning, “not my will but your will be done.” It means sometimes not knowing what’s next. It means being faithful where God has placed us, while waiting for his Word to come.

We also see this in the life of Joseph. When Joseph was sold into slavery, then placed in prison, he didn’t know how long it would last or what was next. He had to learn to trust God with his future.

As mentioned, many times the valley means a change of direction in life. It is there that God often changes our dreams, and because of that, for many, it is the hardest trial of their life. It can be especially devastating because many prepared to go a different direction for a large portion of their life, if not their whole life. However, at some point, God takes his holy pruning scissors and cuts away because he has better things in store. God at some point says, “No. I’ve got different plans. Do you trust me?”

For me, I had dreams of playing professional basketball. On a full scholarship during my sophomore year of college, I tore a piece of my achilles. Later, at a different school, I started to develop stress fractures in both of my feet. Eventually, I had to let the dreams of playing post university go. God slowly cut away from my life, preparing me for something else.

Application Question: How can we learn to patiently trust God with our future while in the valley, being pruned?

1. To grow in our trust for God, we must learn that God’s plans are perfect and good.

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds, for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.”

God essentially declares, “I can see better than you. I know what you will encounter in your future and I’m preparing you for that.” The cutting season is intentional. It is a necessary preparation for our future ministry. Romans 8:28 says he works everything for our good.

Do you trust that God’s plan for you is perfect?

2. To grow in our trust for God, we must learn to not lean on our own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” God puts us in the valley, in times of cutting, so we can learn to trust him, even when things are difficult and seemingly don’t make sense.

Are we willing to stop trusting our own wisdom and understanding?

3. To grow in our trust for God, we must learn to reject our anxieties and worries, as we rely on God.

Satan will try to use anxiety and worry to destroy us and remove our blessing while we’re waiting on God in the valley. We must learn to reject anxieties and worries, as we rely on God. Philippians 4:6-7 says,

Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Through praying about everything and giving thanks in everything, we can have peace that passes all understanding. At God’s perfect time, he will reveal to us what’s next. In the meantime, we must be faithful where he has placed us.

Have we learned the lesson of trusting our future to God? Every time worry or fear creeps in, we must pursue God harder, spend time in God’s Word and prayer. God has nothing but good things for us, and the valley is only a step towards those good things.

In 1 Kings 17:8-9, God’s word eventually came to Elijah, as God said, “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” Elijah then obeys and goes to the next stage of his spiritual development.

Application Question: Have you ever experienced a radical change in life’s direction that left you lost, confused, and maybe even depressed? If so, what happened? How is God currently challenging you to trust him with your future? How do you deal with anxieties and worries about your future in the cutting season?

Conclusion

At Kerith Valley, we see God’s process of continually developing the man or woman of God. Again, in John 15:5, it says every branch that bears fruit, God prunes so it can bear more fruit. God does the same with us. He often sends us to the cutting place to train us for more.

Have you been to Kerith Valley University (aka Cutting Valley)? Have you learned its lessons?

Have you learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word?
Have you learned the lesson of solitude?
Have you learned the lesson of depending on God for daily needs?
Have you learned the lesson of contentment?
Have you learned the lesson of trusting the future with God?

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that we would grow in our responsibility to God’s Word—faithfully studying it and obeying it—and that God would remove any spiritual hindrances like unrepentant sin or spiritual apathy.
Pray that we would trust God for our daily and future needs, that God would abundantly supply all our needs according to his riches and glory, and that God would remove worries and anxieties as we wait on him.
Pray for grace to be content with God and his provisions both in times of prosperity and in times of need and that God would deliver us from discouraged and complaining hearts.
Pray that God would increase our faith, that we would not rely on our own understanding, but that we would trust God with our past, present, and future.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Accessed 11/26/20, from https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/cherith/

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

5. Lessons From Zarephath Graduate School (1 Kings 17:7-16)

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After a while, the stream dried up because there had been no rain in the land. The Lord told him, “Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup of water, so I can take a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.” Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

1 Kings 17:7-16 (NET)

What is God’s process for preparing a man or woman of God—someone he can use greatly?

It has been said that there are two primary ways to grow spiritually. The first way is through spiritual disciplines, but the second way is through trials. God molds the men and women he greatly uses through trials. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah challenges King Ahab—declaring that it would not rain in the land except at his word. Then, God sends Elijah to Kerith Valley where he provided food for him through ravens. The word Kerith means “cutting.” God sent him to the “cutting place” in order to train him. There he learned lessons like solitude and dependency—seeking the Lord and trusting him for provisions. But after the stream dried up, God sent Elijah to a new training ground in Zarephath, where God would meet his needs and teach him lessons through a poor widow. In the Hebrew, Zarephath comes from a verb that means “to melt” or “to smelt.”¹ After sending Elijah to the place of cutting, he now was going to the melting place—a place where God was going to continue molding Elijah into the man he was called to be.

When God is preparing somebody he will use greatly, he often multiplies trials in his or her life. He first sent Joseph to be a slave in Potiphar’s household, then God sent him to prison. It was after both of these trials that God exalted Joseph to leadership in Egypt and enabled him to save multitudes. Likewise, the place of cutting and melting were essential training places for Elijah. After these trainings, Elijah will confront the prophets of Baal, call for fire to come down from heaven, bring a revival in Israel, and call for rain to return.

We don’t know much about Zarephath. We know it was a village in the Sidonian territory where Queen Jezebel was from, and it was a place of Baal worship. Therefore, it was enemy territory. Because of the name of this city, there probably was an iron plant located in it where iron would be extracted from its ore and then refined by fire to separate the metal from the dross, so it could be used for weapons or other materials. The fire would cleanse the metal from infirmities that made it weak, but also the fire melted the iron so it would be moldable.

Similarly, when God makes a man or woman that he can use, he sends them through pain and difficulties to get rid of weaknesses—sin and compromise that might keep them from completing the tasks that he has called them to complete. But, God also uses the heat of trials to make them moldable. All of a sudden, the person who previously had a fixed ten-year plan for his life, through fiery trials, is now moldable. They are submitted to God’s plan for their life. Though difficult, the place of melting is a tremendous blessing; it is there that he cleanses his people and prepares them for more.

In 1 Peter 4:12, Peter said: “Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.” We shouldn’t be surprised because it is a normal thing for God to send Christians into the fire. It is there where they grow more into men and women of God—people he owns, ones he can use for more.

When talking to persecuted Christians scattered throughout Rome, Peter used metallurgy terminology in 1 Peter 1:6-7. He says,

This brings you great joy, although you may have to suffer for a short time in various trials. Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold—gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away—and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The word “proven” is used of testing or refining metal. It comes from the same word group as “tested” by fire in verse 7.^² God uses trials to test whether our faith is real and to purify our faith from infirmities.^³ This is the next stage of Elijah’s development, and it is the stage that God sends all of us through to become people he can use greatly.

In this study, we will learn lessons from the furnace. With the previous study, we called it Kerith Valley University (KVU), in line with how others have named the message; therefore, this one is called Zarephath Graduate School, where we get advanced training for ministry. Have you studied there?

Big Question: What lessons can we learn from Zarephath Graduate School?

The Lesson of Bad First Impressions

“Get up, go to Zarephath in Sidonian territory, and live there. I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. When he went through the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please give me a cup of water, so I can take a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” She said, “As certainly as the Lord your God lives, I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.”

1 Kings 17:9-12

Now, no doubt, when Elijah heard God say, “Go to Zarephath!”, he probably wasn’t excited. As mentioned, Zarephath was in Sidon—a Gentile territory—where they worshiped Baal. It was also Jezebel’s hometown. But to make it worse, God said to Elijah, “I have already told a widow who lives there to provide for you.”

Widows in that society were the poorest of the poor. Typically, if a woman lost her husband, she would have to return to her father’s house to be provided for, resort to begging, or go into prostitution. For these reasons, they were commonly neglected and shunned by society. That is why James 1:27 says that pure and undefiled religion cares for the orphans and the widows—the most helpless. Therefore, when Elijah heard this, he couldn’t be excited about his next step. One might consider it shameful to be helped by an impoverished widow. Nevertheless, it was there that God promised to meet his needs.

When he got to the gate of the city, he saw a widow. He probably thought to himself, “This must be the one God has called to meet my needs.” When he met her, he asked for some water, which was probably a test to discern if she was the right one (v. 10). After she agreed, he also asked for a piece of bread (v. 11).

What happens next must have further shocked Elijah: The woman who was supposed to provide for his needs during the famine said she didn’t have enough for him. She was preparing her last meal before she and her child would starve to death (v. 12). The drought Elijah prayed for was not only affecting Israel but also the surrounding nations—people were in dire situations.

Common Preparation for God’s Ministers

Again, this must have shocked Elijah. Maybe, he initially thought to himself, “God, I thought you were going to meet my needs? What have you gotten me into? Why did you lead me to Gentile territory when I could have been in Tishbe with my family and friends? God, what have you done?” This might be a normal response for someone who was expecting God to lead them into pleasant green pastures instead of a melting place. However, it must be understood that this is a common experience in the life of faith—one God uses to prepare his ministers. This is the lesson of bad first impressions, which many crumble under when initially experienced.

For example, God said to Abraham in Genesis 12, “Leave your father’s house and your family and go to land I will show you. There I will make you a great nation and I will bless you. I will also bless those who bless you.” No doubt, Abraham thought to himself, “This sounds great! I will go!” But when Abraham got to the promised land, there was a famine (Gen 12:10). Again, this was probably met with shock and disbelief. Maybe Abraham thought, “God, I left my homeland for this! I don’t have anything to eat. I can’t even feed my family!” Abraham, who at that time was young in the faith, decided to leave Canaan and head to Egypt. Abraham failed the test of bad first impressions by taking things into his own hands.

When Abraham stepped out of God’s will, he entered a worse situation where he felt he had to lie to protect himself from being killed. Since his wife, Sarah, was attractive, he told the Egyptians that she was his sister so they wouldn’t kill him and take her. Abraham’s lie led to Pharaoh taking Sarah to be his wife.

We also saw this test with Israel. Through Moses, God called Israel to follow him to a land flowing with milk and honey. But after leaving Egypt, they experienced bitter water and a lack of food in the wilderness—prompting them to complain against God and want to go back to Egypt. Israel, like Abraham, failed the bad first impressions test.

With Israel, even after they made it out of the wilderness and got to the promised land, they experienced the test again. The land was truly flowing with milk and honey; however, there were giants there. Out of fear, they declared that they couldn’t conquer them and again wanted to return to Egypt—failing the test of bad first impressions.

Even Christ who was filled with the Holy Spirit after his baptism was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by Satan (Matt 4:1). When God is leading something, we tend to think everything is going to be great, and when it isn’t, many struggle with disillusionment, fear, and sometimes anger. However, the bad first impression is a common test God uses to train his disciples.

Many of us have experienced the bad first impression test before. We wanted a new job because the place we previously worked stopped being a place of joy and instead became a place of frustration. We prayed and prayed, and God finally opened the door for what looked like an ideal job. However, when we started, we found out it wasn’t so ideal. The boss was overbearing; we didn’t get along with our co-workers. When considering the cost versus benefit, we soon realized our new situation wasn’t that great. We may have even said to ourselves, “I should have stayed at my last job!”

Or maybe we prayed for some other open door—to get into a good university, get an internship, get a new house, or even get married. When God opened the door, we thought it would be amazing; however, later we found out it was difficult, and the failed expectations caused great heartache. It might have even made us regret pursuing the door or possibly made us angry at God and doubt his love. This is the test of bad first impressions. This is a common experience in the melting place. It tests the validity of our faith. Do we really trust God, even when things aren’t as we thought they would be?

Common Responses

What are common responses to the test of bad first impressions? From Elijah and the widow, we can discern two of them. When Elijah asked the widow for food, in verse 12, she replied,

As certainly as the Lord your God lives. I have no food, except for a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. Right now I am gathering a couple of sticks for a fire. Then I’m going home to make one final meal for my son and myself. After we have eaten that, we will die of starvation.

She used the name “Yahweh” which was Israel’s covenant name for God. This suggests that she knew or worshiped the same God as Elijah, and it also may suggest that she knew who Elijah was. Ahab was looking everywhere for this man.

When she looked at her circumstance, she said, “I’m about to die, I can’t feed you.” But Elijah looked at the woman and said, “Trust God! If you feed me first, then God will provide your needs.” The woman saw her meager circumstances and impossibilities, but Elijah saw God and the possibilities.

What do we see when encountering the bad first impression test, when encountering an unexpected trial? Do we see God and the possibilities or the difficulty and impossibilities? The woman saw the impossibilities which made her hopeless. But Elijah saw the possibilities and therefore was hopeful.

What is our response in an unexpected trial? Often, the young believer only sees the trial and the potential negative effects that might result from it—causing fear, anxiety, and possibly anger at God or others. But a maturing believer sees it as an opportunity for God to do the miraculous—a time for increasing his or her faith.

How do we respond when taking the bad first impressions test? Like Abraham, do we head to Egypt? In the Bible, Egypt is often a picture of evil and worldliness. Some, when experiencing the unexpected trial, feel like God deceived them or doesn’t love them, so they run to what’s familiar—the world. Maybe they run to the bar to get drunk or to an unhealthy relationship, or to some other addiction. Instead of trusting God and persevering through the trial, they run away from him. For a season, they may even drop out of church or stop serving in a ministry.

How do we respond when encountering the first impression blues?

Application Question: How do we pass the test of bad first impressions?

1. To pass the test, we must expect it.

Again 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you.” Peter said, “Don’t be astonished or think something strange is happening!” If one gets married and thinks everything is going to be pure joy, most likely he or she is in a for a big surprise. If one lands his dream job or gets into his choice university and thinks it will be smooth sailing, he or she will be shocked. God’s ultimate purpose is to make us into the image of his Son (Rom 8:28-29), and trials are a necessary part of that preparation. We shouldn’t be surprised at trials; in fact, we should expect them to come. This isn’t pessimism. It is understanding that in this world we will experience hardship, but Christ has overcome the world. And he will help us do so as well (John 16:33).

James 1:2 says, “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials.” James says “when” you encounter trials, not “if.” Trials will come, and we shouldn’t be surprised by them. We should expect them. Typically, we’ll fail any test we’re not expecting.

2. To pass the test, we must give thanks when encountering it.

First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” And as James mentioned, we should “consider it nothing but joy” (Jam 1:2).

Giving thanks takes our focus off the trial and refocuses it on God and his purposes in the trial. He is in control. If we don’t give God thanks in the trials, anxiety, fear, and anger will push us away from God and possibly others—potentially making the trial worse and making it last longer. Failing the test commonly leads to intensifying, extending, or repeating it. Israel failed the test in the wilderness by complaining, and they failed it in the promised land by doubting God and complaining against him as well. When they failed in the promised land, it led to their wandering in the wilderness for forty years. To pass this test, we must practice giving God thanks in it.

3. To pass the test, we must persevere in it.

The normal response is to quit the trial or run to Egypt. Both of these responses come from not trusting God. Sometimes it is God’s will to remove the trial, but most times it’s his will for us to persevere through the trial. The Good Shepherd commonly leads his sheep through the valley of the shadow of death and comforts them while in it (Ps 23:4). The valley, with its shadows, typically causes fear for sheep, but God protects and guides his sheep with his rod and staff. James 1:4 says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.”

4. To pass the test, we must focus on developing our faith while in the trial.

Again,1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV) says,

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

In comparing our faith to gold being purified by fire, we must remember that fiery trials come to refine our faith as well—to make it free from impurities and strengthen it. During the trial, we must work on getting rid of anything displeasing to God. When a metal is put into a fire, the fire brings out the impurities which weaken it. Trials do the same for us. What is showing up during our trial? Is it complaining or discord with others? Is it a lack of trust in God? Is it a desire to return to some sin by rebelling against God? As God reveals the impurities through the fire, we must confess them and turn away from them. God desires to purify us and make us stronger through the fire—making us stronger for his work. Therefore, in the fire, we must focus on our faith.

Certainly, there may be many practical things we need to take care of in the midst of a trial—family, finances, health, etc.—but we must realize the main thing is our faith. Through the trial, God wants to build our faith and Satan wants to destroy it. The test of bad first impressions will challenge our faith—so we must be prepared for it.

Application Question: In what ways have you experienced the bad first impressions test—where the place God led you wasn’t what you expected in a negative sense? What was your response? What sinful tendencies often show up in your life when encountering an unexpected trial? How are you working to get rid of them?

The Lesson of the Scarred and Broken Minister

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’ “She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

1 Kings 17:13-16

What does Elijah learn next? In the cutting valley, Elijah learned that God could meet his needs, but in the fiery place, God showed him that he could be a blessing to others. See, Elijah told the woman who was about to eat her last meal and die that if she provided for his needs, her jar of flour would never be used up until it rained on the land.

Elijah was called to teach this woman the same lesson that he had already learned. After Elijah obeyed God by rebuking Ahab, the Lord miraculously provided daily food for him through ravens, and now, Elijah was going to help the woman learn the same lesson. Elijah essentially tells the woman: “If you obey God by providing for me, he will miraculously provide for you and your child every day.” And that’s exactly what happened. Every day the widow went into her cabinet and experienced a miracle. God didn’t give her a bunch of jars so she could store up. Every day within the jar, there would be just enough for her, her son, and the prophet to eat. It was the same miracle that Elijah experienced in the valley, as birds brought him just enough for his daily bread.

Trials Come So We Can Teach Others

This test was not only important for the widow but also for Elijah. In it, he learned that his previous trial came so he could better help others. Have we learned that? Do we understand that God sends us through trials so that we can teach somebody else and help them go through similar situations? Often, our scars from past injuries are lessons that we are meant to use in teaching somebody else. Consider what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-6:

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

Paul said, “The reason I am going through these hard times is for others. God comforts me so I can comfort others. He teaches me perseverance in trials so I can help others persevere through similar ones.” This is something God teaches us in the “fiery place”—the place of melting.

In a trial, we typically become self-centered—everything is about us. It’s hard for us to realize that God’s plan for our trial is bigger than us. It’s also happening to us for the sake of others. When we’ve learned this lesson in the fiery place, we realize trials come to prepare us for a greater ministry.

Power in Weakness

With that said, Elijah also learned that he could be a blessing to others, even though he had lack himself. He was desperate, and yet God would deliver the widow through him. After asking God to remove his thorn in the flesh, in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul said:

But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with troubles, with persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul learned that when he was weak, he was often more effective at ministering to others, as God’s power rested upon him. Are we sick, tired, or weary? Do we have financial lack? Emotional lack? These are often times when God can move through us the most.

It was before Peter denied Christ that the Lord said to him, “When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Lk 22:32). After Peter returned from his failure, he would be even more effective in his ministry. In fact, Peter wrote a whole book about fiery trials in 1 Peter. Similarly, it was Christ’s death that made him most effective. He brought the world salvation through his death—his brokenness.

It was the fact that Paul was shipwrecked, beaten, cursed, stoned, and impoverished, among many other hardships, that made him one of the greatest apostles (2 Cor 11). God’s power moved greatly through his many hardships. In fact, many of the greatest pastors who ever lived struggled with things like depression. Charles Spurgeon had weeks where he wouldn’t get out of bed because of depression. God delights to use scarred and broken ministers.

Tips for Broken Ministers

Application Question: How can we learn the lesson of the scarred and broken minister?

1. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must trust that God is preparing us for a greater ministry through our trials; otherwise, we might give up while going through them or become further injured by them.

Hebrews 12:7, 11-12 says,

Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? … Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.

If we don’t see God’s hand over our trial and realize he is disciplining us—training us to have more “peace and righteousness” (v. 11)—instead of strengthening us, the trial might break us. The writer warns us to strengthen our hands and feet, “so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed” (v. 12). It is possible for us to become further injured through our trials instead of stronger and more equipped to serve others through them. We must realize God is preparing us for a greater ministry through trials, so we don’t quit or become further injured by them.

2. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must be willing to serve others, even while we’re still struggling.

Some people feel like they need to be perfect before ministering to others. However, God often prefers the broken, and often breaks people so he can use them. Yes, we may be going through our own difficulties and feel like we should focus on ourselves before caring for others. However, God often moves most powerfully through a person who is struggling with depression, cancer, or even someone fighting a besetting sin. God allowed Paul to have a demon in the flesh and would not take it away, so God could manifest his powerful grace in his life (2 Cor 12:7-9). God will often do the same with us, as we step out in faith in our weakness.

3. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must be ready to serve others who have experienced similar trials to ours.

Did we experience a difficult church situation? We must be ready to minister to disillusioned Christians. Did we experience a lot of pain and discord in our family? We must be ready to serve others with difficult family backgrounds. Do we struggle with depression? We must be ready to help those struggling with experiencing joy or even wanting to live. Did we struggle with antagonism towards the faith and at times doubt it? We must be ready to help those who likewise are skeptical about the faith. In the melting place, God teaches us that our misery often becomes our ministry.

4. To learn the lesson of the broken minister, we must be careful of shame.

Often, Satan keeps people from being used by God in their brokenness by making them feel ashamed about their scars and brokenness, and therefore they never share their story with others. There are many people in the church who are hiding from their ministry by denying their past experience and rarely, if ever, sharing it because of shame.

