Overcoming Discouragement Lessons from Elijah Elijah A Discouraged

Overcoming Discouragement Lessons from Elijah

Elijah: A Discouraged Man 1 Kings 19: 3 -4, 10, 14 l King Ahab, 1 Kgs. 16: 30 -33; 18: 17 -18 l Queen Jezebel, 1 Kgs. 18: 4; 19: 1 -3 l Uncommitted populace, 1 Kgs. 18: 21 l Thought he was the only one who was faithful to God, 1 Kgs. 18: 19, 22 2

God’s Response: What are you doing here, Elijah? ! (1 Kings 19: 9) 3

Overcoming Discouragement l. Remember what God has done for you in the past – 1 Kgs. 17 -18 – Sustained your life, 1 Kgs. 17: 1 -16 (Psa. 37: 25; Matt. 6: 31 -34) – Victory over evil & error, 1 Kgs. 18: 36 -40 (2 Tim. 1: 9; 1 Cor. 15: 55 -58) 4

Overcoming Discouragement l. See God’s present care and keeping – 1 Kgs. 19: 5 -8 – His grace & love, 1 Cor. 15: 10 – Spiritual blessings, Rom. 5: 1 -2, 5 (Eph. 1: 3) 5

Overcoming Discouragement l. Strengthen personal faith – 1 Kgs. 19: 4 – Even the strongest can become discouraged – nobody is immune! – A call to strengthen faith, Deut. 31: 6 -8 6

Overcoming Discouragement l. Stay focused on the right things – 1 Kgs. 19: 9 -10 – Lose focus…lose faith, Matt. 14: 25 -33 – Focus on Jesus, Heb. 12: 1 -2 3: 1 -4; Heb. 11: 32 -12: 1) (Col. 7

Overcoming Discouragement l. See the power of God at work in your life – 1 Kgs. 19: 11 -14 – Power over sin & death, Matt. 28: 18; Heb. 2: 14 -15 – Power of obedience, Phil. 2: 12 -13 – Power to do all things God wants of you, Phil. 4: 13 8

Overcoming Discouragement l. Realize God still has work for you to do – 1 Kgs. 19: 15 -16 – He isn’t finished with you, Phil. 3: 12 – Created for good works, Eph. 2: 10 – Remain diligent, Heb. 6: 10 -12 (1 Cor. 15: 58) 9

Overcoming Discouragement l. Know you are not alone – 1 Kgs. 19: 18; 18: 22 (Rom. 11: 4) – “What can man do to me? ”, Heb. 13: 6 (Rom. 8: 31) – Regard God above & before men, Num. 14: 9 (Matt. 10: 28) – The Lord is always near, 2 Tim. 4: 16 -18 (Heb. 13: 5 -6) 10

Overcoming Discouragement l. Keep faith that God will right every wrong – 1 Kgs. 19: 17 – Don’t be embittered or vengeful Rom. 12: 17 – Live peaceably & do good…God will avenge His saints, Rom. 12: 1821 11

Overcoming Discouragement l. Remember to rejoice & pray – 1 Kgs. 19: 4 (Phil. 4: 4 -7) – Expressions of your faith in & reliance upon God, Acts 16: 25 – Fervent prayers of the righteous are effective, Jas. 5: 16 -18 12

Elijah: A Strengthened Man 1 Kings 19: 8 l Discouragement is the devil’s tool – Weaken you, hinder you & finally cause you to be lost! l 1 Peter 5: 6 -8 – Learn from Elijah to cast your cares upon God…He will lift you up! 13

Discouragement is futile and fruitless! What are you doing here, Christian? ! (Galatians 6: 9) 14