1 Kings 19-20, Luke 23:1—25 • Key Verse: 1 Kings 19:4

Once you reach the mountaintop, it’s all downhill from there. While that is obviously true in a physical sense, it’s also true emotionally. When we, reach an emotional peak, the next step is downhill. The question is not if but how far down a person will go. And as we go down emotionally, its easy for us to go down spiritually as well.

Consider Elijah. His mountaintop experience physically was on Mount Carmel. The 450 prophets of Baal posed a formidable lineup. Only Elijah stood on the Lord’s side. But when the people saw the fire of the Lord fall, they cried, “The LORD—he is God!” (18:39).

Elijah was vindicated. The false prophets were defeated. Rain returned as the drought ended. And Elijah wished he were dead.
All it took was a threat from one woman, Jezebel, and the man who ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to Jezreel headed south—way south—into the desert, where he sat down and wished that he were dead.

It doesn’t seem possible. After a great victory, the prophet of God prayed, “Take my life” (19:4).
But it does make sense. Emotional peaks can be followed by emotional valleys, and when we are in the valley we are most susceptible to discouragement. It happened to Elijah, and it happens to us.

So be prepared. When on the mountaintop, remember that a valley will come next. Do not allow the letdown after a victory to become an occasion for discouragement,

_“God, help me always to be strong—during the trials, the victories and the times of difficulty. ”_

Woodrow Kroll & Tony Beckett
www.backtothebible.in