Life Lessons from Elijah: What Kind of Follower Are You?

Which Side of the Fence Are You On? A Look at Faith, Fear, and Following God
Life has a way of revealing who we truly are when the pressure mounts. When circumstances become overwhelming, when drought seasons stretch longer than we anticipated, when standing for what's right might cost us everything—that's when our authentic faith emerges from behind the mask we sometimes wear.
The ancient story of Elijah's confrontation with King Ahab offers a mirror for examining our own spiritual lives. But this isn't just Elijah's story. It's also the story of four very different people, each representing a distinct way of relating to God. As we explore their lives, an uncomfortable question emerges: Which one am I?
When Your Heart Is Heavy
Before diving into these characters, we must acknowledge a fundamental truth: life can be overwhelmingly difficult. Jesus understood this intimately. In Matthew 11:28, He extends an invitation that still echoes across the centuries: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
This isn't a theoretical promise. It's a lifeline for those drowning in circumstances that seem impossible to navigate. Whether you're carrying your own burden or your heart breaks for someone else's pain, Jesus doesn't minimize the weight. Instead, He offers Himself as the answer.
God already knows what you're facing. He sees what keeps you awake at night. He understands the fears you haven't voiced and the questions you're afraid to ask. The invitation stands: come to Him with your overwhelmed heart, and find rest.
Four Ways to Live
After three years of devastating drought in Israel, God told Elijah to present himself to King Ahab. This wasn't a casual meeting—Ahab had spent those three years hunting Elijah with murderous intent. Yet Elijah obeyed, walking straight into danger because God had spoken.
In this dramatic encounter recorded in 1 Kings 18, we meet four distinct personalities, each representing a different approach to faith:
The Jezebel Spirit: Rebellion Without Restraint
Queen Jezebel embodied wickedness with a capital W. She led Israel into Baal worship, promoted sexual perversion, and systematically executed God's prophets. Vindictive, controlling, and manipulative, she lived entirely for herself and her agenda.
The Jezebel spirit isn't confined to ancient history or limited to one gender. It shows up whenever someone refuses to submit to godly authority, insists on their own way regardless of God's Word, and rebels against anything that threatens their control. It's the spirit that says, "I know better than God, and I'll do what I want."
The Ahab Approach: Tolerance of the Intolerable
King Ahab wasn't quite as actively evil as his wife, but his passive tolerance enabled her wickedness. He allowed the nation to drift away from God. He tolerated idol worship. He permitted the execution of prophets. His sin wasn't just what he did—it was what he failed to oppose.
This tolerance appears whenever we know something is wrong but choose not to take a stand. When we see our families, our churches, or our culture moving away from God's truth but remain silent. When we prioritize peace over righteousness and comfort over conviction.
The Obadiah Dilemma: Wishy-Washy Faith
Obadiah presents the most complex case. The Bible says he "feared the Lord greatly," and he proved it by hiding and feeding one hundred prophets when Jezebel sought their death. That took courage and resources.
Yet when Elijah asked him to announce his presence to King Ahab, Obadiah panicked. He played the "what if" game, imagining worst-case scenarios. He reminded Elijah of his past faithfulness as if that exempted him from present obedience. His faith fluctuated depending on who was watching and what risks were involved.
Sound familiar? Obadiah represents those who love God on Sunday but blend with the world on Tuesday. Who serve God when it's convenient but hide their faith when it might cost something. Who can point to past spiritual victories while currently living in fear and compromise.
What we did for God five years ago matters, but what truly counts is what we're doing today. We cannot live on yesterday's obedience.
The Elijah Example: Bold, Obedient Faith
Despite the death threats, despite three years of being hunted, despite the risk, Elijah obeyed God's command. He presented himself to Ahab. When the king called him "the troubler of Israel," Elijah didn't flinch. Instead, he boldly declared that Ahab himself had troubled Israel by forsaking God's commandments.
Elijah's faith wasn't about safety or comfort. It was about obedience, even when obedience led into danger. It was about speaking truth, even when truth wasn't popular. It was about doing God's will, even when he probably would have preferred to stay hidden and safe.
The Honest Question
Here's what makes this story so personally challenging: we can't simply choose which character we want to be. We must honestly assess which one we actually are.
If we're brutally honest, most of us exhibit characteristics of all four at different times. When our eyes drift from Jesus, we can become controlling and vindictive like Jezebel. We can tolerate sin in our lives and families like Ahab. We can have wishy-washy, circumstantial faith like Obadiah. And occasionally—hopefully increasingly—we can demonstrate bold obedience like Elijah.
The crucial truth is this: you control who you become. You determine how you live and act. That's why submitting to the Lord isn't optional for genuine spiritual growth. We can't play church and expect to become like Christ.
The Power of "I Can't" vs. "I Won't"
Perhaps you're thinking, "I just can't submit myself to the Lord. I can't be that person of bold faith."
Paradoxically, that admission puts you in a perfect position. Because you're absolutely right—you can't. Not in your own strength. But you can become submissive when you yield yourself to Jesus. Saying "I can't" with a surrendered heart is infinitely better than saying "I won't" with a resistant one.
Some people have the attitude: "I won't go forward to pray. I won't surrender myself. I won't intercede for others. I won't make myself look weak." That stubbornness keeps them spiritually stuck, unable to become who God created them to be.
God doesn't need our self-sufficiency. He wants our humble dependence. He's looking for people who will admit they can't and then allow Him to work through their weakness.
The Invitation Still Stands
Second Timothy 1:7 reminds us: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." When you're overwhelmed with fear, understand that it's not from God. He gives power, love, and soundness of mind instead.
The question remains: which character best describes your current spiritual life? Are you rebelling, tolerating, wavering, or obeying?
The beauty of God's grace is that you're not locked into any category. Today can be the day you stop playing church and truly surrender. Today can be when you move from "I won't" to "I can't, but God can." Today can mark the beginning of bold, obedient faith.
God has provided everything needed for forgiveness, salvation, and transformation. The only question is whether you're willing to say yes to Him.