Application Question: In what ways have you seen God use your brokenness or use you in seasons of brokenness? What pain are you experiencing now, or have experienced in the past, that you expect God to use in ministering to others? How does shame commonly hinder God from being able to use our difficult experiences to heal us and others?

The Lesson of Interdependence

Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’” She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.

1 Kings 17:13-16

Not only did Elijah learn that God would use him to meet the needs of others, even in his brokenness, but also that God would use others to meet his needs. This is often a hard trial to learn because we all tend to struggle with pride, which keeps us from wanting to depend on others. But Elijah needed to learn both that he had a blessing for the widow and the widow had a blessing for him.

In this trial, Elijah experienced interdependence. This is exactly what God teaches about the members of his body—the church. In 2 Corinthians 8:13-15, Paul said this about the Corinthians who were called to help the struggling church of Jerusalem. He said:

For I do not say this so there would be relief for others and suffering for you, but as a matter of equality. At the present time, your abundance will meet their need, so that one day their abundance may also meet your need, and thus there may be equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”

Since the Corinthians had resources, it was God’s will for them to help others who did not. And when Jerusalem or other churches had resources, they would supply the Corinthians’ lack. There was to be an equality—a mutual dependence upon one another. God’s will is that his church would be interdependent. This means that when we have plenty, whether that be emotional, social, spiritual, or financial, God has given it to us to help and bless others. And at the same time, when we have needs, others will commonly be the answer to our prayers.

With that said, interdependence is not a license to be bad stewards of God’s resources. On the contrary, we can only bless others if we have been good stewards—not wasting God’s gifts. In Ephesians 4:28, Paul said, “The one who steals must steal no longer; rather he must labor, doing good with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who has need.” The person who previously stole needed to work to not only meet his needs but also to have something to share—that meant he needed to save and not waste his excess.

In the melting place, God takes people who are independent and knits them together with others—he forms them into his body. This is what Paul was teaching the Corinthians doctrinally in 1 Corinthians 12:21: ^“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor in turn can the head say to the foot, ‘I do not need you.’”

Likewise, the military uses trials to teach soldiers the same lesson. When men and women go into basic training, they are individuals, with their own styles and unique differences. But by intentional and rigorous training, including suffering together and enjoying successes together, they are formed into one. This is a lesson God’s disciples learn when they go to the fiery place as well. When God allows suffering to happen in a local church or the church in a nation, this often bonds them together, breaking denominational and doctrinal differences. Suffering can bond the local church and individuals in the local church.

In the valley, disciples learn solitude and dependence on God. In the furnace, they learn to depend on others. Before they entered the fiery place, they were very independent. Maybe, they went to church, but they weren’t really part of the body. In the furnace, they learn that being attached to the body and serving her is a necessity.

Application Question: How can we tell if we have learned the lesson of interdependence from the fiery place?

We can tell by asking ourselves these questions:

1. How do we respond to people who are in need—people who need someone to talk to or are going through a hard time? Are they a burden to us—where we don’t have time or are too busy to minister to them? Or is it a blessing to serve them?

Elijah and the woman learned that there was a mutual blessing through ministry. The woman learned it was truly a blessing to give because God often gives back and there is joy in it. Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” And Elijah learned that God often chooses to send his blessings through others.

2. How do we respond when we are in need or struggling? Do we keep it a secret, or do we openly share so we can receive prayer and the corresponding grace?

In the fiery place, Elijah learned he did not always need to be the one giving, that he needed others, and it was OK to ask for help. Unfortunately, many are too prideful to share their needs and problems, and therefore always lack the grace and healing God gives through his body. Through God’s body, he provides us with wisdom, love, healing, and often practical resources. To reject the body’s help is to reject God’s grace. Elijah willingly shared his need, even though he was asking help from a poor widow which would have been shameful. James 5:16 says, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.”

3. How dependent are we on the church?

People who have been molded at Zarephath learn, like Elijah, that they need God’s people every day. Therefore, they are faithful in small groups and church ministry not only to serve but also to be served. They realize they can’t make it on their own. They realize they need other believers and that other believers need them. Hebrews 10:24-25 says:

And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

As mentioned before, those who have not learned this lesson probably rarely attend church and church activities or only come to receive and not to give. They are often in the pew but rarely seek to serve and bless others.

Have we been to Zarephath for advanced training in ministry? Have we learned the lesson of interdependence? Or are we still independent, lone-ranger Christians?

Application Question: What has been your process of growth in the area of interdependence upon the body of Christ—both in being served and serving others? Did you previously struggle with independence—including mere church attendance? How is God currently calling you to grow in serving others and allowing yourself to be served?

Conclusion

When preparing men and women he can use greatly, our God often multiplies trials. Like with Elijah, he takes them from the cutting place to the melting place, from Kerith Valley University to Zarephath Graduate School—to get advanced training. It is at the melting place that God gets rid of infirmities and weaknesses in our faith to make us stronger, so we can better serve others. It’s where he removes wrong attitudes and actions to make us more into his image. Have we been to the melting place to prepare for further ministry?

Have we learned the lesson of the bad first impression? This is a common step in the life of discipleship. We shouldn’t be surprised when God leads us to difficulties. Even Christ was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Matt 4:1). In the trial, we must focus on God and not our circumstance. We must trust God, even when our circumstances don’t make sense.
Have we learned the blessing of the scarred and broken minister? God uses broken vessels to minister to others. In fact, he sends us into trials to equip us to comfort others. In addition, our weaknesses are not necessarily a vice; by God’s grace, they can be channels of blessing—channels by which God’s blessings flow to us and others.
Have we learned the blessing of interdependence? If Elijah and the widow walked alone, they would have been in lack and would have missed much of God’s grace. Maybe, they both would have died. Sadly, many Christians often miss God’s grace for lack of depending on others. When we have learned this lesson, we will joyfully serve others and allow others to serve us as well.

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that God would help us trust him when encountering unexpected trials and that he would enable us to be faithful and thankful.
Pray that God would use our trials and weaknesses to glorify himself, equip us, and bless others.
Pray that God would unify the church and empower us to faithfully serve, encourage, and strengthen one another.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Charles R. Swindoll. Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Great Lives From God’s Word 5: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll) (Kindle Location 532). Kindle Edition.

^² Grudem, W. A. (1988). 1 Peter: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 17, p. 69). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

^³ Grudem, W. A. (1988). 1 Peter: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 17, pp. 68–69). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

6. Developing An Effective Prayer Life (1 Kings 17:17-24)

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After this the son of the woman who owned the house got sick. His illness was so severe he could no longer breathe. She asked Elijah, “Why, prophet, have you come to me to confront me with my sin and kill my son?” He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed. Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.” The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer; the boy’s breath returned to him and he lived. Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room to the house, and handed him to his mother. Elijah then said, “See, your son is alive!” The woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a prophet and that the Lord really does speak through you.”

1 Kings 17:17-24 (NET)

How can we develop a powerful and effective prayer life? Often, prayer is considered something secondary to ministry or as preparation for ministry. However, Oswald Chambers, the writer of the famous devotional, My Utmost of His Highest, rightly said, “Prayer is not preparation for the great work. Prayer is the great work!” It is by prayer that individuals are saved, relationships are reconciled, prisoners are set free, and nations are healed. Prayer is how we access God’s power and get his work done. If this is so, then we must ask, “How can we grow in prayer both individually and corporately?”

This question is especially relevant as we continue our look at the story of Elijah. In Scripture, Elijah is given as a model of prayer. James 5:16-18 says,

Elijah was like us, and yet when he prayed for the heavens to be shut for three and a half years, it happened. He then prayed for it to rain, and it happened again. Elijah’s prayers were powerful, and James implies that our prayers can be powerful as well.

In fact, a powerful prayer life is a common component in the lives of those God used greatly. Abraham was a man of prayer—in his narrative, he is constantly seen communicating with God and even interceding for people. Moses, Nehemiah, and the prophets were also people of prayer. Likewise, when Christ was preparing weak disciples who would one day turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6), he constantly emphasized their need to pray. He modeled faithful prayer for them (Lk 11:1), taught them the Lord’s Prayer at least twice (Matt 6, Lk 11), taught them parables emphasizing their need to pray (Lk 18:1-8), took them away for prayer retreats (Lk 22:39-46), and at times rebuked them for their lack of prayer (Mk 9:19, 29). In the book of Acts, the world is turned upside down, in part, because the disciples developed powerful prayer lives (Acts 17:6). They prayed in the upper room and the Holy Spirit fell on them at Pentecost (Acts 1:14, Acts 2:1-4). They had a corporate prayer meeting after being told to no longer preach the gospel, and the building was shaken, the Spirit fell on them again, and they left proclaiming God’s Word boldly (Acts 4:23-31). They, like Christ, at times even turned down ministry because they needed to stay committed to prayer (cf. Mk 1:35-37). In Acts 6:1-4, they told the Jerusalem church members to find someone else to care for the widows because they needed to be committed to prayer and God’s Word.

God using people who were faithful in prayer is not just clear in the narratives of Scripture but also the history of the church. Martin Luther, upon being asked by his friend about his plans for the next day, said, “Work, work from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” When God raises up someone to mightily use, he trains him or her to be mighty in prayer. Therefore, as we look at Elijah resurrecting this young boy, which is the first resurrection in Scripture, we learn principles about developing an effective prayer life.

Big Question: What principles about developing an effective prayer life can we learn from Elijah’s raising the widow’s dead son?

To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Develop Strong Faith

1 Kings 17:17-20a

Observation Question: How did the widow respond to the death of her son, and how did Elijah respond to it?

In verses 17-18, we see how the widow responded to the death of her son. Instead of trusting the God who had faithfully provided for her needs through the prophet, she accused Elijah (and by implication God) of punishing her, reminding her of the sins she committed, and killing her son. Unfortunately, when many people encounter a trial or difficult situation, instead of responding in faith by praying to God and trusting him, they get mad at God and mad at others.

How did Elijah respond when accused by the woman? He didn’t argue with her. He immediately asked for her son, took him to the upper room of the house, laid him on the bed, and began to cry out to God for a resurrection.

Here we see the first step in developing a powerful prayer life: It is developing a strong faith. Why pray at all if we don’t believe in God’s power, wisdom, and goodness—that he desires to answer our prayers and that he will always do what’s best?

Again, at this point in Scripture, there has been no resurrection; therefore, Elijah is taking a leap of faith. No doubt, he must have rationalized to himself, “Cannot the God who created the heavens and the earth, stopped the rain, fed me by ravens and through this poor widow also resurrect this dead boy?”

This is an important step in developing a powerful prayer life. We must develop our faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Also, Hebrews 11:35 says this, no doubt in describing Elijah’s great faith, “women received back their dead raised to life.” Hebrews 11 is commonly called the Heroes of the Faith chapter, and apparently Elijah is given not only as a model of prayer but also of faith. If we’re going to develop powerful prayer, we must, like Elijah, have great faith in God. It takes great faith in God to move mountains, heal people, bring revival in communities, and be used in our weakness.

Throughout Scripture, the importance of faith is often emphasized as a prerequisite for receiving blessings from God. In Matthew 17:20, Jesus taught if we only had the faith of a mustard seed, we could move mountains, which probably refers to insurmountable difficulties. And likewise, when Christ went to his hometown of Nazareth, Matthew 13:58 says he didn’t do many miracles there because of “their unbelief.” How many people don’t receive from God and can’t be used by God simply because of a lack of belief? Faith is believing and trusting in God despite our feelings or circumstances. And when there is true faith, God often rewards it (Heb 11:6).

In Mark 2:3-5 and verse 11, we see a great example of faith in Christ’s healing of a paralytic. The verses say,

Some people came bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” … “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”

Even though the four men could not get their friend to Christ because of the crowds, they were willing to climb the roof, tear a hole in it (regardless of damage and cost), and lower the paralytic down so he could be healed. They demonstrated great faith in the midst of what seemed like a closed or delayed door. The text says Christ forgave the paralytic’s sin and healed him because of seeing “their faith” (v. 5). Christ rewarded their faith by healing and forgiving their friend. Likewise, when Elijah was confronted with insurmountable odds—the death of the widow’s son—he did not give up either. He demonstrated his great faith by pleading for a resurrection.

Similarly, in order to have a powerful prayer life, we also must take steps of faith by bringing impossible situations and grand requests to God. Taking a step of faith doesn’t necessarily mean that God will always answer our prayers affirmatively, but it is often one of the prerequisites for God to do so. In James 5:14-17, James encouraged the sick to seek prayers from their elders because the prayer of faith will bring healing. Certainly, God will not always heal when elders pray, but according to James, taking a step of faith by seeking prayer from our leadership, in obedience to Scripture, is often needed for Divine healing.

Likewise, in James 1:5, James encourages believers going through trials to ask God for wisdom because he gives generously; however, he then prefaces this promise in verses 6-8 by saying:

But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

Apart from faith, we won’t receive anything from God; it renders our prayers ineffective.

Lifestyle of Faith

With that said, Scripture not only demands faith—trust and belief in God—when we bring our requests before God but also lifestyles of faith. Elijah’s bringing the dead son to God was just one step in his continual walk with God. Hebrews 10:38 says, “my righteous one will live by faith.” A lifestyle of faith is also a prerequisite for powerful prayer. Moments or steps of faith when encountering the impossible should only be parts of a faithful life which God rewards. James taught the necessity of a faithful life to answered prayer by applying it to Elijah’s effective prayer life. In James 5:16-17, he said, “So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us…”

There are two types of righteousness described in the Scripture. There is the righteousness that God gives us by faith in Christ so we can be saved and not punished for our sins. Second Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” But there is also practical righteousness, which true believers must demonstrate as an outworking of their faith in God. This is the righteousness James is talking about. In John 15:7, Christ said the same thing: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.” Christ’s words abide in us as we read Scripture, study it, and obey it as a lifestyle. When this is true, we will find that our prayers are more effective. This happens, in part, because as Scripture saturates our hearts, we start to pray God’s will and not our own. Our prayers become selfless instead of selfish.

Living in sin, and therefore apart from faith, hinders the power of our prayers. In Psalm 66:18, David said, “If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” When living in sin, David’s prayers were ineffective. To the believers James wrote, he said, “You do not have because you do not ask; you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions” (Jam 4:2b-3). Their wrong heart motives hindered the effectiveness of their prayers, and sin does the same for us.

In considering Elijah’s response to the dead son, we cannot but be struck by his great faith. Since God is honored by faith and rewards those with it (Heb 11:6), it is no surprise that God commonly moves on behalf of those who trust him supremely.

Application Question: How can we grow our faith?

1. Our faith grows by knowing God’s Word. Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes from hearing God’s Word” (paraphrase). The more we know what God says in his Word by reading and meditating on it, the more faith we will have. (1) By diligent study, we’ll know God’s promises, which we can pray in accordance with (cf. Phil 4:6-7, Matt 6:33). (2) And when praying about something we don’t have a promise on, we’ll know God’s character and will trust him when he responds with “No,” “Yes,” or, “Wait.”

2. Our faith grows through disciplined praying. Communication is essential for trust. If we are not communicating with a person regularly, we will be more prone to doubt his or her character. Likewise, when we are weak in prayer, our faith in God, especially when in trials, will be weak as well. Like the widow who had seen God’s miraculous provisions, we’ll be more prone to doubt God or get angry at him and others when encountering an unexpected difficulty.

3. Our faith grows as we repent of things hurting our relationship with God. Sin creates distance in our relationship with God and erodes trust. Therefore, to grow in our faith, we must continually repent of wrong attitudes and actions hindering our relationship with God. When we repent, God is faithful to forgive and restore our relationship (1 John 1:9).

4. Our faith grows as we develop a history with God. As God parts our Red Seas, provides refreshment in dry seasons, restores relationships, and resurrects dreams, we’ll be more prone to trust him in the various stages of life. Elijah had seen God shut the heavens, provide food through ravens, and multiply oil, so he could eat in a famine which strengthened his faith to pray for a resurrection. Likewise, as we walk faithfully with God, our faith will increase, which will allow us to experience more of God’s grace through prayer.

Are we growing in our faith?

Application Question: What are some ways that you have developed a history with God—watched him provide in drought, use bad for good, and use you in weakness, among other things? How has your history increased your faith? How is God calling you to practice and grow in your faith in this current season of life?

To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Practice Private Prayer

He said to her, “Hand me your son.” He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him down on his bed.

1 Kings 17:19

After being accused by the widow for the death of her son, Elijah took the boy away from the mother, went to his room, and laid him on a bed before God. Why did Elijah not simply pray there with the mom? Why did he choose to be alone? No doubt, because there is tremendous power in the practice of private prayer. In Matthew 6:5-6, Christ said this to his disciples:

Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

Christ said there is a reward for those who endeavor in secret prayer when no one is watching. This doesn’t mean there is no power in public or cooperate prayer, because there is, especially when done with a right heart. But God especially rewards those who are champions when nobody is watching, when it’s just God and the person. God favors and rewards those who diligently seek him in the quiet place.

Have we developed the practice of private prayer? Do we have a place where we consistently go to block out distractions and meet with God alone? Do we go there commonly to rest in our Lord and bring our requests and fears before him? This is something God enjoys and rewards.

No doubt, this was a discipline that Elijah further developed while at Kerith Valley, the place of cutting. While there, he was isolated from the world and grew in the discipline of solitude with God. Often, God uses trials to help us develop or restore our private prayer discipline—our intimacy with him.

Example of Christ

Certainly, we see this discipline in Christ who would constantly leave the disciples and his ministry to go up on a mountain to pray (Mark 1:35). It is very easy to be busy serving God and not ever go to the mountain to be intimate with him. Christ not only constantly went to a mountain, but he even went to the wilderness to fast for forty days before beginning his ministry—undoubtedly, a season of intense private prayer (cf. Matt 4, Lk 4). God saw Christ’s discipline and rewarded him. Luke 4:13 says that Christ left the wilderness in the “power of the Spirit,” as he began his ministry. After this season of quality prayer, God began to use Christ to do the miraculous. He healed people, cast out demons, multiplied bread, and turned water into wine, all in response to his prayer and reliance on God (cf. Matt 12:28).

What about us? Have we developed the discipline of private prayer—including getting up early before our family, roommates, and neighbors to be with God? David practiced this, even as Christ did (Mk 1:35). In Psalm 119:147, he said, “I am up before dawn crying for help. I find hope in your word.”

When encountering this impossible situation, Elijah left the widow and went straight to his room to privately cry out to God; therefore, God rewarded him publicly. Have we developed secrecy in our prayer lives? Do we have a prayer closet? Certainly, we should pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:17)—at all times and in all places—but Scripture also teaches the importance and power of being alone with God in prayer. Again, Christ said, “But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matt 6:6).

Application Question: Why is the practice of private prayer so important? Where is your prayer closet? How do you practice intimacy with God in prayer? How is God calling you to grow in this discipline?

To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Grow in Empathy

He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.”

1 Kings 17:21

Interpretation Question: Why did Elijah stretch out over the dead boy’s body three times?

After taking the boy to the room, Elijah stretched himself out over the boy’s dead body three times. We don’t know how long the boy had been dead, but as one might imagine, his body was probably cold. Elijah’s lips would be pressed against his lips, his chest against the boy’s chest, and his arms against the boy’s arms. Elijah could feel his cold and lifeless body.

Why did he do this? What did this do to increase his capacity to pray for him? It seems this created a form of empathy for the boy. By touching the boy’s cold lifeless body, Elijah was entering into his pain. Likewise, if we are going to be effective in our prayer life, we must learn how to enter into people’s pain and feel what they feel.

Christ’s Ministry

Certainly, we get a picture of this with Christ before he raised Lazarus from the dead. He goes to the tomb and weeps (John 11:35). He saw the pain—the effects of sin and death—and wept. For Christ, in one sense, it made no sense to cry, as he was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. Why weep? In mourning for Lazarus before praying for him, Christ felt the sting of his death, the pain of losing him, and the mourning of others. Christ entered Lazarus’ pain and that of his family and friends. Only after this did Christ pray, leading to Lazarus’ resurrection.

However, this is not only true in how Christ related to Lazarus before his resurrection but also throughout Christ’s whole ministry. Why did Christ become a man? He became a man in part to relate to us so he could effectively minister to us, including through intercession (cf. Heb 7:25). It is the mystery of the incarnation. He became like us so he could understand us and be our interceding high priest. Consider these verses:

Hebrews 2:14-15

For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.

Hebrews 4:15-16

So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 7:25

No doubt, this is the very reason many of us struggle with prayer. We only know our own problems and pain and, therefore, struggle with interceding for others. Empathy—a holy burden—is very important for being an intercessor. For this reason, we can trust that this is one of the major reasons God allows trials into our lives. He does this to break us down and make us weak so he can empower us (2 Cor 12:7-9), but he also does this to make us empathetic, so we can feel and relate to the pain of others and pray.

This is one of the reasons that people with the gift of mercy are such good intercessors. These people have a God-given ability to enter into the pain of others and care for them. This gift continually brings them to their knees in prayer for others and also to their feet to serve them.

Application Question: What should we do to develop empathy, so we can feel others’ pain and effectively pray for them?

1. To develop empathy, we should touch those who are hurting.

Oftentimes, the best thing we can do is go to a hospice or a mission trip and touch the sick, the poor, and the hurting. By doing this, we start to develop a holy burden for a person or community that helps us faithfully pray for and serve them.

