Being down is usually a problem of perspective

1 Kings 19:1-4

Elijah achieved a great victory on Mt Carmel, but it drained him! He went from exhilaration to exhaustion. All it took was one more crisis to knock him off track and shatter Elijah’s perspective. (V2-3)

Elijah left his servant at Beersheba and journey into the wilderness alone.  “He arose and ran for his life…And left his servant there” (V3) Elijah made two mistakes: he left his servant behind, and he ran in the wrong direction! 

How did Elijah get back on his feet and go on to fulfill his destiny?

1. “As he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’” (V5-8) Sometimes you just need to get physically renewed. 
2. Then he got spiritually renewed. He went to the mountain of God and stood on the mountain before the Lord. (V11) 
3. Then he got his mind renewed. God adjusted Elijah’s perspective in three areas:
   1. His God-perspective V11
   2. His World-perspective V14, 18
   3. His self-perspective V4, 15-17 
4. Finally – relational renewal. God told Elijah to get back on the right track and choose a better servant. “Elisha, the son of Shaphat… you shall anoint” (V15). “Then Elisha arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant” (V21).

Elisha served Elijah for approximately ten years: first as his servant, then his associate and friend, and finally as his replacement. As a friend, he knew that Elijah’s weakness was discouragement and isolation. That’s why he refused to leave Elijah until Elijah had finished his God-given assignment. As a result, he received a double portion of the Spirit that was upon Elijah! In effect, this enabled Elijah’s ministry to continue on through Elisha!

This is a great lesson for us all on how to handle discouragement so it doesn’t turn into disillusionment, then disengagement. Instead, Elijah shows us how to re-engage with our source of power, get back in the race, run on the right road with the right people, and finish our course with joy!

Let us all finish our course with joy and help others to do the same! (Acts 20:24)

Dr George Hill

Apostolic Founder and President of Victory Churches International