“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7
Dear Ones:
What characterized the prayer life of Elijah? From what James tells us in his epistle, it was one of effectiveness, and with great fervor, earnestness. We might add also the characteristic of perseverance as an evidence of the steadfastness of faith. We are told by James that Elijah was a man, “…subject to like passions as we are.” (5:17) What did he mean by this? We have only to read the life of Elijah to discover the answer. There were times of great victory, when God would move in a most extraordinary way, according to Elijah’s faith, and according to the declared will of God. There were other moments, when Elijah was gripped with fear, and would flee before Jezebel, seeking seclusion in a cave in Mt. Sinai. He was a man who also came to believe that he was the only prophet left in Israel, and that he alone, had not yielded to the worship of Baal. This was not true, for the Lord would tell him that He had reserved seven thousand who had not bent the knee to worship another god. So, how is it that Elijah was effective in prayer? And what was the basis for his fervor, earnestness, and steadfastness to believe God until the will of God was realized?
Scripture does not tell us a great deal about the early days of Elijah, only that he was a Tishbite, and that he was a man filled with the Spirit. This was later seen in the example of John the Baptist, who was like Elijah, in that he was a “voice crying in the wilderness.” We see Elijah come on the scene in Israel during one of the most corrupt and idolatrous times in its history. The worship of Baal was the dominant religion of the time, the land being under the rule of the wicked King Ahab, and his wife, Jezebel. We learn very quickly that Elijah was a prophet, who lived and faithfully responded to the “word of the Lord.” Here lies the first element, and bedrock, of his prayer life. He learned to pray, according to “the word of the Lord.” On the very day that he confronted all of the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel, and the fire of God came out of heaven to consume the sacrifice, thus proving to the people that the Lord God was indeed God, Elijah prayed, and the people heard him: “……this day (that) Thou art God in Israel, and (that) I am Thy servant, and (that) I have done all these things AT THY WORD.” (1 Kings 18:36)
Later, when Elijah confronts King Ahab, after there had been three years of drought, he tells Ahab: “Get thee up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of abundance of rain.” (v.41) How could he say this? It is because of the revelation of the will of God. God had told him. He then goes to the top of Mount Carmel and begins to pray for the rain, and does so seven times, sending his servant to look out over the sea. It is on the seventh time that the servant returns and says, “…there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.” (v.44) Elijah was able to pray earnestly, with perseverance, and effectiveness, because he knew the will of God, and prayed for its realization. James, in the first chapter of his epistle wrote this: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to ALL men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (1:5)
Dear Father, give us grace to seek Thee for the wisdom that is from Thee, the knowledge of Thy will. Strengthen our hearts to take our stand in prayer and faith on the basis of what You have declared. Enable us to persevere until we also see the little cloud on the horizon…the evidence that there is coming an abundance of rain. We praise and thank Thee, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad
So encouraging!