In Ecclesiastes 7:4, Solomon said, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of merrymaking.” The heart of the wise—referring to those who love God and follow him (cf. Prov 9:10)—is in the place where people are hurting. It is there that they learn to love God and others better. However, the fool, who doesn’t acknowledge God (cf. Ps 14:1), only focuses on his pleasure instead of serving others in their pain. There is great wisdom in the house of mourning—it is good for us to go there. It is where we gain both wisdom and empathy.

2. To develop empathy, we must walk with the Lord.

Ephesians 2:4 says God is “rich in mercy.” Because of this, in the Gospels, we commonly see Christ having “compassion” on the hurting. Matthew 9:36 says, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Therefore, to grow in empathy, we must continually walk with God—the merciful one. As we abide in prayer, the Word, worship, and service, we will become more like him. In Philippians 1:8, Paul said that he actually longed for the Philippians with the “affection of Christ.” As Paul walked with the Lord, he gained his heart, and we can do the same by walking faithfully with the Lord as well.

3. To develop empathy, we must pray specifically for it.

In Romans 12:8, “mercy” is called a spiritual gift. And in 1 Corinthians 12:31 and 14:1, we are continually encouraged to desire greater gifts. Certainly, as James says, we have not because we ask not (4:2). Being merciful to others is not a gift that many pray for, but it is a gift that will enable us to both serve others and effectively pray for them. So we should pray for God to remove our hardened and often self-consumed hearts and give us soft, merciful hearts like his—ones that empathize with others, serve them, and pray for them.

Application Question: Why is empathy so important for intercessory prayer? What’s the difference between empathy and mercy? How have you experienced empathy by being with someone who was struggling or simply different from you? How is God calling you to grow in empathy so you can pray more effectively?

To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Practice Persistence in Prayer

Then he called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, are you also bringing disaster on this widow I am staying with by killing her son?” He stretched out over the boy three times and called out to the Lord, “O Lord, my God, please let this boy’s breath return to him.”

1 Kings 17:20-21

It must be noticed that Elijah called out to the Lord twice in verses 20-21. He called out to the Lord, stretched out on the boy three times, and then called out to the Lord again. What can we gain from that? Elijah practiced persistence in prayer. We will see this again when he prays for rain in 1 Kings 18:41-45. In that narrative, he prays seven times as he waits for a rain cloud to show up.

Certainly, we see the practice of persistent prayer throughout Scripture and commands for us to do the same. With Christ, right before he was betrayed, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray for three separate hours. During each hour of prayer, he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Also, in 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Paul shared how he prayed three times for God to remove his thorn in the flesh. He said, “I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness...” In both circumstances, God said no; however, with Elijah, God was pleased to answer his prayer. Either way, persistence is an important step to developing a powerful prayer life.

God desires us to be persistent in prayer. Persistence shows that our petition is genuine and important to us. Many people lift a prayer to God and then they never bring it back up. Sometimes, our lack of consistency shows that we are not truly concerned or only mildly concerned with what we are bringing before the Lord.

In Luke 18:1-8, through a parable about a persistent widow bringing her request before a judge, Jesus emphasized the importance of persistence in prayer to his disciples. The text says:

Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

In training his disciples, Jesus said that they must be like this widow by praying and not giving up. In fact, he implies that people who pray persistently will be in short supply when he returns to the earth (v. 8). He ends the parable by saying, “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” The implied answer is “No.” People who demonstrate their faith by persistently praying will be in very short supply. Sure, some people will pray, but there will be very few “persistent intercessors” who turn the world upside down like Elijah and the disciples did.

We see another example of persistent prayer in the story of the Canaanite widow who approached Christ about healing her daughter who was demon-possessed in Matthew 15:22-28. In response, Christ first said nothing (v. 23), and then eventually he said “no,” because he was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel. However, she persisted in asking Christ, and then Christ said, “Woman, your faith is great,” and he healed her daughter (v. 28). She was not willing to give up, even when Christ seemed uninterested in healing her daughter by being silent, or when he essentially said no. This is “persistent prayer” that God enjoys. Persistence is the fruit of great faith—faith that won’t give up regardless of circumstances.

In fact, God looks for people who will pray persistently and deploys them to pray over strategic targets. In Isaiah 62:6-7, God said this:

I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they should keep praying all day and all night. You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent! Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.

God strategically calls men and women to persistently pray over difficult situations, people, and nations. He commands them to give him no rest until he accomplishes his will on the earth. Unfortunately, sometimes he cannot find people to persistently pray. Ezekiel 22:30 says, “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.”

What is God calling us to continually cry out over, like Elijah? What is he calling us to persistently pray over to accomplish his will in the land? For many of our prayer assignments, we may never see the results in this lifetime. We will faithfully pray, God will eventually take us home, and he will call someone else to continue in prayer until he accomplishes his will. Christ told the disciples they were reaping where others had sown and done all the hard work. In John 4:37-38, Christ said, “‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” One day, the sower and reaper will rejoice together in heaven (John 4:36). Amen!

Are we willing to pray persistently? God looks for willing intercessors and puts them to work.

Application Question: Why is persistence in prayer so difficult? Is there something you feel God has called you to persistently pray for in the past? If so, what, and how have you seen the fruit of those prayers? In what ways is God calling you to pray persistently in this season?

To Develop an Effective Prayer Life, We Must Practice Fervency in Prayer

1 Kings 17:20-21

The last principle we learn about developing a powerful prayer life from Elijah’s ministry to the dead boy is the need for fervency. Where do we see this? As mentioned, twice in the passage, it says Elijah “called out to the Lord” (1 Kgs 17:20-21). It can also be translated as “cried out” (NIV). This not only represents persistency but also fervency. It is clear that Elijah passionately prayed for the dead child. He was fervent, no doubt inspired by his entering into the widow’s pain and touching the child’s dead cold body.

We see the importance of fervency throughout Scripture. In James 5:17, it was used of Elijah’s prayer life. It says, “Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!” Elijah not only prayed fervently for this child but also for it to not rain and then later for it to rain in Israel. His prayer life was characterized by fervency.

We also see this with Christ’s prayers. Consider how Hebrews 5:7 describes them before his death: “During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.” This probably refers to Christ’s prayers in Gethsemane before he went to the cross. Though he asked for God to take away the cup of suffering, he clearly discerned God’s will was for him to die, and therefore, he prayed fervently to be resurrected, and his prayers were heard (Lk 22:39-46).

In addition, Scripture uses similar language about the early church praying for Peter to be released from prison. Acts 12:5 says, “So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly praying to God for him.” In fact, in James 5:16, the KJV says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Interpretation Question: What does it mean to pray “earnestly” or “fervently”?

First, let’s consider what it is not: (1) It is not vain repetitions. Matthew 6:7 says, “When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard.” Christ commands us to not “babble repetitiously” or use “vain repetitions” (KJV) like the heathens. This means we should not use rote, mindless prayers like many of us do when praying for our meals or even when quoting the Lord’s Prayer. (2) Also, praying with fervency doesn’t necessarily mean praying long prayers. We won’t be heard for our many words. Though persistence in prayer is important, Elijah prayed for fire from heaven in 1 Kings 18:36-37 with a short, quick, effective prayer, while the pagans had prayed for hours and received nothing. (3) It is also not conjured up emotions to act like we are passionate. Some will pray in a loud manner and it will be fervent; some will pray in the silence of their heart and it will be fervent.

Therefore, what is fervent prayer? Fervent prayer is simply genuine prayer that includes effort, sacrifice, and focus. It is prayer that fully engages a person’s mind, will, and emotions. It is focused prayer and not drifting prayer. It is God-exalting and not self-exalting.

Most prayers are not fervent; they are rote and casual, and often lack a truly engaged heart and mind. There are lots of prayers that are not effective because they are not earnest. To develop a powerful prayer life, our prayers must be fervent—engaging our mind, will, and emotions.

Application Question: What is fervent prayer? Why does prayer often lack passion and instead become rote, dry, and lifeless? How can we develop more fervency in our prayer lives?

Conclusion

As we consider Elijah praying for the first resurrection in Scripture, we learn principles about having effective, powerful prayer lives. This is important because when God sought to bring revival in Israel, he found a man of prayer. Prayer taps into the power of God to bring about truly great works. Likewise, when Jesus sought to reach the world, he raised up the apostles to be men committed to prayer, even more than ministry (Acts 6:6). In order to be used greatly by God, we must be people of prayer—not talent, ambition, wealth, or influence, which many expect—but people of prayer.

How can we develop a powerful prayer life which God can use greatly to display his grace to a lost and needy world?

To develop an effective prayer life, we must develop strong faith. Faith includes taking steps of faith as we bring problems and impossible situations before God. But it also includes a continuous faith walk with God where we practice righteousness and integrity, even when encountering difficulties. God looks for faith and rewards those who continually approach him with it (Heb 11:6).
To develop an effective prayer life, we must practice private prayer. Elijah went to his prayer room when tragedy struck. Where do we go? Have we developed a vital, private prayer life? We need to practice stepping away from busyness and blocking all things out to be with God. There is power in private prayer. Those who continually approach God in the secret place, he rewards in the open.
To develop an effective prayer life, we must develop empathy. Elijah stretched his body over the dead boy. He felt the boy’s lack of a heartbeat, cold lips, and lifeless body. We will never truly grow in intercession unless we develop empathy—a deep understanding and care for the needs of others. Maybe God is calling us to touch the leper and interact with struggling people to develop a love and care for them. In addition, he might be using various trials in our life to do the same—to help us feel and empathize with the suffering of others.
To develop an effective prayer life, we must practice persistent prayer. Twice, Elijah prayed to God for healing, and as we’ll see later, he prayed seven times for rain (1 Kgs 18:42-45). Likewise, we must continually bring our requests before God, even when there is no change or things get worse. There is power in persistent prayer.
To develop an effective prayer life, we must practice fervency in prayer. Fervency is an urgent passion for God to move. Elijah fervently cried out for the boy’s life. Christ fervently prayed until he sweat drops like blood. What are we fervently praying about?

Again, Ezekiel 22:30 says God is seeking for people to stand in the gap—people who will pray, and because of those prayers, he will move mightily to save people. Are we willing to allow God to develop us into effective intercessors? Lord, according to the riches of your grace, use us!

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray for God to forgive us for our lack of praying, lack of spending time alone with him, and lack of caring enough about others to sacrifice sleep, work, and entertainment to petition for them and serve them.
Pray for God to give us a heart and passion to pray. Pray that God would give us supernatural empathy for our family, our church, our co-workers, and our nations, and a passion to see them blessed and healed.
Pray that we as individuals and as a church would grow greatly in prayer this year. Pray that we would not neglect our private prayer, corporate prayer, and seasons of especially devoted prayer.
Pray for those who are dead in their sins to be resurrected to a new life—those who have rejected God to turn back to him and be saved. Also, pray for strongholds hindering the gospel and God’s will for families, workplaces, governments, and nations to come down, so God can bring transformation and healing.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

7. Steps Towards Revival Pt. 1 (1 Kings 18:1-15)

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Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.” They divided up the land between them; Ahab went one way and Obadiah went the other. As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”‘ But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the Lord from my youth. Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”‘ but he will kill me. But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.”

1 Kings 18:1-15 (NET)

What are necessary steps for revival—revival in our lives, churches, communities, and nations? Some people would say there is nothing we can do to experience revival. Revival is something simply in the sovereignty of God—something that he does alone, in his timing, apart from our participation. Certainly, God is in control of all things, but he has chosen to work through humans to get his will done on the earth. In talking about ministering to others in 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul called believers “co-workers” with God. We plant and water, but God brings the increase (1 Cor 3:6-7). Therefore, we do have a role in bringing revival both in our lives and others’.

In the context of 1 Kings 17-18, Israel has been in rebellion against God, and consequently, God sent Elijah to pray for a drought—it would not rain for three and a half years. God did this in part because Israel, inspired by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, were worshiping Baal—the god of fertility and rain. Now, after the three and a half years, Elijah returned to confront Israel and bring a revival. At the end of 1 Kings 18, he challenges the Israelites about their doublemindedness. He says, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” (v. 21). Then, he displays the power of God by praying for God to bring fire from heaven to consume a sacrifice while the prophets of Baal failed to do the same. In response, Israel fell on their faces in verse 39 and declared, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!” Elijah participated in the process of God bringing repentance and revival in Israel.

Therefore, as we study 1 Kings 18, we can discern common steps in the revival process—how God turns people back to himself and revitalizes their spiritual lives. These steps will help us participate, as God’s co-workers, in bringing revival in our spiritual lives, church, community, and nation. Lord, bring your fire from heaven. Turn us back to yourself!

Big Question: What are common steps in the revival process as discerned from 1 Kings 18:1-15?

When Bringing Revival, God Often Allows Desperate Circumstances to Help People Recognize Their Weakness and Depend More on Him

So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria … Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.”

1 Kings 18:2, 5

Early in this text, King Ahab told the supervisor of his palace, Obadiah, to go search for grazing areas to feed the king’s livestock. The king most likely took a group to survey one area, while Obadiah led a group to survey another area. The hope was to get enough food so they would not have to start killing animals. This shows how desperate Israel’s situation was. If the king does not have grass and food for his livestock, then the drought has completely decimated the poor and middle class. Through the three-and-a-half-year drought and subsequent famine, God had created a dire situation in Israel. No doubt, the desperation was helping people learn that they could not rely on their strength, education, wealth, family, government, or even the false god, Baal. All these things left them deficient, desperate, and therefore more open to turn to God.

It should be known this is normal for God when he is bringing revival in a person’s life or community. Scripture says God is a jealous God, and he will not share his glory with another. Therefore, God often painfully teaches us through trials that nothing else will truly meet our needs or satisfy us outside of him. Most times, he does this through small personal trials, but at other times, he does it through widescale trials affecting entire nations or even the entire world.

How do we see this throughout Scripture? Certainly, we see this with Jonah. When Jonah rebelled against God’s will for his life, God brought a literal storm that almost killed Jonah and a crew of sailors who were traveling by ship at sea. To save their own lives, the sailors threw Jonah off the boat, since they discerned God had brought the storm because of his rebellion. While Jonah was sinking to the bottom of the sea, he began to pray to God in his heart, and God saved him through a large fish (Jonah 2). Then, while on the land, after being spit up by the fish, Jonah 3:1-2 says, “The Lord said to Jonah a second time, ‘Go immediately to Nineveh, that large city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah went immediately to Nineveh, as the Lord had said.” After rebelling initially, the trial prepared Jonah to “immediately” respond to God. In order to bring revival in Jonah’s life, God brought a trial.

Likewise, David said this about the trials he experienced in his life in Psalm 119:71-72: “It was good for me to suffer, so that I might learn your statutes. The law you have revealed is more important to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.” No doubt, while going through the trial, David thought it was a horrible experience and maybe even got mad at God, but after going through it, David could look back and say, “It was good for me to suffer, so I could learn God’s Word. Now, God’s Word is more important to me than all the wealth in the world.”

Often before the trial, we are apathetic in our relationship with God. We disobey God’s Word, skip reading it, or read it barely, and when we do read it, we get almost nothing from it. However, when going through the trial, God’s Word becomes like our daily bread. It becomes the great treasure that we seek day and night. Through the trial, God prepares the ground of our hearts to love and obey God’s Word.

Likewise, God was doing this with Israel. It was not an easy or quick process. God worked on Israel’s heart through a major trial for three and a half years. Surely, the hardness of their hearts needed a constant and extensive season of breaking. The hearts in Israel had become ingrained with the world. They loved God, but they loved the false gods and the wealth of the world as well. They wanted it all. But, by going through the trial, God loosened the grip of the world, self, and idols on their lives, so they would eventually submit to him.

As mentioned, this is not only common with trials individually but also nationally. Revivals often happen out of extreme difficulty, including persecution. The early church in Acts grew out of great suffering. In fact, in Hebrews 12:7 and 11, the writer of Hebrews said this to Christians who were suffering for their faith:

When describing suffering, he says we should see it as within God’s hand, being used as discipline to make us holy. The writer of Hebrews does not qualify the suffering in saying some suffering comes from Satan, some from our sins, and some from God. He just says “suffering” (Heb 12:7). Also, the author of Hebrews does not minimize the suffering; he says it is “painful” and not “joyful” (Heb 12:11). However, “later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it.” Revival—renewal in our spiritual lives—often comes out of times of pain. In fact, in 1 Peter 5:10, Peter said this to Christians suffering persecution and being scattered throughout the Roman empire: “And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” God allows our suffering for a specific time period to make us stronger and develop our character, as we submit to him during it.

Consider what God said to Israel through Jeremiah when he disciplined them through captivity in Babylon. Jeremiah 29:11-14 says,

For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, I will make myself available to you,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’

While being disciplined in Babylon away from their home in Israel, if they began to seek the Lord with their whole heart, God would be present with them, reverse their fortunes, fulfill his good plans for them, and bring them back to their land. The trial, the desperate situation, was meant to draw them back to God wholeheartedly.

Are we seeing our desperate situations and those of others as opportunities for revival? Are we allowing our desperate situations to make us turn from sin, compromise, apathy, and worldliness, and turn to God with our entire hearts? Jeremiah says that when we come after God, not half-heartedly, but with our whole hearts, we’ll find God and he will fulfill his good plans for us.

Negative Tendency within Trials

With that said, consider this. Often desperate situations, instead of drawing us to God, can have the opposite effect. Instead of focusing on becoming holy before God and running after him, we can start to focus on secondary causes. In 1 Kings 18, instead of considering and repenting of his own sin and that of Israel, Ahab became angry at Elijah, as though it was his fault. In verse 17, Ahab said Elijah had brought “disaster” on Israel. Also, Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, even started to kill all the other prophets as well (1 Kgs 18:13).

Likewise, in times of trial, we commonly start to focus on secondary and tertiary causes. We get mad at roommates, friends, family, and/or our church. Certainly, they may have contributed to our pain in some way, even as Elijah did with Ahab; however, God was the one ultimately in control, using the trial for a greater purpose. Ahab saw Elijah (a secondary cause) and missed God and what God wanted to do in his life. This is why the writer of Hebrews says, “Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons” (12:7). Again, he does not qualify the suffering, whether it be persecution from Rome, conflict at work, church, or within a family. The author of Hebrews says we must see God as in control. This does not mean we do not at times seek justice or reconciliation; we do. However, we must make our main focus God and what he wants to do in our hearts through the situation. Unfortunately, like Ahab, most don’t do this, and therefore, they never grow from their trial. They may in fact just get worse—becoming more bitter, anxious, angry, and rebellious, instead of becoming more peaceful and righteous (Heb 12:11).

Do our trials make us more desperate after God or simply more desperate? Often without trials, we will never seek God with all our hearts, which as Jeremiah said, that is when we will find God, be delivered, and begin to fulfill his plan (Jer 29:11-14).

Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God often uses desperate situations to bring revival?

1. Because God uses desperate situations to bring revival in our lives and others’, we must train ourselves to view them positively.

James said it this way: “My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials” (Jam 1:2). And in Romans 5:4, Paul said, ^“Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.” It’s a discipline to rejoice in trials and consider them pure joy, but we must do this in faith. We do it by giving God thanks for his purpose in the trial and praising him despite our circumstances. We also must help others rejoice and give thanks in their trials by seeing them from God’s perspective, just as James and Paul did.

2. Because God uses desperate situations to bring revival in our lives and others’, we must persevere through them, so God can complete his work in us.

Again, in James 1:4, James said this in the context of trials, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” We must persevere instead of quitting, getting mad at God or others, or turning to sin. As we do so, God continues his work of perfecting us—strengthening our character and preparing us for greater works.

3. Because God uses desperate situations to bring revival in our lives and others’, we must be careful of being distracted by secondary causes, which keep us from focusing on God and being conformed to his image.

As mentioned, Ahab spent years blaming and persecuting Elijah and the other prophets because of the famine that was happening in the land, when God was trying to transform Ahab and Israel through the famine. Ahab’s being distracted by secondary causes and the famine itself kept him from focusing his attention on God—drawing near God and away from sin. Likewise, while in a trial, many focus their attention on a difficult co-worker (or co-workers), their spouse, the church, the government, or some other entity instead of where God wants their attention. For years, they miss out on God’s sanctification process in their trials because of a misplaced focus.

When God is going to bring revival, he often does it through desperate situations. How are we responding to our desperate situations?

Application Question: Why does God often use trials to help bring revival in people’s lives? How have you seen or experienced this? What steps should we take to help us focus more on God instead of secondary causes, objectives, or the trial itself during difficult seasons?

When Bringing Revival, God Often Raises Up the Righteous to Faithfully, Boldly, and Sacrificially Serve Others

So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.) … As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? … But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.” When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.

1 Kings 18:3-4, 7-9, 15-16

In this narrative, two righteous men are mentioned—Elijah and Obadiah. God uses both of them in rather different ways, but they are both important to God’s work in Israel. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah boldly confronted Ahab and declared it would not rain except at his word. Then, God hid Elijah away from Ahab and Israel during the drought. For a brief time, Elijah ministered to and sustained a Sidonian widow and her son. However, while God hid Elijah, God was working through a righteous believer named Obadiah who served under Ahab. Obadiah was the supervisor or governor of the palace ( 1 Kgs 18:3).

