Elijah in Crisis
1 Kings 19
Introduction
- 1 Kings 19
- Introduction to Elijah's crisis
Personal Anecdote
- Office at the Pentagon
- Reading a military journal
- Article by General Douglas MacArthur on military success
Key Points from the Article
- Requisites for Military Success
- Morale and will to win
- Strength and adequate training
- Adequate supply lines
- Knowledge of the enemy
Spiritual Parallel
- Spiritual Warfare
- 2 Corinthians 2:11 on knowledge of Satan’s devices
- Importance of understanding the enemy
Analysis of 1 Kings 19
- Case Study of Elijah
- Vulnerability after victory
- Contrasting chapters 18 and 19
- Realism in the Biblical narrative
The Dangers Highlighted
- Danger of Looking at Circumstances
- Elijah’s fear of Jezebel
- Distorted perspective when focusing on circumstances
- Example of Peter walking on water
- Danger of Praying Foolishly
- Elijah’s request to die
- Hypocrisy and lack of honesty in prayer
- Thankfulness for unanswered prayers
- Danger of Neglecting Physical and Emotional Needs
- Overworking and lack of rest
- Personal anecdotes of students and pastors
- The need for balance and rest
Divine Provision and Perspective
- God’s Care for Elijah
- God providing food and rest through an angel
- The journey to Horeb
- The importance of balance in spiritual life
The Trap of Feeling Indispensable
- Indispensability Fallacy
- Elijah’s feeling of being the only faithful one
- The danger of self-importance in ministry
- Story of a young chaplain and the lesson of contribution over duration
God's Diverse Ways of Speaking
- Revelation through Silence
- God’s revelation in the still small voice
- The importance of humility and reliance on God
Spiritual Life in Practical Terms
- Practical spiritual life versus idealistic views
- The importance of spirituality in everyday life
- Reflections on the teachings of Dr. Ironside
Conclusion
- Living Distinctively for Christ
- Importance of a practical, everyday spiritual life
- Encouragement to understand and avoid spiritual traps
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
