06-27-2011, 08:51 AM
Monday, June 27, 2011
by Dr. Paul Chappell
1 Kings 19:2-4
Even the most victorious of fighters face discouragement.
Former heavy-weight boxer James (Quick) Tillis is a cowboy from Oklahoma who fought out of Chicago in the early 1980's. He still remembers his first day in the windy city after his arrival from Tulsa. "I got off the bus with two cardboard suitcases under my arms in downtown Chicago and stopped in front of the Sears Tower. I put my suitcases down, and I looked up at the Tower, and I said to myself, 'I'm going to conquer Chicago.' When I looked down, the suitcases were gone."
What discouragement! To be ready to conquer the world yet realize all that you owned had been stolen. Sometimes discouragement can come right after moments of triumph or victory. Elijah could certainly have testified to this fact. As we learned yesterday, he stood up to King Ahab, watched as the prophets of Baal failed to call down fire from their god, and witnessed God consume the altar of sacrifice in front of everyone on Mount Carmel. He had just witnessed the impossible occur, yet just a little while later we see Elijah feeling discouraged.
What caused Elijah to move from saying, "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him" (I Kings 18:21) to saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers" (I Kings 19:4)? Elijah faced a valley of discouragement.
Many times we face discouragement after victory. Have you ever resisted a temptation, overcome a sin, or experienced victory only to turn around and fall into more sin? Victory doesn't negate discouragement. Notice Elijah's actions after victory: "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. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree" (1 Kings 19:3-4).
Elijah ran from God when he was discouraged; he ran into the wilderness to be alone and to dwell on his predicament. Like many discouraged Christians, he focused on himself and his problem rather than focusing on God's victory.
When you're discouraged, don't run from God. Don't allow the devil to convince you that you are alone in your Christian battle. There are still good Christians standing up for what is right and fighting the good fight of faith! Dwelling on the problem only makes it worse, not better. Rather than sulking or thinking about your discouragement, continue serving the Lord. The surest way to cure discouragement is to focus on Christ.
If you are discouraged today, take time to read of God's hand on Elijah's life. Read about how God worked behind the scenes, even when Elijah couldn't see. Resist the devil's temptation to run from God, and continue fighting in the Lord's army today.
Daily Bible Reading
Job 8-10 o Acts 8:26-40
by Dr. Paul Chappell
1 Kings 19:2-4
Even the most victorious of fighters face discouragement.
Former heavy-weight boxer James (Quick) Tillis is a cowboy from Oklahoma who fought out of Chicago in the early 1980's. He still remembers his first day in the windy city after his arrival from Tulsa. "I got off the bus with two cardboard suitcases under my arms in downtown Chicago and stopped in front of the Sears Tower. I put my suitcases down, and I looked up at the Tower, and I said to myself, 'I'm going to conquer Chicago.' When I looked down, the suitcases were gone."
What discouragement! To be ready to conquer the world yet realize all that you owned had been stolen. Sometimes discouragement can come right after moments of triumph or victory. Elijah could certainly have testified to this fact. As we learned yesterday, he stood up to King Ahab, watched as the prophets of Baal failed to call down fire from their god, and witnessed God consume the altar of sacrifice in front of everyone on Mount Carmel. He had just witnessed the impossible occur, yet just a little while later we see Elijah feeling discouraged.
What caused Elijah to move from saying, "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him" (I Kings 18:21) to saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers" (I Kings 19:4)? Elijah faced a valley of discouragement.
Many times we face discouragement after victory. Have you ever resisted a temptation, overcome a sin, or experienced victory only to turn around and fall into more sin? Victory doesn't negate discouragement. Notice Elijah's actions after victory: "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. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree" (1 Kings 19:3-4).
Elijah ran from God when he was discouraged; he ran into the wilderness to be alone and to dwell on his predicament. Like many discouraged Christians, he focused on himself and his problem rather than focusing on God's victory.
When you're discouraged, don't run from God. Don't allow the devil to convince you that you are alone in your Christian battle. There are still good Christians standing up for what is right and fighting the good fight of faith! Dwelling on the problem only makes it worse, not better. Rather than sulking or thinking about your discouragement, continue serving the Lord. The surest way to cure discouragement is to focus on Christ.
If you are discouraged today, take time to read of God's hand on Elijah's life. Read about how God worked behind the scenes, even when Elijah couldn't see. Resist the devil's temptation to run from God, and continue fighting in the Lord's army today.
Daily Bible Reading
Job 8-10 o Acts 8:26-40