Running with the Giants - Elijah

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

We have these witnesses who are cheering us on in our race. We have been pulling some of these heroes of the faith out of the stands… to hear what they would tell us. They would tell us to strip off anything that slows us down and the sin that trips us up.

Samson - - - Mary

Today, we will study Elijah. He is an OT prophet and lived about 300 years after Samson. Israel grew into a kingdom, then sinned and the kingdom has been torn into 2 parts… the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. Ahab was king and Jezebel was the queen. He was weak and she was wicked. This is the time God calls Elijah too. God tells Elijah to prophesy a drought and it did not rain for 3 1/2 years.

They set up a prophet off… Elijah agains the prophets of Baal to see whose god is the real God. Elijah wins and they kill all the false prophets. Then Elijah ran off.

1 Kings 19:1–2 NLT

1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”

Elijah goes from an incredible high to a low…

Elijah would say some things to anyone who feels like their life is falling apart.

When Life Feels like it’s falling apart...

Maybe you can identify with life feeling like it’s a little out of control. Maybe it’s your marriage… your job… raising kids… planning your finances… addictions with family members… All of us have situations that feel out of control.

Here are a few things I think Elijah might say…

Our perspective shapes our reality

In the middle of your situation, your perspective will shape your reality.

1 Kings 19:3 NLT

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.

In 1 verse, Elijah went from a huge victory to being scared to death. He went from a perspective of God can do anything to one of fear.

Maybe you have been there. You go to the doctor and you get a diagnosis and you are afraid. We can choose faith or fear.

Listen to me

We serve a God who can do anything!

The first step in this is to receive Jesus as your Savior and he will guard your perspective. But we have an enemy who tries to get us to forget that God can do anything.

show the pic of family with mountain lion in the background

1 Peter 5:8 NLT

8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

We have to keep our guard up because the devil is trying to get us.

Show the pic with the mountain lion showing

We need to live with the little girls perspective… Stay alert.

a great way to keep your guard up is halt

H - Hungry

A - Angry

L - Lonely

T - Tired

In those moments, our guard often comes down and that’s when the enemy will attack.

We are only alone if we choose to be alone

1 Kings 19:3–4 NLT

3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

Elijah left. We often say we left, but the reality is that we are the ones who leave… or to isolate.

Your small group or your Christian friends can act like a force field around you… always choose to be connected.

God’s plan is always better that our plan

1 Kings 19:4–5 NLT

4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”

Elijah had had enough. He actually laid down to die.

If you are at this point, we are here for you.

Let me explain. God’s perspective is like ours when we watch a movie.

Jaws - you hear the music and you want to yell at the TV, get off the beach… they can’ hear the music but you do.

Titanic - Rose and Jack on the board… there is clearly enough room for both on the board, but Jack decides to die and Rose decides to let him.

If we were living it like they were, the truth is we would respond just like them because of perspective. We can see more than they could… That’s how god sees us. He sees it from above.

God’s plans are ALWAYS better than ours.

How can we get to a place of solution.

1 Kings 19:5 NLT

5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”

The angel is telling him to get up and get going. It wasn’t over for Elijah and it’s not over for you. It might look dark, but it’s not over. Shake it off.

How do get a new perspective?

When life feels like it’s falling apart, Choose to let go and let God.

No matter what you are facing, you can get up.

1 Kings 19:9–14 NLT

9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

What are you doing here? He may be asking some of you too.

We have to start by letting go.

Choose to let go

1. Of it all

2. Out of it all

He had to get out into the light where he could hear what he was saying.

3. Once and for all

When he repeats it outside, it doesn’t come back on him, it goes into God’s hands and God can fix it.

You don’t have to live with anxiety. Here is how we handle anxiety.

Philippians 4:6–7 NLT

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

The situation may still be real, but we can have peace in the middle of it. Why? How? God.

1 Kings 19:15–18 NLT

15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. 16 Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. 17 Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! 18 Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!”

You thought you were alone, but God was there

Choose to let God

1. Direct our path.

If you have a problem, the Bible has an answer.

2. Determine our plans

We have the Holy Spirit inside us who will allow us to walk in truth and purpose.

3. Demonstrate His Providence

Providence is God’s protective care.

Too often we just do things our own way, but we need to learn how to wait on God.

story of someone who overcame difficult circumstances.

Romans 8:31 NLT

31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Prayer -

Salvation Prayer - let go of the situations… and

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