Obadiah is an interesting character. While Elijah was a bold believer, some might think Obadiah was a timid one—one that never ruffled feathers or said anything that might get him in trouble or “canceled” in that culture. In fact, some commentators have painted Obadiah like this. They say he was probably a compromiser who would not take up his cross and stand up for God, and certainly, we have Christians like that all over the world. However, God never says that about Obadiah in this text. Verses 3-4 are the only commentary we have on his character. It says,

1 Kings 18:3-4

Scripture calls him a “loyal follower of the Lord.” When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, he hid 100 of them in two caves—fifty each. Obadiah put his life and career on the line for others. No doubt, the outer workings of his relationship with Ahab are puzzling. How could he work for a man who was so ungodly? How could he faithfully serve a tyrant and serve God at the same time? Certainly, it must have been challenging, but somehow, he remained faithful.

With that said, we must understand this is a common thing God does, especially when bringing revival. He often puts his brightest lights in the darkest places. When God was seeking to bring revival in Israel, not only was he strengthening and growing Elijah in seclusion away from evil, God also was preparing another man by leaving him right in the midst of the evil. We should not be surprised at Obadiah because this is what God has always done. Did he not do this with David? When Israel was falling away from God because of its rebellious king named Saul, he made a righteous young boy the armor-bearer of Saul. Eventually, he became a general in Saul’s army. He would be a godly example in the midst of corruption. Certainly, God did the same with Daniel. God placed Daniel and three other godly Hebrew boys right in the midst of pagan mythology and demon worship in Babylon. In fact, these four boys probably had to study sorcery and astrology while being trained in Babylon; however, they never compromised. In fact, God even did this with Caesar. In Philippians 4:22, Paul said that there were believers in “Caesar’s household”—the same Caesar who claimed to be a god and was persecuting Christians. God often puts his lights in dark places to help bring revival amongst those who are the most hopeless.

Certainly, like Daniel, there were probably times when Obadiah had to say, “I will not eat the king’s meat and I will not worship his idols.” There were probably times when his co-workers tried to get him in trouble, but he remained faithful to God. Obviously, the king saw him as tremendously valuable because of his integrity, skills, and hard work.

As we consider both Elijah and Obadiah, we must realize that God is still placing servants like these throughout the world to affect change. Some are like Elijah. They will work in Christian organizations, churches, schools, and mission agencies. They will keep themselves largely separated from the world—speaking primarily to God’s people and strategically reaching out to the world. Most will be like Obadiah, they will be put right in the lion’s den—where evil abounds around them, including dishonesty, drunkenness, greed, and sexual immorality. And while there, they must not compromise. They must be wise as serpents in their conversations and actions and gentle as doves.

When placed in those environments, we must realize that it is not by accident. It is by God’s sovereign and gracious design. It may be difficult for us, but it is a special mercy to those around us. Though the world persecutes believers, the believers are salt and light to the world. They help stave off decay in business, education, art, media, and government sectors of the world. They are important, and God has put them there to pray, serve, and seek revival. Obadiah was a witness by his righteous life, but he also was willing to sacrifice his career and life to protect prophets throughout Israel’s kingdom. Likewise, God often puts Christians in dark areas for similar purposes to save the lost, protect believers, and pursue righteousness.

When God looks to bring a revival, he starts to prepare and raise up the righteous. He may do it in different ways and place them in different places, but he does it all so that his name may be exalted amongst his people and the world.

Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that when God brings revival, he typically raises up the righteous to help lead it?

1. Because God raises up the righteous to help bring revival, we should constantly pray for God to raise up these types of laborers.

In talking about God bringing a harvest of souls in Luke 10:2, Christ said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” Likewise, there are fields in every nation and city that are simply waiting for righteous servants. In Acts 16:9, Paul received a vision of “a Macedonian man” who was standing and “urging him, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’” In response to those prayers and his vision, Paul went. Likewise, God uses our prayers to raise up and send righteous pastors, missionaries, businessmen, educators, professors, and parents into various fields throughout the world. We need to be offering these prayers all the time—our churches, schools, and governments need these prayers. In response, God sends an Abraham, a Moses, a Joseph, a David, or an Elijah.

2. Because God raises up the righteous to help lead revivals, we must prepare ourselves to be used by God.

How do we do this? (1) We must give great attention to studying and obeying God’s Word. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Paul said this:

Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.

The more we know and obey God’s Word, the more God can use us for every good work. The less we know it and live it, the less he can use us. (2) In addition, we prepare ourselves to be used by being faithful with what God has given us. In Luke 16:10-12, Christ said this in the context of how we use our money:

The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own?

If we are faithful stewards of our money, God can trust us with greater riches, including the shepherding of souls. If God can trust us with our current job, he can trust us with greater responsibility in the same place or somewhere else. If God can trust us with faithfully shepherding and caring for our family, he can trust us with caring for other families. If God can trust us with our time, he can give us more opportunities to serve with our time. If we are faithful with little, we will be faithful with much. God looks for the small shepherd boy faithfully caring for sheep, even risking his life against a bear and a lion to save them, and God calls him to lead an army, then one day a kingdom.

Are we being faithful with our little?

3. Because God raises up the righteous to help bring revival, we should volunteer while recognizing our service may include being uncomfortable and suffering.

When God was looking to do a special work in Israel, Isaiah said, “Here I am, send me!” (Is 6:8). We must also be willing to volunteer, even if we know it will be difficult and thankless. Elijah had to hide for three and half years—not seeing his family or having a public ministry. Obadiah had to have a difficult boss who might have killed him because of his beliefs and acts of service. We must be willing to volunteer while recognizing that being used by God often comes with a cross. Paul faithfully served God, but it came with a thorn in the flesh that never went away as well as continual trials (2 Cor 11 and 12:7-9). As Romans 12:1 (ESV) says, we must offer our bodies as a “living sacrifice” to God. Offering ourselves as a living sacrifice means we must be willing to say to God, “I’ll go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and I’m willing to bear the cross while doing it.” Because God is raising up leaders to help bring renewal in people’s lives and that of communities, we must be willing to volunteer and bear the cross (whatever that may be) that comes with it.

Application Question: Why is it important to pray for God to raise up leaders and laborers to help bring revival? Why does suffering often come with service? How have you experienced this? What do you think of when considering Paul’s challenge to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1)?

When Bringing Revival, God Often Unifies Believers So They Can More Effectively Complete His Work Together

As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?” He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’” Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution? As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”‘ But when I leave you, the Lord’s spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the Lord from my youth. Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid one hundred of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water. Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”‘ but he will kill me.” But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord who rules over all lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.”

1 Kings 18:7-15

Another thing we must notice about God’s process of bringing a revival in Israel is how God brought Obadiah and Elijah together. God called Elijah to go and meet with Ahab (1 Kgs 18:1), but while doing so, Elijah ran into Obadiah (v. 7). Certainly, this was not by accident. God brought Elijah to Obadiah so he could prepare a meeting with Ahab.

The discussion between Elijah and Obadiah is interesting because it appears that Elijah is not a fan of Obadiah. Charles Spurgeon said this about their meeting:

I suspect that Elijah did not think very much of Obadiah. He does not treat him with any great consideration, but addresses him more sharply than one would expect from a fellow-believer. Elijah was the man of action—bold, always to the front, with nothing to conceal; Obadiah was a quiet believer, true and steadfast, but in a very difficult position, and therefore driven to perform his duty in a less open manner. His faith in the Lord swayed his life, but did not drive him out of the court.¹

When Elijah and Obadiah first met, Obadiah bows as a sign of respect (v. 7), but as mentioned, Elijah does not greet him as a dear brother. He simply commands Obadiah to go tell his master, Ahab, that Elijah was back (v. 8). Elijah’s comment offends Obadiah. He asked, “What sin did I commit?” because if Ahab came to look for Elijah and he was gone, Obadiah would be killed. Therefore, Obadiah declares his merits before Elijah—that he was a loyal follower of God since his youth and that he had been hiding prophets in caves to protect them (v. 12-13). In response, Elijah does not affirm Obadiah. He simply promises to appear before Ahab (v. 15). This interaction alone does not prove that Elijah thought negatively of Obadiah; but in 1 Kings 19:10 and 14 when Elijah was hiding from Jezebel in a cave, he twice told God that he was the only prophet left. Apparently, he did not trust Obadiah’s testimony of hiding prophets. Elijah probably viewed him as a compromised believer who worked for the enemy. Nevertheless, they both were God’s servants, and they both had a role in helping bring revival in Israel.

Ray Pritchard tried to explain their differences this way, in placing them in the categories of prophet and priest. He said:

Many years ago I heard it explained this way. In the Lord’s army there are prophets and there are priests. The prophets are called by God to speak boldly, rebuking sin and calling people to righteousness. The priests are called by God to see the hurting people all around them and to minister healing in Jesus’ name. We see the dichotomy often in dealing with moral issues like abortion and gay rights. There are those who are called to denounce these sins, and there are those who are called to minister to those hurt and ruined by these sins. I have observed that the prophets rarely understand the priests, and the priests don’t appreciate the prophets. Prophets often look at the priests as soft and weak, while the priests see the prophets as harsh and uncaring. But both are called by the Lord, and both have important jobs to do. Someone has to speak out and take the heat. Someone has to bind up the wounded. Someone has to declare God’s Word boldly. Someone has to help the hurting. Someone has to stand and fight. Someone has to take care of the casualties. The army can’t be all fighters and no healers. And it can’t be all healers and no fighters. You need both, and you need both at the same time even when they don’t always see eye to eye… For every Elijah, there are a dozen Obadiahs. And the prophet needed Obadiah whether he knew it or not. For it was Obadiah who paved the way for the prophet to meet the king again.²

Certainly, these conflicts don’t just happen between those who fulfill the roles of prophet and priest but are also common amongst believers with differing views and ways of serving in general. They commonly have different spiritual gifts, temperaments, doctrines, and philosophies of ministry (how to disciple the believers and reach the world), and these differences, at times, separate them into different denominations, churches, and/or ministries. Unfortunately, these faithful but not perfect believers commonly look down upon one another.

We probably see something of this in the disciples who were angry with another believer who was casting out demons but was not part of their group. In Luke 9:49-50, the disciples share about this and Christ responds:

John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he is not a disciple along with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

When they complain about this other disciple, Christ challenges them against this divisive, sectarian spirit. Certainly, we have tendencies towards this as well with those with different doctrines or ministerial practices. Yes, we are different, but we are not against one another. This divisiveness within the body of Christ robs the power from Christ’s church and hinders revival.

In Psalm 133:1-3, David described the power of believers walking in unity. He said,

Look! How good and how pleasant it is when brothers live together! It is like fine oil poured on the head which flows down the beard— Aaron’s beard, and then flows down his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, which flows down upon the hills of Zion. Indeed that is where the Lord has decreed a blessing will be available—eternal life.

David compared unity amongst believers to the anointing oil on the priest. When the priest was anointed, the Spirit of God fell on him to empower him to serve God and others. He also compared it to dew on the hills of Zion which brought fruitfulness. Wherever there is unity amongst God’s people, there is empowerment, fruitfulness, and God’s blessing.

For this reason, when God brings revival, he often connects his differing people so they can work together to complete God’s work. This happens as churches start to gather to pray for their city. They start to work together to evangelize and care for the poor. Certainly, this was one of the strengths of the early church and why they experienced such a great move of God. The Macedonian and Corinthian churches were supporting the church in Jerusalem financially when they were suffering from a famine (2 Cor 8). When there was doctrinal disunity, the early church held a church council in Jerusalem to discuss. In response, the church of Jerusalem sent ministers to Antioch to comfort and encourage them (Acts 15). The early church was very connected and therefore was a powerful witness.

Certainly, that is one of the reasons revival often tarries in our personal lives, communities, cities, and nations. Believers and churches are too disconnected and too divided. How can a body function properly if the parts are not working together? In John 17:21, Christ prayed that his followers would be one so that the world would believe that God sent the Son. Our unity affects revival either negatively or positively.

No doubt, this was part of the reason God united these two servants who had different giftings, temperaments, and were working in different parts of God’s field. Elijah may have looked down upon Obadiah like the disciples looked down on others doing ministry outside of their group; however, they needed one another. God’s field has room for many types of workers.

When there is unity amongst God’s people, they focus less on their differences and more on what unifies them, so they can work together. Often from that, revival follows. It’s like anointing oil on the priest’s beard and the dew on the mountain. God’s blessing is there (Ps 133).

Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God often brings revival when there is unity amongst his people?

1. Because God brings revival when there is unity, we must reconcile any divided relationships.

In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul said, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on the cause of your anger. Do not give the devil an opportunity.” When we are in discord with others, it gives the devil a door to attack us and others, which robs us of God’s power and his fruit. We cannot change people’s hearts, but as much as depends on us, we must seek to live at peace with them (Rom 12:18). This includes forgiving one another as Christ forgave us (Col 3:13). It also means helping others reconcile. In Philippians 4:2-3, Paul calls his companion to help two women who were arguing in the church of Philippi to agree in the Lord. They had to put their differences behind them because of the cause of Christ.

2. Because God brings revival when there is unity, we must learn to honor and work with those in the body who are different from us.

This does not mean we should be unified with those who have a different gospel (like salvation by faith plus works) or differ on important aspects of the gospel (like the deity of Christ). It is the gospel that makes us part of God’s family. It is essential to our faith; however, there are secondary and tertiary doctrines that we do not all have to agree on (such as eschatological timelines, spiritual gifts, or the role of women in ministry). We should recognize those who are part of the body and work with them on areas we do agree about—such as praying for our nation, sharing the gospel, helping the poor, and fighting against injustice. In 1 Corinthians 12:21, Paul said, “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I do not need you,’ nor in turn can the head say to the foot, ‘I do not need you.’” We need one another to do God’s work on the earth. A divided body will not be as effective. Divisions hinder revival.

When God was going to bring revival in Israel, it is no surprise that he brought two differing laborers together. One boldly confronted evil and separated from it, and the other shined brightly amidst the darkness. God placed both of them in their different ministries, and they both were essential to God’s plan to revive Israel. When it was time, God brought them together to complete his work. Likewise, we must seek unity with others to help bring revival as well. Ephesians 4:3 (NIV) says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Application Question: What relationship is God calling you to help reconcile? In what ways have you seen how discord can rob believers—individually and corporately—of spiritual power and vibrant witness? How can churches start to work together to better complete God’s mission?

Conclusion

What are steps toward revival? In 1 Kings 18, we see part of God’s process of bringing revival in Israel. At the end of the chapter, Israel will repent of following Baal and declare that Israel’s God is the only God.

When Bringing Revival, God Often Allows Desperate Circumstances to Help People Recognize Their Weakness and Depend More on Him
When Bringing Revival, God Often Raises Up the Righteous to Faithfully, Boldly, and Sacrificially Serve Others
When Bringing Revival, God Often Unifies Believers So They Can More Effectively Complete His Work Together

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that God would use our hardships and trials to help us recognize our weaknesses and become more dependent on God, his Word, and his people.
Pray that God would send faithful laborers into the harvest fields of education, business, government, sports, media, and the church—that God would strengthen, encourage, protect, and use them mightily for his work.
Pray that God would reconcile broken relationships in his church and unify them to help complete God’s mission; pray that God would unite individuals, churches, and denominations to pray, worship, evangelize, and serve God together.
Pray that God would revive our lives, churches, communities, and nations—pray that believers would grow strong in the Lord and the lost would come to know Christ.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah. Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

² Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah. Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

8. Steps Towards Revival Pt. 2 (1 Kings 18:16-40)

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When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah. When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?” Elijah replied, “I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. Now send out messengers and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports. Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal. Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire. Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.” Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.” So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made. At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response. Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new name.” With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so, he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.” Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!” Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed them there.

1 Kings 18:16-40 (NET)

What are necessary steps for experiencing revival in our lives, communities, and nations?

The background to this narrative is that Israel is under judgment. They had Ahab as their king, and he was the worst king in Israel’s history (1 Kgs 21:25). He and his wife, Jezebel, had led Israel to turn away from God and instead worship Baal. Because of this, God brought a three-and-a-half-year drought on the land. Baal was considered the sky god, the lord who controlled the weather ^¹—he controlled the sun and brought the rain. By not allowing it to rain, God was showing Israel that Baal was actually not in control of the weather. At the end of the three-and-a-half years, Elijah returned to Israel to confront them and turn them back to God. He does this by setting up a contest with the prophets of Baal to prove who is the true God. Before beginning it, in verse 21, he says to Israel, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” Then, at the end of the confrontation, Israel falls down and says, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!”

It is clear that Israel had not turned away from God totally; apparently, they had become syncretic—worshiping God and Baal. Because of this, God judged them. Sadly, this often happens to the church in various ways—causing us to lose God’s blessing and experience spiritual dryness in our lives. With the believers James wrote to, he said this in James 4:4: “Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” It is not that these believers had stopped worshiping God, it was that their hearts were divided. They loved the world and the things of this world. They were consumed with money, prestige, and success, and God was simply a means to these blessings. James said they prayed with wrong motives to get their selfish desires (Jam 4:3). They were spiritual adulterers, and because of this, they had become enemies of God. God began to fight against them in many ways, though they might not have recognized his disciplining hand on their lives—possibly hindering their business ventures, family life, and even health. God will not share our hearts with others.

But this judgment of God not only happens to individual believers; it also happens to communities—churches, cities, and nations. God told the church of Ephesus that if they didn’t return to their first love, he would remove their lampstand—removing their witness to the surrounding communities and possibly the church altogether (Rev 2:4-5). Likewise, God told the church of Laodicea that he would vomit them out of his mouth for being lukewarm (Rev 3:16) and that all those he loved, he would “rebuke and discipline” (Rev 3:19).

Therefore, we must understand that it is a dangerous thing to live in compromise, worldliness, and spiritual apathy. God is a jealous God who wants our hearts. James 4:5 says, “He jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?” Therefore, it behooves us to consider how to experience spiritual revival both in our lives and communities because God will not be our second.

In the previous text, 1 Kings 18:1-15, we considered that when bringing revival:

God often allows desperate circumstances to help people recognize their weakness and depend more on him. The drought was meant to show Israel they needed God and not Baal or anyone else. God will often allow desperate circumstances in our lives and others’ as well to help prepare our hearts for revival—a renewal in our passion for the things of God.
God often raises up the righteous to faithfully, boldly, and sacrificially serve others. Often during these desperate times, God will bring a faithful believer in our lives to pray for us, serve us, and show us something in his Word to help us turn back to him. During the drought, God raised up both Elijah and a man named Obadiah. God used Elijah to challenge Ahab and pray for the drought. Then, he hid him from Israel and had him serve a Sidonian widow and her son in private. However, Obadiah’s ministry was different. He was meant to stay in Israel, working for the king in the palace. He was a light in a dark place. While Ahab and Jezebel were killing prophets, Obadiah was hiding them in caves. When bringing revival, God raises up the righteous to faithfully serve others.
Finally, God often unifies believers so they can more effectively complete his work together. Discord and independence in the church commonly hinder God’s work. Believers in local congregations often are independent and divided and so are our churches. Typically, when God brings a revival, he unifies his church to pray, serve, and minister to others. In this context with Israel, God brought Elijah and Obadiah together. Apparently, Elijah did not think highly of Obadiah—probably because of his ministry in the king’s palace. Though Obadiah shared how he had been hiding prophets, Elijah will repeatedly share that he is the only prophet left both to Israel in this narrative and later to God in 1 Kings 19. He didn’t trust Obadiah; however, Elijah needed him to prepare a meeting with Ahab and to help bring revival in Israel. God often does the same today when bringing revival. He brings his divided children together to complete his work.

In 1 Kings 18:16-40, we’ll consider further steps to revival as we study Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal and Israel’s eventual return to God.

Big Question: What are other common steps in the revival process as discerned from 1 Kings 18:16-40?

When Bringing Revival, God Uses the Righteous to Confront Sin, Even at Great Risk to Themselves

When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?” Elijah replied, “I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals. Now send out messengers and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports. Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel. Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word. Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal.

1 Kings 18:17-22

This narrative is full of Elijah confronting sin. First, he confronts Ahab, then Israel, and then the false prophets. When Ahab initially sees Elijah, he says, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?” (v.17). The phrase “brings disaster” Ahab used can also be translated “troubler” (NIV) or “snake.”² Though Elijah had committed no sin, Ahab said that Elijah was the cause of all of Israel’s troubles. He was a dirty snake.

Unfortunately, this has been common throughout history when believers confront sin—they often are accused or condemned for doing so. In the Old Testament, Jeremiah was jailed for confronting the leaders of Israel for their rebellion against God. Also, when John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah, confronted Herod for committing adultery with his brother’s wife, Herod put him in prison and eventually beheaded him. Jesus confronted the Pharisees for their hypocritical behavior and false teaching which led to him being crucified.

Likewise, when God brings revival, he empowers and emboldens the righteous to confront sin and compromise, even at great cost to themselves. There can be no revival when people hold onto sin both individually and within a community; consequently, it must be confronted.

