Today we continue the series “Under a Tree...”

  ...1 Kings 19:3-4 (NLT2) “Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life…” Let’s look at the effects of this spiritual weariness. 

1. Spiritual hangovers. Hopefully most of you can say that you have never had a hangover from being drunk the night before. Let me just use my profession as an example. So many pastors, after a Sunday or weekend of speaking and giving of themselves and all their inner resources can have this feeling of a hangover. People who like to over-spiritualize everything choose to not understand that the supply of energy and passion (even in a Spirit-filled Christian) is not inexhaustible…it can be depleted. MacDonald – Young men and women surmise that the brute strength of their physical energy level can carry them on indefinitely. It can work for a while. But not forever! One day, having ignored this possibility, they awake to the extreme inner stress of exhaustion of spirit. It is a terribly confusing experience.” We see this in Elijah.  

2. Elijah is totally drained. Just a few days after this amazing victory, Elijah is now in the hangover of his life. It is difficult to describe what the encounter on the mountain top had taken out of Elijah. All we have in scriptures is the foul mood Elijah was in when he ran for his life from Jezebel. Death threats. He needed bread (Word) and water (Holy Spirit).

3. That still small voice. Elijah was still not whole when he left the broom tree. He still felt all alone (I am the only prophet left). He did not need another Mount Carmel experience. He needed something better. 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NKJV) “Then He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” Hear me…He was alone but not by himself. He needed a gentle wonderful amazing encounter with God. Not wind, not fire, not an earthquake, not another Mount Carmel, He needed an encounter with God. I can’t stay under this tree…I must get to that quiet place where I can hear the beautiful voice of God.