Elijah, by operating in fear, showed a weakness in faith

Elijah was the mouthpiece of God. God used him to inform others that God is indeed real and will not be equalled to any other false god. God used Elijah to perform great miracles.

In chapter 18 of Kings, there is the highlight of the Prophet Elijah’s career of miracles, as you read about the showdown at Mount Carmel, where Elijah called down fire from heaven and ordered the death or destruction of 850 false prophets and idols.

Yet, in chapter 19 of 1 Kings that same Elijah was riddled with feelings of despair and despondency even after being used so mightily by God.

In one way that was a good thing, because it lets you know that all your powerful deeds do not come from you, but from God to you and through you.

On the other hand, Elijah’s response was strange because Elijah was operating in fear, which was a weakness of faith.

Think about it. A man who operated at extraordinary levels of faith found himself in a cave of fear.

What would cause such a voice, such a great inspiration, and such a man of his time to be running scared? Answer: threats.

One must be very careful and thoughtful when your actions are tainted by the threats of others.

Now, recognize that the threat of Jezebel was no joke. Jezebel had in the past carried forth atrocities to those who dared to come against her lifestyle of self-indulgence and idol worship.

1 Kings 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.

As you read about The Prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 18-20, you will understand that whatever God told him to say, he said it.

Yet the worst move for Elijah was when he decided to give equal consideration to the words of Jezebel. He took her words to be “gospel” and that infused a level of toxicity in his own belief system.

Previously, whatever God said to do, Elijah got up and did just that. Elijah even told King Ahab exactly what he would suffer due to idolatry. Elijah did that with no fear.

Yet, when Elijah heard the words of Jezebel (not God) he took them to heart. That weakened his position and his stand. From the moment Elijah believed the words of Jezebel he was a different man. He ran from the King’s presence.

He was on the run and hid from the cruel hands of Jezebel.

1 Kings 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3 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.

In chapter 19, Elijah was indeed another man. Leaders and preachers alike must be careful of becoming drained — even by success.

Success is not of your own self or strength and therefore after great successes there ought to be a time of great refreshing.

Elijah was not refreshed, and so he became physically and mentally drained, which led him to make the wrong conclusion — Jezebel could kill him.

It was not long after chapter 19 of 1 Kings, that God set up a replacement for Elijah.

Know that God takes it seriously when His leaders begin to give the enemy more credit and glory than they deserve.