Certainly, we must realize there are great costs and difficulties with this type of ministry. It’s uncomfortable. We don’t want to feel judgmental. Our friends could get mad at us and cut us off. However, Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” This type of ministry is needed for personal revival, revival with our friends and in our communities. Elijah was willing to be hated by Ahab, Jezebel, the false prophets, and no doubt much of Israel who was suffering from the drought. In order to bring revival, Elijah had to confront the sins around him.

Application Question: How should we confront sin personally and corporately?

1. To confront sin, we must understand its contagious nature.

When encouraging the Corinthians to remove an unrepentant adulterer from the church, Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 5:6, “Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough?” If the Corinthians did not confront this sin, it would only spread throughout the church. Likewise, if we don’t confront sin in our own lives, it will spread. A little compromise leads to big compromises. If we don’t confront sin in the lives of others, it will begin to spread as well—rumors will grow, ungodly language will become normal, and dishonesty, sexual immorality, and maybe even violence will become commonplace. If we don’t understand sin’s contagious nature, we might be tempted to leave it alone—possibly hoping that it will go away. It won’t. It will most likely just become worse.

2. To confront sin, we must remove it from our lives first before focusing on others.

In Matthew 7:1-5, Christ said:

Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

This is an often-abused text in the church and the world. People will say that we should never judge anything; however, that is not what Christ was teaching. He said that we must first remove the beam from our eye before we remove the speck from someone else’s. Confronting sin is like doing surgery. When a doctor does surgery, he first washes his hands and makes sure his clothing is clean, so he does not make the patient’s infection worse. Likewise, if we don’t take proper precautions, we can hurt someone we intend to help. A person with a beam in his eye cannot see clearly and therefore will either be too harsh in the surgery or too light. People who are not properly cleansing themselves from sin often become judgmental Pharisees that hurt others, or libertarians who focus only on God’s love and therefore never hold themselves or others to God’s standards. If we are going to confront sin, it must first start with us, as individuals.

3. To confront sin, we must be wise in confronting others by using the pattern Christ gave for church discipline.

In Matthew 18:15-17, Christ said this about the process of confronting sin:

If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.

In short, when a person is in sin, (1) we must approach him one on one first. This allows us to find out if there was some misunderstanding and to see where his heart is. We must treat people who are struggling with sin and want to be free differently than a person who is willfully living in sin and doesn’t want to change. A person struggling with sin needs encouragement and help; a person willfully living in sin needs rebuke and possibly discipline. In addition, approaching them one on one before going to others also stops gossip from going around the church which will only harden the person’s heart further. (2) If he doesn’t respond to the one on one, we should approach him with one or two other people (possibly another mature Christian or church elder that knows him). (3) If he still doesn’t respond, it should be brought before the church. At this point, the elders are involved, if they weren’t involved previously. The elders will share with the church (possibly at a members’ meeting) and encourage them to plead with the person or persons to repent. (4) If he still doesn’t repent, believers are to separate from this person. He is to be removed from the church in hopes that he will see the seriousness of his sin and repent.

When dealing with sin outside of a local church, many of the same principles should still be applied. First, confrontation should happen one-on-one. Only if the person is unrepentant should it go before a boss or others. If we rebuke people publicly or share it with others first, we will often lose the struggling person’s ear and often become a source of unnecessary division in a community. What Christ taught are wisdom principles, which should even be applied outside the church.

With that said, without confronting sin, there can be no revival—no renewal in our relationship with God and no proper relationships with others. The sin will continue to fester in that person’s life and spread to others. This no doubt happened in Israel. (1) First, a little Baal worship was despised but tolerated. (2) Then it was accepted as an alternative way of life and celebrated for the diversity it brought to the community. (3) Then, it spread quickly and soon became the national religion. If we’re going to experience revival, sin must be confronted, and the sooner the better.

Application Question: Why is confronting sin so important for personal and corporate revival? What makes the process of confronting sin difficult? How have you seen or been involved in the process of church discipline?

When Bringing Revival, God Confronts and Often Destroys People’s Idols

Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.” So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made. At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response.

1 Kings 18:25-29

This point overlaps with the previous one. Not only did Elijah confront Ahab and Israel about their sins, but also God confronted Baal by demonstrating his superior power. God was already doing this through the drought, since Baal was believed to control the rain, but God was also going to do this dramatically through Elijah’s contest with the false prophets. When Elijah called for the prophets, he asked for both the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Asherah was supposedly a wife of Baal and the goddess of sex and war.³ Israel worshiped both of them. Therefore, to make sure Israel had no doubts about who was God, Elijah stacked the deck, or rigged the contest, in Baal’s favor.

Observation Question: How did Elijah rig the contest in Baal’s favor?

He did this in several ways: (1) He gave Baal homecourt advantage. Archaeological findings tell us that Mount Carmel was considered a sanctuary of Baal. Roman inscriptions state that the Phoenicians would come to the mount to worship the “Baal of Carmel.”⁴ Assyrian inscriptions also called it “Bal-rasi” which means “Baal of Carmel.”⁵ This is important to understand since most ancient people believed that the gods were territorial. For example, there was one time in 1 Kings 20:28 when Israel defeated the Arameans in a battle, and the Aramean wise men made an excuse for their loss by saying it happened because Israel’s God was “a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys.” So when Baal lost, Elijah wanted to make sure they had no excuses. Baal had homecourt advantage. (2) Elijah also gave Baal a number advantage. There were to be 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. It was going to be 850 to 1. (3) Elijah also let the prophets of Baal and Asherah call on their god first. Again, he did this so they would have no excuse for losing the contest.

What happens next? The prophets were to slay a bull, prepare the offering, and then call on Baal to send fire from heaven. After, Elijah would do the same and whoever’s god answered was the true God. In verse 26, it says the false prophets called on Baal from morning to noon, possibly for six hours, but there was no response. During this time, they jumped “around the altar”—no doubt dancing in a provocative manner, seeking to elicit a response from Baal. Because of the ineffectiveness of the prophets’ antics, Elijah began to mock them and Baal. In verse 27, he said, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” When Elijah said that Baal perhaps had “stepped out for a moment,” in the Hebrew, this phrase is probably a euphemism for Baal going to the bathroom.⁶ After Elijah mocked them, they began to yell louder, cut themselves, and went into an ecstatic frenzy; however, there was silence. They probably cried out to Baal for up to twelve hours since they did it from morning to “throughout the afternoon” (v. 29).

When there was no response, Elijah called the people to himself and repaired the altar of God (v. 30). This was probably one of the high places where people used to worship God at when Solomon was king. In repairing the altar, he did it with twelve stones which symbolized the people of Israel (v. 31)—reminding them that they were a people called by God to be his own from the twelve sons of Jacob. Around the altar, he built a ditch and then had the people pour four large jugs of water over the altar three times (v.32-34). Consequently, the water was dripping off the altar and had filled the ditch (v. 35). Finally, Elijah prayed a short prayer that God would prove that he was the true God and that he was turning the people back to him (v. 36-37). In response, fire from heaven consumed the sacrifice, the altar, and the water.

What can we learn from this? Certainly, we must realize that this is a common thing God does when bringing revival. He confronts people’s idols—anything that competes for his allegiance and affection in their hearts. How else do we see this in Scripture? We see this with Israel in Egypt. Often when we think of God delivering Israel from Egypt, we think of him delivering Israel from slavery and oppression, which was certainly part of it. However, he was also delivering them from worshipping the Egyptian gods. It’s clear that this had become a problem for Israel because soon after they were delivered from Egypt, they made a golden calf to worship while waiting for Moses who was on Mount Sinai (Ex 32).

Because of their idolatry, when God was delivering them, he continually showed his power over the Egyptian gods. Each of the ten plagues were confrontations with these gods. When God made it dark for three days (Ex 10), he confronted Ra, the sun god. When God turned the Nile river into blood (Ex 7), he was confronting the god of the Nile. In fact, consider what God said when he brought the last plague in Exodus 12:12:

I will pass through the land of Egypt in the same night, and I will attack all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord.

Through the plagues, God was executing judgment on the Egyptians and their gods, so that the Egyptians would know their gods weren’t real but also so Israel would know.

Likewise, we see God becoming angry at the Northern Kingdom of Israel for worshiping pagan gods in the book of Hosea, where he calls them adulterers (cf. Hos 2:2). In Hosea 8:5-6, God said this to Israel:

O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol! My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, even though they are Israelites! That idol was made by a workman—it is not God! The calf idol of Samaria will be broken to bits.

When God is going to bring revival, he often confronts the idols of people and at times destroys them.

In the New Testament, I also believe we see this when Paul brought the Gospel to Ephesus in Acts 19. The Ephesians were known for their witchcraft; therefore, when the Gospel went there, God made himself known through great miracles, which demonstrated his superior power over the evil spirits and dark practices of the Ephesians. Acts 19:11-12 says,

God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands, so that when even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his body were brought to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

Consequently, many came to the Lord. Those who practiced witchcraft began to gather their books and burn them in front of everybody. The cost was 50,000 silver coins (Acts 19:18-19). By doing extraordinary miracles, God confronted the evil spirits and witchcraft in that city, bringing a great revival.

Does this happen today? Certainly. In places that are animistic and steeped in witchcraft, God often ministers in very charismatic ways—delivering people from demons, healing people, sometimes even doing dramatic things with the weather, etc.—so there will be a revival. He confronts the idols of the people and demonstrates his power over them. Some wonder why this doesn’t commonly happen in modern countries like America or Korea. I believe God does do this; he just does it in different ways because we have different idols. Certainly, in many modern countries that don’t really believe in the supernatural, God confronts their idols in natural ways. He confronts the gods of false intellectualism through apologetics, scientific discoveries, archaeology, and strong biblical teaching. Sometimes, he confronts the idols of the stock market and money through recessions to help deliver people from the idolatry of “Mammon” (Matt 6:24 KJV). God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When he begins to bring revival, he often confronts people’s idols which control their hearts.

Application Question: How should we respond to the fact that God often confronts and destroys our idols in order to bring revival in our lives and communities?

1. Because God confronts people’s idols to bring revival, we must constantly test our hearts to discern what may be stealing our affection and time away from God, so we can repent.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it are the sources of life.” Likewise, in Psalm 139:23-24, David prayed: “Examine me, and probe my thoughts! Test me, and know my concerns! See if there is any idolatrous tendency in me, and lead me in the reliable ancient path!” We must guard our hearts against any “idolatrous tendency”—whether that be entertainment, career, relationships, money, sexual immorality, false teaching, or anything else. We must continually ask ourselves, “Are we putting anything before God and his will for our lives?” “Is there anything that we’re putting too much time and energy into which is keeping us from reading God’s Word, prayer, worship with the saints, and service to him?” If so, we must repent by either getting rid of those things or reorganizing our time so that God is prioritized. As God told the church of Ephesus, he must be our first love—our priority—lest he remove our lampstand (Rev 2). We cannot have revival if there are idols in our lives, even as Israel could not.

2. Because God confronts people’s idols to bring revival, we must wisely and humbly confront the idols of others.

This takes tremendous discernment and humility because we cannot read people’s hearts, at least not without a tendency to misjudge. With that said, in Luke 6:45, Christ said from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Typically, a person who idolizes money and prestige will constantly talk about it and pursue it. A person who idolizes their religious works will constantly brag about them, like the Pharisees. A person consumed with their physical appearance or what people think of them will constantly display it through their language and actions. A person who loves comfort more than doing God’s will, will demonstrate that through words and actions as well. We can’t hide what’s in our heart, it will always come out. And because of this reality and because we love others, we may at times, in humility, need to point out things that may be hindering God’s best or distracting them from God. Again, this must be done in humility because only God clearly sees the heart, and our eyesight is often clouded because of our own sin (cf. Matt 7:1-5).

In addition, especially for those who have the privilege of teaching God’s Word in a small group, classroom, or even a pulpit, we must be aware of the idols of the culture we minister to. Like Elijah, we must point those things out so those we minister to may be aware of them, set free from them, and continually experience revival in their lives. Each culture has its own idols and those are often reflected in the church, whether it be an unhealthy focus on education, beauty, wealth, success, or conforming to the expectations of others, including family. When James wrote the people he ministered to, he constantly pointed out the sins in that culture. They were honoring the rich and dishonoring the poor (Jam 2:1-7). Some were seeking positions of influence not so much to serve but to be served (Jam 3:1).

To help bring revival in people’s lives, God often confronts their idols and will commonly use us in the process, as he did with Elijah. As John with pastoral care said to the Ephesians, we must also in love say to others, “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).

Application Question: What things do you have a tendency to idolize and put before God and his call on your life (comfort, family, success, entertainment, etc.)? How is God calling you to respond to your idols? What are some common idols in your culture or the culture you minister to? How should we wisely and humbly expose people’s idols so they can be set free and experience revival? In what ways can confronting idols be done unwisely?

When Bringing Revival, God Draws His People into Intercession

When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.”

1 Kings 18:36-37

After the false prophets prayed for approximately twelve hours, Elijah prayed a simple prayer, and God brought fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice. It must be understood that this was not just a prayer for fire from heaven. Elijah prayed that God would “prove” he was God (v. 36) so the people would know that he was “winning back their allegiance” (v. 37). Elijah was praying for revival—that the hearts of adulterous Israel would repent and turn back to God.

With that said, certainly, this was not the only time Elijah prayed for Israel. Though we don’t see him praying in 1 Kings 17:1 when he told Ahab that it would not rain except at his word, James 5:17 says that it stopped raining in response to Elijah’s prayer. Elijah prayed for the drought which revealed that Baal was not in control of the weather, and later he prayed for fire from heaven to demonstrate that God was the true God. No doubt, Elijah had been praying for at least three-and-a-half years for revival in Israel and probably long before that.

Likewise, when there is a revival, it happens in response to prayer. As we start to pray for a family member who is far-away from God, God will often start the process of answering that prayer. As with Israel, he often does it through trials that soften their hearts and turn them away from other idols to the true God. But, this also happens as we pray for our communities, workplaces, churches, cities, and nations. God responds when people pray. And because of this, God often seeks out people like Elijah, who will be devoted to prayer. Ezekiel 22:30 says, “I looked for a man from among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it, but I found no one.” Also, Isaiah 62:6-7 says, “I post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they should keep praying all day and all night. You who pray to the Lord, don’t be silent! Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.”

Perseverance in Prayer

As with Elijah praying for Israel for at least three-and-a-half years, revivals typically don’t happen without perseverance in prayer. Many of our prayers won’t be answered in our lifetime. We’ll pray, God will move us to a new place (and possibly remove the burden) or take us home, and somebody else will take up our prayer burden until God answers it. When God was bringing a harvest in Israel during Christ’s ministry, Christ said this to the disciples in John 4:37-38: “… the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap what you did not work for; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.” Others had prayed, sown seeds of the Word and tears, and yet, the disciples were reaping the harvest without the hard work. Praying continually for a university, a city, or a nation is hard work, but the fruit is worth it. In the context of spiritual warfare, Paul said this in Ephesians 6:18: “With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints.” We must pray for other saints with “all perseverance.”

Application Question: How should we apply the necessity of intercession for revival?

1. Because intercession often precedes revival, we must commit to faithfully praying for it in the areas and people God has called us to.

Again, God sought for a person to stand in the gap and pray but found none (Ez 22:30). No doubt, there were lots of believers in Israel, but most were too busy or too concerned with their own affairs to pray for the lost and for repentance in their nation and others; therefore, God destroyed the land. We must commit to praying long term for lost friends, our church, our community, and our nation because God is seeking for watchmen who will stand in the gap (Is 62:6-7).

2. Because intercession often precedes revival, we must also at times commit to praying for it corporately.

In this text, we only see Elijah praying, but no doubt, he was just part of the faithful remnant that God had preserved, who was also praying for the nation to turn back to God, including the prophets hiding in caves (1 Kgs 19:18). There seem to be special promises and power in corporate prayer. Though this promise is given specifically to Israel, certainly it has applications to the church since it reflects God’s unchanging character. Second Chronicles 7:13-15 says,

When I close up the sky so that it doesn’t rain, or command locusts to devour the land’s vegetation, or send a plague among my people, if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek to please me, and repudiate their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. Now I will be attentive and responsive to the prayers offered in this place.

God told Israel that when his people (plural) humbled themselves in prayer, sought the Lord, and turned from their sin, God would forgive them and heal their land. Certainly, this applies to the remnant of true believers in America, Korea, and other nations who cry out to God with prayer and repentance; often revival and healing will follow. In addition, Christ said this in the context of church discipline in Matthew 18:19-20, “Again, I tell you the truth, if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”

There is a special power in corporate prayer. Because of this reality, it’s wise to initiate women’s prayer meetings for specific causes, men’s prayer meetings, church-wide fasting events, and cooperative prayer with churches in a city. As believers humble themselves before God and agree together for things Scripture says God desires, like the salvation of the lost, righteousness in a nation, and revival in a church or Christian institution, God often moves in a special way in response to his people’s prayers.

Application Question: Why does God require his people to pray in order to get his will done, including bringing revival in the lives of others? What causes, individuals, or people in general do you feel God is calling you to commit to pray for and why?

When Bringing Revival, God’s People Genuinely Repent

When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!” Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed them there.

1 Kings 18:39-40

Finally, after God hears Elijah’s prayer and sends fire to consume the sacrifice on the altar, the people cried out, “the Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!” (v. 39). Then, Elijah commands the people to seize the prophets of Baal and execute each one. Certainly, this seems cruel; however, this was in obedience to what God had called Israel to do with false prophets who tried to lead Israel away from the true God. Deuteronomy 13:4-5 says this:

You must follow the Lord your God and revere only him; and you must observe his commandments, obey him, serve him, and remain loyal to him. As for that prophet or dreamer, he must be executed because he encouraged rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, redeeming you from that place of slavery, and because he has tried to entice you from the way the Lord your God has commanded you to go. In this way you must purge out evil from within.

Again, this may seem cruel, but this demonstrates true repentance. In Mark 9:43-47, Christ said:

If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell.

Christ essentially said, if what we are doing (represented by the hand) is causing us to sin, we should cut it off. If where we are going (represented by the foot) is causing us to sin, we must get rid of it. If what we are watching (represented by the eye) is causing us to sin, we must do the same. This is warfare terminology. Commonly, when ancient armies defeated their enemies, they would gouge out their eyes or cut off their hands or feet, so they would never rise up and defeat them again, as seen with the Philistines gouging out Samson’s eyes (Jdg 16:21, cf. 1 Sam 11:1-2).

The hand, the foot, and the eye are all things dear to us, which could represent a relationship, a job, a hobby, or something else we care about. However, even though they are dear to us, we must get rid of them gladly to be holy. We must get rid of the TV show that we enjoy, the compromising relationship that is hurting our intimacy with God, and stop visiting certain places in order to be holy. Certainly, this demonstrates why many can’t be holy. They love their hand, foot, and eye too much and therefore are not willing to be ruthless in order to be holy. For this reason, revival tarries in their individual lives, and they can’t be used by God to bring revival in the lives of others. We clearly see something of this when Elijah has all the false prophets put to death after confronting them. If Israel would have kept them around, they would have been prone to go back to worshiping Baal. Likewise, we must be ruthless with sin and temptations to sin as well.

This also reminds us of the need to practice church discipline in order for a community to be holy as mentioned earlier. In 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, consider how Paul challenged the Corinthians to treat believers in their church who were walking in unrepentant sin. He said:

I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. In no way did I mean the immoral people of this world, or the greedy and swindlers and idolaters, since you would then have to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is sexually immoral, or greedy, or an idolater, or verbally abusive, or a drunkard, or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person. For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Are you not to judge those inside? But God will judge those outside. Remove the evil person from among you.

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Certainly, this assumes the believers had already been approached one on one, with two or three, and by the church (cf. Matt 18:15-17). Because they still didn’t repent, the church should separate from them in hopes that they will see the seriousness of their sin and return to God. This is hard to do, but it is necessary to help bring revival in the person’s life and the church. Many churches can’t experience revival because they are not willing to be drastic with sin. This leads to them becoming lukewarm and God eventually removing their lampstand—their effectiveness in their community and city. Sadly, many of our once strong denominations are dead because they accepted (and possibly celebrated) sin instead of confronting it. And many Christians who were once on fire and effective at reaching others stopped being so, because they started to accept sin instead of confronting it and getting rid of it in their own lives and their community.

If we are going to experience revival, sin and temptations to sin must be removed which demonstrates genuine repentance. If we tolerate temptations to sin, we will eventually succumb to it, and others will as well.

Application Question: Why is it so difficult to be drastic in getting rid of sin in our lives—plucking out our eyes and cutting off our hands and feet (metaphorically speaking)? What happens if sin is not properly addressed in a community (cf. 1 Cor 5:6, Matt 18:15-17)? What thing is God calling you to be drastic with by getting rid of to be holy and experience deeper intimacy with him (cf. Mk 9:43-47, 2 Cor 6:14-18)?

Conclusion

In 1 Kings 18, God uses Elijah to help bring revival in Israel. What are common steps towards experiencing revival in our personal lives and communities?

