I Have Had Enough, Lord

Yes, He provides rest and food for a discouraged servant. Oh, what our God of mercy can do!  

Posted on

These were the words of Elijah, the one who just called down the fire of God down upon the sacrifice and challenged the prophets of Baal.  God showed up and showed off.

What?  He is now saying, “I have had enough Lord.”  (1 Kings 19: 4)  Elijah was running for his life.  He hears that Ahab told wicked Jezebel everything that Elijah did and how he killed the prophets of Baal with his sword.  She wants to take his life and lets him know through a messenger.

Elijah, now, is tired and sitting under a Broom tree, hoping he would be swept away.  Pun intended!

Actually, a Broom tree is a desert shrub, sometimes large enough to provide shade.  He is laying down now and fell asleep.

  • When we desire to be swept away, God designs it to be rest.
  • Only He can transform a desire and create a design.

All at once an angel touched him and told him to, “Get up and eat.  He looked around, and thereby his head, was a cake of bread over hot coals, and a jar of water.  He ate and drank and then lay down again.”  (1 Kings 19: 5-6)  

Wait a minute! Where did the fresh bread and water come from?  This is the same meal the widow had fed him a couple of chapters earlier.  The blessing he proclaimed upon that poor widow, now was released back to him in the lonely place of the desert.

  • The Bread of Life provides.
  • Whatever we provide for others, others will provide for us.

Yes, He provides rest and food for a discouraged servant. Oh, what our God of mercy can do!

After he is strengthened with food and rest, the Angel of the Lord comes again and touched him, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you. So he got up and ate and drank.  Strengthened by the food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.”  (1 Kings 19: 7-8)  

  • The tough places of discouragement, often lead us to the mountain of God.

Yep, Elijah is on assignment again!  This time, the Lord asks him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  (1 Kings 19:9)  

Why do you think God asked him a question that He already knew the answer to?  He knew why Elijah was there.  God is the one who sent him there.

Elijah tells God of how Israel isn’t listening and how he was running for his life because of Jezebel wanting to kill him.  Elijah was thinking that his time in God was done.  He was convinced within his spirit that he had not accomplished what God had wanted.

  • Even in our struggle, always let the Lord know how you are feeling.  He’s a great listener and doesn’t interrupt.

How quickly he forgot that the fire of God just showed up and the people fell on their faces before God proclaiming that the Lord is their God.

It’s time for his pity-party to end!  God instructs Elijah, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”  (1 Kings 19: 11)

  • God will not pass you by. Pay attention, He may pass by in front of you.

He did this with Elijah.  A great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.  

After the wind died down, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.  

After the fire came, a gentle whisper.  “When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.  Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” ( 1 Kings 19: 12-13)  

  • God often speaks in a gentle whisper.

After demonstrating His presence in the whisper, rather than in the noise, the Lord gives Elijah another opportunity to revise the answer, when he had previously asked the same question. He still didn’t get what God was revealing through the question.  His answer was the same saying, “I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”  (1 Kings 19:  14)

Signs upon the earth may look like the world will be destroyed.
God relinquishes His hand from destruction, until the proper time.

The world around Elijah was being shaken, but God had a way to answer and tell him of his unfinished mission.

  • He wasn’t to look at the world but to keep focused on his call.

Elijah is recommissioned to go back the way he came and go to the Desert of Damascus.  He is instructed who to anoint and who will succeed him as the prophet.

  • God has a time for rest and a time for work.

Apparently, it was time for Elijah to anoint and become a mentor to his prophet’s assistant, Elisha, who gets to wear the same mantle.  Only Elisha will be receiving a double-portion of Elijah’s anointing.  (Taken from 1 Kings 19, Modified)

 

 

Featured image by Guido Jansen

The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.

About the Author

Mary Beth Pecora, a faithful wife, mother, grandmother, friend, worshiper and servant leader, who loves life and loves people. More importantly, she passionately loves God and the fullness of who He is! For twenty-three years she has served in leadership positions within the ministry of Aglow International. Currently, she and her husband serve at The Secret Place--A Psalm 91 Ministry. It's a place for individual folks to come, be exhorted and prayed for, while being ushered to ministry stations within the room. They continue to serve monthly in the Prayer Room at their home church that they have been a part of for almost forty years. In April of 2022 they both received their Ministry License and were Ordained in May of 2023. She delights in encouraging folks of all ages within various walks of life. Her love of writing is now her passion, which led her to publish two books, "Restoration Explosion In The New Year," and "Navigating The Mysteries Of God." Above all that’s been accomplished and concluded, the BEST thing to her is knowing her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is her everything—her very best friend. Visit: Mybelovedsvoice.com