Enough is Enough

　
1 Kings 19:1-4 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed, “Lord, I have had enough.”

How many have ever said that to the Lord before?

What is strange about this is how easily Elijah was scared off?  One would think that if we had just called fire down from heaven, we'd have a little more confidence.  In fact a couple of the commentaries I read suggested that if Jezebel had tried to harm Elijah, the people would have revolted.  I guess not everyone can call fire down from heaven.  Nonetheless, we have Elijah running for his life and the only thing that happened to him was that he got threatened. 

This point of view says a lot about us and how we can sometimes be so easily intimidated by the enemy. The scripture reveals another time that this same kind of thing had happened before.

1 Samuel 17:8-11  Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

For 40 days Goliath did nothing but mock and threaten the people of God yet they were paralyzed with fear. Just like a deer in the headlights.  We must understand that there is nothing that the Devil can do to the child of God. He can talk, he can threaten, he can intimidate, he can lie, but he can do nothing.

Romans 8:37  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

The word temptation in the Greek can also be translated to mean a testing or a trial.  There is no trial, no hardship that life can throw at us that we cannot overcome by the Spirit of God.  The Devil is a defeated foe.  He has no power over the child of God except what we give him. 

It just goes to show that fear and anxiety are powerful emotions and can be a powerful tool for the enemy to use against us.  This is true of any negative emotion. We all feel them. It’s what makes us human, but feeling them and allowing them to dominate our lives are 2 different things.

Ephesians 4:26+27  (I like the way the Living Translation puts it) And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

It’s not a sin to get angry or afraid or sad or jealous or discouraged but when we allow these emotions to control our lives, we open the door for the enemy to come in and wreak havoc in our lives.  This is where we find Elijah, dominated by his emotions at the end of his rope. Fortunately for us God knows exactly what we need.

1 Kings 19:5  Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him.

I would not have lasted 20 years in ministry without the touch of God on my life. Through life’s hardships and disappointments. The ups and the downs we need his touch.

Matthew 8:2+3   A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing.”

We serve a God who is willing. Willing to impart the love, joy and peace that we need to overcome the storms that will inevitably come our way.  A God who is willing and able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.  (Ephesians 3:20).  We serve a God that knows our needs before we do.

Philippians 4:7  And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Not only does God comfort and minister to us, He also sustains us.

1 Kings 19:5+6  All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

We serve a God who not only wants to comfort us, but sustain us and build us back up.

We are sustained by the Word of God.

Matthew 4:4  Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

We are sustained by the Spirit of God.

2 Peter 1:3  His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

We are sustained by our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:11  Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Whatever it is you are going through or have been though the Lord will sustain you.

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

He is faithful and is always on time.

1 Kings 19:7-9  The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The Lord will continue to minister to us, but eventually he’s going to ask.

1 Kings 19:9b “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

At some point we have to get back in the game.  The apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:16 that necessity is laid upon us.  We need to learn to see things from God’s perspective.

James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 　

I got news for all the saints out there.  It may come as a shock to you, but God is not always interested in our comfort.  I remember in my first chapel service back at Zion, Dr. Crandall said something that has stayed with me all these years he said, "God is only concerned with two things;  Eternity and the ends of the earth." 

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Every circumstance and every situation is designed by God to affect eternity or the ends of the earth.  Either God is trying to work something out in us so that he may elevate us and make us more effective.  Or he's placing us in specific places, at specific times, to meet specific people.  Maybe people we woud have never met if we weren't going through whatever it is we may be going through.  I believe in divine appointments.  The trick is learning how to be content in whatever situation we may find ourselves in.

You see, I believe that "not lacking anything" is finding a place of contentment.  When the child of God reaches a certain level of maturity and wholeness they will find a place of contentment that sustains them regardless of the circumstances.
　
Philippians 4:11-13  I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Our joy, our peace, and our hope, are not dependent on the circumstances that surround us, but by the Spirit of God.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and  peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

We serve a God of restoration and renewal. His name is El-Shaddai (The God of more than enough), not El-Cheapo.  He desires to fill us with His Holy Spirit and empower us to overcome and advance for the furtherance of His kingdom and for His honor and glory.