When Bringing Revival, God Often Allows Desperate Circumstances to Help People Recognize Their Weakness and Depend More on Him
When Bringing Revival, God Often Raises Up the Righteous to Faithfully, Boldly, and Sacrificially Serve Others
When Bringing Revival, God Often Unifies Believers So They Can More Effectively Complete His Work Together
When Bringing Revival, God Uses the Righteous to Confront Sin, Even at Great Risk to Themselves
When Bringing Revival, God Confronts and Destroys People’s Idols
When Bringing Revival, God Draws His People into Intercession
When Bringing Revival, God’s People Genuinely Repent

Application Question: How is God calling you to participate in bringing spiritual renewal in your personal life and community?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that God would expose our personal, communal, and national sins and idols, forgive us, and bring repentance. Confess corporate sins such as abortion, family, church, and political division, and the idolatry of education, wealth, and beauty, among other sins, which hinder revival.
Pray that God would renew a spirit of intercession in our personal lives and our churches. Pray that God would raise up watchmen who will not give him rest until God brings righteousness.
Pray that God would bring revival in his church and the cities and countries they reside in—that through the church God would reach the lost.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

^¹ Guzik, D. (2005). 1 Kings (1 Ki 18:22–24). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

² Charles R. Swindoll. Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Great Lives From God’s Word 5: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll) (Kindle Locations 865-866). Kindle Edition.

³ Getz, Gene A.. Men of Character: Elijah: Remaining Steadfast Through Uncertainty . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

⁴ Accessed 3/27/2021 from https://www.encyclopedia.com/places/asia/middle-eastern-physical-geography/mount-carmel

⁵ Accessed 3/27/2021 from https://www.encyclopedia.com/places/asia/middle-eastern-physical-geography/mount-carmel

⁶ Charles R. Swindoll. Elijah: A Man of Heroism and Humility (Great Lives From God’s Word 5: Profiles in Character from Charles R. Swindoll) (Kindle Location 921). Kindle Edition.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

9. Marks Of A Powerful Prayer Life (1 Kings 18:41-46)

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Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.”So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times Elijah sent him to look. The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel. Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

1 Kings 18:41-46 (NET)

What are marks of a powerful prayer life? If we were honest, many of us struggle with prayer and desire to be more effective at it. In Scripture, Elijah is described as a powerful intercessor. In James 5, we are encouraged to receive prayer from our elders and others to receive healing based on the power of Elijah’s prayers. James 5:16b-18 says,

…The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.

Elijah’s ministry was marked by powerful prayer. As James mentioned, in 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah declared it wouldn’t rain except at his command, and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. In the same chapter, he prayed for a widow’s dead son to be resurrected—leading to the first resurrection in Scripture. Then in Chapter 18, in a confrontation with the false prophets of Baal, he prayed for God to send fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice on the altar, and God did so. Then, here at the end of Chapter 18, Elijah prayed for it to rain after three and a half years of drought, and it did. Elijah’s intercession is a model of a powerful prayer life.

Similar to Elijah, when the narrators share Christ’s story, they want us to know that prayer was the secret to his powerful ministry. In Luke 4, Christ fasts and prays for forty days while being tempted by the devil. After completing that season of prayer and fasting, he left the wilderness “in the power of the Spirit” (Lk 4:14) and began his three-year ministry. He preached with wisdom and boldness, cast out demons, and healed people. Even throughout this ministry, the narrators continually show Christ sneaking away from his disciples to deserted places to pray (Mk 1:35). In fact, before selecting his twelve apostles, he spent the night in prayer (Lk 6:12-13). Before he went to the cross, he spent three hours in prayer with his disciples (Matt 26:36-46). His life was marked by prayer. Likewise, Christ continually taught his disciples how to pray, modeled prayer for them, and took them to deserted places to pray (Matt 6, Lk 11). He did this because God has chosen to complete his will on the earth through humanity, and it won’t be completed apart from prayer.

Therefore, as those called to serve God as parents, educators, students, businessmen, government employees, missionaries, and members of God’s church, we must continually remind ourselves of our need to pray and seek to pray more effectively.

In 1 Kings 18:41-46, Elijah prays for it to rain after there had been a drought for three and a half years, and it rains. And this story, as mentioned, is just part of the larger narrative that details Elijah’s powerful prayer life. Consequently, as we consider this narrative, we can discern marks of a powerful prayer life.

Big Question: What marks or characteristics of a powerful prayer life can we discern from Elijah’s example in 1 Kings 18:41-46?

A Powerful Prayer Life Is Rooted in Faith—Believing God’s Promises and Trusting His Character

1 Kings 18:41-42

It is very clear in this narrative that Elijah had faith God would answer his prayer for rain. In verse 41, he tells Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.” However, as we see shortly after, there was no rain or signs of rain. He tells his servant to go and look for a cloud, but it’s clear skies. Clearly, Elijah told Ahab to celebrate the rain showers in faith, though there was no visible evidence of it.

Likewise, if we are going to have a powerful prayer life, we must have faith as well, which includes trust in God’s goodness and sovereignty over all things, his desire to answer our prayers, and that he will always do what is best. James 1:5-8 says that faith is a prerequisite to having our prayers answered and that without it, God will not answer them. He says:

But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

Also, Christ said in Matthew 17:20 if we have faith the size of a mustard seed that we could move mountains, which was probably a colloquial saying referring to trials in general.

Application Question: If faith is needed to have a powerful prayer life, we must ask, “How can we develop our faith?”

1. Faith is developed through studying and knowing God’s Word.

Elijah knew it was going to rain because God had previously told him that it would. In 1 Kings 18:1, God said, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.” Because Elijah was living in an intimate relationship with God, he knew God’s will for this situation. In addition, since the drought was a consequence of idolatry that God had promised in the Mosaic law (Dt 11:16-17), it was clear that when there was true repentance, God would remove the consequences—it would begin to rain again. Elijah knew God’s Word and therefore approached God in faith.

Likewise, if we do not know God’s Word and continually study it, we will have little faith and therefore not see God move in special ways. In Romans 10:17 (ESV), Paul says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” If we are continually in God’s Word, we will know his will and his character and therefore have greater faith in God. In John 15:7, Christ said it this way, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.” Apart from abiding in God’s Word, we will have little faith in God and experience few answered prayers.

Now certainly, God’s Word does not tell us whether God will open the door to a certain job we are praying for, heal a specific sickness, or even save a specific person, but for those situations, it does tell us about God’s character. And the more we know God’s character, the more we will trust God to do what is best, whether that means healing or not healing, closing or opening a door. God honors that type of faith (cf. Lk 22:42). If we neglect God’s Word, we will have little faith and therefore have an anemic prayer life. Faith comes from knowing God’s Word.

2. Faith is received as a grace from God, often in response to prayer.

Often, God gives faith as a supernatural gift to those who don’t have it. In Ephesians 2:8, it is clear that even our ability to believe the gospel is a gift of God’s grace. It says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” In addition, in 1 Corinthians 12:9, Paul teaches that God gives some people the spiritual gift of “faith.” These people have a tremendous ability to believe God’s promises in Scripture and the promises God sows in their hearts. They are often the founders of churches, Christian universities, and ministries. Most who have this gift receive it at salvation, along with their other gifts, but God may supernaturally give this gift later in life, which is why Paul encourages Christians to “be eager for the greater gifts” (1 Cor 12:31).

Likewise, God often gives faith as a gift to those who pray for it (whether it be a spiritual gift or simply a temporary spiritual endowment). In Mark 9:23, Christ told a man who had a son who was afflicted by a demon that all things were possible if he believed, including the healing of his son. In response, the man cried, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Because he struggled with believing that Jesus could or would heal his son, he spoke both a declaration and a petition, “I believe; help my unbelief!” Similarly, when the disciples struggled with the concept of continually forgiving people that hurt them, they cried out in Luke 17:5, “Increase our faith!”

Therefore, we will also at times need to pray for increased faith to forgive someone who hurt us, to persevere through a difficult season in life, and/or to have power to serve in a situation that is out of our comfort zone or gifting. We all struggle with unbelief, and therefore, it is appropriate to cry out for faith, “Lord, increase our faith! Lord, help our unbelief!” Christ healed the son of the man who prayed this, and no doubt, God also empowered the disciples to forgive. Our faith is often increased as a grace from God in response to our requests for it.

3. Faith is increased through experiences of God’s faithfulness.

No doubt, Elijah had faith that God would make it rain, in part, because he had experienced God stopping the rain for three and a half years in response to his prayer. He also had just experienced God bringing fire from heaven and turning Israel back to himself. No doubt, his experiences helped him to trust God more. Likewise, our faith is fueled by our experiences of God’s faithfulness. As we see God multiply our jars of oil to feed us, provide food from ravens in a famine, conquer our enemies who outnumber us, move mountains, and open and close doors, those experiences will commonly increase our faith. This is why seasoned saints are often less anxious in trials than young believers. They simply have more history with God. (1) This is part of the reason we need to share our testimonies with others. It will often help increase our faith, as we remember God’s faithfulness, and also help the faith of others. Psalm 107:2 (NIV) says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe.” (2) Also, since remembering our past victories often fuels our faith, it is important to document our prayer requests and God’s answers to them and possibly establish ways to continually celebrate them. It is very easy to forget God’s grace. When God parted the Jordan River so Israel could pass over to Canaan on dry land, he had them take twelve stones out of the river so they would remember (Josh 4). Also, when God did something special, the patriarchs would often build an altar in remembrance and name it. This helped them remember God’s past graces and have faith for future graces. Likewise, we should do things to remember God’s grace as well, including journaling our prayer requests and answers, taking pictures, making videos, or even establishing anniversary days to remember and celebrate. These can be very helpful in renewing and strengthening our faith in God.

Application Question: What are some significant events or experiences where you saw God move in your life in a special way which helped strengthen your faith? What are some seasons in which you struggled with doubting God’s love and grace? Why is it important to remember the victories God has given us? How should we practice remembering these victories, and have you ever implemented acts of remembrance to celebrate, honor God, and increase your faith?

A Powerful Prayer Life Springs from Humility—Recognizing Our Weakness and Need for God

So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees.

1 Kings 18:42

The next thing we can discern from this narrative is Elijah’s humility. It says after he went up to the top of Carmel, he bent down to the ground with his face between his knees as he prayed to God. This act symbolized Elijah’s humility before God and his dependence on God. Humility is very important for having an effective prayer life. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.” God gives grace to the humble in part by answering their prayers (cf. Jam 4:2-3).

A great example of the need for humility in prayer is seen in the Parable of the Tax Collector and Pharisee. Luke 18:9-14 says:

Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else. “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!’ I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

In the Pharisee’s prayer, he stood and boasted about his righteousness while mocking sinners. But the tax collector prayed in a humble way before God, recognizing that he was a sinner who didn’t deserve anything from God, and God blessed him. Christ said the tax collector went home justified rather than the Pharisee. God will humble the one who exalts himself and exalt the one who humbles himself.

Therefore, humility, not just in prayer but as a lifestyle, is important for prayer. With Moses, Scripture says he was the humblest man on the earth (Num 12) and therefore God spoke to him face to face like a friend, not in dreams as with others. Like Elijah, God also did many mighty miracles through Moses’ life. With Paul, God allowed him to have a demon in the flesh, probably some type of disease, to keep him humble, so God’s power would be made perfect in his weakness (1 Cor 12:7-9). Often, God will allow trials in our lives to humble us, so God can bless us and use our prayers more mightily.

Application Question: Since pride so commonly infects the religious (including those who serve in ministry) and renders their prayer lives ineffective, we must ask ourselves, “How can we know whether we are prideful instead of humble?”

1. We can tell whether we are prideful by how we view and talk about ourselves.

If we are prideful, we will tend to have a high opinion of ourselves. In fact, we will often talk about ourselves, including our accomplishments and abilities, so others can share our high opinion of ourselves. Also, we might continually try to find ways to show others our accomplishments like the Pharisees did. In Matthew 6:1-18, Christ described how they often prayed on the public street corners to be seen by others. When they fasted, they made sure everybody knew about it. When they gave, they sounded the trumpet so everybody could see their generosity and piousness. As mentioned in Luke 18:9-14, they even made sure God knew about their good works by boasting in their prayers. We should be very careful if we always desire for others to know about our accomplishments and successes. It’s a sign of a prideful heart, and it will hinder our prayers. Personally, I can remember as a young student being the one who got an A on a test and always feeling the need to let others know about it. If others didn’t know, it’s like it didn’t happen. I was the guy asking everybody, “What did you get? What did you get?” so I could tell them what I got. We must be careful of a desire to be seen and approved by others. It’s especially easy for this subtle spirit of pride to infect the hearts of those serving in ministry, even as it had infected the Pharisees. It’s easy for pastors, elders, worship leaders, youth ministers, and the like, to have the same prideful motives and therefore lack power in their prayers.

To protect ourselves from prideful motives, Christ said we should practice secrecy in our giving, fasting, praying, and any other good works (Matt 6:1-18). This will protect our hearts from its prideful tendency to want to be seen and applauded by others.

2. We can tell whether we are prideful by how we view and treat others.

Again, as seen in the Parable of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee, the Pharisee looked down on and criticized the tax collector for being a sinner. The Pharisee built himself up by bringing others down. A judgmental spirit that continually puts down others who fail at something or don’t meet our standards is rooted in pride. Be very careful of a judgmental spirit that always criticizes leadership, those who serve, or even those who don’t meet our societal expectations in education, money, clothing, or beauty. That’s all a symptom of a proud heart which will hinder the effectiveness of our prayers. God exalts the humble and humbles the proud. We must beware of pride in our hearts and practice humility as a discipline—serving in secret and putting others before ourselves.

Someone rightly described humility as not thinking less of oneself but simply thinking less about oneself and more about God and others, which is what God honors.

Application Question: What is humility, why is it important for prayer, and how can we grow in it? What are marks of pride in the life of a believer? Why must we so vigilantly guard against pride in our hearts?

A Powerful Prayer Life Is Persistent Even during Discouragements

So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times Elijah sent him to look. The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel.

1 Kings 18:42-45

After Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and began to pray for rain, he asked his servant to “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea” (v. 42). Apparently, though Elijah had climbed to the top of Carmel, there was a higher part of the mountain where the servant could climb and get a better view of the sea and the sky. After the servant had climbed to the peak and looked around, he returned and told Elijah, “There is nothing” (v. 43). This happened six more times as Elijah continued to pray. Eventually, the servant reported a small cloud in the distance which was the size of the palm of a hand. Soon after, dark clouds covered the sky and there was a heavy thunderstorm. This part of the narrative demonstrates that Elijah was persistent in prayer despite discouragements. This is another characteristic of a powerful prayer life.

We see the need for persevering prayer in the story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman who approached Christ about casting a demon out of her daughter in Matthew 15:21-28. She approached him several times asking for the healing of her daughter. First, Christ simply didn’t reply. While he was quiet, his disciples begged him to send her away. Then, Christ finally responded by saying, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” In response, she simply cried out, “Lord, help me” (Matt 15:24). In response, Christ said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs” (Matt 15:26). But she replied, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table” (Matt 15:27). Finally, Christ declared, “Woman, your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you” (Matt 15:28).

It seems clear that it was not that Christ did not want to help the woman and her daughter. He did. But, he also wanted the delayed answer to develop her faith; therefore she needed to persevere through apparent rejections.

Likewise, for us, the development of our character is more important to God than a specific trial being removed or us receiving the desires of our heart. Therefore, he will often delay answering our prayers—allowing perseverance to do its work in us, developing greater faith, character, and hope. James 1:4 simply says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” And Romans 5:3-4 says, “Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.”

With some prayers, we will get a definite, “No,” as God closes the door or speaks definitively in our hearts. With Paul, when he asked God to remove his thorn in the flesh, God simply said, “No,” because the burden served a greater purpose in his life—keeping him humble and allowing God to empower him for great works (2 Cor 12:7-9). With other prayers, we’ll pray, and God may not accomplish our request in our lifetime. He will take us home or remove the burden, and somebody else will pick it up and pray until God accomplishes his will. Other times, God may quickly answer affirmatively. We certainly saw that when Elijah prayed for fire to come from heaven, and it quickly did. But at other times, there is a need to persevere, as God does a special work in our hearts and others and then grants our request.

There are great benefits to persevering in prayer. (1) It conforms our hearts to God’s will and develops our character. (2) It removes hindrances to God’s work and opens the door to great moves of God in our personal lives, communities, and the nations.

As we consider the need for persevering prayer, we must ask ourselves these questions: “What situations has God called us to persevere in praying over? How is God working on our hearts and developing our character in the waiting process? Is faith coming out or worry, anger, bitterness, doubt, and other sins?” Persistent prayer is a mark of a powerful prayer life. As with Elijah and the Canaanite widow, it demonstrates great faith and pleases God.

Application Question: Why are we so prone to sinful attitudes and actions in seasons where God has called us to simply pray and wait? What has God called you to persevere in prayer about, and what is God accomplishing in your heart as you wait?

A Powerful Prayer Life Makes a Powerful Disciple

Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel. Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

1 Kings 18:44b-46

After Elijah spends time in persevering prayer, not only does God answer by bringing rain, but there is also a residual power in Elijah’s life from his time in prayer. Elijah tells Ahab to leave in his chariot because it was about to rain, and as Ahab rides to Jezreel, the Lord empowers Elijah to run ahead of Ahab all the way there—a 14-mile cross-country run.¹ Likewise, continual time in prayer brings power in the life of God’s followers. We see this throughout Scripture. As mentioned previously, after Christ fasted for forty days, Scripture says he left the wilderness in “the power of the Spirit.” It was after he fasted that he began his preaching, healing, and exorcism ministry. Likewise, in Acts 4, after the apostles were forbidden by the Pharisees to speak in Christ’s name, they called a prayer meeting. Acts 4:31 says, “When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God courageously.” The building was shaken, and they were filled with the Spirit to speak boldly. In fact, when we neglect our prayer time, we will lack spiritual power. In Mark 9:29, though Christ had given the disciples power to cast out demons, they were unable to heal a young boy. After Christ healed him, they asked why they were not able to. Christ simply replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” The disciples had neglected consistent times of prayer and therefore did not have the spiritual power to cast out the demon, or they simply needed to pray more and longer to break that type of stronghold. How often does this happen to us? How often do we lack power to help someone or change a situation because of a lack of intercessory prayer?

A powerful prayer life makes a powerful disciple. Elijah’s prayer life led to the rain stopping for three and a half years, a child being resurrected, fire falling from heaven, rain falling after a severe drought, and him also outrunning a chariot of horses.

Why does the church lack power? It’s because the church doesn’t pray as it should, both individually and corporately. Therefore, when someone needs a word of wisdom, it’s hard to find. When someone needs a prophetic voice, there is silence. When someone needs healing, it can’t be found. A powerful prayer life makes a powerful disciple; therefore, we must above all make time to pray.

Application Question: If there is so much power in prayer, why do believers often struggle with consistently praying? In what ways have you experienced spiritual power through prayer and other spiritual disciplines?

Application

Application Question: Since prayer is so important, what are some simple disciplines that will help enhance our prayer life?

1. To enhance our prayer life, we must routinely set aside times to pray.

Like with any discipline, we must take time to do it. Yes, we are called to pray without ceasing (1 Thess 5:16). However, without set times of intimate prayer with God, our spontaneous prayers throughout the day won’t be as rich and fluid. For example, my wife and I try to have regular date nights to focus on undistracted communication and enjoyment of each other. Having a date night doesn’t mean we don’t talk at other times. We have a date night in order to enhance our routine, daily communication. This discipline makes us less prone to miscommunicate. This is true of prayer. Having regular focused times of prayer will enhance our spontaneous praying throughout the day

We should select times to focus on prayer and guard them. A great time to do this—apart from distractions—is in the morning. In the Psalms, the writers often talk about seeking the Lord in the morning. Consider the following verses: Psalm 119:147 says, “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 5:3 says, “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” Similarly, Christ often got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went to pray (Mk 1:35). The morning is a great time for us to focus on prayer as well. It is harder to be distracted when nobody else is up and the daily grind hasn’t begun.

Another interesting thought to consider is that we often don’t pray because we feel like we don’t have enough time. However, prayer maximizes our time. Martin Luther understood this. A famous quote of his is, “I have so much to do today that I’m going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done.” He realized that time devoted to prayer typically makes the rest of the day more productive. It will make us more effective at work and in relationships with others—we will accomplish more. The reason this is true is because through devoted prayer we invite the Divine, not only into our great tasks and trials, but also our mundane. The Lord maximizes the time of those who maximize their time with him. Certainly, we will find this true, as many others have.

Are we setting aside fixed times to be with the Lord?

2. To enhance our prayer life, we must choose a quiet place to regularly meet with God.

In Matthew 6:6, Christ called us to go into our room and close the door—to seek the Lord in secret. He practiced this himself, as he commonly went on a mountain to pray (cf. Lk 6:12, 9:28, Matt 14:23). In Acts 10:9, Peter went on his rooftop to pray. Where do we go to get alone, away from distractions, to focus on God? It doesn’t necessarily have to be a room; it can be a routine. It could be a walk in the morning. It could be putting on our headphones to listen to worship while bringing our requests before God. Where is your secret place? What is your routine where you meet with God? Christ had one and so did his apostles (cf. Acts 6:4, 10:9). We should have one as well.

3. To enhance our prayer life, we must constantly study and obey God’s Word.

If prayer is talking to God, meditating on God’s Word is God talking to us. We can’t have a healthy prayer life if we are not hearing God speak back. A one-sided conversation is never very productive. Prayer flows out of regular meditation on God’s Word. In fact, our faithfulness to God’s Word leads to answered prayer. As mentioned, in John 15:7-8, Christ said: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

How can Christ’s words “remain” in us? They remain in us by consistently studying them—where we think about them all day long. They also remain in us as we daily obey them. When a person does this, Christ says their prayers will be effective. God will answer their prayers.

