You're Not In This Thing By Yourself

I Kings 19:13-14 "And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away."

Here we find Elijah running for his life and feeling alone. Sometimes we feel like we are the only one living right and doing right. Many times we get the Elijah syndrome.

Verse 2 "Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time." Elijah is wanted. Jezebel is on his trail. We all have an enemy that is on our trail and is seeking to destroy us. I Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

Verse 4 "But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, it is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers." He is wishing. He wants to die. If he really wanted to die he would have stayed where he was because Jezebel was going to kill him. How many times do we tell God we want to die but in our heart we really don't mean that. There will be times and situations we will find ourself in and dealing with that we would just rather die than to deal with it. But God intends for us to stay strong and allow Him to help get us through it.


Verse 5 "And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat." He was weary. Weariness leads to weakness. Also in verse 5 and in... verse 6 "And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again." ...he is waited upon. God came to where he was and touched him and took care of him. The greatest experiences with God will be when we are the weakest.

Verse 7 "And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee." Elijah is worn. God knew right were he was and what he was going through.

Verse 9 "And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?" God followed him. In verse 10 "And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." he tells God he's the only one left. In verse 18 "Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." God tells him he's not in this alone. He had been in the cave but God was with him and spoke to him. God will speak to us and show us things when we are in those lonely times.

Verse 3 "And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there." Elijah was putting his trust in what he saw. Our faith and trust needs to be in God and God alone not in the things we see with our physical eyes. Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

He saw that Jezebel was wanting him dead. When he saw "that" he got scared. When we see "that"...whatever "that" is we will forget the promises of God.

He was also secluded. The Lord was with him but the reason he felt by himself was because he was by himself. He pushed everyone out of his life. Once we do that we get to the place where we want someone around and can't find anyone. We need to be careful not to push others out of our life.

We need to also get busy and work for God. Those who are busy serving the Lord will find less time to sit and sulk. In verse 19 we find Elijah in the field. "So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him." The field is a picture of service. In the field he found Elisha. Those who feel alone or all by themselves are not serving. We will find our friends in the field of service. We will find old friends and we'll also make new ones. Those friends will be there with us and for us when we need them...and in turn we will be there for them.

You may feel like you are all alone...but you aren't. God promises to never leave us or forsake us. If you feel alone....serve God and you'll find you really aren't alone afterall.

***Notes taken from the message preached by Bro. Ricky Gravely at Faith Baptist Camp on 6-23-08.