Elijah himself traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness, and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die. He said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” – The Bible (AMP)
Dear friend, are you going through a depression? Are you sitting alone in loneliness and asking for God’s help? You are not alone. Even some great men, when they were pushed to fear and loneliness they went through depression. One such man was Elijah. He lived a lonely life for many years because of the spiritual and natural draught the country of Israel went through. God beautifully guided Elijah out of depression. The same God is alive today. He can lead you out of your heart-pressing depression. Please do not give up.
Who is Elijah?
When Ahab was ruling Israel, God raised Elijah, a mighty prophet. His name means “My God is Yahweh or creator”. Elijah created such a profound impact during his lifetime. His name repeats thirty-one times in the new testament, long after Elijah was taken to heaven. Elijah and Enoch were the only two men taken alive to heaven without going through death. Also, it is important to note a few days before His crucifixion, Jesus took three of His close disciples to a high mountain. Moses and Elijah appeared to talk to Jesus at the top of the mountain. All texts in the Bible show Elijah lived his life filled with God’s power.
When Elijah prayed, God closed the sky, and the rain stopped for three years. When Elijah prayed again to God, the skies opened up, and the rain poured down. He was portrayed as a powerful and passionate old testament prophet.
Elijah’s great miracle
During the time of Elijah, the nation of Israel went through pagan worship. King Ahab and his wife, Jezreel, supported it. Elijah called the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and opened up a challenge. They built two altars, one for the prophets of Baal and the other one for Elijah. Next, they placed the sacrifice on both the alter. They placed the firewood on top of the sacrifice. No one should ignite the fire. According to Elijah’s challenge, the fire should come from the respective God. The prophets of Baal agreed to the challenge and called upon their God from morning till evening with no sign of fire. In the evening time, Elijah cried out to God and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself“.
God sent the fire, and the fire came from Heaven. It burnt up the sacrifice, firewood, and the stone. People were astonished by what Elijah has done through the power of God. The people of Israel killed the Prophets of Baal. It was a victorious day for Elijah.
Elijah, after proving who is the God of the creator was , prayed to God to send the rain. The God who sent the fire also sent the rain on the same day. The rain came after a long three-year period. The nation which was plunged in the draught due to lack of rain rejoiced. But The wife of Ahab, Jezebel was upset with what happened to the prophets of Baal. She was determined to kill Elijah.
God’s personal care for depressed Elijah
When Elijah heard about Jezebel’s decision to kill him, he ran for his life. He went into the lonely wilderness, traveling south. The man who did two great miracles before the entire nation was afraid, and depressed, and he is on the run. He sat under a bush and asked God to kill him. What a change from where he was a day before. This amount of fluctuation can happen to anyone, even to a great man like Elijah.
God sent His angel to take care of his hunger and to help him gain physical strength. But Elijah ate and run again without asking which way to go. He went and hid in Mount Sinai, where Moses received ten commandments. Driven by fear, Elijah had by now run for almost a thousand kilometers south from Samaria to Mount Sinai.
God Gave new purpose to Elijah
God came to meet Elijah on Mount Sinai. He spoke to Elijah in a gentle whisper. The first question God asked Elijah might be applicable to most of us. God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here?” It was not the place God expected Elijah to be. He was completely in the wrong place, driven by fear of the future.
Dear friend, are you driven by fear of the future and running away from your life without consulting God? Jesus wants to speak to you today. He wants to help you and guide you as He did to Elijah.
God gave Elijah a new purpose in his life. He asked Elijah to anoint Elijah as His successor and anoint kings of Aram and Israel. To do that, Elijah has to travel back to the place where he started. That means another thousand kilometers north.
It’s interesting to know and understand how God dealt with this tired and depressed prophet. Dear friend, God who took care of Elijah, will also take care of you. God does not show favoritism to one man. He who helped Elijah is with you right now. Please ask Him to come into your life. He can heal the pain in your heart and comfort you.
Shall we pray to Jesus right now? He wants to release you from the depression and any hurting thoughts.
Dear Jesus, thank you for reminding me of the prophet Elijah. I need help in my life. Please forgive me, if have done any mistakes in the past. I want to be healed. Please fill me with your love and take away all the hurtful feelings. Speak to me and show me your direction. I want to hold your hands and walk with you. Give me a new purpose and renew my life. I want to be victorious against my thoughts. Be my God and be with me for the rest of my life. In Jesus’s name, I pray, Amen.
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