4. To enhance our prayer life, we must regularly pray with others.

Since Christ is our perfect example in all things including prayer, we must see that he not only prayed individually but also modeled and taught corporate prayer. When Christ went to pray right before going to the cross, he brought three disciples to pray with him (Matt 26). He did the same at his transfiguration on the mount (Matt 17). In fact, the Lord’s Prayer is in the plural: “our Father,” “our trespasses,” “our daily bread,” and “deliver us from evil” (Matt 6:9-13). Though Christ emphasized and practiced individual prayer, he also focused on his and our need to pray corporately. We must do both. Corporate prayer enhances our prayer life, and Scripture says it is especially powerful. Matthew 18:19-20 says: “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

For this reason, we should commonly share our problems, concerns, and ambitions with others so they can pray in agreement with us. When we don’t do this, we spiritually impoverish ourselves. It’s like the eye saying to the hand, “I don’t need you.” We need the prayers of the body of Christ. When others agree with us in prayer, our prayers are more powerful.

Application Question: How would you currently rate your prayer life on a scale of 1 to 10, and why? What disciplines have you found most helpful to your prayer life?

Conclusion

What are marks of a powerful prayer life?

A Powerful Prayer Life Is Rooted in Faith—Believing God’s Promises and Trusting His Character
A Powerful Prayer Life Springs from Humility—Recognizing Our Weakness and Need for God
A Powerful Prayer Life Is Persistent Even during Discouragements
A Powerful Prayer Life Makes a Powerful Disciple

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that God would increase our faith—that we would know his Word and trust him regardless of our situations or circumstances.
Pray that God would deliver us from pride and independence, which will hinder our prayers, and enable us to approach him with humility and trust.
Pray that God would give his church grace to grow in persevering prayer for his people and kingdom even during discouragements and difficult situations.
Pray that God would empower his church to boldly preach his Word, bring healing to others, persevere through trials and attacks, and do mighty works for God.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Guzik, David. 1 Kings. 2005.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

10. Overcoming Bouts With Depression (1 Kings 19:1-21)

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Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, including a detailed account of how he killed all the prophets with the sword. Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with this warning, “May the gods judge me severely if by this time tomorrow I do not take your life as you did theirs!” Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” He stretched out and fell asleep under the shrub. All of a sudden an angelic messenger touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked and right there by his head was a cake baking on hot coals and a jug of water. He ate and drank and then slept some more. The Lord’s angelic messenger came back again, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, for otherwise you won’t be able to make the journey.” So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm 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. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.” Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.

1 Kings 19:1-21 (NET)

How should we overcome seasons of depression and discouragement? Depression is the leading cause of disability in the world, with 264 million people of all ages being affected by it.¹ Statistics say that 1 in 4 women and 1 out of 10 men will be diagnosed with clinical depression at some point in their life.² Researchers say men’s stats are lower probably because they are less likely to share their feelings and seek help.³

Some of the people that God has used the most have struggled with depression. Charles Spurgeon, who is often considered the greatest preacher since Paul, would commonly take two to three months off to go to a resort in France because he was so depressed. He also would have days where he wouldn’t leave his couch.⁴ He considered these fits so common to a minister that he wrote a whole chapter on it in his book, Lectures to My Students. It’s called the “Ministers Fainting Fits.” We all have times of fainting. Martin Lloyd Jones also thought this was a common and perplexing issue for Christians in general. Since Christians have so much to be thankful for, why do we so commonly struggle with discouragement and depression? As a trained medical doctor and well-known pastor, he wrote a whole book addressing the issue called Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure.

Again, many great leaders have struggled with it. Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest American presidents once said this: “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were distributed to the whole human family, there would not be one cheerful face on earth. ... To remain as I am is impossible. I must die to be better.”⁵ Here in this text, Elijah, one of the greatest prophets and spiritual heroes in the Bible, has a season of depression. During it, he cries out to God to take his life (1 Kgs 19:4). Likewise, Moses, while dealing with the demands of ministry and difficult people, cried out the same in Numbers 11:15. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul talked about how in his ministry in Asia he was “burdened excessively” beyond his strength and that he “despaired even of living.” In Matthew 26:38, Christ said before going to the cross that his soul was “deeply grieved, even to the point of death.”

If some of the greatest that God has ever used, including his Son, struggled with depression and discouragement, certainly, we will at times struggle with it as well. Therefore, as we consider this narrative where Elijah struggled with depression and God helped restore him, we can find basic principles that will help us work through our bouts with depression and help us help others struggling with it.

Big Question: What principles about overcoming depression can we discern from Elijah’s struggle with it and how God ministered to him in 1 Kings 19:1-21?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Beware of Circumstances Which Might Trigger it and Minimize Them When Possible

1 Kings 19:1-2

At the end of 1 Kings 18, Ahab had gathered 850 false prophets to confront Elijah on Mount Carmel. There, Elijah challenged them to prepare a sacrifice and pray for Baal to send fire from heaven on the sacrifice. After they had cried out to Baal for many hours with no response, Elijah prepared an altar, had buckets of water poured over it, prayed to the God of heaven, and God sent fire. Then, Elijah had all the false prophets killed and later prayed for rain, and it rained after a three-and-a-half-year drought. Ahab then left Carmel by chariot back to Jezreel where his wife Jezebel was staying. No doubt, Jezebel had seen the rain and assumed there was some victory on behalf of her prophets. However, there was not. Ahab gave her bad news instead. All the prophets of Baal were dead because of Elijah. She wasn’t happy that there was rain after a three-and-a-half-year drought, and she wasn’t ready to submit to God. Like Pharaoh, who saw many of God’s miracles, her heart was hardened, and therefore, she promised Elijah that he would die within a twenty-four-hour period.

When Elijah heard this, he fled for his life and eventually asked God to take his life, which was a sign of his struggle with depression. As we consider the events surrounding Elijah’s struggle with depression, we can discern common circumstances that trigger bouts with depression.

Application Question: What are common circumstances that trigger depression, especially as seen in the narrative with Elijah?

1. After experiencing great highs, it’s common to experience deep lows.

Elijah had just achieved a major victory against the false prophets of Baal, Israel had repented of their sins, and God had used him to stop the drought. This was a great victory indeed. However, after great victories, we’re very prone to great emotional lows. Part of this is our natural body chemistry. After running on adrenaline to accomplish some great goal (like completing midterms or some major project) and having the excitement after, it’s normal for the body to at times swing to the opposite extreme by struggling with emotional and physical fatigue, as the body chemistry adjusts back to normal. Sometimes, this emotional/physical fatigue can last a long time, especially when we’ve been running on adrenaline and caffeine to accomplish the task for a long period. In addition, from a spiritual side, after a major spiritual victory—a wonderful time at Sunday worship, finishing a weekend retreat, or mission trip—in the celebration and excitement, we tend to lower our guard, relax, and the enemy who does not rest attacks us. This is very normal and that probably happened to Elijah. After a major success, he was vulnerable.

2. Before major ministries, it’s common to experience deep lows.

Though we don’t see this with Elijah, it has been the common experience of many. Charles Spurgeon said this about his experience of depression before great victories as he counseled the pastors at his college:

This depression comes over me whenever the Lord is preparing a larger blessing for my ministry; the cloud is black before it breaks, and overshadows before it yields its deluge of mercy. Depression has now become to me as a prophet in rough clothing, a John the Baptist heralding the nearer coming of my Lord’s richer blessing; so have far better men found it. The scouring of the vessel has fitted it for the Master’s use. Immersion in suffering has preceded the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Fasting gives an appetite for the banquet. The Lord is revealed in the backside of the desert, while His servant keeps the sheep and waits in solitary awe. The wilderness is the way to Canaan. The low valley leads to the towering mountain. Defeat prepares for victory. The raven is sent forth before the dove. The darkest hour of the night precedes the day’s dawn.⁶

Many others have experienced this as well, right before preaching, leading worship, ministering to someone in conflict or caught in sin, and other types of ministry. The night often comes before the day. Before major victories, there is often a low.

3. When experiencing a major disappointment, it’s common to experience deep lows.

With Elijah, no doubt he was expecting positive news after God had defeated Baal and his prophets and restarted the rain after years of drought. Israel had repented. Ahab had listened to Elijah when he told him to celebrate because rain was coming and then soon told him to head home before he was overtaken by the rain. Surely, things would be better in Israel after many years of rebellion and three and a half years of drought and famine. However, after Ahab got back and gave the bad news to Jezebel, she reacted harshly and promised to kill Elijah. Certainly, this must have shocked Elijah. He probably expected a season of peace, righteousness, and probably economic stability in Israel, only to find out he was still a fugitive. This unexpected outcome, no doubt, contributed to Elijah’s depression. For the person who found out he lost his scholarship or job, or who discovered that he has cancer, or who had great dreams of happiness in marriage but now his or her mate is asking for a divorce, or who just lost a friend or family member, bouts with depression are not uncommon. We should be aware of those tendencies when we experience major disappointments, so we can guard our hearts against the lows that follow. Also, we should be aware of those tendencies when others experience them. It’s at those times that we need to reach out to lend a sympathetic ear, provide a meal, ask to babysit their kids to give them time to recover and at times grieve appropriately. Battling with bouts of depression is common after experiencing major disappointments.

4. When continually overworking without rest, it’s common to experience deep lows.

Not only had Elijah worked hard in confronting the false prophets of Baal and praying for rain to end the drought, but when it began to rain, he ran fourteen miles to Jezreel (1 Kgs 18:46). Then, after Elijah heard Jezebel was going to kill him, he fled 80 miles to Beersheba.⁷ After getting to Beersheba and leaving his servant there (v. 3), he then traveled a day’s journey into the desert (v. 4). Apparently, there was no time to rest because soon after the day’s travel, Elijah just collapsed in exhaustion and began to sleep (v. 5). There is an old Greek proverb that says, “You will break the bow if you keep it always bent.” This means if we’re constantly living under stress and not resting, we will ultimately break under the pressure. Maybe, that was happening with Elijah as well. In the Gospels, Christ, as the perfect human, demonstrated his need for rest. He would at times go away, leaving the ministry, and rest. He would also encourage his disciples to rest as well (Mk 6:31).

When God instituted the Sabbath for Israel, he instituted it to deliver them from the idolatry of work. Work, success, and accomplishment can at times become our god—our primary pursuit—and by taking a weekly sabbath day and resting, it heals and restores our bodies and delivers us from the idolatry of work. Now, certainly, we are not under the law and are not required to cease work from Friday evening till Saturday evening as the Jews were, but the sabbath principle continues. Christ said, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27). Sabbath is not our master, but by taking a sabbath, we will have more joy and productivity in life. Ray Pritchard eloquently summed up our need to rest this way:

There is a time when you need to get up and go to work, and there is a time when you need to lie down and take a nap. Sometimes the best thing we can do for the Lord is to take a vacation. Play tennis. Ride your bike. Watch a football game. Knit a sweater. Have a date with your sweetheart. Play with your grandchildren. Eat an ice cream cone. Take an evening, make some popcorn, sit on the couch, and watch a video. There are times when God’s work demands strenuous action. And there is a time when you need to sit in the recliner, crank it back, get a bowl of Cheetos and a Coke, pick up the remote control, and watch ESPN for a while. There is a time to be active and busy, and there is a time to relax. There is a time to write, a time to work, a time to preach, and a time to put on your helmet and go ride your bicycle. Solomon reminded us in Ecclesiastes 3 that there is a time for everything under the sun.⁸

Likewise, Gene Getz shared a helpful story that illustrates how rest leads to more productivity:

I’m reminded of two men who started a journey across the great northland with two separate dog teams. One driver decided to stop and rest his dogs every seventh day. The other man decided to drive his dogs straight through.

At the end of the first week, one of the men—as planned—stopped his team and rested all that day. The other man continued to travel. By the end of the next week, the man who had rested his dogs, nearly caught up with the man who traveled straight through. But again, he stopped to rest his team on the seventh day. By the end of the third week, the one who had rested his team had passed the man who traveled straight through—and in the end reached the final destination far ahead. All of us need rest and recuperation. This is part of God’s plan for all of us. Though we are not under Old Testament law, the principles still apply. Experience verifies it.⁹

Be careful of overwork, it will steal our joy and strength. It’s clear that this was a problem with Elijah because when God first ministers to him through an angel, he just allows Elijah to sleep, eat, and recover (v. 5-8). Again, a bow that is always bent will eventually break. It is no surprise that Satan tempted Christ at the end of forty days of fasting in the wilderness when he was hungry and weak (Matt 4:2-3). Satan often does the same to us when we are physically and emotionally exhausted. It’s often right before bedtime when couples are exhausted from work all day and taking care of kids at night that they get into fights. We must be aware of times of weariness; at those times, we’re especially prone to depression and attacks from the devil.

Again, we should be aware of these vulnerable seasons which can trigger depression—after a great victory, before a major ministry, when experiencing a major disappointment, and when continually working without rest. This will not only help us better navigate those seasons and the common bouts of depression that may come from them but also help us better minister to others.

Application Question: How have you experienced bouts with depression in general and specifically during these vulnerable seasons—after a great victory, before a major ministry, after a major disappointment, or after a season of strenuous work? How should we navigate these vulnerable seasons and help others do the same? What are some other seasons where people are prone to depression?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Be Aware of Its Signs and Respond to Them Appropriately

Elijah was afraid, so he got up and fled for his life to Beer Sheba in Judah. He left his servant there, while he went a day’s journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: “I’ve had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I’m no better than my ancestors.” … He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”

1 Kings 19:3-4, 10

As mentioned, after Elijah heard from Jezebel that he would surely die in the next twenty-four hours, he ran for his life to Beersheba. This trip was about 80 miles towards the very southern end of Israel right before the desert. There, he leaves his servant and goes a day’s journey into the desert. He finds a tree, sits down under it, and asks God to take his life—declaring he was no better than his ancestors.

After hearing about the death threat, Elijah starts to demonstrate some unhealthy behaviors that would only hurt him in this situation instead of helping him. These are common for people struggling with depression.

Observation Question: What signs of depression or depressive behaviors do we see in Elijah that we must be careful of?

1. Struggling with strong fears can be a sign of struggling with depression (or help lead to it).

Elijah struggled with fear of being killed. Certainly, this would be normal in his situation. He had just received a legitimate death threat. However, it’s clear that this fear hindered Elijah’s ability to trust God (cf. Matt 13:22, 1 John 4:18). God provided food from ravens to feed Elijah and multiplied oil over months so he could eat bread during the famine. God stopped the heavens from raining and brought rain all at Elijah’s request. Could God not also protect him from Jezebel’s threat? We will see later that God will in fact protect him from other physical threats. In 2 Kings 1, King Ahaziah will send soldiers to take Elijah by force several times, and God sends fire from heaven to consume them. Fear will commonly hinder our faith and blind us to God’s faithfulness. In Matthew 13:22 (NIV), Christ said the “worries of this life” “choke the word, making it unfruitful.” Even though we know about God’s faithfulness, fear commonly keeps us from living according to what we know to be true. When struggling with fear, we often can’t remember or be influenced by all the ways that God has provided for us in the past—food, shelter, family, friends, job, and even protection. In addition, fear leads to depression. Proverbs 12:25 says, “Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down.” As Elijah continued to worry about being murdered, his heart sank lower and lower into depression. In fact, as mentioned, he soon asked God to kill him.

Likewise, we must be careful regarding worries about some past failure, worries about the future, or worries about some conflict. God provided for our past, and he will certainly provide for our future. As Christ said, if God cares for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, how much more will he care for us (Matt 6:25-34)?

To protect ourselves from depression or to overcome it, we must be careful of fears which will hinder our faith and confidence in God’s provision. Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Application Question: How do we protect ourselves from fears that hinder our faith and lead us into discouragement?

Philippians 4:6-7 says,

To battle these anxious thoughts, we must (1) choose to reject them as not from God, (2) continually pray about the situation, including bringing our requests before God, and (3) give God thanks in faith. When we give God thanks in faith, it helps us remember and see God’s faithfulness around us, which will help us trust him for future grace. Also, when we do this in obedience to God’s Word, he gives us his peace “that surpasses all understanding” (Phil 4:7)—peace that just won’t make sense when considering our circumstances.

Elijah struggled with fears about his future, which weighed him down. Typically, people who struggle with depression are also battling various fears—some rational and some not as rational. We must help them remember God’s faithfulness, pray, and trust God so they can have peace. Isaiah 26:3 (ESV) says this, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

2. Extreme lack of perseverance or strength, especially in situations or activities that we previously enjoyed or that wouldn’t normally overwhelm us, can be a sign of struggling with depression.

After Elijah heard Jezebel’s threat, he not only ran for his life but also was ready to quit ministry and life in general. With Elijah, he had been hunted for three and a half years previously, and God protected him at a deserted brook and later at a widow’s house in Sidon. This was nothing new for him. However, this is a common sign for those struggling with depression. The things that they previously could handle now wear them out, and they just want to quit. They want to drop out of school, quit their job, end their marriage, and sometimes even their life. We should be careful when everything feels overwhelming, and we want to quit everything. When encountering those feelings, we’ll certainly need to find strength in God and through others, but we also may need to rebalance for a season including lightening our load.

3. Isolating away from people in general, but especially those who can help us or want to help us, can be a sign of struggling with depression.

For some reason, after Elijah got to Beersheba, he left his servant there (v. 3). Maybe, he left his servant because he wanted God to end his life and therefore didn’t want his servant around to see it, or he was simply embarrassed about his emotional instability. We can only speculate. After a day’s travel in the desert, Elijah laid beside a tree (v. 4-5). He was isolated and by himself. This is common for people struggling with depression. They often separate from the relationships they previously enjoyed. They separate from friends, family, co-workers, and church members. To them, this seems rational, but because they are so depressed, they even more so need the support they are separating from. By isolating themselves, they put themselves in an echo chamber of unhealthy thoughts without someone to help them have a proper perspective. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Solomon said this:

Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself? Although an assailant may overpower one person, two can withstand him. Moreover, a three-stranded cord is not quickly broken.

Solomon says pity the person who falls and is all by himself. Therefore, we must be careful of isolating ourselves especially from people who can build us up—friends, family, church members, and the like. Certainly, it’s clear that isolation was a problem because when Elijah met with God in the cave, God told him to anoint Elisha who would be his assistant. God gave Elijah a friend who would help him bear the burden of ministry. We also need healthy relationships with those who will help bear our burden, pray for us, and encourage us when battling depression.

4. Extremely irrational and negative thinking can be a sign of depression.

Elijah not only struggled with fears but also irrational and negative thinking. Elijah said that he was the only prophet left and that he was worse than his ancestors (v. 4), which neither were true, and he asked God to take his life, even though God clearly wasn’t done using him. He wasn’t thinking or speaking rationally, which would only increase his depression. We always reap what we sow (Gal 6:7). If we sow negative thoughts and words, we’ll reap a negative harvest in our lives and also in others.

Application Question: How should we battle the irrational, negative thinking that is so common in seasons of depression?

To battle irrational thinking, we must recognize negative thoughts and reject them by submitting them to Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul said: “… we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” How do we take our thoughts captive? We recognize wrong thoughts, negative thoughts that don’t align with what God’s Word says about us, our future, or others, and we confess them before Christ and continually fight to turn away from them, instead of accepting them as reality.

To battle irrational thinking, we must think on God’s Word instead.

In Matthew 4, every time Christ was tempted by Satan, he responded with a specific Scripture text. Likewise, we need to memorize and quote God’s Word often to combat irrational thinking in seasons of depression. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.” Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” First Timothy 6:6-8 says, “Now godliness combined with contentment brings great profit. For we have brought nothing into this world and so we cannot take a single thing out either. But if we have food and shelter, we will be satisfied with that.” Not only do we need to remember specific verses, but it is also very helpful to increase one’s bible reading and attendance at church and small groups to saturate our minds with God’s Word and help deliver us from irrational and negative thinking during difficult seasons. Continually listening to worship songs which are full of Scripture will be tremendously helpful as well.

To battle irrational thinking, we must allow others to correct our negative thoughts.

When Elijah eventually went into the cave and repeated twice before the Lord that all Israel had rejected God and that Elijah was the only prophet left, God eventually corrected him by saying he had reserved a remnant who had not bowed to Baal (v. 18). God had also called others to help in the ministry to Israel, two future kings and a future prophet named Elisha (v. 17). Elijah was not the only one left. Certainly, as we faithfully get in the Word and pray, God often corrects our wrong thinking. But oftentimes, he will use others to help us see things more clearly from God’s Word and a balanced perspective. We need people that we meet up with, share our thoughts with (even irrational ones), and who help us work through them from a biblical and practical lens.

