Message Action Plan"King Ahab told his wife Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he ordered the death of all of her false prophets of Baal. So the queen sent this threat to Elijah: 'May my gods strike me dead if I don't kill you by this time tomorrow!' Elijah was afraid and he ran for his life; he left his servant in the town of Beersheba and he walked for a full day into the desert. Finally he came to a broom tree and he collapsed under its shade. There he prayed that he might die. He said "God, I have had enough! Take my life! Just let me die! For I am no better than my ancestors!Exhausted, he fell asleep under that broom tree. . . (later) Elijah told God 'I've always worked hard for you Lord, but your people have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered all your true prophets. I am the only one left! And now they are trying to kill me too!" 1 Kings 19:1-5, 10
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN MY EMOTIONAL TANK IS EMPTY?
1. FEAR creeps into my life. "Elijah was afraid"
2. I FIND MYSELF RUNNING AWAY FROM THINGS. "Elijah ran for his life. . ."
3. I START BACKING OUT RELATIONSHIPS "He left his servant in the town of Beersheba."
4. I MAKE FOOLISH DECISIONS IMPULSIVELY "He walked for a full day into the desert."
5. I PUSH MYSELF PAST MY PHYSICAL LIMITS "He collapsed under some shade."
6. MY WORK SEEMS POINTLESS "'I've worked hard... (but haven't seen any results or change)"
7. I COMPLAIN THAT I WANT TO QUIT AND GIVE UP "God, I have had enough!"
8. I FEEL ISOLATED AND ATTACKED "I'm the only one left – and they are trying to kill me too!"
9. I COMPARE MYSELF TO OTHERS & FEEL BAD ABOUT ME "For I am no better than my ancestors!"
10. I THINK DEATH MIGHT BRING RELIEF "Elijah prayed that he might die: 'Take my life, Lord! Just let me die!'"
"Elijah was a person just like us . . ." James 5:17
HOW DOES GOD REFILL MY EMOTIONAL TANK?
1. GOD MAKES ME REST MY BODY
"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul!" Psalm 23:2-3
"Then Elijah laid down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat!" He looked around and saw some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and laid down again, and went back to sleep! Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, "Get up and eat some more, for there is a long journey ahead of you. So Elijah got up and ate and drank again, and his strength was revived. . ." 1 Kings 19:5-7 (NLT)
Action Plan: Do you take a true Sabbath every week? If you don't, choose your day of rest and rearrange your calendar to protect that day.
2. GOD ENCOURAGES ME TO RELEASE MY FRUSTRATIONS
"Next, Elijah traveled 40 days to get to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?' Then Elijah said. . ." 1 Kings 19:8-9
Action Plan: If there's something you've been struggling with, pray about whether now is the right time to seek counseling. Click here for more information on Saddleback's counseling ministry.
3. GOD TELLS ME TO REMEMBER AND REFOCUS ON HIM
"The Lord said to Elijah, "Go, stand in front of me on the mountain, and I will pass by you' Then a very strong wind blew past. . . But the Lord was not in the wind. After that, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. Then there was a wildfire, but the Lord was not in the fire. But then, there was a quiet, gentle sound. When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. And voice said "Elijah! Why are you still here?" 1 Kings 19:11-13
"Just thinking of my troubles and my wandering fills me with sadness and bitterness. It's all I ever think about, and I am depressed. But then I remember something that fills me with hope: The Lord's steadfast love never ends! His unfailing mercy keeps me from being wiped out. Because of his great faithfulness, each new day he is always kind to me. So deep in my heart I say 'I say to myself "The Lord is all I need. He is my real hope!" Lamentations 3:19-24
Remember Steadfast LOVE
GOD'S Unfailing MERCY
SUGAR Great FAITHFULNESS
Always KIND
Real HOPE
"Go back the way you came . . . to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael . . . and Jehu . . . and Elisha . . ." 1 Kings 19:15-16
Action Plan: Make it a priority to go to Night of Worship this week at the Lake Forest campus (or watch the livestream online). Click here for more information.
Doable Discipleship: This week's episode of Doable Discipleship looks at different genres found in the Bible. New episodes release every Tuesday. To watch or listen,click here.
Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over,click here.
