1 Kings 17:1-3 - Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, I stand before Him, and there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” 2 Then a revelation from the Lord came to him: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide yourself at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan.

1 Kings 16: 30-33 - Ahab son of Omri did what was evil in the Lord’s sight more than all who were before him. 31 Then, as if following the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat were a trivial matter, he married Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then proceeded to serve Baal and worship him. 32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he had built in Samaria. 33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole. Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel than all the kings of Israel who were before him.

SKIRMISH BETWEEN ELIJAH & PROPHETS OF BAAL - 1 KINGS 18-19:18

1 Kings 19:1-6 Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don’t make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!”3 Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, 4 but he went on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life, for I’m no better than my fathers.” 5 Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.

ANY EVIL WE ALLOW TO ENTER OUR HEART & MIND WILL ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE & DOMINATE OUR LIFE.

THE EVIL INFLUENCES WE ALLOW WILL MULTIPLY THE AMOUNT OF SPIRITUAL SKIRMISHES WE FACE.

“BEWARE HUMAN REACTIONS AFTER HOLY EXERTIONS” -ANCIENT CHURCH FATHERS TO DISCIPLES

1 Kings 19:4 - and prayed that he might die. He said, “I have had enough! Lord, take my life.

1 Kings 19:5-6 - Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, “Get up and eat.” 6 Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.

SPIRITUAL SKIRMISHES AGAINST CULTURAL STANDARDS WILL ALWAYS BE EXHAUSTING.

1 Kings 19:9-10 - Then the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts, but the Israelites have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are looking for me to take my life.”

SPIRITUAL SKIRMISHES HAPPEN DAILY, SO DAILY WE MUST FIND REST & PROVISION IN GOD'S WORD AND GOD'S PEOPLE.