Application Question: How have you struggled with some of these depressive behaviors or seen others with them? How do you battle fears and irrational thinking which bring you down? What are some other signs of struggling with depression?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Draw Near God and Rely on Him More Deeply

So he got up and ate and drank. That meal gave him the strength to travel forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm 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. After the fire, there was a soft whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.” The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”

1 Kings 19:8-18

After God allowed Elijah to rest and have good food provided by an angel, he then sent Elijah on a spiritual retreat—to draw near God. His recovery from depression would not only happen by taking the appropriate physical measures, Elijah needed to address it spiritually as well. Elijah travels and fasts for forty days and nights and then meets with God on Mount Horeb. We have seen this forty day fast at other times in Scripture. Before God gave Moses the law, he fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai (Ex 34:28). It was after Christ fasted for forty days that God empowered him through the Spirit for his ministry to Israel (Lk 4). No doubt, God was about to use Elijah’s struggle with depression for the good. He was going to draw Elijah to a time of great weakness and dependency on God for forty days. And at the end of forty days, God was going to reveal himself to Elijah in a special way. Likewise, yes, there are physical ways to address depression, but we should not neglect the spiritual remedy as well. Scripture says we should see all our trials as God drawing us to himself and making us more into his image. James 1:2-4 says,

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

We should consider our various trials as a test of our faith, including depression. Therefore, the way to primarily remedy them is through our faith, which is what God called Elijah to do. Elijah fasted for forty days while traveling to Mount Horeb to meet with God. He takes a spiritual retreat, which would help restore his psycho-emotional heath.

Observation Question: What does God do with Elijah during this spiritual retreat and how does this apply to us, as we draw near God?

1. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God created a deeper dependence on the Lord.

Elijah’s travel from Beersheba to Mount Horeb was around 200 miles.¹⁰ The fact that this took forty days shows us that Elijah was still depressed and weak. He averaged only 5 miles a day. This especially stands out when considering Elijah’s fourteen-mile run from Mount Carmel to Jezreel ahead of Ahab’s chariots (1 Kgs 18:46). During Elijah’s travel to Horeb, he was essentially crawling. He was physically weak—traveling off a meal he had before starting the journey—and emotionally weak. No doubt, during Elijah’s travel, he had to lean on God more. He had to trust him more. He also had to believe God had good things for him. God had called him on the journey. He was going to the mountain of God to meet with the Lord. Likewise, when dealing with depression and physical weakness, our work is often harder because it takes so much energy to focus. We want to quit. However, if we are faithful to trust in God and draw near him, he will carry us through, and it will create a greater dependence on and faith in the Lord. Again, Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” God told Paul, who struggled with a thorn in the flesh (probably some physical disease), “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). No doubt, God had allowed Elijah to be especially weak during the journey, so that Elijah could learn to rely on God more and gain special strength through him—not only for the journey, but more importantly, for his ministry after.

2. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God helped Elijah self-reflect by revealing his wrong motives and thoughts.

On the mountain, God questioned Elijah twice by asking, “Why are you here?” (v. 9, 13). This is reminiscent of when God questioned Adam about his sin (Gen 3) or when Christ questioned Peter about the genuineness of his love (John 21). Since God is omniscient—knowing everything—we can rightly assume that he asked these questions for their benefit. He wanted Elijah to consider the motives in his heart. Often during times of trial and pursuing God, God exposes the sins in our hearts and begins to work on them—exposing insecurities and wrong views about ourselves, God, and others. With Israel, God said he led them into the wilderness to reveal what was in their hearts (Dt 8:2). The wilderness showed idolatry, lack of trust for God, discord, and other negative things that God wanted to deal with. Likewise, God was going to expose and root wrong things out of Elijah during this time, so he could strengthen him for his future mission.

When questioned, Elijah declared that he had been faithful to God, Israel had rebelled against God and was killing the prophets, and that he was the only one left. All of that was correct except for the fact that Elijah was not the only one left. In addition, if we consider Elijah’s prayer for death in the desert and Elijah’s response to God at the cave together, they might imply some other negative views he was harboring. His responses seemingly implied that the task was too much for Elijah and that he couldn’t do it anymore. Elijah’s responses also seem to imply that Israel was hopeless—they couldn’t be helped. They also might imply that God’s mission had failed. It was over, and therefore, it was time for Elijah to go home. Elijah’s negative thoughts of him being alone, that the task was too much, that Israel was hopeless, and that the mission had failed only contributed to his depression.

3. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God helped Elijah learn contentment with God’s presence and his Word, even when dealing with the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations.

After questioning Elijah the first time, God told Elijah to go out of the cave to stand before the Lord who was about to pass by (v. 11). Before Elijah came out of the cave, there was a powerful wind that passed by the mountain and began to tear it apart, but God wasn’t in the windstorm. Then, an earthquake happened, but God wasn’t in the earthquake either. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but God wasn’t in the fire. Finally, God appeared in a whisper. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and came out of the cave (v. 13).

Interpretation Question: Why did God allow a windstorm, earthquake, and fire to come by the mountain, though he wasn’t in them and then reveal himself in a whisper?

Most likely, it was because Elijah had become dependent on God revealing himself in the miraculous and expected God to do so during Elijah’s troubling circumstance. God had moved in Elijah’s life through many miracles—stopping and starting the rain in response to his prayers, providing food through ravens and angels, resurrecting the dead, and bringing fire from heaven. Maybe, part of the reason Elijah was so depressed was because he expected God to move miraculously again when Jezebel promised to kill him or that she would have repented like many in Israel did. However, God’s sovereign hand over the events of life doesn’t always guide circumstances as we would want or pray it would. Sometimes, God’s will is the difficult path instead of the easy path or the one we think is best. When Jesus asked God to take the cup of suffering from him, God still chose to send him to the cross, and Christ said God’s will be done. Again, unfulfilled expectations probably contributed to Elijah’s depression. He wanted God to move miraculously, especially in considering the leadership of Israel, but God had not, which discouraged Elijah. Essentially, God was challenging Elijah with, “Would he be content if God only provided his presence and his Word—not the miracle Elijah desired?”

Likewise, many of us get depressed and discouraged because we’re expecting God to move in some special way—maybe by deliverance, but God instead reveals himself through grace for us to persevere. We’re expecting God to move by miraculous healing, but God wants to reveal himself through grace to have gratitude and joy despite sickness. We’re expecting God to move by some quick resolution to the problem, but instead, he asks us if we’ll be content with his presence and his Word. Oftentimes the grace that God gives is not what we ask for, it’s simply, “I will be with you.” Is that enough for us? It seems God was teaching Elijah contentment in his difficult circumstance with God’s presence and his whisper and not necessarily the miracles Elijah wanted. God often does that with us as well. Is God’s presence and his Word enough, even if the circumstances aren’t changed? He may not change our circumstance, but he will be with us during our circumstance which is enough (cf. Heb 13:5-6). When we truly accept that, it can deliver us from many a fear and depression.

4. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God restored his mission.

Clearly, one of the reasons Elijah was struggling with depression and discouragement was the fact that he had lost a sense of mission and no longer wanted to do his ministry. Proverbs 29:18 (NIV) says, “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.” In the KJV, it is translated, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” When we don’t know God’s Word and his will for our lives, we tend to go down the wrong paths; we tend to lose discipline and find ourselves in sinful, destructive places. Therefore, to restore Elijah, God needed to give him a renewed purpose and mission. So, God tells Elijah to anoint Hazael as the king of Syria, Jehu as the new king over Israel, and Elisha to take his place as the chief prophet to Israel.

Likewise, when we lose a sense of mission, God’s call on our lives, it’s easy to cast off restraint—to start thinking the way we shouldn’t think, doing things that we shouldn’t do, and going places that we shouldn’t go. It’s easy to fall into bouts of depression and discouragement because of a lack of direction which gives hope. Again, this is why a concentrated time of seeking God is so important when dealing with bouts of depression. Because it’s there, as we spend extra time in God’s Word, prayer, and with the church, that God speaks to us. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Psalm 25:14 (NIV) says, “The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”

Do we still have a sense of mission—a sense of God’s calling on our lives? One of the greatest things that Christians have that the world often doesn’t is that we are part of a mission that is bigger than ourselves and will ripple throughout eternity. God is building a kingdom on this earth, and he has called us to be part of it—to be his co-workers (1 Cor 3:9). He has given us talents and spiritual gifts to use for his kingdom, and he has given us clear commands. We are called to seek first God’s “kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt 6:33) and “to make disciples of every nation” (Matt 28:19). He promises us if we “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” we “will be satisfied” (Matt 5:6). He promises to use us according to our hunger and also to give us satisfaction in that righteousness. To restore Elijah, God renewed his mission.

5. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God corrected his wrong views and thoughts.

Though Elijah had said twice that he was the only one left, God finally corrected Elijah. In verse 18, God said this to Elijah, “I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.” Elijah was not alone. The work that God was doing in Israel and the surrounding nations was too big for him to do alone. God was going to work through a pagan named Hazael, an Israelite named Jehu, and through 7,000 Jews who never bowed to Baal or kissed his images. God always keeps a remnant. For Elijah to have victory over his depression, he had to think correctly; therefore, God corrected him as Elijah drew near to God.

6. During Elijah’s spiritual retreat, God called him to take on an assistant who would be his friend and help him bear his burden.

When Elijah anointed Elisha, Elisha was not simply going to be his future replacement; he was going to be Elijah’s assistant (1 Kgs 19:21). He was going to help Elijah bear the burden of ministry. In addition, Elisha would refresh Elijah. In 2 Kings 3:11 (ESV), Elisha is described as pouring “water on the hands of Elijah.” He refreshed him, and we need people who refresh us as well, especially in seasons of depression and discouragement. As mentioned, Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two people are better than one, because they can reap more benefit from their labor. For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.”

Likewise, if we are going to overcome depression and discouragement, we must draw nearer to God, even as Elijah did. We need to have seasons of extra fasting, prayer, worship, and devoted service to the Lord, and as we draw near him, he heals us or gives us special grace to persevere and be used by him despite our weakness (2 Cor 12:7-9). Again, this does not deny the physical and chemical aspects of depression and discouragement; it recognizes that we are a complex unification of body and soul. The body affects the soul, and the soul affects the body. As we draw near God in our difficult seasons, God creates a deeper dependence on him; he exposes wrong views and motives; he teaches us contentment with his presence, Word, and plan, whatever it may be; he restores a sense of mission which is commonly lost when under the cloud of depression, and he commonly gives us people who refresh and strengthen us—who help carry our load.

Are you drawing near God in this season so you can have the hope, refreshment, strength, and direction needed for this difficult season of your life? James says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.”

Application Question: What are some ways for a person struggling with depression to draw near God? In what ways have you especially pursued God during seasons of difficulty and bouts with depression, and how was it beneficial to you? How is God calling you to draw nearer to him in this season?

To Overcome Depression, We Must Get Busy Serving Others

Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen; he was near the twelfth pair. Elijah passed by him and threw his robe over him. He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, then I will follow you.” Elijah said to him, “Go back! Indeed, what have I done to you?” Elisha went back and took his pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He cooked the meat over a fire that he made by burning the harness and yoke. He gave the people meat and they ate. Then he got up and followed Elijah and became his assistant.

1 Kings 19:19-21

After hearing God speak in a whisper and being challenged and recommissioned, Elijah got back to work. He left Mount Horeb, traveled 160 miles from Mount Horeb to Abel Meholah ¹¹ to find Elisha (v. 16, 19), and anointed him—calling him to serve as his assistant and apprentice. Likewise, one of the difficulties of battling depression is that it makes us self-centered. We become consumed with ourselves, our bad circumstances, our future, and tend to forget God and others. Often, the best thing we can do when depressed is get busy focusing on and serving others. By taking on Elisha, Elijah was going to spend a great amount of time investing into his young apprentice, somebody who would continue Elijah’s work after he was gone. Similarly, when battling depression, we should focus on serving our family members who need our care and attention, church members, co-workers, and especially those less fortunate than us. No doubt, by calling Elijah to serve others, God was bringing light into the darkness of Elijah’s depression. Serving doesn’t minimize our struggles, but it makes us realize that our struggles are not everything. Many others are in fact suffering worse than us.

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” As we refresh others by the giving of our time and resources, we can trust that God will refresh us, including giving us more joy and peace. In John 13:17, after washing his disciples’ feet, Christ said this: “If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” God blesses us when we serve others, and certainly one of the ways he often blesses us is by delivering us from our depression.

Application Question: Why is serving others so important for being delivered from depression? How have you experienced refreshment by putting others before yourself? What should people do if they are so depressed that they can’t motivate themselves to help someone else?

Applications for Ministering to Depressed People

Application Question: What are some final practical applications for ministering to those struggling with depression and helping ourselves get out of it?

1. In ministering to the depressed, we must remember that being a faithful Christian does not guarantee that we’ll never experience bouts of depression and discouragement.

Moses, Elijah, Paul, and even Christ struggled with depression. Charles Spurgeon and many other saints that God greatly used had bouts with it. This is important to remember so we don’t condemn others for having bouts with lowness and so we don’t condemn ourselves. Depression is part of the human experience (in part simply because of body chemistry), and therefore, we must learn how to navigate seasons of it and help others with it.

2. In ministering to the depressed, we must always remember that humans are a complex unity of body and soul (or body, soul, spirit).

Because of this complexity, the body affects our soul, and the soul affects our body. We haven’t dealt much with this, but sin can negatively affect our emotions and our body as well, since we were not made to live in sin. When David had not repented of his sin with Bathsheba, in Psalm 38, he describes himself as being “deprived of health” (v. 3) and struggling with “anxiety” (v. 8). Therefore, sometimes repentance is needed to get free of depression or even to gain physical healing (cf. 1 Cor 11:28-31). Other times, it must be addressed physically by taking more rest, eating properly, exercising, balancing our time, and possibly using medication. Certainly, in all seasons we must seek God in a greater manner, as he created our bodies and uses our trials for the good. When ministering to the depressed and people in general, we must consider the complex unity of body and soul.

3. In ministering to the depressed, we must spend a lot of time asking questions, allowing time for people to express their thoughts and emotions (even irrational ones) without condemnation.

Before God instructed Elijah, he asked him twice why he was there (v. 9, 13). Initially, he just allowed Elijah to vent and share without correction. Likewise, when ministering to those struggling with depression, we should also be slow to speak and quick to listen (Jam 1:19). We should ask questions like:

How long have you been struggling with depression? Have you noticed any triggers which make it come on stronger? Are there times when you experience relief? Are you sleeping and eating well? Do you feel like you’re too busy at school or work? Do you have a regular sabbath? How has your time with God been? Are you practicing regular spiritual disciplines like prayer, time in the Word, worship, and fellowship?

As God asked Elijah questions, we should ask questions as well and listen, so we can better understand the struggling person and figure out how to best minister to him or her.

4. In ministering to the depressed, we must wisely apply God’s Word and general wisdom to their situation.

Though God began asking questions, he did eventually give Elijah instruction to help him think correctly and have a sense of renewed mission. Again, James 1:19 says, “Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.” As we prayerfully listen, we can discern how to best instruct the person, whether that means encouraging them with having a more balanced life with time for rest and recreation; for them to repent of sin or a lie they have accepted about themselves, their future, God, or others; for them to develop healthy relationships with people that encourage them and help them bear their burdens; and/or simply their need to draw near God for a season and listen to his voice in God’s Word. When counseling, we should use Scripture as much as possible, applying it with wisdom, gentleness, and sympathy.

5. In ministering to the depressed, we must remember to point people to a deeper pursuit of God.

Again, Elijah spent forty days fasting and then drawing near God on a mountain. There, God spoke to Elijah and helped restore his thinking and sense of mission. Often, to find relief from depression, we’ll need to pursue God in a heightened fashion for a season as well. For some, their battle with depression will require them to keep a higher devotion to the Lord than their peers for the rest of their lives to maintain peace. If that is God’s will for them, it’s actually a blessing because they might never seek God in the same way apart from such a battle. Like God said to Paul, his grace is made perfect in weakness. For those few, we must trust that God chooses to not remove the thorn in the flesh for a greater purpose (2 Cor 12:7-9).

6. In ministering to the depressed, we must be patient.

Finding relief when battling depression often won’t happen quickly. Sometimes, a good night of rest and a good meal will be enough. At other times, we’ll have to practice all the above for a season—maintaining our body, including having good rest, retraining our mind in God’s Word, having trustworthy people to vent to and bear our burdens with, and in general continually pursuing and relying on God. Galatians 6:10 says, “So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.” Also, 1 Peter 5:10-11 says, “And, after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him belongs the power forever. Amen.”

Application Question: Which principle stood out most and why? What are some other principles that might be helpful for a person to apply when struggling with depression and discouragement? What role should medication play with those struggling with depression?

Conclusion

In 1 Kings 19, Elijah, after hearing Jezebel’s threat of taking his life, began to battle with depression—even wanting God to take his life. From his example and how God ministered to him, we learn principles about overcoming our own bouts with depression and helping others who struggle.

To Overcome Depression, We Must Beware of Circumstances Which Might Trigger It and Minimize Them When Possible
To Overcome Depression, We Must Be Aware of Its Signs and Respond to Them Appropriately
To Overcome Depression, We Must Draw Near God and Rely on Him More Deeply
To Overcome Depression, We Must Get Busy Serving Others

Application Question: What stood out most in the reading and why? What questions or applications did you take from the reading?

Prayer Prompts

Pray that God would give us wisdom to deal with our bouts with depression and also wisdom to help others struggling with it.
Pray that God would give us grace to rejoice in the Lord regardless of our situation and that depression and discouragement would flee.
Pray that God would give us grace to continually and undistractedly draw near him and that God would draw near us in a special way—that we would know his presence, hear his voice, and trust him.
Pray that God would correct our wrong thoughts, give us a renewed sense of mission, individually and corporately, and that God would give us healthy relationships that help us have joy and complete the mission God has given us.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

¹ Accessed 5/7/2021, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/depression

² Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

³ Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

⁴ Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

⁵ Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

⁶ Spurgeon, Charles H.. Lectures to My Students: Practical and Spiritual Guidance for Preachers (Volume 1) (pp. 204-205). Aneko Press. Kindle Edition.

⁷ Guzik, David. 1 Kings (The Enduring Word Series).

⁸ Pritchard, Ray. Fire and Rain: the Wild-Hearted Faith of Elijah . Keep Believing Ministries. Kindle Edition.

⁹ Getz, Gene A.. Men of Character: Elijah: Remaining Steadfast Through Uncertainty . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

¹⁰ Getz, Gene A. Men of Character: Elijah: Remaining Steadfast Through Uncertainty . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

¹¹ Pink, A.W.. The Life of Elijah (Kindle Locations 3382-3384). Kindle Edition.

Related Topics: Character Study, Christian Life

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1. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt. 1 (1 Kings 17:1)

God Uses the Common and the Weak

God’s Preference

Excuses from the Common

Discerning If We’re Too Strong

1. We can discern if we are too strong by how much we depend on God.

2. We can discern if we are too strong by how we view ourselves and others.

Applications for the Weak

1. The weak must recognize that they can be used by God.

2. The weak must be willing to step out in faith, as God leads.

Applications for the Strong

1. The strong must repent of pride.

2. The strong must rejoice and submit to God when humbled by trials.

General Applications

1. We must be careful about using society’s criteria in judging God’s ministers.

2. We must be careful of judging ourselves and others by the world’s standards.

3. We must be careful of limiting how God can use us.

God Uses the Righteous

Prayer of the Righteous

Lack of Power in a Sinful Life

1. We must repent of anything that displeases God or hinders our relationship with him.

2. We must pursue righteousness as a lifestyle—serving God and others.

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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2. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt. 2 (1 Kings 17:1)

Be Careful of the Fear of Man

Be Careful of the Fear of Failure

Be Careful of the Fear of Death

How to Conquer Our Fears

1. To conquer fear, we must fear God more than anything else.

2. To conquer fear, we must recognize and reject it as a hindrance to obeying God.

3. To conquer fear, we must know our resources in God.

4. To conquer fear, we must take steps of faith.

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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3. Characteristics Of The Person God Uses Greatly Pt 3 (1 Kings 17:1)

God Uses Those Devoted to His Word

Daniel

Application

1. In considering the devotion of the prophets to God’s Word, we should constantly read God’s Word and pray it in response.

2. In considering the devotion of the prophets to God’s Word, we should allow Scripture to prompt and direct our passions and direction in life.

A Common Characteristic of People God Uses

Joshua

David

God Uses Those Who Delight to Dwell in His Presence

Moses

Joshua

Enoch

Noah

David

Paul

Application

1. People who love God’s presence will typically be found worshiping and praying to him.

2. People who love God’s presence often can be found in church, small groups, and various ministries.

3. People who love God’s presence practice holy lifestyles.

4. People who love God’s presence are humble people.

5. People who love God’s presence are often broken people.

Practical Exhortation

Conclusion

Prayer Prompts

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4. Lessons From Kerith Valley University (1 Kings 17:1-7)

The Lesson of Our Responsibility to God’s Word

1. If we have learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word, we will always survey, guard, and cultivate our hearts.

2. If we have learned the lesson of our responsibility to God’s Word, we will be quick to obey it.

The Lesson of Solitude

The Discipline of Solitude

Unexpected Seasons of Solitude

1. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we will zealously guard our times of solitude.

2. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we practice introspection—seeking to have a right heart before God.

3. When we have learned the lesson of solitude, we will zealously guard against addictions and timewasters.

The Lesson of Depending on God for Daily and Future Needs

1. When we’ve learned the lesson of dependence, we guard our hearts against idolizing our means of provisions.